pedlars take gold at Stowmarket

Stowmarket Town 0 Swaffham Town 2

A tentative start by both teams, not helped by the condition of the pitch, but Swaffham settling into their form from previous games the faster. Alex Vincent unlucky not to score in the fifthteenth minute, charging to catch a through ball, the keepers clearance rebounding off him to pass just wide of the post. Will O'Brien coming close two minutes later, his flighted free kick, cleared for a corner. O'Brien's corner met by Captain, Matthew Parkinson, unable to get enough over the ball, his header pasing just over. The break came in the 24th minute, O'Brien's through ball picked up by Joe Jackson, his volley from 20 yards looping over the keeper, hitting the top left hand corner of the net. Stowmarket threatened before half time with a couple of drives forward, but good defending by Parkinson Nathan Cross and the Hockton brothers, Dwayne and Daren, put pay to any conversions.

Further pressure absorbed at the start of the second half, including a tremendous block by the head from a thunderbolt from the Stow number 10, leaving Parkinson on the ground and dazed. Toby Hilliard and Jamie Buhlemann coming from the bench to replace Shane Twaite-Smith and Robbie Howling, the changes paying off following a great run by Jackson, setting Buhlemann free to knock past the keeper to inside of the near post from 18 yards. The goal coming after just three minutes on the pitch, obviously an inspired choice by the boss, Paul Hunt. A final opportunity coming in the dying minutes, Vincent and Jackson combining well, Vincent with the final shot, the effort wide of the far post.

Next Saturday the Pedlars are away to league leaders Thetford Town, who are top on goal average, sharing the same points total as Godmanchester Rovers. The two teams have already met three times this season in league and cup, each time Thetford the victors, but on each occasion the the margin between teams has been tight and the fixtures have been exciting. Kick off 3pm.