Weekend Roundup 28th October

SIL WEEKEND ROUND-UP
Halesworth continue to top the Senior Division after an emphatic 8-0 win at struggling Westerfield. The prolific Pat Summerfield netted a brace to make it 16 for the season, along with goals from Kaiden Goldspink, Tommy Smith, Toby Paine, Shaun Whiteman and Calvin Vincent plus an own goal.
Henley beat East Bergholt 4-2 and remain in second. Clarke Bruce scored twice for the Hens with their other strikes coming from Liam Ablitt and Stephen Cole. A Kyle Jay penalty and a screamer from Daryl Alexander pulled the score back to 2-1 and 3-2 but it was Henley who prevailed.
Trimley took advantage of Debenham’s 5-2 defeat at Sporting 87 to move into third by winning 3-1 at Wickham Market. Nathan Baker, Shane Murphy and Sam Garwood found the net for the Red Devils.
Jonny Linard netted four times for Coplestonians as they won 6-0 at Claydon. Jordan Godbold and Ronaldo Wright completed the scoring.
Two goals from Patrick Doyle helped Leiston St Margarets come from 3-0 down to win 4-3 at Haughley. Old Newton had a fine 4-0 win at Tattingstone while Ransomes continued their good form with a 4-2 win against Stowupland.
Thurston extended their lead at the top of Division One follow a 4-0 defeat of previous closest rivals Saxmundham. Brandon Salisbury notched a hat-trick with the Bluesocks Ryan Jolly completing the scoring.
Lamar Bennet-Grant scored four as AFC Kesgrave win 6-0 at Capel Plough to go second. Also in Division One Grundisburgh beat Stanton 4-1 and a hat-trick from Luke Spivey helped Cockfield see off Achilles 4-2.
Hayden Catchpole was another Division One player to notch a hat-trick. However, this was not enough to prevent his Woolverstone side going down 5-3 at home to Somersham.
Division Two leaders Kirton had their game at Ipswich Athletic called off. Kesgrave Kestrels leapfrogged Coplestonians Reserves by beating them 5-3 while two goals from Shane Fricker helped Great Blakenham draw 3-3 with Wenhaston. In the other Division Two game Elmswell won 2-1 at Needham Market Phoenix.

Match Report
Westerfield v Halesworth
An early cross from Goldspink was cleared away by Wright and then Burn tipped Payne’s header onto the post. Goldspink ran through on goal but Burns saved and then Summerfield hit the bar. The Westerfield goal was under siege and Goldspink hit the post before Read’s header just drifted wide. A mistake in the Halesworth defence saw Prentice clear on goal but Wickham spread himself well and saved. Summerfield’s corner flew across the face of the Westerfield goal with no Halesworth player able to get a vital touch. A raking ball from Howell found Duff but he was crowded out. Halesworth took the lead with a bizarre own goal from BAWAN who lobbed over Burn. GOLDSPINK increased the visitors advantage, scoring from close range minutes later and the same player fired wide when well placed as the half ended.
Halftime; Westerfield 0, Halesworth 2
The second half began with Howell heading Adam’s cross wide. SMITH scored for Halesworth after Burn had parried Summerfield’s shot. WHITEMAN headed in unmarked from a corner and then Burn was again in action, saving a curling effort from Ling. A cross from Howell was just to strong for Prentice but Halesworth took advantage of some slack marking when SUMMERFIELD fired in a fifth. Burn saved from Summerfield and Alcock cleared off the line as Halesworth dominated. Adam’s low cross almost found Prentice. SUMMERFIELD crashed a rising shot into the net and then PAYNE fired home. VINCENT scored an eighth two minutes from time as a gallant Westerfield side were put to the sword but never gave up.
Full Time; Westerfield 0, Halesworth 8
Home Scorers
None
Away Scorers
Kawoon Bawan OG (32)
Kayden Goldspink (36)
Tommy Smith (49)
Shaun Whiteman (53)
Pat Summerfield (62 & 73)
Toby Payne (78)
Calvin Vincent (88)
MOTM
Chris Alcock (Westerfield)
Pat Summerfield (Halesworth)
Attendance 50

