Ridgeons League round-up - April 18

RIDGEONS LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

t Needham Market 2, Dereham Town 1

by Rene Kendal

In-form Dereham were looking to avenge their FA Vase defeat at the Bloomfields on a slightly drier playing surface. Manager Matty Henman made one change, Danny Buhlemann returning.

On the fourth minute Beaumont put Mowbray's return pass tamely into keeper Jones' arms. Needham's Phillips headed inches over.

Terrington nearly caught out Jones with a 30-yarder which led to four Dereham corners. The Magpies were rewarded for their dominance when they took the lead in the 20th minute.

Smith won the ball near the halfway line and turned his man before releasing SIMON MOWBRAY who took two touches before beating keeper Jones fro 20 yards.

The one-way traffic continued with Dereham winning three more corners. Eastoe Smith headed home Terrington's centre but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Needham had not been in the game but drew level in the 28th minute when a mistake by Buhlemann gifted the ball to PAT BEXFIELD who thumped past keeper Higgs.

Buhlemann nearly put Terrington in with a perfectly weighted pass before the defender was forced to make a goalline clearance, after Phillips had chipped Higgs.

Half-time: Needham 1, Dereham 1

Dereham won a penalty in the 72nd minute when Barber handled Beaumont's centre. Jones made an excellent save from Beaumont's spot-kick with Mowbray blazing the rebound over the top.

The Magpies were made to pay for this missed opportunity when Needham took the lead in the 77th minute.

Phillips combined well with Butler on the left before DANNY PHILLIPS netted following a goal-mouth scramble.

In the 82nd minute Higgs made a great save to tip Parker's header over the top from close range,

Needham Market: L Jones, L Pemberton, T Agricole, J Deniss, P Boyland, R Barber, P Bexfield, C Parker, D Phillips, T Smith, D Thrower. Subs: M Bailey, J Evans, R butler, J Sparks, D Smy.

Dereham: J Higgs, O Willis, T Buhlemann, S Williams, J Easto-Smith, D Beaumont, N Howell, A Smith, S Mowbray, G Barratt, C Terrington. Subs: Brien, S Garner, A Gusterson, S Willis. Referee: C Fitch.

t Wivenhoe 2, Kirkley & Pakefield 5

by Stuart Baker

K&P were making their first visit to Wivenhoe, now managed by the ex-West Ham star Julian Dicks.

Within 90 seconds it was 1-0 to Kirkley. From a free-kick by Justin Fox from the edge of the box, ROBERT HORTON dashed into net his first goal of the season, after missing the last two years with a knee injury.

Two goals were scored in two minutes. Wivenhoe's JEFF SHEPHERD converted a spot kick. Then came a wind-assisted goal by Kirkley's captain JUSTIN FOX from 40 yards.

After 35 minutes it was 3-1 to Kirkley. A long free-kick by Joe Jefford was headed on by James Cole to Jordan Blythe who coolly knocked the ball under keeper Reid from a tight angle. Another Fox free-kick was turned into the net by Chris Henderson for 4-1 at half-time.

Kirkley broughton Manning for Blois and Grint for skipper Fox. Wivenhoe's Ricky Griggs saw his chip hit the crossbar with Woodcock beaten.

But on 55 minutes a great kick out by Kirkley keeper Woodcock found LIAM HARVEY-COOPER, who out paced the defender and fired the ball past Reid to take Kirkley into a 5-1 lead.

With 12 minutes left Kirkley brought on one of their youngest ever players to wear a first team shirt, 16-year-old Jack Newrick.

With virtually the last kick a never-say-die Wivenhoe side pulled back a goal when SULLIVAN lobbed keeper Woodcock.

Wivenhoe : A Read, J Shepherd, J Raby, J Sibbons, R Amass, J Nolan, R Griggs, L Thorn, R Wright, T Rymer, J Gould. Subs: C O'Sullivan, M Edgerley, M Springett, K Evans.

