Felixstowe & Walton United 3 Kirkley & Pakefield 0
It was always going to be difficult for Felixstowe to maintain the same level of performance they had produced in midweek when they saw off their nearest challengers 6-0, and while this match never rose to that same level, the Seasiders looked comfortably in charge throughout as they eased to their 25th win of the season.
A brace from Craig Jennings took his tally for the season to 24 in the league, the first a scrappy finish, as he bundled the ball over the line from a corner, and the second a classy strike a minute into the second half from a tight angle.
Tom Winter came off the sub’s bench to grab the third with just over 15 minutes left, to make sure his side kept the pressure on leaders Mildenhall who were without a fixture.
Kevin O’Donnell had the rare luxury of naming an unchanged side for only the third time this season and they started much as they had left off in midweek, forcing four corners in the opening five minutes, with Luis Tibble punching one effort clear and Josh Kerridge heading another just over the Kirkley ‘keeper’s bar.
The visitors, missing their two main centre backs, struggled to contain the home side, who took the lead in the 11th minute from another Stuart Ainsley corner, with Jennings bundling the ball over the line after two efforts had been blocked by Tarren Grint and Jack Smith.
While that goal may have been scrappy, there was nothing untidy about Jennings second, a minute after the break, as he collected the ball on the left side of the visitor penalty area and drove a shot across Tibble into the far corner of the net.
The goal made sure of the points and while Kirkley, to their credit, battled away they never tested Danny Crump, who celebrated becoming a Dad for the first time 24 hours earlier with his 18th clean sheet of the season, and Tom Winter added the third in the 72nd minute, beating Tibble at the second attempt to end a neat build up.
This result keeps Felixstowe in second place in the table, six points behind leaders Mildenhall and four points ahead of third-placed Newmarket Town. All three teams have played 35 games.
Referee: Adrian Sannerude
Attendance: 168
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