Framlingham Town 0 Stowmarket Town 3

East Anglian Daily Times: Framlingham Town on the defensive during their Thurlow Nunn Premier Division clash against Stowmarket. Picture: CARL MARSTONMFramlingham Town on the defensive during their Thurlow Nunn Premier Division clash against Stowmarket. Picture: CARL MARSTONM (Image: Archant)

Stowmarket Town eased to a comfortable victory over Thurlow Nunn Premier new boys Framlingham Town, at Badingham Road tonight.

The Castlemen’s first-ever game at this level ended in a 3-1 defeat at Ely City on Saturday, and they were second best for the majority of their first home fixture in Step Five, following last season’s promotion.

Fresh from a 2-1 home win over Thetford on Saturday, Stowmarket broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Skipper Ollie Brown put the ball into the danger area, where Luke Reed was in the right place to turn home from just outside the six-yard box.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 69th minute, Robbie Sweeney scurrying onto Max Melanson’s through ball before tucking home a low shot past keeper Sam Chilvers from 15 yards out.

East Anglian Daily Times: Goalmouth action as Framlingham Town defend their lines against Stowmarket. Picture: CARL MARSTONGoalmouth action as Framlingham Town defend their lines against Stowmarket. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

And five minutes later it the was 3-0, thanks to centre-half Phil Weavers’ thumping header, which flew into the top corner of the net from a corner routine. That completed a good night’s work for Rick Andrews’ men.

Framlingham started well, before the visitors took control from the midpoint of the first half.

Johnny Kerridge had a couple of shots charged down on five minutes, while Simon Poacher spurned a good chance when volleying over the bar from a good position in the ninth minute.

But Stowmarket then gradually began to take control, with ex-Braintree Town midfielder Matt Paine pulling the strings in the middle of the park, and skipper Ollie Brown seeing a lot of the ball down the right flank.

East Anglian Daily Times: Framlingham keeper Sam Chilvers is ready for action as Stowmarket force the pace. Picture: CARL MARSTONFramlingham keeper Sam Chilvers is ready for action as Stowmarket force the pace. Picture: CARL MARSTON (Image: Archant)

Only the woodwork denied the visitors an opening goal in the 21st minute. Josh Mayhew’s towering header beat keeper Chilvers, only for the ball to cannon back off the bar.

On the half-hour mark, Melanson was only inches away with a first-time shot, but Reed had better luck as he steered the visitors into a 1-0 lead just two minutes later.

Scott Chaplin burst through on goal in the 37th minute, and looked a good bet to net the second, only for defender Cyrus Thorpe to intervene with a last ditch tackle. Read’s header from the ensuing corner flew over the bar.

Mayhew bundled home the ball into an empty net on 55 minutes, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

However, Stow stepped up a gear during the last half-hour, netting further goals through Sweeney’s precise finish and Weavers’ bullet header.

The Castlemen came close to scoring a late consolation goal, but it was not to be their night.

Teams

FRAMLINGHAM: Chilvers, C Smith, Chapman, Thorpe, Johnson, Mayhew, Poacher (sub Sprague, 77), Aldis (sub Willett, 67), D Smith, Kerridge, Driver.

STOWMARKET: Robinson, Brown, Clarke (sub Kempson, 77), Paine, Nunn, Weavers, Chaplin, Melanson (sub Canfer, 72), Sweeney (sub Garrett, 72), Mayhew, Read.

Attendance: 111