HAUGHLEY United are confident they can fulfil their Metaltec SIL Senior Division fixture at Coplestonians tomorrow.But if they have to call off their JR Travel Suffolk Junior Cup first round home match with Thurston it will probably signal the end of second XI football at the club.

By Elvin King

HAUGHLEY United are confident they can fulfil their Metaltec SIL Senior Division fixture at Coplestonians tomorrow.

But if they have to call off their JR Travel Suffolk Junior Cup first round home match with Thurston it will probably signal the end of second XI football at the club.

Long-serving committee man and former manager Gary Nunn said today: “We had an emergency meeting on Tuesday and asked both our managers to see if they can put out teams tomorrow.

“Hopefully they will find enough players to do this. Otherwise we will be looking to go down to just one side.

“We had to call off our SIL Intermediate section match last weekend, and fines increase with every postponement. It would be best to concentrate on the first team as we fight to keep the club alive.”

It was effectively a second team under their manager Adam Riggey that fulfilled the 3-0 home Senior Division defeat against Ipswich Athletic last Saturday.

And if Haughley have to call off tomorrow it will be the reserve side that will stay idle again.

Paul Bugg took over the first team in the summer from Mark Barnard and he was not at Saturday's game with reports that he had left Haughley.

But Nunn said: “We had a long debate on Tuesday and, as far as the committee is concerned, Paul is the person putting together a side for tomorrow's match - with Adam doing the same for the second XI.”

Haughley are bottom of the Senior Division with just one win from ten games - a complete transformation from last season when Barnard led them to second place just three points behind champions Grundisburgh.

“All that team has gone and it would be fair to say that the first team was not left in a good situation,” added Nunn.

“And we are finding that some are not prepared to roll up their sleeves with a number of late call-offs and a list of unavailability.

“But with Chris Faiers as chairman, I am confident we can keep the club going.”

Haughley have been members of the SIL since 1970 and big players in senior football for the last couple of decades. They have a £200,000 clubhouse, which they share with the village bowls club and a number of other groups.

Unbeaten leaders Leiston St Margarets have a tough match at Capel Plough while Melton St Audry's, Stowupland Falcons and Brantham Athletic will be waiting for any slip-ups as they have games in hand and could go above St Margarets with victories.

Third from bottom East Bergholt play the team below them in the table - Westerfield United - and they will be missing three players from last week.

James and Chris Moughton and Mark Hewitson are unavailable with manager Glynn Hague also away.

Metaltec SIL leading scorers

Senior Division: Darren Harper (Grundisburgh) 9, Division 1: Carl McCarthy (Woodbridge Athletic) 9, Intermediate A: Paul Miller (Grundisburgh), Torben Wood (Coplestonians) both 8, Intermediate B: Dean Shave (Stanton) 11, Division 2: Robert Ford (Wickham Market) 8, Division 3: Curtis Ryder (Martlesham) 9, Division 4: James Dunham (Henley Athletic) 10, Division 5: Craig Fordham (Somersham) 7, Division 6: Daniel Simmonds (Tacket Street BBOB) 9.

Metaltec SIL recent transfers

Paul Bugg (Brantham to Haughley), Nicholas Churchman (Coplestonians to Waterside), Chris Hoskins (St Clements Hospital to Stonham Aspal), Dale Wilcock (Haughley to Willis).