Ben Deacon's stunning header from an Adam Todd corner in the 93rd minute fired Ransomes to back-to-back Senior Division wins as they edged out Halesworth 3-2 at Dairy Hill. Deacon scored his second of the afternoon as Halesworth finally succumbed in time added on, and they will no doubt feel aggrieved that they did not get at least a point.
Halesworth started brightly and completely dominated the opening period. They should have scored after only 3 minutes but Chenery clipped the outside of the post with only Callum Deacon to beat. It came as no surprise therefore when Halesworth eventually took a 12th minute lead but Ransomes will be disappointed in the manner in which they conceded. Halesworth full back Moore was allowed to advance forward unchallenged, and he struck a low drive into the far corner from outside the box
At this stage of the game, Halesworth were finding space all over the pitch and for the second successive week, Ransomes were forced to change their formation in order to adapt and get back into the game. Their response was almost immediate as five minutes later, Ransomes grabbed an equaliser from their first meaningful attack of the game. Ben Deacon, who was to be a thorn in the side of Halesworth all afternoon, had his run and shot across the face of the goal blocked but the alert Franco Mallardo was quickest to react to the loose ball ,and he stroked home his low shot into the bottom corner.
Things got even better for Ransomes on 21 minutes. Adam Todd's exquisite low driven cross raced across the face of the Halesworth goal without the finishing touch applied. Danny Allen retrieved the situation for Ransomes beyond the far post and from his cross, Ben Deacon headed the visitors into a surprise lead.
Three minutes later and it was all level again. With Ransomes giving the ball away, the home side quickly took advantage of the turnover as Read broke into the box. Although Callum Deacon saved his goal bound shot, Garrod was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the roof of the net. Four goals in the space of 12 minutes had left the large crowd wanting more, and it was Halesworth who really should have retaken the lead. Ash Smith misjudged a long ball forward which left Summerfield with a clear run at goal but his lob over the advancing keeper bounced in front of the goal, and over the bar.
Ransomes then went down to ten men with Nathan Woollard sin-binned but they finished the half the stronger side as Danny Allen and Franco Mallardo both fired past the upright.
Following the break, Ransomes sought to wrestle the initiative from their hosts who had certainly been the better side during a pulsating first half. Good combination play on the edge of the Halesworth penalty area saw Adam Todd flash his drive narrowly wide, and then Danny Allen scuffed a shot wide when well placed. In response, Chenery fired wide for Halesworth folowing good work from Palmer but it was Ransomes who, at this stage, looked the more threatening.
There was a big penalty shout on 67 minutes for handball from Ransomes but this was waived aside, and then Danny Allen beat home keeper Anderson, but the covering defenders cleared easily.
Ransomes continued to put Halesworth under major pressure as they searched for that winning goal but with 88 minutes on the clock, Halesworth quickly turned over a Ransomes free kick and Summerfield found himself with only Callum Deacon to beat. It was a sucker punch break with the Ransomes defence outnumbered, but the striker somehow managed to steer his shot wide. This miss was to prove cruical as Ransomes had the final say with Ben Deacon's added time winning header.
If Halesworth had held the advantage during the first half, they certainly didn't take the game by the scruff of the neck when on top, and Ransomes grew into the game to finish the stronger of two very good, committed sides. It was a collective effort from Ransomes and the desire to get a positive result, but it took a great finish to eventually see the visitors emerge with all three points.