The away side were ahead in the 7th minute, Luke Haines putting over a corner that led to what seemed like a tame Marcus Hunt header; defender Taz Grint, however, handled the ball in the area before clearing it and Harry Halls converted the spot kick.
The lead was doubled on the half hour mark when Ryan Weaver’s turn and through ball set Danny Hill in on goal, Hill breaking the offside trap and his shot was partially saved by former Haverhill ‘keeper Callum Robinson but he couldn’t stop the ball from rolling into the net.
[right]Three minutes into the second half Jordan Haverson was sent off for a dangerous foul on Owen Boddey, but the away side seemed to switch off similarly to when Walsham-le-Willows were reduced to ten men a few days before, chances falling to Kirkley’s Ross King, Richard Woodrow and substitute Kaiden Goldspink as they refused to throw the towel in but none of them could find the mark.
It was Haverhill that did on 72 minutes when they made it 3-0, Jonathan Milne playing a one-two with Ross Elkins before his low cross was tapped in past Robinson by Hill for his second of the day,
Kirkley grabbed a consolation goal in the 77th minute, Ross King curling the ball into the top right corner past ‘keeper Charlie Turner.
Turner then turned hero a minute into added time, Halls and Goldspink tangling in the penalty area and Kirkley harshly being awarded a penalty; Turner, however, got the edge of his fingertips to the ball and turned it on to the post to stop a goal that would have made an interesting finish to the game.
ROVERS : Turner, Geoghegan, Halls, Boddey (Shulver, 76), Holmes, Hunt, Weaver, Milne, Hill, Haines (Elkins, 63), Latham. Sub not used – Bradley.
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Steven Esdale
# | Team | Pl | Pts |
14. | Walsham le Willows | 40 | 47 |
15. | Fakenham Town | 40 | 46 |
16. | Haverhill Rovers | 40 | 44 |
17. | Long Melford | 40 | 40 |
18. | Hadleigh United | 40 | 38 |
19. | Wivenhoe Town | 40 | 33 |
20. | FC Clacton | 40 | 31 |