Ridgeons League round-up

RIDGEONS LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

t DEREHAM TOWN 3, WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS 1

by Rene Kendall

Dereham surged up to third in the Ridgeons League Premier Division with a comfortable victory over Walsham-le-Willows this afternoon.

WITH Ollie Willis resting a tight hamstring 16-year-old James Hadley was given his first start at right back.

Skipper Graham Barrett was feeling the effect of a cold so Adam Gusterson took his place in midfield and was handed the captain's armband.

The Magpies nearly opened their account with their first attack with Mowbray heading over the top after Beaumont had held the ball up before finding Terrington.

Defender Newman rose well to head Terrington's deep free kick away from danger as the home side made a confident start. In the 12th minute Mowbray headed on to Beaumont who in turn flicked the ball forward to Howell, the midfielder rounded keeper Lynn but could not get any power into his attempted finish and Curtis was able to clear.

The visiting fullback then ventured into the Dereham half and centred from the right with Eastoe-Smith heading clear.

After Smith had been cautioned fine play by Beaumont set up a close range opportunity for Howell who was unable to convert.

Walsham had their first chance in the 23rd minute when leading scorer Tatham headed Thorrold's centre from the right inches over the crossbar.

Dereham were soon pressing again with Smith ending a fine five man move by lifting the ball over the top from 20 yards.

Dereham had made the better start but Walsham nearly scored in the 30th minute with Holder stabbing Tatham's pass narrowly wide.

However it was the Magpies who went in front four minutes later when ADAM SMITH nodded home Mowbray's ball from the left by-line after the striker's initial pass had been blocked.

Fine play by Mowbray created a chance for Beaumont but the striker failed to flick the ball away from keeper Lynn who had closed him down.

In the 43rd minute Mowbray made another penetrating run down the left before crossing towards the penalty spot where NICKY HOWELL guided the ball home to give Dereham a two goal advantage at the break.

Half-time: Dereham 2, Walsham-le-Willows 0

Williams nearly increased the Magpies lead minutes after the break when Partridge thumped his header off the line following a Terrington corner.

After having the better of the play Dereham added to their tally in the 60th minute when keeper Lynn miscued Mowbray's forward pass enabling DANNY BEAUMONT the simple task of steering the ball into the unguarded net.

In the 65th minute Dereham's Buhlemann landed badly following a challenge and looked in pain, the defender was stretched off following a lengthy break.

Barrett entered proceedings with Terrington switching to fullback.

Williams could not leap quite high enough to head home Terrington's deep flag kick from the right as Dereham continued to look the most menacing.

With the points in the bag play became understandably flat, however Walsham scored a consolation goal in injury time,

Cusack delivered a flag kick from the right towards Newman who guided the ball to the back post which the unmarked JAMES TATHAM headed home from a yard out in the 94th minute.

Dereham: J Higgs, J Hadley, D Buhlemann, J Eastoe-Smith, S Williams, D Beaumont, N Howell, A Smith, S Mowbray, A Gusterson, C Terrington. Subs: S Willis, G Barrett, J Brien, O Willis.

Walsham-le-Willows: B Lynn, D Curtis, A Cusack, L Nocton, T Newman, L Sim, S Thorrold, R Foster, R Partridge, J Tatham, S Holder. Subs: A Ross, T Musgrove, N Clarke, G Ross.

Ref: W Porter, Bourne.

t STANWAY ROVERS 2, KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD 0

by Stuart Baker

Kirkley & Pakefield welcomed back skipper Justin Fox onto the substitutes' bench on a glorious spring day at Stanway Rovers.

It was a fast and furious start with 100 miles per hour football from both sides and it was Stanway who drew first blood on eight minutes, when a loose ball was picked up by centre forward SAM NEWSON who slammed the ball past Robert Woodcock.

It was followed straight away with Henderson blowing a chance for Kirkley, set up by the industrious Harvey-Cooper as he ballooned the ball miles over the crossbar.

Soon after Harvey-Cooper sped along the by-line again but nobody got a touch on this well driven cross.

Stanway were very sharp on the break and it was backs to the wall football for the K&P defence as the first 25 minutes went by.

Stone drove himself down the left and clipped in a deep cross that Sivell got his head to, but he could not exact enough power to trouble Church on 33 minutes.

Rob Horton's fine corner was headed forwards by Jefford, and Stone quickly reacted and rattled the crossbar with 38 minutes gone in a hard-fought match.

Half-time: Stanway 1, Kirkley & Pakefield 0

K&P introduced Fox for Harvey-Cooper at the break and penalty appeals for handball in the Stanway box went unanswered when a defender certainly handled the ball.

A wonderful input ball by Fox saw the K&P forwards in a static frame of mind in the 60th minute.

The well drilled home defence was split open by Ian Dawson who found sub Taz Grint but the speedy winger just failed to get round fullback Liam Bailey.

