Ridgeons League Premier match reports

WIVENHOE TOWN 2, DEREHAM TOWN 5

by Rene Kendal

Third-placed Dereham gave a debut to keeper Nathan Baker replacing the injured John Higgs.

Nicky Howell was unavailable as manager Matty Henman rearranged his side.

Dereham soon got their passing game going and they opened the scoring with full-back Gusterson delivering a low cross from the right byline which reached Olly WILLIS, who netted with a left-foot drive in the seventh minute.

The Magpies doubled their advantage with Paul ATKINS striking home a crisp 20-yard drive following a Smith cross from the left.

Wivenhoe's Springett was fouled on the edge of the box by Smith, however the midfielder ballooned his free-kick way off target.

After Gusterson received a caution, the Essex side won a corner on the right, with Shepherd's centre being hammered over the top by Amas.

In the 27th minute Sam Willis nearly increased Dereham's lead when he curled a right-footer past keeper Galbally but defender Blake made a fine goalline clearance.

However, from their next attack, the visitors made it 3-0, and the lively Willis made a penetrating run round the back of the home defence before chipping the ball to the far post where in-form striker ATKINS netted with a downward header.

Wivenhoe skipper Shepherd was booked for a reckless challenge on Sam Willis as the home side were struggling to compete against a confident Dereham side.

In the 40th minute, ATKINS completed a first-half hat-trick. Smith, who had been controlling the midfield, sent Beaumont towards the Wivenhoe area, and after progressing, the striker found his partner with a superbly weighted square pass, enabling him to slot home from close range.

t Half-time: Wivenhoe Town 0, Dereham Town 4

Both sides won corners that failed to trouble the keeper. Dereham began to dominate proceedings again and Wivenhoe's Lake was cautioned for a poor challenge on Sam Willis near the half-way line.

The home side then won two corners, the second was not properly cleared with the ball reaching Nolan whose attempted lob was palmed onto the crossbar by keeper Baker, from the resultant melee RONALDO WRIGHT netted from close range in the 62nd minute to reduce the deficit.

Eastoe-Smith replaced Smith with Buhlemann moving into midfield. Dereham were soon threatening again with Gusterson heading Beaumont's flag kick wide. Gusterson thwarted Wright with a timely interception after he had sped into the Dereham box.

In the 75th minute Atkins and Beaumont combined well on the right with the latter's cross being glanced inches wide by Sam Willis.

The Magpies then registered their nap-hand after Atkins's effort had been blocked on the line skipper GRAHAM BARRETT gleefully fired the loose ball home.

From the restart Wivenhoe found the net when a long ball forward reached RONALDO WRIGHT who struck his second goal of the afternoon.

Dereham recorded yet another impressive away victory and they can now look forward to next week's FA Vase quarter-final at Needham Market.

Wivenhoe Town: A Gallbally, S Lake, J Raby, R Amas, J Gould, J Nolan, J Shepherd, C Springett, T Raynes, R Wright, M Hills. Subs: B Bethel, N Taylor, J Baker, C Page.

Dereham Town: N Baker, A Gusterson, D Furlong, D Buhlemann, S Williams, D Beaumont, O Willis, A Smith, P Atkins, G Barrett, S Willis. Subs: J Eastoe-Smith, S Garner, J Brien, S Thaxton, S Fletcher.

Referee Mr A Tyne from Watton.

t WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS 0, WROXHAM 1

by Roy Webster

Wroxham's leading goalscorer Andy Key was ruled out with a hamstring injury and Steve Harley filled the gap.

Unfortunately Key's penetration was missed and the Yachstmen struggled to make any impact on a skidpan surface and there were no goals at either end by the break.

The first chance fell to the home side, but Clarke fired high and wide. Wroxham won a free-kick on the right and Harley headed wide from Lemmon's set-piece.

Wroxham had a let-off when poor defending let in Ross with the keeper stranded, but Carus strode in to hack the ball off the line.

Play then swept to the other end, where the home keeper failed to grasp the ball, which ran clear only for Lemmon to fire his effort towards an empty goal, only for the ball to drift wide.

It was hard to see where a goal was coming from in this game, and Wroxham needed all three points to stay in the top six.

t Half-time: Walsham-le-Willows 0, Wroxham 0

The game resumed with the same low tempo action as the first period with only half chances sporadic at either end.

However the whole complexion of the game changed in the 60th minute when Wroxham broke the deadlock.

