Non-league round up: Haverhill Rovers top Thurlow Nunn League First Division North standings while Framlingham Town, Ely City and Thetford Town chalk up victories
Haverhill Rovers are up to the summit of the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North following their 4-0 victory at home to bottom-of-the-table Whittlesey Athletic on Saturday.
For the second successive match, Ben Cowling’s side, who are yet to lose this season, went into half-time at The New Croft with the scoreline goalless but turned on the style in the second period and netted four times.
After the break, it took just seven minutes for Rovers to break the deadlock when Shaun Avis headed home Casey Phillips’ flick-on and their advantage was doubled on 74 with a well-executed finish on the turn from Luke Lindsay.
Three minutes from time, substitute Milo Holmes arrowed a finish low past the visiting goalkeeper before Lindsay bagged his second and Rovers’ fourth in stoppage time.
It was also another positive weekend for free-scoring Framlingham Town, who put six past hosting Pinchbeck United in a 6-1 scoreline to restore their place in the play-off positions.
When the Castlemen are amongst the goals, you can expect top-scorer Max Willett to be too and he netted a hat-trick on Saturday, taking his tally to 17 goals for the season. Substitute Harry Brown’s brace on Saturday put him on 12 goals so far and skipper Johnny Kerridge also got in on the act.
Diss Town are a place and two points above Fram ahead of their meeting on Tuesday (see full midweek fixtures below) after Harvey Norman’s goal separated the Tangerines and AFC Sudbury Reserves at Brewers Green Lane at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Haverhill Borough’s winless run in all competitions stretched to nine games on Saturday with their 4-0 defeat at seventh-placed Gorleston Reserves. The newly-promoted hosts stormed to victory courtesy of braces from Connor Ingram and substitute Joel Watts, leaving Borough 15th in the standings.
Elsewhere, in the Premier Division, Ely City remain second after Sam Tagg’s 95th-minute strike claimed the Robins a dramatic 3-2 victory at Mulbarton Wanderers. Having conceded in the 10th minute, the visitors took the lead in the second half after two goals in as many minutes from Jack Friend, but Mulbarton looked like they had snatched a point as they equalised with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Tagg’s stoppage-time winner kept Ely two points ahead of Thetford Town, who moved up to third following their 5-1 dispatching of hosting Kirkley & Pakefield. Elliot Smith got Matt Morton’s side up and running while Dylan Grove and Cameron King netted two goals each.
The Brecklanders leapfrogged Walsham-le-Willows who, despite coming from 2-0 down to salvage a point at Sheringham on Saturday, dropped to fifth in the table. George Bugg started the fightback in the second half and new signing Cameron Nicholls netted the equaliser – his first goal back in Walsham colours after re-joining last week.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, there were heavy defeats for Long Melford (3-0 at home to Woodbridge Town), Hadleigh United (5-0 at Fakenham Town) and Stowmarket Town (5-0 at home to Soham Town Rangers).
Stow are now winless in their last eight matches across all competitions. Ted Johnson and Ryan Sharman bagged braces to give the Greens a four-goal lead on Saturday, and new signing Jack Brame added a fifth off the bench.
At the bottom-end of the table, Harleston Town were held to a 1-1 draw at home to 10-man Downham Town, who played with a player less for 35 minutes of the contest after Rob Turner’s opener was cancelled out before half-time, and Cornard United’s match at home to Great Yarmouth Town was postponed.
It was also a disappointing weekend for Halstead Town, who dropped into the relegation places in the Essex Senior League Premier Division after they were hammered 5-1 at Great Wakering.
Meanwhile, in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, AFC Sudbury fell to a 3-1 defeat at high-flying Bedford Town on Saturday. After finding themselves two goals down, Joe Neal halved the deficit from the spot with 10 minutes to play, but Ryan Blake wrapped up the points for the home side in stoppage time.
Divisional rivals Leiston and Lowestoft Town were in Emirates FA Cup third qualifying round action and were both held to draws against Hornchurch (1-1) and Haringey Borough (3-3) respectively, with replays to come tomorrow night. The draw for the next round takes place today (Monday) at 3pm.
In the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division, Mildenhall Town were condemned to a third straight defeat following a 3-1 scoreline at Basildon United – in which Adam Capel netted a consolation – while Newmarket Town failed to chalk up back-to-back wins after they were seen off 4-1 at home to Walthamstow. Josh Lee was on target in the 82nd minute for the Jockeys.
And Rasheed Salau netted a 95th-minute equaliser to help Ipswich Wanderers claim a point at home to Redbridge after a 2-2 scoreline.
Tuesday’s fixtures (7.45pm unless stated)
Emirates FA Cup third qualifying round
Lowestoft Town vs Haringey Borough
Hornchurch vs Leiston
Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup second round
Needham Market vs Long Melford
Ipswich Wanderers vs Woodbridge Town
Brantham Athletic vs Kirkley & Pakefield
Hadleigh United vs Lakenheath
Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup third round
Ely City vs Soham Town Rangers
Stowmarket Town vs Whitton United
BBC Essex Senior Cup first round
Halstead Town vs Newbury Forest
Pitching In Isthmian League North Division
Newmarket Town vs Concord Rangers
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Walsham-le-Willows vs Thetford Town
Thurlow Nunn League First Division North
Framlingham Town vs Diss Town
Wednesday’s fixtures (7.45pm unless stated)
Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup second round
Felixstowe & Walton United vs Mildenhall Town
Cornard United vs Ipswich Town XI
