SOCCER: Felixstowe and Walton United face a massive game tomorrow when they play Newmarket at Dellwood Avenue. Another defeat on Tuesday night – this time at home to lowly Harwich and Parkeston – has condemned the Jewson League club to a desperate fight for survival in the Premier Division.

By Elvin King

FELIXSTOWE and Walton United face a massive game tomorrow when they play Newmarket at Dellwood Avenue.

Another defeat on Tuesday night – this time at home to lowly Harwich and Parkeston – has condemned the Jewson League club to a desperate fight for survival in the Premier Division.

Only Swaffham are below them in the table, and Felixstowe have played more games than other teams in the fight to stay up.

With just five victories from their opening 32 matches, Felixstowe need to put together a run if they are to move up the table. They have ten games remaining and probably need to win at least three to survive.

Two seasons ago they were saved from relegation by a technicality after finishing in the bottom two, and last season – following their merger with top Metaltec SIL club Walton United – they were fifth from bottom under the management of Steve Bloomfield.

Paul Adams is in his third period in charge, and he had his offer to resign turned down by the Felixstowe committee in January.

Despite all the hard work that has gone in the club has been unable to attract the quality of player to turn Felixstowe into a side good enough to comfortably hold its own at Premier Division level.

Newmarket have six points more than Felixstowe with two games in hand.

Having held AFC Sudbury to a goalless draw after extra time in the semi-final of the Suffolk Premier Cup at Hadleigh on Tuesday, Stowmarket Town meet another FA Carlsberg Vase semi-finalist tomorrow.

They travel to Tiptree United with doubts over a number of players. Mark Barnard, Roger Aldis and Carl Ratcliffe picked up knocks while defender Darren Scoulding will still be missing with a stomach strain.

Woodbridge Town are at home to Maldon hoping to make up for their midweek defeat at Mildenhall.

In the First Division, second-placed Needham Market face a tricky game at Histon reserves, particularly as the Cambridgeshire club's first team has no game in the Dr Martens League.

Hadleigh United and Whitton United are both at home to other second strings - Wisbech Town and Cambridge City respectively - and Leiston have a home match with Thetford.

Leiston, in their first season at this level, are still in the hunt for promotion and should beat tomorrow's opponents.