Haverhill Borough 0 Felixstowe & Walton 3
Felixstowe & Walton’s first outing of the season on an artificial surface gave them a comfortable afternoon and a straight forward three points as they notched up their seventh straight Thurlow Nunn Premier League win and their 19th of the season, writes Phil Griffiths.
The visitors were in control of the game from the start, taking a third minute lead from the penalty spot through Joe Francis, after Ryan Swallow had tripped Scott Chaplin in the area, and they never looked in any trouble from that point.
The hosts mustered just one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes, a soft effort that Danny Crump had to get his body behind with half an hour gone.
But other than a couple of wayward efforts early in the second half, when they had a good spell of possession, Haverhill failed to stretch the Seasiders defence.
Struggling at the wrong end of the table, having been promoted in the summer, it’s doubtful that the home side targeted this fixture as one of their ‘must-win’ games in their battle against a quick return to Division One.
But more the possibility of a massive bonus if they could get any reward from the game.
That early goal scuppered any game plan Haverhill may have had as Felixstowe spread the ball around, content to keep possession and look for the openings.
Dan Davis, up for a corner just after the half hour, added the second from close-range after Rhys Barber had seen his initial effort at the far post blocked on the line by Swallow, and Smith in the home goal produced a superb save to deny Jordan Matthews three minutes later.
The home side did improve after the break, looking more competitive without really testing Crump, and it was at the other end where the threat continued.
Matthews rattled the Haverhill crossbar and Barber went close with a header from a Stuart Boardley free kick before Kye Ruel, a 77th minute substitute for Francis, ended a good build up with a firm finish from 15 yards to record his first goal for the club.
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