Errors cost Wanderers dear

JEWSON LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Ipswich Wanderers 2 Soham Town Rangers 4

WANDERERS paid a heavy price for individual errors against a compact Soham side.

The visitors made an ideal start when, on seven minutes, Simpson was allowed time and space to shoot past home keeper Evans.

Wanderers' first real chance of the game fell to David Head but his header flew into the side netting. On 30 minutes, Docking broke through the Wanderers defence and doubled the advantage with a well-taken strike. Wanderers pulled a goal back just before half-time when Howell curled in a free-kick.

The second half saw Soham start brightly and home keeper Evans produced two good saves to deny Docking. However, it was Wanderers who levelled the game with 15 minutes left when substitute Smy beat his man, lifted the ball over the keeper and leading goalscorer Howell directed his effort past two Soham players on the line.

Soham soon re-established the lead when a Retallick cross was headed home by Docking and with seven minutes left, another error allowed Bullett a clear run on goal and he shot beyond the advancing Evans.

Lowestoft 1 Bury 0

LOWESTOFT should have had the points sown up by the break as they totally dominated the opening period.

Barbrook put an early header straight into the arms of Hill and at the other end Bligh saved well from Tatham in Bury's only real threat of the first half. From then on it was a case of chances created and missed by Lowestoft.

Lowestoft should have taken the lead on the half hour when Stokeld was brought down in the area by Collins. Stokeld got up to take the spot-kick which was parried by Hill but when the ball bounced back to him, Stokeld blasted high over a gaping goal.

Bury were a much more potent force in the second period with the game evenly poised. The better chances still fell to Lowestoft with Roach's diving header not far wide.

The all-important winning goal came in the 62nd minute with Stokeld creating space for himself on the left and his cross to the far post was met by the diving Roach to head home. The Town striker clattered into the post and took no further part in the game.

With chances being created at either end both keepers had to be on their mettle to prevent any further scoring with Bligh denying Bury a late leveller with a fine diving save from Stringfellow.

Clacton 3 Newmarket 3

CLACTON, despite playing the whole of the second half with only 10 men, fought back from 3-1 down to claim a share of the spoils in this six-goal thriller.

The home side, who had Jimmy Clewley sent off on the stroke of half-time for what looked like an elbow on Mark Hatley, could even have snatched all three points as they finished by far the stronger side.

The game had started brightly for Clacton, and Clewley in particular, as his speculative shot was fumbled into the net by visiting goalkeeper Oxborough in the first minute.

Newmarket were dealt a further blow a few minutes later when Scott Lowen was stretchered off with suspected ligament damage.

However, the visitors got back on level terms in the 42nd minute, Mark Winstone firing home from a Paul Stokes cross.

The dismissal of Clewley gave the visitors a further lift and they came out for the second half with all guns blazing. Stokes beat Stanbridge to give Newmarket the lead, and their advantage was doubled two minutes later when Challis was presented with an open goal.

The Seasiders got themselves back into the game in the 65th minute when Jason Clewley went on a brilliant run and crossed for Glyn Roberts to score.

Six minutes later Clacton were level, Sean Hillier crossing for his brother Paul to poke the ball home.

Diss Town 0 Woodbridge Town 2

TWO second-half goals extended Woodbridge's unbeaten run to 10 Premier Division matches, although it was one of their less impressive displays of recent weeks.

The Woodpeckers just about had the better of the first half and might have taken the lead as early as the sixth minute had Mark Bond not got his fingertips to a shot on the turn from Shaun Curtis. Chances were thin on the ground in the opening period during which Woodbridge passed the ball well without penetrating an organised home defence.

Just before the break Andy Coote's strength enabled him to muscle in on goal before his shot was turned behind by Bond.

For the first 15 minutes of the second half it was a different story as Diss began to dominate. Slack defending from the visitors led to a clear opening for Leighton Miller, whose shot from 10 yards out was blocked by Dean Garnham.

Shortly afterwards Miller again went close when he volleyed wide and then Garnham saved at the second attempt from Matt Joytson. It was somewhat against the run of play when Woodbridge took the lead on the hour when Bond dropped a high ball into the penalty area and Coote played in Simon Head who finished well with an angled drive.

The goal rejuvenated the visitors, who began to dictate the play once again and they extended their lead in the 73rd minute. Coote won the ball just inside the Diss half and had plenty of time to pick out Curtis, who controlled the ball superbly before firing home.

Despite gaining a clear advantage Woodbridge had to defend well in the closing stages and Garnham once again came to the rescue by diving at full stretch to deny Michael Simpson. Dale Vince was inches away from scoring against his former club but it was Woodbridge's two decisive strikes that won the day.

Stowmarket Town 0 Dereham Town 3

STOWMARKET dropped from their pre-match top-six position as they suffered their fourth home defeat of the season. The visitors broke to earn a corner which led to them breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute. Christie sent over the flag-kick and Fergusson headed in.

After the break Stowmarket fell further behind in the 55th minute when Proctor, who had earlier been cautioned, found himself as the last man as he brought down Fergusson and from the resultant spot-kick Barrett doubled the visitors' advantage.

Stowmarket just could not get going in any fashion and suffered a further setback in the 70th minute when a flowing move from the visitors ended with Fergusson heading his second of the game.

Stowmarket's day was summed up when twice in quick succession through balls from Barnard and Langham left Jopling in one-on-one situations with West in the Dereham goal but Stowmarket's leading scorer came out second best on both occasions.

Fakenham 2 Maldon 2

MALDON let three points slip after leading this game 2-0 at one stage.

Scott Witney got the ball rolling for Colin Wallington's side with a lucky deflected header in the 13th minute.

The game was more even as the half progressed, but it was the Essex side who really got a grip on the game eight minutes before the break, Neil Cousins firing home.

That should have sewed up the points, but Fakenham were a different outfit in the second period and came more into the game, scoring twice and meaning Maldon were left to make the long journey home knowing two points had been dropped.