They had been exerting pressure continuously for 10 minutes and with a series of passing movements in the danger area DANNY WHITE was free to the left of the home goal to plant a brisk right footer past home keeper Lynn.

Wroxham had some shaky moments defending their one goal lead but hung on to secure all three points.

Walsham-le-Willows: Lynn, Curtis, Cusack, Clarke, Nolton, Sim, Canfer, Foster, Ross, Tatum, Musgrove.

Subs: Attwood, Brown, Thorrold.

Wroxham: Mcannally, Pauling, Howes, Challen, Carus, Harley, Woanes, Lemmon, Cook, Gilmore, White.

Subs: Bensley, Wines, Self.

Ref: Shaun Meale, Norwich.

t MILDENHALL TOWN 1, NORWICH UNITED 2

by Norman Bygrave

Mildenhall were the first to show and Martyn Magee had to clear a free kick from James Patterson off his own line.

The Planters had their first chance after 10 minutes when Shaun Bammant intercepted a header back but his shot went wide.

Two minutes later and Planters keeper Nathan Pauling had to push a Steve Spriggs shot wide for a corner.

The Planters took the lead in the 33rd minute with a lovely move on the edge of the Mildenhall box.

Steve Shipley found Bammant who touched the ball into the path of Keith Hetherington who calmly slotted home past the advancing Josh Pope.

Two minutes later Mildenhall went close when a Gareth Simpson cross caught on the wind and Pauling had to tip over the bar.

t Half-time: Mildenhall Town 0, Norwich United 1

The Planters extended their lead in the 55th minute when Pope had to come out of his goal to deny Hoffman but only cleared as far as HETHERINGTON who hit the ball into an empty net from 40 yards.

On the hour Mildenhall reduced their arrears when a quick free kick from Spriggs was touched home at the near post by JAMES PATERSON.

The Planters defended well to secure three valuable points.

Mildenhall: J Pope, M Harvey, L Bailey, G Rush, D Werthman, G Simpson, S Spriggs, M Robinson, T Youngs, O Paynter, J Paterson.

Subs: D Cooper, D Coe, R Skelly, H Plumpton.

Norwich United: N Pauling, S Shipley, A Ferguson, W Preston, C Roberts, L Howlett, N Page, M Magee, S Bammant, K Hetherington, B Hoffman.

Subs: T Jeal, J Hull, R Haynes, N Bugdale.

Referee: N Smith.

t NEEDHAM MARKET 1, KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD 2

by Stuart Baker

Kirkley & Pakefield suffered a blow in the warm up with Joe Jefford being taking out of the starting equation with a reoccurrence of Wednesday night's injury, Danny Tacon taking his place on a pitch that was barely playable.

The game was impinged with free kicks and off sides and after Stone was booked for K&P it exploded on 13 minutes.

Justin Fox was clean through and Mark Bailey as the last man brought him down in the box. Bailey was then sent off.

After a long delay, K&P goalkeeper Robert Woodcock slammed the ball past keeper Jones for his third spot kick success of the season and put the visitors into a 1-0 lead.

It was 2-0 to the visitors on 26 minutes when K&P's first corner from Lewis Blois whizzed across the box and Allicion BLAKE volleyed the ball into the corner of net.

On 33 minutes the sides were levelled up to 10-men apiece when Fox received a straight red card for a tackle on Phillips.

The K&P manager Nick Shorten, who has recently announced his retirement, was ejected from the dug-out as referee Essex exercised his control on affairs after 40 minutes.

t Half-time: Needham Market 0, Kirkley & Pakefield 2

K&P became jittery at times with an all-out assault by the hosts and on 61 minutes Thrower was up ended in the box and he got up to put the ball past keeper Woodcock from the penalty spot as Needham gained a lifeline.

K&P ran out of steam and Parker curled a good effort that could have brought it level but the ball just skimmed the crossbar.

A terrible backpass by Blake let in sub Matt Dixon who should have done a lot better with 10 minutes to go as it was backs-to-the-wall football for K&P.

Needham Market: L Jones, L Pemberton, K Horlock, C Parker, M Bailey, R Barber, J Dennis, P Bexfield, D Phillips, D Smy, D Thrower.

Subs: P Boyland, J Sparkes, R Butler, M Dixon, J Evans.

Kirkley & Pakefield: R Woodcock, R De-Coteau, L Blois, D Tacon, J Cole, I Dawson, R Horton, J Fox, N Stone, A Blake, L Harvey-Cooper.

Subs: C Henderson, J Blyth, J Bemmant.