FEATURED GAME
SPORTING 87 5 DEBENHAM LC 2
(SIL SENIOR DIVISION)
SPORTING SCORERS:
Tom Chance 40 mins
Harry McKeown 44 mins
Nathan Banks 71 & 80 mins
Rob Pettitt 83 mins
DEBENHAM SCORER:
Ashley Rankin 45+1 & 52 mins
REFEREE: Ian Hardy
ATTENDANCE: 44
Sporting produced an excellent performance to beat a Debenham side who were sitting in third place at the start of the afternoon. Although winless this season, now their victory over Bildeston has been scrubbed from the records, Sporting have been a competitive outfit, drawing five or their eight league games before Saturday’s fixture.
Debenham should have taken an early lead when Ashley Rankin went clear, only to miss the target. Sporting defender Reece Langridge then deflected a James Buckmaster cross narrowly over his own bar. Home keeper Sam Jackman kept out efforts from Sam Sharp and Rankin soon afterwards as Debenham continued to press.
Sporting did have some chances as Josh Thomas fired over before Nathan Banks drove wide. As the half went on the home side began to have more of the play. Hornets’ keeper Nathan Bloomfield was dispossed by Sam Fenning but his effort trickled against the post.
Sporting then went ahead when Tom Chance raced though the visitors’ defence to slot home after referee Hardy played a good advantage.
Sporting thought they had doubled their lead in the next attack only for the the referee to rule that there had been a foul on the goal keeper.
Their second did eventually arrive when Harry McKeown poked home from close range after Sam Fenning’s angled chip came back off a post.
Debenham went straight down the other end and Rankin rounded the keeper for a fine finish to pull a goal back with the last kick of the half.
The dangerous Rankin equalised early in the second half, powerfully heading home a Reece Crosp cross. Paddy Styles then drove over as Debenham continued to press.
However, Sporting still carried a threat with Jack Edwards hitting a post. Hormets’ Ben Regan was then kept out by the legs of Jackman as the game swung back and forth.
Nathan Banks restored the hosts advantage with 20 minutes of normal time left, cutting in from the right and driving his effort underneath Bloomfield.
Substitute Rob Pettitt then squared for Banks to nip in between defender and keeper to net his second of the game and his 80th for the club.
As the visitors’ defence disintegrated Banks returned the favour by playing in Pettitt who ran clear to complete the scoring.

Suffolk SIL Division : Henley Athletic FC 4-2 East Bergholt Utd FC
A fierce contest, with some fine football on display from both sides was enjoyed by a crowd of 83 at the Community Centre. At 14.20 we were still without a referee due to an administrative mix up, but by sterling work from Keith Norton and Daryl Butcher of the SIL, saw an official wing his way over to us for a late KO at 15.00.
Henley started the brighter of the two sides, coming close on a couple of occasions before taking a lead after 18 minutes, a through ball was adjudged to have hit a defender’s hand and Bruce stepped up to rifle home the penalty for 1-0. Within two minutes it was 2-0, some fine work on the edge of the area saw Hammond’s ball find Tejano, he found Bruce who laid the ball off into the path of Liam Ablitt to smash it in off the foot of the post. Bergholt were stung into action and started to have a lot more of the ball, but it was Henley who once again came close after 30 minutes, a fine through ball from Van Oene picking out Cole, whose curling effort went just over the bar. On 45 minutes Bergholt found a route back into the game, the ball fired at Tejano from close range and striking his hand, the penalty was awarded and Jay just squeezed it under Spurling’s dive to bring the score to 2-1 at the break.
The goal inspired Bergholt to greater efforts and the early part of the 2nd half saw them in the ascendancy, having plenty of possession and playing some nice passing football. However they were profligate with the chances they did create, firing high and wide, and Spurling was on hand to stop any that were on target. At the other end Bruce hit the crossbar after 65 minutes, but almost immediately Spurling was called into action to make a great save at his near post to prevent the equaliser.
As Henley weathered the Bergholt storm, they were looking more and more dangerous and on 69 minutes increased their lead, a high ball in from Liam Ablitt was met at the back post by Cole, who looped his header over both defender and keeper to make it 3-1. Within a minute Bergholt looked sure to score, as Greenwood burst through one on one, but Spurling spread himself and saved brilliantly. But on 77 minutes there was nothing that Spurling could do as Alexander took a cross on his chest and superbly volleyed into the top corner to make it 3-2, a goal of real quality that drew applause from the assembled Henley Ultras. On 83 minutes Bergholt were aggrieved not to be awarded a 2ndpenalty, as the ball dropped over the head of an attacker and bounced onto an unsighted Bull’s arm. On 86 minutes the points were secured for Henley, a Hammond throw in, hooked in by George Ablitt and powered home with a thumping header from the edge of the six yard box by Bruce (yes the rarity that is a headed goal from Bruce) to bring the final score to 4-2.
A great game to watch with some real quality on display from both sides, Bergholt look much stronger than last season and play some neat, organised and dangerous football, certainly the best passing team we’ve faced this season to date. Henley had to work hard for their win, injuries again playing their part in team selection, with Cowan and Watling also now missing, but again we were able to call on our excellent reserve side which saw a cameo coming off the bench for Leeks. The Ultra’s vote for MOTM went to Cole, not only for his attacking contribution, but for his hard work, tracking back and shutting down all game, the fact that keeper “Big Jack” Spurling was second in the vote, should provide an indication of what a tight game this was. But, as we all know, football is all about taking your chances, and on the day Henley did and that proved the difference between the sides.

