Late Ryan Twinn header sees Haverhill Rovers overcome Haverhill Borough at The New Croft

Ryan Twinn came off the bench to head home an 85th-minute winner in the Haverhill derby as Rovers edged past local rivals Borough 2-1 at The New Croft.

Both sides were down to 10 men, following dismissals to Sonny Tully and Luke Lindsay, when Twinn entered proceedings and he latched onto fellow substitute Kai Nicholls’ teasing right-footed delivery to claim Rovers the bragging rights and maintain their unbeaten start at the top of the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North standings.

While Ben Cowling’s side ran out winners, Borough, who were 16th before The New Croft outfits clashed, went toe-to-toe with their more-experienced opponents, but fell behind when Lindsay’s instinctive finish put Rovers ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Following the sending offs, Harry Zachariou’s young team deservedly found themselves level when Micky Cipriani got the better of Alex Archer at the second time of asking, but the blue side of Haverhill could not hold on against the table toppers, who showed their never-say-die attitude once again.

Borough, who were unchanged from their enthralling 3-3 draw at Framlingham Town on Saturday, started the derby on the front foot and fashioned the first opportunity in the sixth minute. Harry Farrow’s looping header landed on the roof of the net before he unleashed a low drive from range that trickled wide of Archer’s right post.

At the other end, Rovers, who showed two changes as Reece Clarke and Clinton Frank replaced Milo Holmes and Twinn, responded with their first chance as Euan Banks latched onto Frank’s pullback but his effort from inside the box was straight into the arms of Zac Tuvey.

Heading into the derby, Zachariou compared his side’s challenge to the story of ‘David and Goliath’ – but inside the first 15 minutes it was his young team that were adopting the role of the fearsome giant. They made Rovers uncomfortable and wasteful with their press and crafted another sight at goal as Farrow took aim, but his left-footed strike crashed just wide of the post.

Cowling would have wanted his side to have bucked their goalless first-half trend, but will have been relieved they were not losing at the break as the hosts continued to pile on the pressure. After Cipriani was wasteful with an enticing crossing opportunity, top-scorer Brandon McKay fired an effort from inside the box that Archer beat away at his near post. From the resulting passage of play, Kieran Scanlan’s curling strike from the edge of the penalty area bent just wide of the top-left corner.

And as half-time beckoned, Borough squandered their best chance of the first 45. An audacious touch from McKay allowed him to burst down the right and his low, teasing delivery was sent towards his own goal by a sliding Casey Phillips and the ball trickled wide as Farrow clattered into the post, making a last-ditch effort to turn the ball home.

With Rovers’ firepower lurking in the background, there was always a sense Borough might rue their missed opportunities and with the last kick of the half, the leaders went ahead. Substitute Kai Nicholls, who replaced former Borough man Archie Cowe (injury) five minutes before the break, played an incisive ball infield to Lindsay, and the attacker took a cultured touch before firing the ball into the bottom-left corner on the turn – his ninth goal of the campaign.

The red side of Haverhill, who donned their blue kit for the derby, were buoyed by their opener and threatened to double their advantage soon after the re-start. Top-scorer Shaun Avis, who was quiet in the first half, fired a venomous free kick wide of the top-right corner before Adden Tokely tried to beat Tuvey from range, but the shot stopper held onto the full-back’s swerving attempt.

Borough did not rest on their laurels and should have equalised when Archer spilled a long ball at the feet of Farrow, who, off balance, skewed his volley wide of the target.

Rovers boss Cowling said pre-match that he felt the derby did not boast the same needle as it once did four, five years ago. But, just before the hour mark, both teams were down to 10 men. Following a foul by a Borough player on the edge of their own penalty area, a melee ensued which resulted in Tully receiving a second yellow card and Lindsay being handed a straight red.

The red cards did not change the flow of the contest as Borough continued to hunt for a leveller as Archer was again equal to a McKay effort, this time tipping his curling right-footed strike around the post. But eventually, Zachariou’s side restored parity. Awarded time and space in the penalty area, Cipriani was denied by Archer at the first attempt, but the Borough number seven slotted home the rebound to level proceedings.

Rovers substitute Josh Evans stung the palms of Tuvey from inside the box as it looked like the contest was going to peter out to a draw but five minutes from time, Rovers snatched the three points. Cowling’s substitutes combined as Nicholls’ outstanding delivery put the ball on a plate for Twinn to nod the table-toppers in front.

The red side of Haverhill intelligently ran down the clock to ensure they extended their lead at the summit to five points.

Haverhill Borough: Tuvey, Holmes, Hopkins, Goddard, Barton, Tully, Cipriani, Scanlan (cpt), McKay, Zachariou, Farrow. (Bull 62’).

Unused substitutes: Swallow, Randall, Newell, Allen.

Booked: Tully (47’) (52’ SECOND YELLOW)

Haverhill Rovers:Archer, Tokley, Cowe (Nicholls 41’), Noble, Taylor, Phillips, Lindsay, Clarke (Evans 62’), Avis (cpt), Banks (Twinn 74’), Frank (Markwell 62’)

Unused substitutes: Evans, Holmes.

Booked: Noble (40’) Lindsay (52’ RED)