JEWSON PREMIER LEAGUEWoodbridge Town 0 Maldon Town 0THE strongest winds ever experienced during a game at Notcutts Park completely ruined this match as a spectacle and it was no surprise that it ended goalless.

JEWSON PREMIER LEAGUE

Woodbridge Town 0 Maldon Town 0

THE strongest winds ever experienced during a game at Notcutts Park completely ruined this match as a spectacle and it was no surprise that it ended goalless. It was virtually impossible to construct any meaningful moves and there were hardly any chances created.

Both sides deserved great credit however for battling away in appalling conditions. Woodbridge had the gale behind them in the first half but, as Maldon were to find out after the break, the wind was too strong to be of any advantage.

Shaun Curtis had a diving header saved by Dean Mahoney and the visitors keeper gathered a free-kick from Ben Miller low down.

Just before the interval Simon Gray cut the ball back from the bi-line but Miller fired high over the bar. Maldon predictably dominated the second half and attempted a number of speculative shots, most of which either flew wildly off target or were safely gathered by Dean Garnham who handled well throughout. The visitors went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 58th minute when Scott Witney's shot took a deflection before being headed off the line by Damian Gilbert.

Woodbridge could be forgiven for not being able to make much headway but they missed a chance to take all three points in stoppage time when Carl David over-hit his cross with two colleagues bearing down on goal. In the end though the weather had been the only winner.

Whitton United 1 Cambridge City Res 0

IN THE end a wonderful opportunist strike by young striker Swann was the difference between the two sides.

Conditions were appalling with a vicious cross wind which I believe was recorded at Felixstowe dock at 74mph and a firm surface dictated the pattern of play.

The two teams produced a game of a high standard with the home side happy to counter Cambridge's neat passing game, well controlled by the three officials. As you can imagine tackling was difficult to judge but I can't remember a bookable incident in this keenly contested game.

The goal was a real peach, Eaton's slide rule pass allowed Swan to get ahead of his defender and from a tight angle he unleashed a shot to beat goalkeeper Davies between the angle of the post and bar.

Time and time again both sides had opportunities taken away by the wind and from these Cambridge's best moments of an equaliser came. Sturgess' low cross was met by Jenner. Whitton's defence somehow deflected the shot wide. Defender Everett tried to find his full-back but the ball blew towards the goal. Substitute Thacher chased onto the ball and he hit his angled shot across the Whitton keeper. Dunnett got the nearest of touches to deflect the ball wide and Whitton held on for three welcome points.

Hadleigh 1, Wisbech Res 1

HADLEIGH had the strong wind at their backs in the first half and they dominated to such an extent that 39 minutes had elapsed before Wisbech managed to make an attempt at Paisley's goal.

All of the play was at the other end but a lack of punch was evident as Hadleigh failed to score and the interval arrived with the game still goalless.

Hadleigh played better against the wind in the second half and they went ahead when Dennett delivered a corner kick from the right wing and Rush headed a splendid goal in the 68th minute.

That goal looked like being enough to win the points for Hadleigh but with five minutes remaining a foul by Rush resulted in a free kick being awarded just outside the area. Paice took the kick which slipped from the diving Paisley's grasp and Dawson scored an easy equaliser.

Tiptree United 0 Stowmarket Town 2

AS far as Tiptree were concerned this was certainly a game to forget as a sparse crowd saw a match ruined by a strong gale. Two first half goals from Matthew Platt were the difference between the sides with the second half being as devoid of entertainment as it was goalmouth action.

Stow took the lead on 12 minutes after being awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Carl Radcliffe struck a shot that didn't look to be causing too much danger but Wayne Houghton's block fell to an unmarked Platt who easily beat Sid Haygreen from close range.

The second goal game shortly before half-time when Adam Gillespie was crowded out on the edge of the Tiptree box and although Haygreen saved an initial effort, Platt put in the rebound. Steve Parnell should have pulled a goal back early in the second half but somehow missed an open goal, thereby wasting what turned out to be Tiptree's best chance of getting back into this game.