Drop looms larger for Felixtsowe

JEWSON PREMIER DIVISION

Dereham 2 Felixstowe & Walton Utd 0

RELEGATION looms ever larger for Felixstowe & Walton following their fourth straight defeat without scoring a goal.

Despite being reduced to 10 men after only 25 minutes, Dereham always had enough in reserve to keep the Seasiders at bay, and they added to an eighth- minute goal just 20 seconds into the second half.

From the outset Felixstowe & Walton had more than an equal share of possession but were unable to use it to good effect while Dereham always looked dangerous when they pushed forward.

Charters palmed away a goal-bound shot from Barratt before Stevens gave the home side an early lead meeting Henman's cross to head firmly past the visiting keeper.

Ferguson collected a straight red card from referee Mr Blackledge in the 25th minute after kicking out at Kyle after the ball had gone but Felixstowe & Walton failed to make the most of the extra man.

West, in the home goal, twice pulled off fine saves to deny Fuller and Calver before the break and Fuller squandered a clear chance, volleying over from 12 yards.

Dereham doubled their lead just 20 seconds into the second period when Adams broke down the right straight from the kick-off and delivered a near-post cross for Barratt to turn past Charters.

From that point the home side were happy to sit back and hit Felixstowe & Walton on the break which they did to good effect while the Seasiders found it difficult to break down the packed defence, failing to create another clear- cut opening.

Dereham really should have added a third in the 74th minute when substitute Adcock beat the offside trap before squaring the ball to McGuire in front of an open goal but he struck his shot 10 yards wide of the goal.

Diss Town 0 Lowestoft Town 5

LOWESTOFT looked determined to wipe out the memory of the midweek defeat at bottom club Swaffham and had already had a goal disallowed before moving ahead with just five minutes on the clock.

Godbold released Pierpoint down the right and his driven cross was drilled home by Thompson at the far post.

Diss tried to get back into the game but Nozedar shot over and Bligh saved well from Vince but it was Lowestoft who looked the classier side and were always threatening to increase their lead.

The second goal finally came in the 29th minute. Norman's cross from the left found Thompson at the far post and although his shot was blocked by Pauling the ball fell to McGee to shoot home from close range.

It was 3-0 in the 36th minute when Godbold's excellent run down the right created an opening for himself but his cross shot came out off the inside of the far post and Simpson, in trying to clear, could only head the ball into his own net.

Lowestoft added their fourth goal in the 57th minute. McGee intercepted the ball just inside the Diss half and raced forward before knocking the ball inside to Thompson.

He held the ball up well before slipping it into the path of Norman who shot high past Pauling into the roof of the net.

With seven minutes left Thompson forced a corner on the right. From the flag kick Diss failed to clear the ball and Smith rose high to loop a header beyond Pauling for his first goal for two years.

It was almost six three minutes from time when Thompson powered a header against the Diss crossbar from a Stokeld cross.

Stowmarket Town 3 Maldon Town 0

TWO late Colin Yeomans goals finally killed off the Essex side who remained in with a chance of at least a point until the final five minutes of this match which had seen the Suffolk side spurn several chances.

Looking to avenge their heaviest defeat of the season, for all their efforts Stowmarket were unable to score in the opening half which had seen Stuart Jopling somehow miss a point-blank header and Yeomans rounding Maldon keeper Mahoney before losing possession at the vital time.

The second half was only two minutes old when Yeomans sent over a corner from which centre half Darren Barnard scored for the second week in succession. Stowmarket's inability to put breathing space on their visitors saw Adrian Whatling having a shot saved low down by Mahoney and Stuart Knowles striking a post from a Yeomans pass.

The Essex side had served notice of their intentions when Owers crossed for Witney to head straight at Nunn before another Maldon attack ended with Warwick shooting wide.

Finally Stowmarket got their act together in front of goal with Yeomans notching his 19th and 20th goals of the season.

