Woodbridge can't prevent triple defeat

JEWSON LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Ely City 2 Woodbridge Town 0

TWO first-half goals gave Ely their first league win of the season and despite a much-improved performance by Woodbridge after the break the visitors were unable to prevent their third defeat in a week.

Dave Hubbick's side was once again hit by a number of regulars missing through injury or unavailability and it was not until substitutes Steve Dearsley and Ricky Deasy were introduced at the start of the second half that the Woodpeckers began to threaten. Neither side created a clear opening until Ely took the lead in the 17th minute.

A poor clearance fell to Michael Fren on the edge of the penalty area and he steered an accurate shot between Glyn Dixon and the post. Boosted by taking the lead the home side clearly grew in confidence and they struck again in first half stoppage time when Gareth Lippiatt cut inside and finished well.

The second half was much more lively and both sides had opportunities to add to the score line. For Ely Matt Eden headed just over and Dixon saved well from Richard Dewsbury, while at the other end Colin King's fierce drive forced a fine save out of Alec Banthorpe.

The home keeper did even better to tip a header from Danny Phillips on to the bar and he also showed fine reactions to hold on to a header from Darren Oxbrow.

As the game drew to a close Woodbridge's efforts gradually petered out and it was Ely who were able to celebrate their first three point haul of the season.

Gt Yarmouth 1 AFC Sudbury 3

TWO goals from Gary Bennett and a third from Sam Banya ended AFC Sudbury's poor record at Great Yarmouth's Wellesley Road ground on Saturday, the three points keeping them in touch with leaders Wroxham.

In ideal conditions AFC opened strongly, Banham fumbling an early free-kick from Owen and then Bennett's shot just cleared the bar.

Yarmouth's first attack almost brought them the lead, Adcock clipping the bar from George's pass.

AFC Sudbury took a 20th minute lead Howlett sending a long ball from his own half into the path of Claydon, whose first-time pass was driven past Banham by Bennett.

Five minutes into the second AFC Sudbury went further ahead, Taylor splitting the defence to give Harewood a chance.

The youngster delayed his shot with Drake conceding a corner from which Banham dropped Rayner's kick with Bennett forcing the ball home in the ensuing scramble.

Five minutes from time Yarmouth pulled a goal back, George running on to Lamb's cross to beat Nower with a low shot.

After Banya had headed over from five yards he made no mistake in injury time when he moved on to Head's pass to send a low shot across Banham into the far corner of the net.

Harwich and Parkeston 0 Wroxham 6

THIS match was played between two sides from opposite ends of their league table and the difference in quality certainly showed.

Wroxham took to their task immediately, forcing their hosts to retreat as they passed the ball around with speed and efficiency.

Harwich welcomed goalkeeper Rob Tanner back into the side for the first time this season and he was kept busy from the start.

Terrington and Fox both went close for the visitors before Tanner was forced to make a breathtaking save from Fox with 12 minutes gone.

The Harwich keeper was finally beaten on 23 minutes when a dazzling Wroxham move ended with Russell Stock stroking the ball into the Harwich net.

Stock then went on to add a second some six minutes later when a calamitous error in the Harwich rearguard allowed him the time and space to beat Tanner at the near post.

The big Wroxham centre-forward completed his hat-trick on 35 minutes and this goal effectively ended any hopes of a Harwich revival.

The home side's rare sorties forward were effectively snuffed out by a confident-looking Wroxham defence and the visitors extended their lead just before the break with a goal from Gavin Lemmon.

The second-half saw a deflated Harwich side playing for their pride.

A rather dubious looking penalty converted by Stock after 50 minutes gave Wroxham an unassailable lead, before a large quantity of salt was rubbed into the already gaping Harwich wounds with an accurate header from Damion Milton that gave Tanner no chance in the Parkeston goal.

Tiptree United 1 Mildenhall 2

TIPTREE'S run without a win was extended to six matches on Saturday after Mildenhall deservedly gained swift revenge for their defeat in the reverse fixture just a month ago.

Falling behind after just eight minutes, Tiptree never looked like getting back into the match as the Suffolk side showed that they had learnt from the two sides' earlier encounter by stifling any attacking threat that the hosts possess.

After Paul Champ had handled in the penalty area, Rob Allis stepped up to slot home the resultant spot kick and the score looked little like changing for the rest of a fairly dire match.

The flow of play wasn't helped by a fussy referee who at times had both sides scratching their heads at some of his decisions, but in return the players did not make his job any easier by committing a string of niggling and late tackles throughout the course of the game.

After going down to ten men on the hour with Champ having been sent off for a professional foul, Tiptree actually played some of their best football of the match.

However, it still came somewhat out of the blue when they did equalise on 84 minutes.

First Blackman of Mildenhall was sent off for another professional foul to even the sides up and then Steve Daly crashed the resultant free kick home just inside the near post to give the keeper no chance.

But just as Tiptree went looking for an even more unlikely winner, Mildenhall caught them on the break in the final minute and with a man short at the back Michael Bavester came racing out of his goal only for Allis to clip the ball past him from 20 yards out.

JEWSON LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

Swaffham Town 1 Long Melford 3

MELFORD fell behind and missed a penalty but still managed to produce a fine team performance that earned them maximum points by the end of the second half.

Brian Devereux hit the foot of a post early on and Trevor Irvine missed a great chance following good play involving Tony French and Devereux. Swaffham looked dangerous on the break and Bush, taking advantage of a quick free-kick, went close.

Melford were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute when the referee adjudged that Darren Pratt had been pushed in the box. However, home 'keeper Gajdzik made a fine save from Devereux's spot kick.

Two minutes later the home side took the lead when Leggett headed home at the near post. Melford equalised within a couple of minutes as Devereux's cross into the box was parried by the 'keeper and Darren Judd, following up, hammered the ball into the net.

Jason Haygreen, in the Melford goal, made two good saves from Fowler and Leggett before the break.

Melford took the lead in the 53rd minute when Mark Theobald played a ball wide to Mick Stratton, whose superb chip fell into the path of Devereux, who lobbed the advancing 'keeper. Devereux was then stretchered off following a heavy tackle but Melford made sure of the points when Pratt powerfully headed home a corner in the 87th minute.

Whitton 5 Leiston 2

THIS was a great advert for local football full of incident, passion, skill and commitment with a string in its tail.

Leiston rebuffed Whitton's speedy attackers and helped themselves to a two-goal lead, playing well and finding their players with a greater level of consistency.

The Whitton keeper was the busier early on, Fryer stoke the march on the Whitton defence to clip a neat opener on 20 minutes and Jennings added a second with a header 17 minutes later.

Whitton gained a foothold in the game, Layton netting a penalty after Hurd was tripped two minutes before the break.

Leiston bossed the opening of the second period until the ever youthful Callaghan levelled with a header. Whitton made a change and substitute Godfrey cracked a real snorter with a low drive to beat keeper Norris at his near post.

Swann who had had a quiet game pulled off his marker, chested and volleyed in one movement to score in the far corner.

Grimwood drifted past a couple of defenders to crash an unstoppable shot into the top corner for number five, and all this without being at their best.

Are Whitton's halcyon days returning?

Hadleigh 0 King's Lynn Reserves 2

HADLEIGH'S hopes of keeping in touch with the Division One leaders received a setback when they deservedly beaten by a young King's Lynn side.

Determined defending by Hadleigh kept the score sheet blank for an hour. At that stage a fine move ended with Harris firing in the first goal.

The lead was increased in stoppage time when another slick move created a goal for Cutts. Hadleigh's best effort came in the final seconds as Dennett tried a shot from distance which was turned behind by goalkeeper Nobes.