Kirkley and Pakefield: R Woodcock, R De-Coteau, L Blois, J Jefford, J Cole, I Dawson, R Horton, J Fox, J Blyth, L Harvey-Cooper, C Henderson. Subs: L Manning, T Grint, J Newrick, D Burrows. Ref: Mr J Steel, Ely.

t Norwich Utd 3, Ely City 1

by Norman Bygrave

THE Planters scored a remarkable victory, playing much of the second half with nine men.

They had their first real chance in the 11th minute when Nathan Page released Bradley Hoffman to curl a shot wide.

Ely took the lead in the 22nd minute. Dale Archer's shot from a narrow angle was saved by Palling but hit Warren Preston and went into the net.

In the 32nd minute Craig Roberts made an interception mid-field and released Nathan Thompson who calmly lobbed the advancing Greygoose to level the scores.

In the 45th minute United's Craig Ferguson was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card.

Half-time: Norwich United 1, Ely 1

In the 56th minute the Planters were reduced to nine men when Roberts was shown a second yellow card for what appeared an innocuous challenge.

Roberts dismissal gave Ely the initiative and on the hour Dale Archer's shot was comfortably saved by Pauling and three minutes later Robbie Mason lobbed Pauling only to see the ball hit the bar. Pauling had to react quickly to clear away from the incoming Chadwick and four minutes later Pauling denied Chadwick.

The Planters gradually came back into the game and in the 70th minute Hetherington took advantage of the defensive hesitancy but Greygoose comfortably held his shot.

In the 75th minute Page won a challenge with Alsop and netted only for the referee to award the Planters a free-kick for a foul on Page. Gavin Frost's free-kick hit the Ely crossbar.

In the 80th minute Page's shot was cleared off the line by Stone.

The Planters took an unlikely lead in the 88th minute when Frost released Page who ran into the area before knocking the ball into the path of substitute JOSH HULL who netted from close range.

With Ely pressing for an equaliser Frost released substitute SHAUN BAMMANT who took the ball into the Ely area before calmly slotting past Greygoose in the third minute of injury time.

There was still time for Ely to hit the bar with a late free-kick and from the rebound substitute Nick Impey hit his shot over the bar.

Norwich United: N Pauling, S Shipley A Ferguson, G Frost, C Roberts, W Preston, N, Page, T Jeal, K Hetherington, N Thompson, B Hoffman. Subs: S Bammant, J Hull, L Howlett, M Goulder, M Magee.

Ely City: S. Greygoose, L Dixon, J Alsop, B Stone, T Brown, W Goddard, D Archer, D Smith, R Mason, A Bensaud, R Chadwick

Subs: A Pettit, N Impey, C Sterecki.

Referee: B Williams.

t Haverhill 1, Wroxham 3

by Roy Webster

Wroxham, who were hoping to put Wednesday's disappointing Norfolk Senior Cup final defeat behind them, went in at the break one goal up having dominated most of the the first 45 minutes.

Even so the home side, struggling at the foot of the table, looked likely to take the lead in the early minutes when Banham broke through but pushed the ball too far ahead allowing keeper McAnally to gather.

They then won two corners in quick succession and the Wroxham keeper cut out the danger but was stranded off his line when Banham again attempted a lob that nestled on the top of the net.

Wroxham'sLemmon struck an upright then an effort by Gilmore was saved by Campbell.

Wroxham's pressure paid off in the 30th minute when they won a corner which was nudged past the home keeper by JOSH CARUS.

From a similar situation an effort was ruled out for offside.

Half-time Haverhill 0, Wroxham 1

Wroxham's recent tendency towards defence lapses became manifest in the 48th minute when they conceded an equaliser.

Twice the ball was blocked in front of the Wroxham goal but Marcus Hunt hit the back of the net from the second rebound.

Danny White produced a promising run down the right and delivered into the box only for the home defence to scramble the ball clear. Wroxham's left-back Howes collided with the iron railing along the goal-line but resumed after lengthy treatment

In the last 10 minutes when White set up GAVIN LEMMON to put them in the lead in the 82nd minute and two minutes before normal time JOSH CARUS scored from a corner.

