KEITH PEEL Lowestoft Town have given their Ridgeons League Premier Division championship hopes another big boost. The Blues beat fourth-placed Wisbech Town 3-0 on Saturday at Fenland Park.

KEITH PEEL

Lowestoft Town have given their Ridgeons League Premier Division championship hopes another big boost.

The Blues beat fourth-placed Wisbech Town 3-0 on Saturday at Fenland Park.

With a game in hand, that keeps them within a point of leaders AFC Sudbury, who won 3-2 against Wroxham at Trafford Park. The other contenders, Bury Town, beat Needham Market 3-0 at Ram Meadow to stay two points behind Lowestoft, with a game in hand.

Sudbury's remaining opponents are Halstead (a) today, Newmarket (h), Kirkley (a) and Norwich United (a).

Lowestoft's last five fixtures are all at Crown Meadow - against local rivals Kirkley today, then Mildenhall, Soham, Newmarket and Needham Market.

Bury's punishing post-FA Vase schedule continues with six fixtures in 13 days - away to Diss today, and then against Newmarket (a), Leiston (h), Wisbech (h), Norwich United (a) and Woodbridge (h).

Gary McGee (10th and 59th minutes) and Carl Poppy (80th) were Lowestoft's scorers against Wisbech, who, after the game, were kept in the dressing room for more than half an hour by manager Dick Creasey.

“We got battered by a far better side and didn't deserve anything out of the game,” he conceded.

“We're all disappointed and that's why we've been in the dressing room so long. There have been no arguments, just a discussion on how we've been going wrong. We've had a good season and we don't want it to end on a bad note.”

Wroxham twice fought back from behind against Sudbury, through Ellington Tjirimuje (27th minute) and Lee Gilman (82nd), only to be beaten by an 89th-minute header from substitute Richard Heller. The champions' other two goals - the first their 100th in the league this season - came in the 16th and 68th minutes from Neil Calver, who was later sent off for a second yellow card offence.

Wroxham are now ninth in the table, with Dereham Town 11th after a 3-0 win at Aldiss Park against Diss Town, who are one place below. Danny Wright scored twice for the Magpies, taking his league tally for the season to 30 goals, with Sam Willis also on target.

Norwich United, who play Dereham in the Norfolk Senior Cup final on Wednesday (7.15pm) at Carrow Road, warmed up in contrasting fashion.

They lost 2-0 to Ipswich Wanderers at Plantation Park to stay five points adrift in the third relegation position.

“We've had to rebuild totally after losing 13 players in the close season, but that's not an excuse,” said United joint manager Paul Franklin.

“We've had a team good enough to do better than we have, but, for whatever reason, we've under-achieved.

“We're slowly getting there and I just hope that, by hook or by crook, we can stay in the Premier Division and push on from there.”

Kirkley beat Woodbridge 3-0 and are 13th, just above King's Lynn Reserves, who won 3-2 at Leiston. Ben Goddard (penalty), Judd Chenery and Danny Stokeld (penalty) were Kirkley's scorers, while Liam Forshaw (2) and Luke Fell netted Lynn's goals.

Stanway Rovers beat Godmanchester 2-1 to clinch promotion from Division One, where inactive Swaffham Town (eighth) are Norfolk's highest-placed team. Fakenham Town lost 3-1 (Ben Darby) at Haverhill and are 11th, two places above Yarmouth Town, who were without a fixture.

Gorleston won 3-1 at March and are 17th, with Downham Town 19th after beating Stowmarket 5-2, with Sam Darlow (2), Webber (2) and Paul Wren their marksmen.

Thetford Town are third from bottom after losing 6-0 to second-placed Felixstowe at Mundford Road.