LOWESTOFT Town pulled off a giant-killing act when they defeated holders Ipswich Town 3-2 in last night's Suffolk Premier Cup first-round tie at Crown Meadow.

LOWESTOFT Town pulled off a giant-killing act when they defeated holders Ipswich Town 3-2 in last night's Suffolk Premier Cup first-round tie at Crown Meadow. Two goals in the final five minutes turned the tie around to send Ipswich crashing out of the cup.

S1 SPORT SUFFOLK PREMIER CUP FIRST ROUND

Lowestoft Town 3 Ipswich Town 2

IPSWICH Town have been dumped out of this season's Suffolk Premier Cup.

The holders fell at the first hurdle to Ridgeons League Premier Division side Lowestoft Town, who scored twice in the final five minutes of last night's first round tie.

Ipswich, who had Danny Haynes partnering Paul Murphy up front, also included fellow first teamers Jaime Peters and Richard Naylor, and came racing out of the blocks as the hosts struggled to adapt to their tempo.

Naylor, making his return to the team after damaging a toe last January, headed an early Jai Reason corner wide before the visitors struck after ten minutes.

Another Reason corner was dummied by Peters and Haynes was on hand to lash home from eight yards.

Lowestoft responded when a hanging Richard Woodrow free-kick was missed by Andrew Plummer but Ross King was unable to turn the ball into the net under pressure.

The sheer pace of Haynes was a constant thorn in the side of the Lowestoft back four and he struck wide from outside the area on 24 minutes, as Ipswich dominated but were unable to convert their superiority into goals.

Haynes and Reason both had penalty shouts turned away by referee Richard Beevor after both had gone down under challenges from home keeper Adam Rix.

The hosts grabbed an equaliser 13 minutes before the break, against the run of play, when another inswinging Woodrow free-kick was met by the rising Neil Plaskett.

Rix was then on fine form to deny Peters and Haynes when both were clean through on goal as the first half drew to a close with Ipswich going into the break rueing their missed chances.

The second half began with Gary McGee wasting a golden opportunity for Lowestoft to take the lead after robbing Naylor on the edge of the Ipswich area. His curling shot not only beat Plummer but the crossbar as well.

Lowestoft started to play with new-found buoyancy and King saw his cross turned away acrobatically by Plummer.

However, the visitors rode the brief storm and regained the lead on 65 minutes when Peters' cross was met by the head of Liam Trotter 15 yards out, going beyond Rix and into the bottom left corner.

Still Lowestoft pressed though with Woodrow forcing Plummer into a couple of smart but comfortable saves.

The pace of Haynes still posed a deadly threat for the hosts and he broke clear once, finding the on-rushing Reason with a square pass. But Plaskett was on hand to turn it behind.

The hosts were finally rewarded for a fine second-half performance five minutes from the end with a dramatic equaliser.

A patient attack was only half cleared by Oliver Fenn and Matty Potter struck the ball first time from 35 yards out, over a startled Plummer and in.

With the clock ticking into injury time, substitute Jamie Godbold received the ball mid-way inside the Ipswich half and in waltzing past two challenges took the ball past the diving Plummer, before slotting home from close range.

It was a scintillating winner to cap an amazing night's football, one the 375-strong crowd will never forget.

RYMAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Heybridge Swifts 4 Tonbridge angels 1

WHATEVER manager Brian Statham and his staff said to the players at half time needs to be bottled.

After a first half in which the visitors could have been three or four goals ahead, Swifts scored three without reply and looked a far superior side.

It was the visitors who looked to strike first, Jon Maine with an early run, foiled by Ian Wiles who was impressive throughout.

Played at a fast pace on a skiddy surface, the game was end to end at first, and George Purcell's 25 yard strike on the turn was well saved by Tonbridge keeper Matt Reed.

The visitors began to dominate with Maine to the fore.

It was somewhat against the run of play when Swifts went ahead on 32 minutes. The increasingly effective Adam Gillespie made a strongly incisive run to feed Purcell on the left and his rasping shot from 18 yards gave Reed no chance, Swifts ahead.

Two minutes later and Maine was brought down in the area by Daryl Bourgeois after indecisive defending from Toby Janadu.

Maine picked himself up to give Sanders no chance with the penalty.

The speedy Maine was again felled in the area shortly afterwards, by Sanders who was booked for the offence.

This time his penalty was superbly saved by the big keeper.

Swifts were on the rack at this stage, yet somehow survived for their half time pep talk.

It all looked so different after the interval, first Purcell feeding Burrell who stepped inside but Reed parried his shot, then Robbie King restored to midfield, headed over from Burrell's cross.

At the other end Sanders showed strong hands to beat away a strong shot from Fraser Logan.

King then slammed home a second for Swifts after a good move down the left and Wiles took the ball on and as the crowd bayed for the defender to shot he intelligently gave King the chance to score.

Soon afterwards a stunning finish from Purcell with a lob over the keeper made it 3-1 to Swifts.

It was a more compact and composed Swifts outfit after the interval and they reaped their due rewards.

A tremendous run and cross from Purcell found the hardworking Sean Marks who shot high.

Then after a sweet interchange Gillespie burst forward to fire inches wide.

Tonbridge pressed but a re-organised Swifts rearguard kept them at bay.

In the final stages sub Stafford Browne had two efforts blocked, then crowned a wonderful night's entertainment with a fourth Swifts goal.

Six points and eight goals from their last two league games see Swifts starting to climb the table and will set them in great heart for the FA Cup third qualifying round tie at home to Billericay on Friday October 12, 7.30 pm kick off.

Leyton 1 Chelmsford City 2

CHELMSFORD City moved up to second in the table, recovering from a single-goal deficit to defeat bogey side Leyton at Lea Bridge Road.

Jeff King's side avenged previous defeats at the East London venue with Jeff Minton and Ricky Holmes again on the score sheet.

City named new player Marc Elston on the bench, arriving via Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Dundee and Southend United, while squad regulars Aidan Collins and Spencer Knight earned a recall to the starting line-up.

But the Lilywhites were the ones who took the lead, a quick counter-attack leading to former Claret Rio Alderton finding the top of the net on just eight minutes.

Chelmsford drew level in the 24th minute as Holmes wriggled into the 18-yard box before being brought down for a penalty which Minton confidently converted down the middle of the goal.

Both sides then had chances though it was the visitors who seized the initiative, Dean Palmer playing in Holmes to lob goalkeeper Danny Lunan and grab a 58th-minute lead.

The Clarets now go into this weekend's game in top form as they visit Hayes & Yeading United in the FA Cup third qualifying round at 1pm on Saturday.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION

Hadleigh Utd 3 Cornard Utd 1

HADLEIGH continued their recent good form with a hard-earned win against local rivals Cornard at a rain-soaked Millfield.

A slide rule pass from Knott was converted by Goodchild to open Hadleigh's account after eight minutes.

However, Cornard were soon on terms as Barton scored with a high shot after 15 minutes.

Hadleigh regained the lead on 29 minutes when a centre from Dennett was fired home by Payne.

In the 72nd minute Payne was again on target with Hadleigh's third as the rain continued to pour down.