In the 85th minute he finished with aplomb after turning one way and then the other and in the final minute of normal time he beat Mahoney all ends up with another clinical strike, this time to the keeper's left.

This victory moves Stowmarket up to fifth position in the league and another sound defensive display saw them register their fourth clean sheet in the last five matches.

STOWMARKET Town have re-appointed manager Mel Aldis for next season. The Jewson League side are chasing a top six position in the Premier Division having finished 10th in 2000/01.

A club spokesman said: "Mel's record speaks for itself and we are pleased to have him back next year."

Stowmarket, who just avoided relegation in Aldis' first season, had a good run in the FA Cup this season.

Clacton Town 2 Fakenham 1

THE Seasiders were rocked by the news that Neil Stanbridge was unavailable due to flu.

In stepped reserve keeper Steve Chapman to assist in maintaining the home side's impressive defensive record.

With the early exchanges going in Clacton's favour, Bobby Mayes released Sean Hillier down the left wing, and his inch-perfect cross saw Jimmy Clewley rise above the visitors' defence to power in a header after seven minutes.

With the visitors slowly settling in, Fakenham had one or two half chances before they found the equaliser in the 26th minute.

A corner kick floated into the Clacton box, was headed back, and Wayne Coe converted.

Clacton nearly took the lead again 10 minutes later, when Gary Hudson's header from a corner was bravely cleared off the line by Fakenham's scorer Wayne Coe.

It wasn't until the 65th minute that the home side took the lead. A superb long ball to Richard Cox on the right-wing, broke the offside trap, before skillfully passing two defenders, and dispatching a left-footed shot under the keeper.

Despite the visitors' best efforts, they were unable to break down the Clacton rearguard to find the equaliser for the second time.

The only down side to the game was Jimmy Clewley being sent off in the second minute of injury time for his second yellow card.

It was a more convincing win than the score suggests as the Seasiders returned to winning ways ahead of their League Cup final against Dereham on Wednesday night at Diss FC.

Harwich 0 Great Yarmouth Town 3

Harwich included the prodigal Robbie May and newly-acquired Ipswich Town Academy player Mark Mays in their line-up for this vital bottom of the table clash at the Royal Oak.

Yarmouth were quick to settle and after two minutes Danny Brown screwed a shot just wide before a Stuart Hunt free kick was headed away. The home side replied with a long-range chip from Michael Brothers that dropped just over the crossbar and a Adrian Armstrong header that was safely gathered by Nick Banham in the Yarmouth goal.

The deadlock was broken on 27 minutes and Harwich goalkeeper Rob Tanner will have to shoulder most of the blame. Lee Humphries appeared to slice his shot in front of goal but the ball squirmed through the Harwich keeper's hands and into the net.

Two minutes later Yarmouth were forced to send on Josh Barzey for the injured John Hardcastle and that proved to be an inspired substitution.

After 36 minutes a flighted cross from the right flank found the big Yarmouth No. 12 lurking at the far post and he made no mistake with a right-footed volley to extend his side's lead.

Just after the break a header from Stuart Hunt hit the Harwich crossbar before play switched and an angled shot from Brothers whistled past the Yarmouth post.

Despite the best efforts of the home side the Yarmouth defence refused to buckle and the visitors added a third when, on 90 minutes, Barzey burst forward to beat Tanner.

Mildenhall Town 3 Ipswich Wanderers 1

MILDENHALL made it six wins on the trot with an unconvincing performance against Ipswich Wanderers.

Stuart Ogilvie fired home the first just before the break but McGlone equalised for Wanderers.

However Neil Pope had the final say, striking twice in the dying minutes to give the west Suffolk side a flattering win.

Wroxham 3 Bury 0

BURY were out of this contest before half-time as the Yachtsmen took a three goal half-time lead.

Two goals from Darren Terrington and one from Justin Fox gave Richard Wilkins' side a mountain to climb in the second half and although they improved they never threatened the home side's lead.