Harrold helps Athletic's title hopes

SIL SOCCER

Ipswich Athletic 3 Bramford 2

BRAMFORD took the game to Athletic in the first half but it was Athletic who took the lead through Brame. A corner was not cleared and Brame controlled well before turning to shoot past the covering defence on the line.

Striker Stewart brought the teams level after finishing with aplomb with a 16-yard shot.

Minutes later goalkeeper Evans made a rash decision, handling well outside the area and receiving a red card.

Bramford had some luck when Innes's deep cross beat everybody to find the far corner of the net.

Young striker Harrold toe-poked an equaliser in the final minutes. He then added a second in the crowded penalty area to earn Ipswich all three points.

Cranes 3 Capel Plough 4

CRANES took the lead when a scramble in the Capel goalmouth saw the ball go in the net off Nick Albine for an own goal.

There was a set-back for Cranes after 22 minutes when David White went down with an injury to his ribs, the match was delayed for 35 minutes before he was taken to hospital.

Capel equalised after 30 minutes when Carl Holder scored with a free kick from 35 yards, and they took the lead when good work by Stephen King set up Holder for his second.

Cranes were soon back on level terms when Gavin Allen headed in from a corner. Dave Sutton for Cranes then hit the post as did Capel before Craig Ingram put Capel in front.

In the last minute Melvin Clark scored for Cranes but within 20 seconds Steve Mayhew, with virtually the last kick of the match, won it for Capel.

Haughley 2 Old Newton 0

THE visitors faced an uphill task when they went two goals down in the first six minutes.

In the first Haughley attack a Newton defender handled in the box with Thompson netting from the spot.

Haughley increased their lead on six minutes, Newton defenders failing to clear a volley from Riggy the ball falling to Powell whose shot from the edge of box gave the keeper no chance.

The visitors raised their game after the break but to no avail, and were denied a consolation goal in the dying minutes when a low shot from Evans was saved by keeper Haydon at the second attempt.

Stonham Aspal 4 Achilles 2

ACHILLES broke the deadlock after 26 minutes when Taylor's long shot caught Lay off his line with the ball nestling under the bar and into the net.

Stonham equalised after 34 minutes when Hutchinson delicately chipped Richards into the net.

Substitute Bell headed easily past Lay to put Achilles ahead after 50 minutes.

Moye equalised six minutes later, driving home a pass from Cumberbatch, Bennet then put Stonham ahead, beating Richards to a through-ball from Harrell after 65 minutes.

G Brown increased Stonham's lead after 73 minutes when good work by Double and Moye opened up the Achilles defence.

Grundisburgh 2 East Bergholt 5

MATCHES involving East Bergholt are certainly entertaining these days as this game started in a frantic fashion and continued for most of the ninety minutes.

As early as the second minute Gedny pounced on indecision in the Grundisburgh defence to slot home.

Turner scored the visitors second when he finished sublimely from fifteen yards after good work by Vernau.

Despite losing Gedny early in the second half, it was Bergholt who inceased their lead when Gaunt and Hillibrandt collided to allow Wilcox to slide the ball into an empty net.

Clarke, who had been Grundisburgh's most influential player, immediately earned a penalty when his cross was handled at point blank range by Grogan. Clennell blasted home the penalty.

At the other end Pratt was upended, only for Turner to shoot over from the spot.

Good work by Powell and Wilcox allowed Howell to score from close range to renew Bergholt's three goal cushion.

The home side did not give up and Messenger reduced the arrears by heading home King's cross.

Try as they might Grundisburgh couldn't pull another back and when Coles scored from Powell's crossfield ball the visitors comfortably held on to win.

Leiston 0 Melton 1

PLAY was end to end with keepers in action within seconds of each other.

From a free kick Tilkington headed on for Calver, but McKenna foiled him by falling on to the ball.

In the last minute of the half, a good move by Saints saw Tilkington head goalwards, but the ball was deflected for a corner.

Saints were the first to attack again in the second-half with Hall trying from distance. Saints had the edge in this half but could not make their possession count.

However, Melton scored the only goal of the second-half to give them the win against the run of play.

Stanton 2 Walsham 3

STANTON had changed their formation to exploit the pace of Alan Ross and Ian Bloomfield against rivals Walsham.

Stanton's Neil Gooderham slotted home a penalty after 20 minutes, after Anderson upended Alan Ross.

Stanton were playing with extreme confidence and Turner broke through before releasing Bloomfield and his cross was headed home by Ross after 30 minutes.

The second half saw Joe Moye replace Martin Frost for Walsham and from the off Stanton were defending far too deep.

After 50 minutes Walsham's Justin Harvey headed home while unmarked in the penalty area.

Walsham were now dominating a nervous Stanton and they equalised after Andy Mustoe's save fell to the head of Paul Musgrove who scored from six yards on 84 minutes.

Two minutes later Walsham earned a penalty after Gooderham impeded Smith in the area.

Musgrove's poor spot-kick slipped through Mustoe's hands for Walsham go gain the lead.

The miseries continued as Gooderham was dismissed on 92 minutes for an off-the-ball incident.

Woodbridge Ath 2, Westerfield 1

ATHLETIC opened the scoring after seven minutes when Calver's crossfield ball to Flemming then found Boutelle, who slid his shot past keeper Forsdike.

After 65 minutes Selby's pace took him past the visitors' defence to score the home side's second goal. A minute later confusion in Athletic's defence brought a goal for Westerfield as Ashton headed over his own keeper.

Westerfield continued to push for an equaliser, but it was not to be.