There was even more agony for K&P as Newson took a tumble in the box and converted a penalty for his second goal of the afternoon to make the final score 2-0 to Stanway.

Stanway deserved the three points as time ran out for K&P on what had proved a difficult afternoon, which ended with Jefford hitting the Stanway post in added-on injury time.

Stanway: M Church, M Curtis, L Bailey, A Drennan, E Kirby, R Norfolk, B Newson, A Harrup, S Newson, L Callender, J Harewood. Subs: D Cook, S Owen, L Reed, M Cheeks.

K&P: R Woodcock, R DeCoteau, L Blois, J Jefford, J Cole, I Dawson, R Horton, A Sivell, N Stone, L Harvey-Cooper, C Henderson. Subs: J Fox, E Tacon, S Manning, T Grint.

Ref: Michael Bampton, Haverhill.

t WROXHAM 1, TIPTREE UNITED 0

by Roy Webster

After beating the Yachtsmen 3-1 on their own ground Tiptree were hoping to complete the double.

But once again chances on the Trafford Park ground were strictly rationed and with no goals at the break yet another home draw appeared possible.

Tiptree had the first clear chance when a three man move across the home box ended with Underwood free to deliver the final shot but his left-footer was pulled across the face of goal and out of play.

At the other end Shaun Howes, Wroxham's left back, delivered a trade mark free kick from the right and the ball completely deceived keeper Rutherford to strike the crossbar and go out of play.

Tiptree again pressed home another forceful attack and won a corner.

From the flag kick three of their players got a touch but finally Watson blasted high and wide.

Half-time: Wroxham 0, Tiptree 0

Both teams came out in the second period in the hope of breaking the deadlock, and Tiptree's Clarke seemed likely to do so when he fired through a crowded penalty area straight at McAnally.

At the other end the Yachtsmen won a free-kick and Cook connected with a powerful header that was kicked off the line after coming down from the underside of the crossbar.

A skirmish in the Wroxham half, mostly pushing and shoving, ended with Wroxham's Challen and Harley being shown yellow.

This incident seemed to spark the game into further life and Danny White, in space and time to pick his spot, found keeper Rutherford too good, with an outstretched hand pushing the ball round for a corner.

Howes delivered the flag-kick and yet again Cook's header pounded against the crossbar.

With the clock running down Wroxham suddenly developed a sense of urgency, the ball was played across the face of goal and DANNY WHITE with a blistering left foot hook beat Rutherford.

Wroxham: McAnally, Self, Howes, Challen, Carus, Halliday, Harley, White, P Cook, Gilmore, McCabe.

Subs: D Cook, Bensley, Southgate, Smith.

Tiptree: Rutherford, Harvey, Cross, Saunders, White, Skudder, Watson, Clarke, Underwood, English, Lay.

Subs: Arlick, Ward, Shade, Owen, Belcher.

Ref: James Turner.

t DIVISION ONE

t HALSTEAD 3, THETFORD TOWN 2

by Mike Fields

Thetford were awarded the luxury at Rosemary Lane of being able to name an unchanged team following their convincing 4-2 win over Ipswich Wanderers midweek.

Browne had a shot wide of the mark after eight minutes and Daly had a header wide for the hosts.

It was end to end stuff with Thetford passing and moving the ball well. Browne again threatened after 12 minutes when he knocked the ball over the left back and then chested down and volleyed an effort off target.

On 37 minutes Halstead broke the deadlock when a free kick found the unmarked TOWNROW to half volley into the net.

Browne's free kick on 40 minutes hit the Halstead wall but Tanti was unable to follow up. Daly thought he had scored Halstead's second just before the break but once celebrations had died down realised the referee had ruled out for off-side.

However, DALY was not to be denied and a minute later he tapped home from close range to make it 2-0 to Halstead.

Half-time: Halstead 2, Thetford 0

Town started the second half lively but Bilham had to be at his best to deny Townrow. Ten minutes into the second half Thetford got the ball their hard work justified.

A lovely floated free-kick from Skipp found CRAWSHAW and he looped his header over the hapless keeper.

On 65 minutes Crawshaw put Skip through but his cutback could not find an attacker.

Thetford equalised on 80 minutes when a long free-kick found BRYANT and his header hit the bar but he followed up his own effort and jubilantly found the net.

Town were now playing with extreme confidence and both Richards and Skip had efforts wide.

In injury time Mann and Richards combined well only for the home keeper to make a superb save down to his right.

There was however time for Halstead to win the game when deep into injury time substitute SUTTON slid in at the death to give the home side a win they never really deserved.

Thetford Town: Bilham, Giacomelli, Brewer, Clayton, Crawshaw, Richards, Mann, Tanti, Browne, Skipp, Bryant.

Subs: Money, Atterton, Burt.