SIL SOCCER: Capel Plough 0 Walsham-le-Willows 2. With the finishing line in sight championship favourites Walsham will not want their remaining games to be as tough as this one. Capel fought them all the way with the bumpy rock-hard surface testing the ability of both sides.

WITH the finishing line in sight championship favourites Walsham will not want their remaining games to be as tough as this one.

Capel fought them all the way with the bumpy rock-hard surface testing the ability of both sides.

Veteran player-manager Paul Smith gave Walsham a 10th minute lead when he finished off a pass from Nigel Wallis at the near post, but Capel were in no mood to be rolled over and gained in confidence as the half progressed.

Tynan was grabbed around the neck by full-back Keeble on the break and the Walsham player was lucky to escape a yellow card. In a central position Capel would have thought red more appropriate.

Wallis and Smith both had chances, but were wide of the target and Walsham keeper Mustoe blocked Tynan's header from Powell's free-kick and then gathered a looping header from the striker.

King's shot from outside the penalty area lacked power and Donovan blazed a loose ball well over as Capel finished the half strongly.

But player-manager Powell with time to pick his spot at the far post headed a telling cross from Saker over the bar in the final minute.

Walsham lost defender Lee Wallis with an early injury after the restart and they survived a quickly-taken free-kick by Powell with Mustoe turning the ball away for a corner.

A frustrated Smith marked ably by Horsefall was booked for a foul on the youngster and Tynan was booked for over protesting about two off-the-ball incidents missed by the referee. Mustoe scrambled away a near post header from Powell as Capel set the Walsham nerves jangling again, but Capel keeper Hunt had to parry a fierce shot from Smith at the other end.

The action continued in the sunshine and Saker clipped the bar with an overhead kick before Moye hit over from a good position in reply.

Walsham sealed the win in the 88th minute when Capel cleared, but Partridge returned the ball behind their defence with a towering header from midfield and Smith made no mistake with an unstoppable volley high into the net on the run.