COPS CRUISE TO VICTORY
Linard notches four as Claydon endure a first half hammering.
Claydon 0 Coplestonians 6
An early save from the Claydon keeper set the tone as Cops broke through the home rearguard at regular intervals. Ronaldo Wright (sponsored by Ian Matthews) put Cops ahead after only 4 minutes before a quick salvo from Jonny Linard (sponsored by JWL Sports Therapy) and Jordan Godbold (sponsored by Rushmere Golf Club) gave Cops a 3-0 lead on 22 minutes.
Jonny Linard scored his second with a fine goal as he controlled a forward ball, wrong footed the defence and fired home. Jonny Linard followed this up with another two well taken goals as the home side were left floundering.
Roan Tucker (sponsored by Scott Clarke Vehicle services) in the Cops goal had little to do in the first half but after the break he was much busier as Claydon made changes to be more competitive. Indeed Tucker made several fine saves to earn a clean sheet. The closest Cops got to a goal was a powerful Wright header that struck the bar. The game, though, was won in the first half when Cops took advantage of a lacklustre opposition. A nice birthday present for Manager Nick Mark.
MOTM Jonny Linard
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RESERVES LOSE 100% RECORD
Kestrels win out in high scoring affair.
Coplestonians Reserves 3 Kesgrave Kestrels 5
Cops Reserves faced a good Kesgarave Kestrels team and “held their own” in an even first half.
Good interplay between Ty Read and Connor Mackay (sponsored by Wolfe Powell) sent the latter clear to slot home confidently to give Cops the lead after 15 minutes. This advantage did not last long however as immediately from the kick off a lack of concentration from the Cops midfield and defence allowed Kestrels to equalise immediately! A good move ten minutes later saw the Kestrels winger outpace our full back to rifle into the far corner to give Kestrels a 2-1 lead at half time.
Cops started the second half well and Charlie Pyett pounced on a loose ball in the area to equalise just five minutes into the half.
The game changed completely after 15 minutes of the second half when a Kestrels forward broke clear and Henry Staples mis-timed his tackle to bring him down just outside the 18 yard line. Being the last defender, Henry was sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity. To make matters worse, Kestrels scored from the resulting free kick to give them a 3-2 lead.
Cops battled away with 10 men but could not stop Kestrels extending their lead after 65 minutes. However, Cops kept going and were rewarded after 80 minutes when Tom Jacobs forced the ball home from a corner.
However, superior numbers and tiring Cops players allowed Kestrels to make the game safe with another goal in the last ten minutes to take the 3 points, leaving Cops to wonder what might have been if we had kept 11 players on the field !
Thanks to Pete Whittaker for this report.
MOTM Jonny Linard – seen below receiving his award from Cops supporter Richie Thompson.

Thanks to David Meesson, Tony Robinson, Phil Greenhaugh and Tony Stone