Newson at the double as Needham keep up the chase

Needham Market 3 Cheshunt 2

A DOUBLE from Sam Newson helped Needham on the way to another three points to keep tabs on leaders Harlow.

The home side were ahead within a minute when Newson chased a long Danny Gay ball down and beat keeper Wright.

Cheshunt then had most of the play as Needham struggled with possession as an ultimately disappointing game of first half football drew to a close.

The second half initially took the same shape with Cheshunt having most of the play but making little impact on the Needham backline. The home team continued to give the ball away too cheaply, but still doubled their lead when Thrower and Parker combined to release Bradley Barber and his cross was converted by Newson from close range. It was three after an interchange between Wake and lively striker Henry ended with James Evans apparently making the points safe,

But Cheshunt were not finished and pulled a goal back straight from the restart from Chris Meikle.

Henry and Parker were both denied by Wright in the Cheshunt goal before the visitors pulled another goal back with the last kick of the match, a fine strike from Josh Hutchinson five minutes into additional time.

Harlow Town 1 AFC Sudbury 0

AFC SUDBURY’S seven-match unbeaten run ended when Harlow scored a late winner to end Saturday on top of the table.

After defences dominated throughout most of the first half, Sudbury had their best chances of the entire match in first half stoppage time.

First a free kick from Dave Collins caused problems in the Harlow penalty area and after an effort was blocked on the line Rhys Darg headed the loose ball home from close range. But the effort was ruled out for offside.

And then Dave Wareham broke clear but skied his shot over the bar.

Early in the second half it was Harlow’s turn to have a goal ruled out for offside after Clark Akers side-footed the ball into the net following a swift counter attack.

The home side were finding it very difficult to pierce a hard-working Sudbury rearguard. But their pressure paid of with 11 minutes remaining when a quick throw-in sent Steve Ferguson away down the wing and his cross found Akers unmarked at the far post to head powerfully past Nicky Eyre in the Sudbury goal.

RYMAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Hastings United 0 Lowestoft Town 0

TOWN endured a Saturday to forgot as they travelled down to Sussex for a first ever meeting with Hastings United.

Arriving at the ground at 3pm following a serious crash on the A12, the Trawlerboys proceeded to dominate the game for the whole 90 minutes but without really threatening a goal.

Their frustration then turned to despair with both Lee McGlone and Andrew Fisk sent off in the final 20 minutes. It was by far the poorest game since the Blues elevation into the Ryman League set up.

Lowestoft’s only real moment of concern came in the 3rd minute when from a clearly offside position Kenny Pogue headed a Michael Phillips past Andy Reynolds into the net. Lowestoft dominated from therein with Curtis Haynes-Brown and Greg Crane going close.

If the first half had been poor the second was even worse. There was virtually nothing of note until McGlone was harshly sent off in the 71st minute for 2 yellow cards in as many minutes.

His first caution came as the ball was blasted into the back of his legs as he retreated from a free kick and his second the result of a 50-50 challenge with Hastings skipper John Beales.

Despite being a man short, Lowestoft continued to monopolise possession and Stuart Ainsley and Smith saw efforts from distance go just over.

In the only time a keeper was called upon, United stopper Clark Masters made a save from Scott Mitchell before Fisk was shown a red card for an off the ball offence.

Bury Town 1 AFC Hornchurch 3

INJURY-hit Bury Town were again forced to field a weakened side without a regular striker - and Hornchurch made them pay.

After an equal opening period, Hornchurch took the lead on 25 minute when Martin Tuohy converted Lewis Smith`s low cross.

Little was seen of the Bury attack and visiting keeper Darren Behcet was rarely troubled before Town started the second half looking sharper. But it was the visitors who got the decisive second goal when a defensive lapse let in Tuohy to double the lead with 56 minutes on the clock.

Worse was to come when Hornchurch wrapped up the points with a third goal through a header by Rickie Hayles from a Dave Collis free kick.

Bury tried hard to salvage something from the game and got a consolation on 87 minutes when Craig Nurse nodded in Scott Chaplin’s cross.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Hadleigh United 0 Wroxham 2

WROXHAM were the better side from the first whistle to the last and fully deserved to return to Norfolk with all three points.

Matt Daniels and Gary Gilmore caused problems all afternoon for the home side, who struggled to keep possession in the final third of the pitch and only managed one shot on target from Luke Read in the 37th minute.

Despite their superiority Wroxham were wasteful in the opening period, with too many poor crosses, and the nearest they came to scoring was when Lee Smith cleared off the line after the ball struck team mate Ollie Canfer.