Result: Haverhill Rovers 1, Wroxham 3.

Haverhill: Campbell, Kingham, Hughes, Hammond, Holmes, Harvey, Challis, M Hunt, Harper, Banham, Heller. Subs: P Hunt, Westcott, Kirk, Sharp, Halls.

Wroxham: McAnally, Pauling, Howes, Miller, Carus, Self, Challen, Lemmon, Key, White, Gilmore. Subs: Cook, Howitt.

Ref: Colin Reeve, Godmanchester.

t FIRST DIVISION

t Gt Yarmouth 0, Saffron Walden 0

by Gerry Brown

THE match kicked off 15 minutes later after an accident on the A11 delayed the visiting team.

Conditions contributed to misplaced passes and misjudged bounces.

Pledge was required to produce one fine save from Woodcock's cross under the bar as Roach was poised to pounce following some good control by Bartley.

Yarmouth had a lucky escape two minutes from the interval as Hilton came out for a through ball, chased by Darby and Richardson, the ball eventually going out for a goal kick.

Half-time: Great Yarmouth 0, Saffron Walden 0

Yarmouth upped their game after the break.

Woodcock tried a free-kick from 30-yards but Pledger got behind it well. Hilton produced an amazing save on 71 minutes from a Saffron Walden corner, retrieving the ball while grounded.

Hilton was booked for a foul outside his box and Walden's Richardson was sent off for two yellow card offences.

Great Yarmouth: M Hilton, A Sewell, O Savage, G Palmer, A Ager, A Darby, S Woodcock, B Hill, S Roach, L Bartley, M Thompson. Subs: J Watt, J Bryanton, C Squire, D Lawrence.

Saffron Walden: D Pledger, P Flack, J Solkhon, A Riches, M Barker, T Butchart, B Green, K Riley, T Richardson, S Anderson, G Strong. Subs: B Riches, M Das, S Bell.

Referee: J Smith.

t Fakenham Town 0, Halstead 1

by Paul Wright

Halstead took in a single- goal advantage at the break.

In the 36th minute Bamford conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area and AUSTIN swept the ball over the wall inside the left-hand post.

Halstead's first effort after 10 minutes saw Townrow's lob-shot from 45 yards narrowly miss the angle. Striker Bryan's powerful shot was just wide. Fakenham began to get back into the game playing against the wind but found Halstead's physical presence hard to overcome. Two free-kicks in quick succession for the Ghosts were squandered.

Half-time: Fakenham Town 0, Halstead 1

Fakenham were more prominent second half but Halstead always held the edge.

Fakenham: Cracknell, Tagg, Jensch, A Woodhouse, Day, Bamford, Haynes, Bryant, Pask, M Betts, Cole. Subs: Raisbury, J Betts, Felton, King.

Halstead: Wooten, Joslin, Artun, Austin, Devaux, Pollard, Rowell, Daly, Bryan, Townrow, Pirie. Subs: Lee, Saunders, Turner, Cawley, Emerson. Referee: Mr R Barker.

t Cornard 1, Thetford 1

by Mike Fields

Thetford had the bulk of early possession with Skipp having a long-range effort tipped over. Atterton hit a post but was ruled to have pushed a defender. On 26th minutes Conard's Hyde's header bounced off the bar.

A Thetford header was cleared off the line. In the 34th minute Bryant got behind the defence to head over the keeper but his effort came back off a post.

On 63 minutes BRYANT deservedly put Town in front with a deft header following a Piggott cross.

Manager Mick Money was banished to the stands for his remonstrations concerning a substitution. Substitute Burt was wearing the wrong colour cycling shorts.

Five minutes from time Cornard equalised from their only chance of the half when the ball fell to Hyde to tap in from close range.

Thetford: Terry, Brewer, Collins-reed, Skipp, money, Giacomelli, Atterton, Bryant, Simon Mann, Clayton, Piggott. Subs: Burt, Tanti, Richards.