Saturday's local football round-up: Stowmarket Town score seven again, AFC Sudbury lose Bury Town fail to win and Mildenhall Town and Newmarket Town to go again in FA Vase
Leaders Stowmarket Town sent out an emphatic message to the rest of the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division this afternoon by firing seven unanswered goals past visiting Woodbridge Town in what had been a first versus third top-of-the-table clash.
In front of another big crowd topping 300 (336) at Greens Meadow, Joe Jefford headed in a corner in the 21st minute to break the deadlock.
It served to open the floodgates as the Old Gold & Blacks led 4-0 by half-time with Josh Mayhew, returning from missing their previous match - a 0-0 draw at Mildenhall Town - with injury doubled their advantage in the 29th minute before Dave Cowley scored twice inside three minutes with a low finish (39') followed by an exquisite free kick (42').
With 20 minutes to go the goals started to flow again as Robbie Sweeney finished low from inside the penalty box following a free-kick being flicked on before substitute George Clarke finished off a fine passing move 10 minutes later for 6-0.
The seventh saw ex-AFC Sudbury midfielder Cowley complete his hat-trick following a neat one-two to get into the box with Sweeney and cap a memorable afternoon for the home supporters, mimicing their 7-0 triumph over Kirkley & Pakefield at the same venue only two weeks ago.
Rick Andrews side extend their advantage at the top of the table to four points after what was a third straight defeat for Carlos Edwards' Woodbridge Town.
The clean sheet, their sixth in a row in the league, means Stowmarket have yet to concede a goal at Greens Meadow this season, now stretching to five matches.
Elsewhere in the division, it was a bad day for Ely City as they lost 5-1 at Godmanchester Rovers to leave Brady Stone's side in 13th position in the table after seven matches.
In the Southern League P
Up a level in the BetVictor Isthmian League North Division neither AFC Sudbury or Bury Town, who meet at the Denny Brothers Ram Meadow Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm) could register victories.
AFC Sudbury manager Mark Morsley had warned his side needed to quickly rediscover their identity on the pitch after a disappointing FA Cup exit to lower-league Dereham Town on Tuesday.
FOOTBALL - Stowmarket Town FC v Woodbridge Town FC...Pictured: Josh Mayhew....PICTURE: Mecha Morton ... (16608247)
But he will not have been happy with what he saw at newly-promoted Hullbridge Sports today as they were beaten 2-0 with a goal in each half (Luke Hornsley 30' & Timothy Monsheju 61') seeing them drop six places to 14th.
Bury Town managed to keep their unbeaten league run going heading into the derby but could not get all three points at home to lowly Brentwood Town as they played out a 1-1 draw.
Cemal Ramadan put the Blues ahead as early as the fourth minute by dispatching another penalty but in front of a crowd of 305 at Ram Meadow, it did not last long as within four minutes Andrew Freeman had equalised.
Football - Bury Town v Brentwood Town;Location - Ram Meadow (BSE)Pictured - Cemal Ramadan;Picture - Neil Dady......................... (16607558)
New loan signing from Ipswich Town, Collin Oppong, got the full 90 minutes up front, following making his debut in Bury's Velocity Trophy league cup group match at Heybridge last weekend.
Soham Town Rangers also have a local derby on Tuesday, at home to Cambridge City (7.45pm), but have failed to take positive momentum into that after a 3-2 defeat at Grays Athletic this afternoon.
Matty Allens' 36th minute strike had sent the Greens into the interval in Essex level at 1-1, but the hosts replied to Toby Andrews goal on the hour mark with two within two minutes (Lewis Clark 72', Tony Stokes 74') to send Robbie Mason's side home pointless.
Up another level, in the BetVictor Southern Premier Central, Needham Market were on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller as Barwell recorded a 3-2 victory. But the Marketmen had been reduced to 10 men in the first half when Dan Morphew got his marching orders in the 39th minute following a last-man challenge.
At that stage the game, played out in front of a crowd of 190, had been goalless. But in added time at the end of the first period a long-range effort from Eliot Putman deflected in off goalkeeper Marcus Garnham to give the visitors the lead, with it being recorded as a Garnham own goal.
Joe Marsden got the 10 men back on level terms 10 minutes after the restart, but Omotolani Omotola struck twice (60', 78') to put Barwell into a 3-1 lead before a late Gareth Heath goal (87') proved to be no more than a consolation strike.
The defeat leaves Richard Wilkins' side 10th ahead of turning their attentions to the FA Cup Suffolk derby at Lowestoft Town next weekend.
The Buildbase FA Vase took precedence over league fixtures at Step 5 with Hadleigh United comfortably marching through their second round qualifying tie at home to lower-league Haverhill Borough 5-2.
Kye Ruel opened the scoring at the Millfield with Borough getting back level through captain Ryan Phillips only for Joel Glover to get the Brettsiders back in front.
Sam Sharp's finish early in the second half made it 3-1 before, inside the final five minutes Ruel's second was quickly replied to by before substitute Felix Varden-Barber completed the scoring before Haverhill Borough saw Alfie Lawrence sent off for a second bookable offence with a minute of regulation time to play.
Mildenhall Town at home to Newmarket Town had been one of the standout ties locally, but following a 1-1 draw and no side able to find a winner during extra-time, they will have to go again in a replay at Cricket Field Road on Tuesday (7.45pm).
FOOTBALL: Mildenhall v Newmarket FA Vase action Valter Rocha scores first for Mildenhall Picture by Mark Westley. (16608613)
It was Mildenhall who had looked set to progress in the 90 minutes with Valter Rocha's 50th minute strike separating the sides until former AFC Sudbury full-back Ben Robinson tapped home at the far post following a 79th minute corner.
Walsham-le-Willows also went to extra-time in their tie at March Town United, but conceded late on to heartbreakingly end their Vase journey 4-3, after the 90 minutes had 2-2. Craig Jennings had fired them into a 3-2 lead early in extra-time to complete his hat-trick before a penalty to March was dispatched ahead of their winning goal coming.
Thetford Town were dumped out of the competition 5-0 at home to Peterborough Northern Star, Walsham's FA Cup conquerors from the Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division.
It was a 10th straight defeat for Danny White's side, who have not won since their opening weekend victory at home to Walsham.
Elsewhere in the competition, Haverhill Rovers were unable to exact revenge on their FA Cup conquerers Colney Heath as the Spartan South Midlands League side prevailed 2-0, while Debenham LC exited 1-0 at higher-league side Kirkley & Pakefield.
Long Melford are due to play their second round qualifying tie at Coggeshall United tomorrow (2pm).
In the Thurlow Nunn League South Division, Halstead Town failed to extend their advantage at the top of the table at Harwich & Parkeston as Mark McLean's side went down to a 3-0 defeat at Royal Oak.
Football action from Diss Town FC vs Fakenham Town FC..Diss Town manager Jon Abbott..Picture: Mark Bullimore Photography 2019. (16606790)
In the First Division North, Cornard United secured their first win under new manager Dave Childs at the eighth attempt with a 2-0 home win against Wisbech St Mary, despite losing their goalkeeper for the final 30 minutes.
Diss Town kept up the pressure on league leaders Downham Town - who were 7-1 winners at home to Kevin Horlock's Needham Market Reserves - with a 3-2 home success against Fakenham Town.
Elsewhere, AFC Sudbury Reserves' return to action saw them lose 4-0 at home to Ipswich Wanderers while Framlingham Town beaten 4-2 at Norwich CBS.
* Vote for your Iliffe Media East Team of The Weekend on Twitter via @russclaydon on Monday and see next week's papers for reaction to the weekend's and midweek games as well as previews to the week ahead.
