Non-league football round-up

THERE were away wins for Chelmsford City and Witham Town in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Saturday while both AFC Sudbury and Bury Town face replays after drawing at home.

FA TROPHY FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND

Boreham Wood 1 Chelmsford City 2

CHELMSFORD bosses Jeff King and Glenn Pennyfather hope they can revisit former glory days in the FA Trophy after getting through a difficult away tie at Boreham Wood.

Pennyfather and King both reached the final of this competition twice with Canvey Island, winning it once, and are now hoping to replicate such success with Chelmsford.

After a goalless first period, the opening sequences of the second half saw two quick-fire goals, one for each side.

Firstly, almost straight from the kick-off, Boreham Wood took the lead as the ball ricocheted around the penalty box and Byron Harrison was able to get the final touch to convert from close range.

Chelmsford's response was immediate though and, just one minute later, Rickey Holmes received the ball ten yards out and took full advantage of the angle he was at to find the back of the net.

It seemed just one special moment would be required to swing the tie either way and that came from Bertie Brayley, who latched onto a deep cross from the left-hand side and let the ball bounce just once before lashing it brilliantly past a helpless Imber after 64 minutes to win the game.

Chatham Town 0 Witham Town 3

WITHAM won their first ever meeting with Chatham Town thanks to a fine second half performance.

The visitors had been forced to defend for most of the first half, keeper Paul Daley making some super saves and Dave Morgan heading of the line to keep the score goalless at the break.

However, after the restart, Witham came out in a determined mood and within four minutes Adam Hughes flicked the ball in from close range after a dazzling run down the left by Kevin Hawes.

Witham went further ahead in the 55th minute when home keeper John Whitehouse failed to gather the ball and Jamie Ricks ran it into the net for a fine opportunists goal. Witham were now on top, although Daley was called upon to make a couple of critical saves, and in the 79th minute fresh substitute Steve Joyce scored with a fierce shot after being put clear on the left.

Bury Town 1 Maidstone Utd 1

BURY Town avoided a third straight home defeat with this draw against Maidstone.

After soaking up some early pressure, Bury took the lead when Ian Cambridge released Lee Smith down the right and his low cross was converted by Lee Reed after 38 minutes.

The visitors still had the bulk of the possession after the break and they finally broke through after 77 minutes when Bury failed to clear a long throw and substitute Mo Takalobighashi scored.

Bury fought back and only good saves by Mullin from Lee and Sam Reed denied them a place in the next round.

In stoppage time Maidstone were reduced to 10 men when Lee Shearer was shown a straight red card for the use of an elbow.

The replay will be at Maidstone on Wednesday evening.

Maldon Town 1 Dover Athletic 2

A LATE goal from former Gillingham player-manager Andy Hessanthaler proved the winner for Dover against Maldon Town.

After an even opening to the game, the experienced Dover side finished strongly and Maldon when forced to defend in depth.

The second half saw tempers becoming a bit frayed, with fouls and bookings aplenty.

Dover eventually took the lead when a free-kick, which could have seemingly gone either way, was sent in by John Wallis and Craig Wilkins headed home.

Shortly after this Maldon's Paul Shave was sent off for a second yellow card, and with Steve Wareham and James Robinson both unable to continue because of injuries, Maldon were forced to bring on their three substitutes.

Dover failed to put the game out of sight until the 90th minute when Hessanthaler finished from an unmarked position. However still Maldon never gave up and Wayne Purser scored a consolation from the spot in injury time.

AFC Sudbury 0 King's Lynn 0

AFC SUDBURY face a Tuesday night replay after an exciting goalless draw with King's Lynn.

Southern League Premier League side King's Lynn will consider themselves fortunate for the chance of a replay, having keeper Howie to thank for keeping them in this game.

Howie saved from David Head and Heath in the first minute of the second half, before Bacon missed a great opportunity.

A brilliant reflex save by Howie kept out Heath's point-blank range header and when Smith's return ball was handled inside the penalty area, Howie superbly saved the Head's resultant penalty at full stretch.

Munson, who had not been seriously tested, then pulled off an equally fine save at the other end to keep out a shot from Frew.

After the visitors had rattled a post, Head missed the target from a mere three yards in stoppage time.

BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

Cambridge City 0 Braintree Town 0

BRAINTREE Town halted a run of five straight defeats in their first game since ex-manager George Borg's dismissal.

With young reserve team manager Tom Marshall in temporary charge, the Iron started with a more attacking formation than fans had been used to.

After an even first half, which saw chances for both sides, Braintree dominated the second period with Micky Shinn, Quinton Burgess and James Baker all having clear openings.

However, despite the all-important goal not coming, Braintree will take many positives from this away point.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Woodbridge 0 Needham Market 4

NEEDHAM Market made it 11 wins out of 11 at Woodbridge.

Despite playing nowhere near their best in the first half, Needham went in a goal up at the break thanks to James Evans' strike, Tom Smith with the assist.

After hitting the bar soon after the restart, Needham doubled their lead when Craig Parker's through ball released Smith to slip the ball past Marcus Garnham.

Smith tapped home the third as the ball bobbled on the line following good build-up between Evans and Parker and the icing on the cake came when captain Mark Bailey, who was released by Woodbridge two seasons ago after making over 500 appearances for the club, rose at the far post to head in Dan Thrower's free kick.

Garnham prevented it being five in the last minute, saving a penalty he himself had conceded.

Wisbech 2 Kirkley & Pakefield 2

KIRKLEY & Pakefield were pegged back by a late set-piece goal for the second week running.

Despite dominating the first half play, the visitors went a goal behind on the half-hour mark when William Smith drilled in a low shot.

Kirkley fought back and Jordan Blyth headed an equaliser, before Chris Henderson whizzed past three defenders to put his side in front.

Kirkley's Achilles heel struck again six minutes from time when Abbott netted with a close-range effort following a corner.

Lowestoft Town 1 Dereham 2

LOWESTOFT succumbed to their second successive home league defeat against a well-organised and in-form Dereham side.

The visitors took the lead after eight minutes, Hayes rifling the ball into the top corner via the underside of the crossbar from 30 yards.

A breakdown in communication in the Lowestoft defence led to a poor clearance, but while Hayes' shot was this time blocked, the ball fell kindly to Howell who made no mistake.

The Trawlerboys never gave up and they were rewarded after 62 minutes when Jamie Godbold's high ball into the box was nodded down by McGee for King to volley into the top left-hand corner. The home side were unable to grab an equaliser, despite a late siege.

Histon Res 2 Felixstowe & W 3

FELIXSTOWE & Walton grabbed a dramatic injury-time winner against Histon in a game which produced five goals and two penalties.

Felixstowe drew first blood when a controversial hand-ball decision against Young saw Phillips convert a spot-kick in the 25th minute.

The referee then awarded the home side a penalty but Jones smacked his spot-kick against the foot of a post.

A triple save from Cudworth at the start of the second half kept the home side at bay until the 57th minute when Murphy's intended cross looped in for the equaliser.

Histon were level for just 40 seconds as Frost sent a 25-yard volley past Keys to put his side back in front.

The visitors had enough chances to make the game safe before a nail-biting end that saw Campbell again level the scores in the 89th minute only for Edwards to grab an injury-time winner.

Leiston 1 Wroxham 0

A CONFIDENT Leiston beat title-holders Wroxham by a more comfortable margin than the narrow scoreline suggests.

The only goal arrived after 32 minutes when Saker's crisp shot struck the bar only for McGlone to follow up from 15 yards for his 16th goal of the season.

Five minutes into the second half Fox was sent off for an elbow on Stanley and Leiston exploited the gaps. McGlone raced through but fired wide, as did Eagle although Jackson saved his attempted lob.

Gilman then saw red for the Yachtsman after an ugly two-footed lunge on Saker, his third sending off against Leiston in five games.

Norwich Utd 0 Haverhill Rovers 1

A SINGLE goal nine minutes into this match proved to be enough for Haverhill to record their first win in six games.

It came from a corner by Wayne Goddard, Colin Vowden heading the ball off the underside of the bar and Martin Westcott heading the rebound into the net past keeper Ian Walker.

Nick Impey also went close for the away side when his initial shot was blocked and his rebound was cleared off the line by Steve Shipley.

King's Lynn Res 6 Ipswich W 1

IPSWICH Wanderers were comprehensively beaten as King's Lynn scored three goals in each half.

