The Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk and Ipswich League defeated the Kent Blaxill Essex and Suffolk Border League 3-0 at Harwich & Parkeston last night.

Having weathered a torrid first 20 minutes with keeper Clubb, (Ransomes) making a number of important saves, the SIL representative team settled and took the lead on 27 minutes when Bradlaugh, (Grundisburgh) made a diagonal pass to Jennings, (Ipswich Athletic) who nodded the ball back for Childs (Ransomes) to volley in from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring.

The home side had a lot of possession in the first half but failed to find a way past the visitors defence and the keeper.

The second half was different with the SIL subs introduced; the influential Bradlaugh won the ball on the edge of his own area, passed to Childs who released Andy Crump who volleyed past the advancing keeper for an excellent finish on 49 minutes. Four minutes later the SIL increased their lead with Childs rounding the keeper for the third.

The visitors looked the more likely to increase their lead for the remainder of the second half with the home side only mustering three shots on target.

It was the SIL who retained the Inter League Shield and now look forward to their next fixture, in the prestigious FA Inter League Cup match against Bedfordshire County League on Saturday, April 2 with a 2.30pm KO at Millfield, the home of Hadleigh United FC. The winners will be away to the Reading League or the Kent League in the next round.