A full round-up of the weekend’s action in the Touchline SIL.

East Bergholt United 6 Leiston St Margarets 1

East Bergholt United reinforced their title credentials with a resounding 6-1 win against Leiston St Margarets, helping them maintain top spot in the Senior Division.

A Danny Garrod free-kick picked out James Moughton, whose volley produced a fine save from Leiston’s Gary Lambert, but in the 22nd minute United went ahead when a disputed penalty was converted by Garrod.

Although the visitors were neat and purposeful in their approach play, they lacked a cutting edge and paid the penalty on 37 minutes when Aaron Skeggs struck home a fierce free-kick after being fouled on the edge of the box.

Just before the break, Leiston created their only chance of the first-half as Luke Croager released Ryan Noy, whose effort was well saved by United’s Gary Hammond.

Bergholt consolidated their position with a strong second-half performance, which started with Matt Chinnery beating Lambert on 53 minutes.

Three minutes later Skeggs set up Garrod to slot home and make it 4-0, and the home side continued to emphasise their all-round power and scored a fifth goal in the 70th minute when Garrod’s corner was fired home by Tom Wilson from a tight angle.

Garrod’s all-action display was rewarded with his hat-trick in the 74th minute, as he took advantage of another handball infringement and converted from the spot.

Leiston’s plucky performance then yielded a goal a minute later, as Croager snatched a consolation following fine work from the impressive Stuart Bolderston.

Bergholt’s win, coupled with second place Crane Sports’ 3-2 triumph at Ipswich Athletic, saw them move five points clear at the top, after the scheduled clash between third-placed Achilles and fourth-placed Capel Plough was postponed.

Haughley United 5 Grundisburgh 0

Haughley United were too powerful for a depleted Grundisburgh side, running out 5-0 winners to climb up to fourth in the table.

Grundisburgh’s plight was not helped by losing goalkeeper Matty Ray after 18 minutes through concussion.

Haughley started on the front foot, pinning Grundisburgh back, and Nathan Vincent’s fine ball saw Arron Robinson crack a volley just over the bar.

Steve Morris replied for the visitors with a piledriver that was blocked 20 yards out, before Nathan Smith played in James Nickless who rolled a shot just wide.

Reumel Codrington chased a long ball and clashed with Ray just inside the box, the loose ball finding the empty net with the Grundisburgh keeper flat out on the floor.

After initially giving the goal, referee Des Haynes consulted his linesman and awarded a free-kick, but the deadlock was broken on 22 minutes after Robinson’s cross was headed home by Codrington.

Matty Green’s heavy touch from a back pass saw Smith roll the ball into an empty net to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute, before Codrington set up Vincent to slice the ball past the deputising keeper on 64 minutes.

Codrington then completed his hat-trick with goals in the 75th and 80th minutes to make it 5-0, as Haughley moved up a place to fourth in the Senior Division table.

Ipswich Valley Rangers 0 Framlingham Town 7

Framlingham Town cruised to their biggest win of the season as hat-tricks from Danny Smith and Kieron Nicholls helped them beat bottom side Ipswich Valley Rangers 7-0.

Fram opened the scoring after 90 seconds when Nicholls poked the ball past Rangers’ keeper Lewis Higgins from close range.

The home side were depleted by several suspensions and Framlingham took advantage of the space they were able to find.

Chris Boardley and Simon Poacher were running the midfield, with the latter playing in only his second game since returning from a long term injury.

Smith scored Fram’s second goal on 17 minutes with a volley, before Nicholls completed his double with a shot from just inside the penalty area.

Gavin Clyne was unable to get any joy from the visiting defenders as Ipswich struggled to get forward.

Matthew Aldis got on the scoresheet when he ran with the ball from the halfway line before finding the net from 30 yards out.

Rangers made two substitutions at half-time and gave a more spirited performance, however Fram were hungry for more goals and the fifth arrived on 61 minutes when Smith turned his defender and shot home.

The teenager then completed his hat-trick after Cyrus Thorpe made an excellent run out of defence and found Smith, who accelerated past the IVR defence to plant his shot high into the net.

Fram sealed a very comprehensive win when Nicholls slotted in a penalty to also finish with a hat-trick on 85 minutes.

Bramford United 4 Felixstowe Harpers United 0

Bramford United consolidated their place in the Senior Division top-six with a 4-0 victory over struggling Felixstowe Harpers United.

Two goals in each half saw Bramford do the double over a hard-working Harpers outfit on Saturday.

The early exchanges saw both teams on the attack, with the two goslkeepers called into action to prevent any early goals.

However, the hosts took the lead on 28 minutes, as Jamie Cowan got clear from a Dale Munson flick, and with Felixstowe keeper Christopher Chapman well off his lane, he had ample time to slot into an unguarded net.

Harpers pressed for a quick equaliser, but throughout the match they lacked a cutting edge where it mattered most.

Bramford’s second goal came two minutes before half-time, when Munson drove in a speculative shot from 35 minutes, which looped over Chapman and into the net.

Felixstowe’s Adam Dawson raced clear on goal early in the second-half, but fired his shot straight into the hands of home custodian Charles De Lara-Bell.

Loud Bramford appeals for a penalty were waved away by the referee on 65 minutes, with Harpers now on the back foot, as the hosts looked comfortable in defence.

The hosts made it 3-0 on 76 minutes when substitute Chris Cowan fired in a low shot on the left, before Reece Golding completed the scoring by heading in at close range.

It left Felixstowe to rue their missed chances which if converted could have resulted in a different scoreline, but it was Bramford who picked up the points to keep hold of sixth place in the table.