Spriggs scored twice in the first half, while Heath-Preston added the third. Spriggs completed his hat-trick while Heath-Preston got a second, and Shore was the other scorer for Lynn. Wright netted the consolation goal for Wanderers.

Walsham-le-Willows 0 CRC 2

TWO second-half goals settled this match. After an even first half, the visitors went ahead when substitute Marriott was allowed time and space to shoot home following a free kick.

The Walsham defenders failed to clear their lines once again and Patterson, another substitute, scored the second of the afternoon.

Towards the end Lee Sim was sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

Mildenhall Town 1 Stanway Rovers 1

STANWAY Rovers capitalised on sloppy defending to snatch a point at Mildenhall Town.

After early pressure from the home side had come to nothing, Rovers had a good chance when Thorne shot tamely at Nower.

A fine individual goal by Clements on the hour put the home side in the lead, the player beating five defenders before firing past Church.

Sloppy Mildenhall defending 10 minutes before the end allowed Sam Newson to score a similar goal at the other end, before the visitors nearly snatched the win in the final minute when Ben Newson crashed a shot against a post.

RIDGEONS LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION

FC Clacton 4 Great Yarmouth Town 0

FC CLACTON sealed a comfortable win over Great Yarmouth thanks to a fine first-half performance.

Following a poor opening 20 minutes the game came to life from the moment Clacton opened the scoring, Paul Hillier heading in Kevin Coyle's cross from the left.

Just two minutes later and the lead was doubled courtesy of Matt Waters free-kick from the edge of the area.

Clacton dominated, seeing two penalty appeals turned down, as they laid siege to the Yarmouth area.

Eventually the hosts were awarded a spot-kick, but Hillier dragged it wide of the left-hand post.

The third goal came in the 37th minute, Ashley Pereira jinking around Pride to score.

The second period was a quieter affair, but it was the hosts who continued to dominate, sub Aaron Condon wrapping the game up in injury time when rounding the keeper.

Gorleston 2 Halstead 1

HALSTEAD were denied a draw at Gorleston as Darren Bethell put a late penalty wide.

Gorleston went ahead after just five minutes when Lee Hunter brushed aside Seb Murfet's challenge to fire past keeper Paul Rutherford.

Gorleston called the tune for long periods of the first half and within a minute of the restart they went two up, Hunter taking advantage of Mark Emerson's weak challenge to breakaway and score.

The visitors came back into the game though in the 63rd minute when Pollard rose at the far post to head home a cross from Bryan.

From then on, Halstead surged forward and after 76 minutes they were awarded a penalty when Paul Abrahams shot was handled, however Bethell fired tamely wide from the spot.

The visitors maintained their pressure on the home goal, which led a charmed life in the latter stages, surviving another Pollard header which bounced agonisingly inches wide of the far post.

Ely City 1 Diss Town 1

DISS forced home goalkeeper Lee Pacey into a number of saves, taking the lead when Mark Angel curled a centre in from wide on the left and the ball looped high over Pacey and into the net.

Ely equalised 10 minutes from time when David Daniels shot in from close range at a corner.

Hadleigh 0 Saffron Walden 0

HADLEIGH and Saffron Walden shared the points after a goal-less draw. Visiting keeper Pledger was a big stumbling block to Hadleigh, while at the other end Whitwell made a great save from Clarke at the expense of a corner midway through the second half.

Later in the half Chadwick hit a post for Walden, while Hadleigh's Chris Smith hit the bar in the final minute of the match.

Long Melford 3 Fakenham Town 0

A FINE first-half display saw Long Melford win this battle of the basement sides.

The opening goal came after Brind's shot was handled in the area and French converted from the spot.

Substitute Delves and Skeggs added the other goals.

TOUCHLINE SPORTS SUFFOLK SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND

Stowmarket Town 1 Debenham LC 2

SENIOR Cup holders Stowmarket Town were ditched out of the competition at the first hurdle.

The hosts were undone by two of their ex-players, Ian Gedny and Stuart Jopling's first-half goals proving decisive.

Austin King's 70th minute goal for Stowmarket was not enough.

Before kick-off there was a minute's silence for ex-Stowmarket manger Jackie Little, who led the club in its halcyon days of the 50s, who passed away during the week.