GORLESTON 4 HAVERHILL ROVERS 1

It may have been a case of the Mini Beast from the East blowing over the country but Haverhill were left cold by the team from the east coast as they never recovered from a first half deficit.

THURLOW NUNN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

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The hosts led after 20 minutes when the ball was nodded down to Jack Garrod right on the edge of the area and left of goal, Garrod putting a low drilled shot into the bottom right corner past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Charlie Turner.

Nine minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage, Garrod this time turning provider as his controlled diagonal ball from the left found Ross Gilfedder, who controlled and turned in the area before his left foot shot across Turner took a deflection off left back Jemel Fox and found the far right side netting.

A third goal for Gorleston came in the 54th minute in controversial circumstances, Ryan Geoghegan being penalised for a foul on Gilfedder that was given by the assistant and not the referee, who seemed to have a clear enough view, and the latter scored his second from the penalty spot.

A fourth goal for the home side after 64 minutes came after a low cross from the right by Gilfedder, the ball going right on the goal line at the near post and the combination of full back Tommy Hardwick, Turner and Garrod ended with the ball crawling over the goal line with the last touch coming off Garrod in the melee.

Tom Newman thought he had grabbed a goal back for the away side, his controlled shot going over fully stretched 'keeper Scott Foreman and coming down off the underside of the bar before bouncing away, several players and supporters thinking the ball had crossed the line but the goal was not given.

With lots of pressure from Haverhill, but with no real end result, they did eventually got the goal they, and Newman, deserved after 82 minutes, Sam Holmes' ball across from the left leaving a defender without enough power to deflect his header in the right direction and Newman took advantage from the right of goal as he came inside his marker with his right foot and then put a left footed shot low and past Foreman at the near post.

ROVERS : Turner, Hardwick (Miles, 79), Fox, Carroll, Geoghegan, Holmes, Bradley, Newman (Halls, 89), Haines, Wozniak, Clarke (Tait, 58). Sub not used – Jebb.

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Steven Esdale