LOCAL SOCCER: Harwich 1 Stowmarket 2. Stowmarket had to hang on at the end, but the fifth-placed side deserved their win.They had most of the early play forcing a couple of half chances, but after nine minutes Nunn saved on the line from Heath.

LOCAL SOCCER

Harwich 1 Stowmarket 2

STOWMARKET had to hang on at the end, but the fifth-placed side deserved their win.

They had most of the early play forcing a couple of half chances, but after nine minutes Nunn saved on the line from Heath.

Two minutes later Stowmarket took the lead when a Mayes corner was headed by M Barnard and and Jopling netted atypical goal.

Five minutes later Race went inches wide for Harwich from a McGavin cross. Platt had the ball in the net again for Stowmarket but the effort was disallowed for offside.

Harwich began to push hard but were kept out by some solid Stowmarket defending.

Harwich brought on Mann for Stace at the start of the second-half. Munson was forced to save well from Pratt then Jopling fired wide as Stowmarket continued to create the best of the chances.

On the hour Harwich's Eagle found himself through on goal but fired wide, and just a minute later Stowmarket increased their lead with a well-struck goal from Whatling.

Harwich then pulled a goal back thanks to a close-range effort from McGavin and this signalled a late Harwich onslaught during which Heath hit the woodwork.

But the visitors held on to take all three points.

Woodbridge Town 1 Maldon Town 1

AN opportunist goal from Gavin Crane earned Woodbridge a deserved point from a hard-fought encounter.

The Woodpeckers showed a good deal of spirit to not only come back from a goal down but also to put a heavy defeat in their previous game behind them.

Maldon had the better chances in a fairly even first half. Rick Deasy cleared a header off the line and Glyn Dixon twice saved well from Neal Docking.

The visitors took the lead two minutes after the break when Paul Goodacre was allowed too much space in a corner, he headed goalwards and the goal deflected into the net off a home defender.

A free-kick from Simon Gray was touched onto the bar by Dixon as Maldon began to gain the upper-hand but in the 63rd minute Woodbridge equalised out of the blue.

An under-hit back pass was pounced on by Crane whose pace enabled him to reach the ball first before chipping over the advancing Neil Stanbridge.

Woodbridge lost Dixon to a finger injury sustained while making a brave save and his deputy, Mark Bailey, looked assured in the closing stages as both sides pushed, in vain, for the victory.

Halstead 2 Leiston 2

TWO goals from Tom English, his first for the club, gave Halstead a point in an enthralling match at Rosemary Lane last night after the visitors had twice taken the lead.

Leiston took the lead on 40 minutes when a breakaway led to Fryer lobbing the opening goal.

Halstead hit back immediately after the resumption and drew level when Tom English drove home a well-placed free kick.

On 65 minutes Leiston went ahead again when home keeper Pentney could only parry a shot from Shemming and Herbert tapped home an easy goal.

Halstead got back on terms when Strong was tripped in the box and English rolled home the kick.

Cornard 0 Hadleigh 2

HADLEIGH United went top of the table and completed an impressive Division One double over near neighbours Cornard with a deserved win at a foggy Blackhouse Lane.

The opening goal came after 36 minutes when Kieron Donovan did some great work down the left wing before crossing where Cracknell headed an easy goal.

At the other end, Hadleigh goalkeeper Wayne Donovan made a great save from Rayner on the hour as Cornard hit back.

However, in the 63rd minute Cracknell broke down the right wing and his centre was converted by K Donovan to increase Hadleigh's lead.

Just before the end, an effort from Cracknell was cleared off the line by Rayner and then home goalkeeper Moyes denied Cracknell again just before the end.

Needham Market 1 Long Melford 1

HOME keeper Kevin Holland was called to make an early save from Michael Stratton low down to his right.

After 33 minutes Needham took a deserved lead when Nick Chenery put in a superb cross that Lee Briggs finished off in style.

The equaliser came after 77 minutes when Daniel Brino side-footed home Dean Stalker's cross.