Seven up for Athletic as Cranes falter

SIL SOCCER

Crane Sports 0 Ipswich Athletic 7

ATHLETIC scored seven goals for the second game in succession to keep them well among the league's front runners.

Crane, who had seven first-team squad members missing, had a miserable afternoon.

They lost Jones with an early injury and before they settled into a new formation, Harrold put the visitors ahead with a fierce shot on the turn in the 22nd minute.

Goalscorer Harrold turned provider three minutes later when he cut the ball back for Howard to finish at the far post.

Howard got his second with a neat header from Karanzis' free-kick seven minutes before the break. Crane battled away gamely but with little success and went four goals behind in the 68th minute when Karanzis fired home.

This brought the highlight of the afternoon when Karanzis and Gammell took their shirts off and showed the T-shirt celebration before being booked by an unimpressed referee.

There was little to laugh about for the home side as Howard completed his hat-trick after 75 minutes. Harrold scored his second in the 80th minute and Beddoes made it seven just before the final whistle to seal an emphatic win.

Westerfield 2 Achilles 1

THIS middle of the table clash provided both sets of supporters with a feast of attacking football and goalmouth action with Westerfield winning the points in the final minute of the match.

The home defence was at full stretch as Achilles enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges with keeper Forsdyke making numerous saves to deny the visitors goals.

Little was seen of the home attack with most of the moves falling into the visitors off side trap. As Achilles' attack lost its way mid-way through the half with Sandilands missing a chance in the 40th minute when he latched on to a Smyth back pass to strike the ball wide with the keeper off his line.

The striker made amends in injury time with the visitors defence looking for the offside flag he rounded the keeper and fired into the empty goal.

The Achilles attack showed more urgency after the attack, with the visitors levelling in the 57th minute when Childs volleyed home a Tayler free-kick. Play became frantic in the final half-hour with both keeper continually in action.

Westerfield snatched the points in the 89th minute when Sandilands was brought down in the box. The striker took the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way and smashing the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Grundisburgh 2 Haughley 3

HAUGHLEY scored a notable scalp in winning their second game of this season and on the form shown look a good bet for an extended run.

After 68 minutes they held a deserved 3-0 lead, tossing the midfield exchanges and defending well. They took the lead on nine minutes, Finch beating Gaunt with a cool lob from the 18 yard line.

There was more woe for the home side on 21 minutes when centre-back McAllister guided his pass-back beyond a stranded keeper.

Keith handed the visitors further ahead on 68 minutes after a great shot from Thompson had rebounded off the crossbar.

A vintage Martin Cotton goal on 73 minutes gave Grundisburgh a glimmer of hope. Clennell came on as sub and immediately made an impression with his pace before defending with a Cotton near kick at the post to further reduce the arrears.

Both sides hit the woodwork and Clennell was an inch wide of an equaliser.

East Bergholt 4 Capel Plough 1

FOR an hour of this local derby Capel were the better team with Morrison's pin-point free kicks the icing on the cake.

As the first half came to an end the game swung when Andrews made two fantastic saves in quick

succession for East Bergholt. First he denied Albins lob and then Mayhew's powerful header as the visitors finally got chances on target. From one of his saves Bergholt broke and sloppy defending allowed Turner to round Hunt and slot home from 12 yards.

Capel dominated the start of the second half with P Tynan heading just wide from another Morrison free kick before Mayhew did the same from P Tynan's cross. Vernau then hit the Capel bar before the visitors equalised, with Collins rounding Andrews and passing across the box for Mayhew to bundle home.

The visitors looked like they would go on to win, but Bergholt scored twice in a minute. Both goals came from crossfield balls from the player/manager with Turner turning and striking home from 15 yards before heading home a sublime cross after Leonard had been turned by Gedny.

Gedny wrapped up the points with a good finish from a long ball by Ellis.

Walsham-le-Willows 2 Bramford 1

WALSHAM took the lead after 17 minutes when Newman's shot was pushed out for Harvey to head home.

The home side increased their lead after a 33rd-minute free-kick found M Moye whose powerful header found the Bramford net.

After 55 minutes, good football between Newman, Keeble, Musgrove and Harvey down the Walsham left finished with Harvey squaring to Musgrove whose 25-yard shot gave the Bramford keeper no chance.

The away side pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when a 40-yard free kick was played to the far post and headed back across goal for Bird to score from a free header.

Bramford started to want the game at this stage and put Walsham under pressure. Both sides had shots just wide or over the target. The best two chances of this period fell to M Moye who controlled well but missed the target then Bramford's Stewart who shot just over.

Leiston 1 Stonham Aspel 4

STONHAM kicked off and immediately put Saints under pressure. After ten minutes Hall got in a good cross but no Saints player was on hand.

Saints then won a penalty but Pilkington put the ball well wide. Then, from a high ball from the Aspal defence bouncing towards Saints' goal area, Moye lobbed the keeper and found the net to put Stonham Aspal into the lead.

Saints replied when Carver put in Gibbons on the right and crossed for Murphy to score a great goal.

With half-time approaching, Moye got on to the end of a long clearance to blast the ball past Walker to put Aspal in the lead again.

Saints came under pressure early in the half and from a poor cross Walker, in the Saints' goal, spilled the ball into his own net.

Fifteen minutes from the end, Walker and Bolderston for Saints collided and the ball rolled into the Saints' net making the score 4-1.