Convincing display sees Cornard United ending losing run in basement battle at Haverhill Borough
Three second half goals saw Cornard United to a 3-0 win in their Thurlow Nunn League First Division North basement battle against Haverhill Borough at the Culina Hub New Croft tonight.
Charlie Gilbert's 57th minute controversial opener, with the hosts calling for handball as the corner was flicked in, was quickly followed by Ezra Drann's penalty on the hour mark. Aaron Collier fired in a rebounded shot four minutes from time for a third.
It saw Cornard end a barren run of six straight defeats in all competitions to put smiles back on faces going into the month-long break for the coronavirus lockdown.
Both sides went into the game desperate for some league points with only one win each across their nine matches leaving the pair in the bottom three.
Following Wisbech St Mary's maiden win at the weekend, Borough were one point off the foot of the table while Cornard were two, though both went into tonight's match with three games in hand.
But while the hosts broke a run of three straight league defeats with a 2-1 home win against Coplestonians in the CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup on Saturday, Cornard exited the competition 3-1 at Henley Athletic for a sixth straight loss.
It was an end-to-end opening on the Culina New Croft's grass stadium pitch with Borough's Craig Pruden firing over from the edge of the area before Cornard's Charlie Gilbert finding James Young's hands from long range.
In the 12th minute a defence-splitting pass caught out a high home defensive line but Jack Graham's shot, which made it past the onrushing Young, dribbled just past the outside of the left-hand post.
Cornard were moving the ball better and six minutes later there was another big chance to take the lead but after Gilbert was found free on the left edge of the area he fired his low shot wide of the far post.
The visitors continued their succession of attacks with Ezra Drann forcing a near post save while Harrison Banner's long-range effort was straight at Young.
It was Borough who finished the half stronger though, with Victor Garcia steering a corner over the crossbar while Sam Newton's low free kick from the edge of the area was not quite in the corner enough to beat James Mordecai's dive.
Cornard started the second half brightly and took the lead in controversial circumstances in the 57th minute.
After Ezra Drann's shot was deflected away for a corner it whizzed across the box without being cleared before Gilbert flicked it on the turn into the right-hand corner. Borough protested for a handball but after consulting his assistant it was given.
Borough suffered another blow within two minutes when they conceded a soft-looking penalty when C Wright knocked into the back of Ezra Drann jumping for the ball. It was the number seven himself who stepped up and fired it down the right-hand side with Young diving the other way.
It looked a long way back for the hosts but they came close to halving the deficit when Mordecai misjudged Branham Ince's deep free kick and a defensive header landed on the roof of the net shortly before Oliver Judge fired well over.
Up the other end Graham sent a sweeping effort from Gilbert's cut back past the near post.
Inside the last 10 minutes Gilbert thought he had a third but his fine rifled strike from outside the area was adjudged to have not crossed the line after bouncing down off the underside of the crossbar.
It was 3-0 soon after though as Collier turns in the rebound after Ezra Drann's angled effort drew a good save from Young.
Borough had the chance to end the game on a more positive note by getting on the scoresheet when Pruden was knocked over by Judge. But Mordecai made a fine diving save to his right to turn captain Michael King's spot kick round his near post.
Borough: Young, Ince, Ledwith, Garcia, C Wright, Hardwick (Fletcher 65’), Frodsham (Kent 76’), Drane, Pruden, King (c), Harris. Unused subs: Dewey, Carter, Game.
Cornard: Mordecai, Judge, Newton, Roy, Dowding (c), R Drann, E Drann, James, Gilbert, Banner (Fisher 84’), Graham (Collier 80’). Unused subs: Willings, Durey, Liddiatt.
Attendance: 107
Suffolk News Man of the Match: Charlie Gilbert. Looked sharp leading the line for Cornard and deserved his goal.
