HAVERHILL ROVERS 1 KIRKLEY AND PAKEFIELD 2

Ten man Haverhill were left with a record of one win in their last ten matches after this result, Kirkley picking up their second victory over the same period of play.

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THURLOW NUNN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

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Mitchell Burr had a shot after a Lawrence Healey cleared off the Kirkley goal line as the hosts edged ahead early on but the tide soon changed, Kirkley pulling a great save out of home goalkeeper Charlie Turner, having a shot cleared off the line themselves and hitting the upright in the following quarter of an hour.

The away side took the lead on 29 minutes after Turner come out to smother a shot and, with the ball coming loose, Miguel Lopez was just ahead of Turner to lift the rebound away from and into the net from close range.

Kirkley again hit the upright 12 minutes after the break, Tarren Grint hitting the foot of the near left post from 15 yards out and left of goal before the home side equalised with 75 minutes gone, Marc Abbott’s free kick on the left wing bouncing near the penalty spot and Cameron Watson, in a crowd at the back post, was first to it to find the net and level the scores.

The introduction of Aaron Forshaw on 66 minutes, unfortunately, proved to be the moment that arguably gave Kirkley all three points; a minute into added time Forshaw went down with a reoccurrence of the ankle injury suffered six weeks previously, leaving him unable to re-challenge for the ball and Burr, having been booked four minutes beforehand, made one himself that saw receive a second caution and leave his side down to nine men with Forshaw being carried off and all substitutions having been made.

Three minutes later Kirkley netted a winner, Lopez’s free kick 45 yards out and just right of goal curling in and Jack Herbert got ahead of everyone to head the ball low and past Turner.

ROVERS : Turner, Geoghegan, Fox, Haines (Hunt, 66), Holmes, Watson, Wozniak (Milne, 46), Abbott, Jebb (Forshaw, 66), Burr, Healey. Subs not used – Camfield, Halls.

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Steven Esdale