Wroxham duly went in front on the hour, Damian Hilton’s rising 20-yard drive taking a slight deflection and beating Arron Benstead at his near post.

Two minutes later Canfer’s misdirected clearance went straight to Danny Boswell who planted his shot past Benstead to seal the points.

Histon Reserves 0 Brantham Athletic 5

A FINE attacking display gave Brantham an excellent win in Cambridgeshire.

Athletic took the lead after just five minutes when a superb ball was latched onto by Ollie Mann who scored from just outside the area.

Histon had no answer to Brantham’s attacking strength and the away side soon doubled their lead when a long kick from away keeper Ryan Bedingfield was picked up by David Grimwood whose perfect pass was hit home by Lee Grimwood.

It was all Brantham and Mann laid on a chance for D Grimwood but his volley went the wrong side of the post with the keeper beaten.

Brantham added a third when the ball was played through for D Grimwood who lashed his shot home past the keeper. Number four was added after the break when the Grimwood pair combined for Mann to run onto the ball and hit home.

The fifth and final goal came when L Grimwood put a corner over which D Grimwood latched onto before beating his marker and sending a superb shot into the roof of the net.

The game ended on a sour note when a Histon forward was sent off for a late tackle on Athletic keeper Bedingfield.

Felixstowe and Walton United 0 Dereham Town 5

THE league’s top scorer Danny Beaumont added three more to his tally with a second half hat-trick as the Seasiders slipped into the bottom three of the Premier Division.

The home side started brightly with loanee Jack Severy prominent as he linked well with Hampson and McCullum but they failed to make the most of a couple of early chances.

League leaders Dereham soon took control and were ahead in the 20th minute when Felixstowe failed to clear a loose ball and Roberts turned well to fire across Cudworth.

Ryland tested Marshall with a firm header and Andrade fired inches wide before the break but the visitors made the most of the home side’s misplaced passes as they stepped up a gear in the second half.

Beaumont fired home from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after Powell had brought down Sam Willis and he was on target again on the hour converting Ollie Willis’s cross from close range. A second penalty two minutes later saw Beaumont complete his hat-trick and Starling rifled home a 25 yard free kick with 20 minutes left to complete the scoring.

Great Yarmouth 2 Haverhill Rovers 2

HAVERHILL Rovers came back from two goals down to earn a decent point by the coast.

An 83rd minute equaliser from sub Craig Cutts earned the visitors a point when it looked like they would get nothing from this league encounter.

After a goalless first half, the deadlock was broken in the 61st minute when Rovers failed to clear a corner and Craig Roberts hooked the ball through a crowd of away defenders and goalkeeper Matt Morrison on the goalline.

The second goal was more controversial with Jake Reed apparently in an offside position when he touched Scott Woodcock’s shot in.

Midway through the second half, Rovers pulled a goal back when Dan Emmanuel ghosted past two Yarmouth defenders on the by-line before cutting the ball back for Matt Clarke to shoot past keeper Michael Hilton and in off defender Jonny King on the line.

The equaliser came in the 83rd minute when a fine turn by Dalton O’Brien ended with his attempted shot going across goal and substitute Cutts stabbing the ball over the line - just three minutes after the forward had been introduced from the bench.

Debenham LC 0 FC Clacton 2

DEBENHAM slumped to the bottom of the league after two second half goals consigned the Hornets to their tenth defeat in the last twelve league games.

In an insipid first 45 minutes, Clacton’s best two chances came either side of the half hour mark with Martin Calver and Sean HIllier going close.

In response Ian Gedny’s audacious attempt at lobbing Rutherford saw the keeper back peddling as the ball struck the bar.

Hillier missed a glorious opportunity at the start of the second period when he shot over with just Ben Vincent to beat before Rutherford denied Shaun French an opening goal with a fine save down by his post.

Clacton opened the scoring after 68 minutes when Calver took a low ball from Liam Coleman before turning sweetly and sending a left foot shot across Vincent and into the corner of the net.

Rutherford was almost caught out by French’s looping header but reacted well to block Paddy Turley’s follow up. Ten minutes from time Clacton sealed the points when Kevin Coyle rifled the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Woodbridge Town 3 Mildenhall Town 1

THE Woodpeckers overcame having a man sent off to earn their second home league win in four days defeating Mildenhall Town at Notcutts Park.

The first half was heading for stalemate with only one goal effort from either side until Ben Seaman weaved his way across the 18 yard line to set up Aaron Churchyard who beat the Mildenhall keeper at the second attempt.

