Pedlars go nap

Swaffham Town 5 Stowmarket Town 2

Swaffham Town:- 1 D.Mayes 2 N.Cross 3 Dw.Hockton 4 L.Woolmore 5 M.Parkinson 6 .O'Brien 7 J.Redhead 8 R.Cornwell 9 A.Clifford 10 J.Jackson 11 A.Vincent 12 J.Platten 14 T.Grass 15 S.Twaite-Smith 16 L.Hemeter
Stowmarket Town:- 1 C.Pearson 2 C.Brown 3 C.Webb-Heath 4 G.Ward 5 D.Cooper 6 D.Pleasance 7 G.Dugdale 8 J.Graham 9 K.Joseph 10 C.Gray 11L.Drummond 12 L.Woodhouse 14 C.Padmore 15 Y.Duka

It took the opening minutes of the first half for both teams to settle. Perfect conditions with regards to weather and pitch for football. The deadlock was broken in the sixteenth minute, Aaron Clifford slotting a ball through the Stowmarket defence, Alex Vincent pouncing onto it and placing it past the keeper. Five minutes later, Clifford further involved feeding Joe Jackson to have his shot saved and then shooting himself from 25 yards, his effort just passing the upright. The Pedlars second resulted in a penalty area melee, the visitors unable to clear their lines and the possibility of a penalty claim before Vincent latched onto the free ball from twelve yards out. Stowmarket's response was dealt with well by the back four of Nathan Cross, Dwayne Hockton, Lee Woolmore under the direction of Matthew Parkinson.

Just twelve minutes into the second half, Swaffham made it three, Dwayne Hockton setting Vincent free on the left wing, his cross met by the Stowmarket centre back to slice into his own net. It seemed home and dry for the Swaffham, but they were shaken in the 60th minute, caught out by a long through ball, the centre forward leaving keeper Dean Mayes no chance and then two minutes later scrambling the ball into the net from a free kick, just in the Swaffham third of the pitch. At 3-2 it looked as though the homeside were going to throw it away! Luck was with them when the match turned yet again, Stowmarket taking a free kick 20 yards out, it cleared all players and hit the bar and went out for a goal kick. If it had gone in Swaffham could have sunk, but the result dropped the heads of the Stowmarket players. Vincent claimed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute, Mayes taking a free kick mid way in the Swaffham half, Richard Cornwall flicked on for Vincent to place home. The final goal of the game came in the last minute of normal time, Will O'Brien combining superbly with Jackson, the final touch a thumped volley always goalbound from when it left Jackson's boot.
In the end a hard fought victory against a very spirited Stowmarket side, but well taken by the home team