SIL SOCCER: Ipswich Athletic 2 Grundisburgh 1. Two second half goals in the space of three minutes by Athletic's Harrald were enough to see the Ipswich side maintain the pressure on the league leaders.

SIL SOCCER

Ipswich Athletic 2 Grundisburgh 1

TWO second half goals in the space of three minutes by Athletic's Harrald were enough to see the Ipswich side maintain the pressure on the league leaders.

This was after the Grundisburgh side, in the throws of rebuilding, had achieved a second-minute lead and had played well enough to have had two more before half-time.

Inside 15 seconds, only a scrambling interception by May had denied Smith a goal after the youngster had rounded Shepherd.

Two minutes later a long ball from Messenger again split the square home defence for Smith to beat the advancing Shepherd with a great first time lob from all of 35 yards.

Squirrell, on for the injured Pratt, just failed to touch home a cross from Clennell then Smith made space but shot wide.

After the restart Smith again fired wide from eight yards following great work by Mongan.

Athletic were level after 55 minutes when Harrald turned quickly to beat Gaunt from short range after a right wing cross. Three minutes later, with Athletic getting up ahead of steam, Harrald was there again to head home a right wing corner.

Fitch and May, the respective central defenders, were outstanding in the closing stages.

Athletic were denied another goal when Gaunt recovered to grab the ball on the line while Grundisburgh appeared to have a legitimate penalty claim denied in injury time.

Capel Plough 2 Woodbridge Athletic 1

A WELCOME three points came Capel's way but Woodbridge Athletic have only themselves to blame for going home pointless as both teams made and missed chances on a regular basis.

Overall, on the run of play, a draw would have been a fair result.

Woodbridge started off the better of the two sides and should have taken the lead in the fourth minute when Adam Smith shot wide from 14 yards with just the keeper to beat.

Not much had been seen from Capel but Pat Tynan made himself a chance by taking the ball off keeper Wayne Mitchell but then shooting wide of an open goal from 35 yards.

Woodbridge took the lead in the 26th minute. James Peachey broke down the right before crossing to Adam Glencastle who made no mistake.

Glencastle then hit the post before Capel equalised when a free kick taken by Steve Mayhew was headed on by Hayward to Gary Collins who headed by the keeper for the equaliser.

Hayward was unlucky with a great header that hit the bar before Gary Collins with a diving header from Pat Tynan's cross gave Capel the three points.

Old Newton 1 Walsham 1

THE 90 minute battle between Old Newton's Stu Ager and Walsham's veteran player/manager Paul Smith mirrored this no-holds barred but sporting encounter in Saturday's gloom.

There was not a great deal of good football played but this was compensated by the non-stop action and 100 per cent commitment.

Newton manager Wardlaw's decision to play four at the back cut down the threat of the experienced Wallis and Smith up front and Partridge and Musgrove on the flanks while Newton's strikers Clarke and Richards found things just as hard at the other end.

Walsham went ahead after Ager was adjudged to have fouled Smith from an aerial ball into the penalty area in the 37th minute and Musgrove made no mistake from the spot.

Clarke had keeper Garnham tipping away a swerving free-kick before he set up Richards with a well-deserved 44th minute equaliser.

In an end-to-end second half, Newton keeper Paisley made two tremendous successive saves from Joe Moye and from the best move of the game in the 80th minute, Bryant beat three opponents in midfield, played an neat one-two with Zarkos and hit the angle of Walsham's bar and post.

The action continued to the finish in the fading light and a draw was the right result on the day.

Achilles 0 East Bergholt 1

THESE two teams both needed wins for different reasons and on a perfect pitch it was Bergholt to took the points.

But for Richards in goal Achilles might of been a goal down in the first few minutes. He dived bravely to stop a good shot from Turner.

Achilles got into the game and soon forced Andrews into action but a tame efforts from Dellar and Vince never really troubled him too much.

With the game only 15 minutes old Hewtison scored what would prove to be the winning goal. He linked well with Pratt, ran through to the edge of the box and struck a well hit shot past Richards.

Achilles found it difficult to force their way through a stern Bergholt defence to gain a reply. Long range efforts from Dellar and D Taylor were their best efforts.

Most of the game was spent in the middle of the park with the game played with a very competitive edge. Gedney for the visitors spurned several chances as did Cole.

Achilles never gave up. Marshalled well by the experience of Barber they always looked like they might produce an equaliser.

Bergholt just about deserved their win but they must improve on this performance if they are going to be a title contender come the end of the season.

Haughley United 2 Westerfield United 4

WESTERFIELD'S winning sequence continued with a convincing win over Haughley United.

The home defence looked nervous and edgy and the Westerfield striker Sandilands, using his speed to good effect, put the home defenders under continual pressure.

Westerfield went ahead in the 26th minutes, courtesy of a controversial penalty, Sandilands being brought down by keeper Haydon as he headed for goal. The referee awarded a penalty after consultation with his assistant and Sandilands netted from the spot.

Westerfield went two up in the 28th minute when a pass from Read beat the home defence for McGregor to run clear to net as the keeper came off his line.

Haughley reduced the arrears four minutes from the break when Huggins bundled a corner kick from Bennett over the line. Westerfield increased their lead in the 54th minute, a corner from Osborne being deflected off a defender into the net.

Haughley enjoyed the best spell of the match and a shot from Robinson was cleared off the line by a defender with keeper Forsdike getting down well to collect the second attempt from the striker.

Westerfield put the game out of Haughley's reach in the 74th minute, Carl Osborne netting following a goalmouth scramble. Haughley replied a minute later when Hawes volleyed home a cross from Bennett.