A slip by Chris Pratt a minute later presented John Sands with a chance to equalise but Woodbridge keeper Glyn Dixon saved well with his feet.

Five minutes after the restart Woodbridge were reduced to ten men, Joe Button being penalised for a tackle in the penalty area. The assistant referee deemed it a goalscoring opportunity and James Paterson levelled from the spot kick.

On the hour, Woodbridge were back in front when Seaman went through the visiting defence to score a superb solo effort.

With five minutes remaining it was James Hubbard’s aerial dominance that won the match, his looping header striking the upright before Tom Trevivian applied the finishing touch.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

Whitton United 4 Thetford Town 1

TEN-men Whitton put a second half dismissal behind them to score two late goals and clinch an emphatic win.

The Greens were ahead after just 15 minutes thanks to De’ath’s downward header before the lead was doubled when Inglis slammed in a flick-on from Knott.

Thetford responded well and reduced the deficit shortly after the interval when Mann finished well after Moyes had parried Howard’s low drive.

United’s Josh Brown was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, but Whitton regrouped and their decision to bring on 16-year-old Duzgun paid instant dividends. The youngster was instrumental in the third goal in the 78th minute, cutting the ball back to Wright whose shot was blocked for Jamie Clarke to put away the loose ball.

The best was saved till last as Duzgun fed Nita who set himself for a rocket finish against his former club with five minutes left.

Long Melford 4 Team Bury 2

MELFORD got back to winning ways with a strong second half performance against young and energetic opposition. The opening minutes saw chances at both ends with Delves having his effort cleared off the Bury goalline while Westfield’s shot was inches over the bar for Team Bury.

The Villagers went ahead on 36 minutes when a Lockwood corner was headed home at the near post by home central defender Crissell. Stepping up a gear over the second period, Melford went further ahead four minutes after the interval, with Lockwood and Walker combining to put Williams through on goal to score.

The striker turned into provider five minutes later when William’s persistence paid off down the left flank and his low and hard cross was fumbled by keeper Greygoose and Delves converted from close range.

It was no surprise that Melford increased their lead minutes later when an excellent corner from Williams was poorly defended by the Bury defence and the ball came loose for Lockwood to volley into the net for a magic moment from the Melford winger.

Towards the end of the game Bury salvaged some pride. Ingram scored the rebound after Nugent’s penalty was well saved by Wood before Watson neatly curled home a free kick from the edge of the Melford box.

Diss Town 1 Fakenham Town 0

A STUNNING seven-man move earned dominant Diss the points in this Division One fixture.

The home side enjoyed the majority of chances in both halves with George Watts-Sturrock and Luke Catchpole missing early openings.

Stefan Gilding probably had the best chance of the first period when a whipped-in free kick by the impressive and influential Watts-Sturrock was headed over - when the Diss man should have at least made the keeper work.

Rocastle was providing some flare up front and he was unfortunate to see his long range chip go just over the Fakenham crossbar with keeper Rix in no man’s land.

The game was settled in the 56th minute after a fantastic move was instigated by a timely tackle by Ryan MacFadden. Abbott, Rocastle, Wynne and finally Sam Bryant were all involved in setting up Catchpole who made no mistake from 12 yards out.

March Town United 1 Stowmarket Town 3

STOWMARKET ended March’s five-game winning streak to move up to fifth in the table.

Town started well with Birch and Graham both going close before March took the lead through the skilful Escorcio’s 22-yard free kick.

But Stowmarket responded well to the threat posed by United’s flanks and they drew level before the break when Drummond drove inside and unleashed a right foot shot that was too hot for Brookes to handle.

Both teams hit the woodwork before Stowmarket controlled the game in the second half. Chances for their experienced Wake and Drummond passed by without the score being affected, but as March threw more players forward, the spaces were there for Stowmarket to exploit.

A free kick by Proctor found the head of Birch who neatly steered the ball into the far corner before Proctor made the game safe from the penalty spot.

Saffron Walden Town 2 Ipswich Wanderers 2

A SUPERB Wanderers comeback saw the Suffolk side come from two goals down to earn a deserved point.

The home side took the lead after seven minutes as Flack bundled home from inside a congested area. The visitors slowly got into the game before Saffron Walden added a second eight minutes before the interval when Green took advantage of a massive deflection from a shot on the edge of the area.

Wanderers started brightly after the restart and reduced the deficit on 50 minutes, as Laws scored from just inside the area following a great cross-field ball from Deller.

After Flack had acrobatically cleared off the line, the visitors drew level with nine minutes to go as Matt Buckle fired home from the edge of the area.