Bury United v Harling | 26.11.2023 | Premier Logos Bury + Sunday District Football League Division Three | Hardwick Heath Pitch 2 |

Bury United continue their 100% start to the league season with an eighth win in the Premier Logos Bury & District Sunday Football League to remain three points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more, following an 8-0 win over Harling. 

Bury went close after just 48 seconds, as a left wing cross found Jack Yallop close to goal at the far post, whose header at the bottim corner was smothered away by the goalkeeper.

United though broke the deadlock in the third minute, there was no sign of an apparent hangover from James Clayton as he whipped a 30-yard free-kick superbly over the wall which dipped into the bottom near corner, 1-0 Bury United.

United went close to doubling their lead five minutes later, Jack Yallop was set free down the right wing whose brilliant low cross evaded Harry Brown, finding Ryan Goulding whose shot leathered at goal was deflected over off the back of a defender for a corner. Sam Goddard's resulting left wing corner was then swung in towards the leaping Yallop at close range but the latter couldn't turn it goalwards. 

Harry Brown was then fed free on the right-hand edge of the box, albeit his first time shot had too much power as he fired over the bar on 11 minutes, while Brown did double his side's lead a minute later.

Brown exploited space to shoot on the left-hand edge of the box whose low fierce shot went into the bottom near corner off a touch from the goalkeeper, 2-0 Bury United.

United increased their lead on 17 minutes, a 35-yard cfree-kick from James Clayton was shot straight at the goalkeeper who could only spill it as far as Sam Goddard whose close range initial effort was going wide before the latter tapped into the bottom right-hand corner at the second attempt, 3-0 Bury United.

United continued on the front foot as Yallop dragged a low shot from 20-yards just the wrong side of the bottom far, left-hand, corner a minute later.

Harry Brown saw a ferocious 20-yard strike, from the left-hand side, beaten wide well by the goalkeeper on 21 minutes, while Ryan Goulding curled a 20-yard strike narrowly over the top right-hand corner a minute later.

Brown almost added to his side's lead in the 24th minute, the forward got to the ball first to head past a defender on the right-hand edge of the box, albeit his shot went just wide of the bottom far corner, while Harvey Francis fired a tight angled shot wide of the bottom near, right-hand corner, a minute later.

Harling however had a rare chance on 27 minutes, as number18's free-kick from 30-yards out was curled wide of the bottom left-hand corner.

A brilliant ball over the top from Charlie Steedman meanwhile released Brown one on one with the goalkeeper, on the left-hand side, although the forward's smart lobbed effort was brilliantly beaten away by the goalkeeper on the half-hour mark. Brown then picked up possession on the left-hand edge of the box, but fired his shot wide of the bottom near corner.

While Goulding saw a shot blocked, after weaving past defenders on 35 minutes, Callum Goddard fed Jack Yallop into space on the right-hand side of the box whose tight angled shot went just wide into the bottom near side-netting three minutes later.

Good defending from United preserved their clean sheet on 40 minutes, the number 11's right wing low cross found the number 9 close to goal at the near post whose initial shot was brilliantly blocked by Jack Phillips, before his rebound shot was superbly denied by a combination of Phillips and goalkeeper Ethan Doward.

United meanwhile added a fourth goal a minute later, Ryan Goulding drove through into space on the left-hand side of the box whose point blank shot squeezed into the bottom near corner, 4-0 Bury United.

Goulding did have the ball in the net on 44 minutes, but was ruled out for handball after his initial close range effort was saved by the goalkeeper before cannoning in off the forward.

Credit has to be given to Harling for not making it easy for United, even four nil down at the start of the second half, especially with United eager to continue where they left off.

Substitute Josh Allen beat a few men on the left wing before cutting back a great ball to an unmarked Ryan Goulding, on the left-hand edge of the box, whose fierce shot went straight into the chest of the substitute Harling goalkeeper at his near post on 52 minutes. 

Fellow United substitutes George Corrie and Liam Doe then combined for the home side as they went close to adding a fifth goal on 56 minutes, Corrie's quick right wing throw-in released the latter into space on the right-hand side of the box whose shot towards the roof of the net was beaten away well by the goalkeeper.

Doe again tested the Harling goalkeeper three minutes later, this time finding space to shoot on the left-hand edge of the box before seeing his low shot towards the bottom near corner well held by the goalkeeper.

United though added their fifth goal in style on 62 minutes, a great cross in from Callum Goddard found George Corrie arriving at the far post to volley a ferocious close range volley into the bottom right-hand corner, 5-0 United.

Two minutes later, United had the chance to add a sixth as Harry Brown latched onto possession inside the box before being fouled from behind. Up-stepped the striker, who duly smashed home into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 6-0 to United after 65 minutes.

Ethan Doward was then on hand to watch a free-kick from distance all the way before claiming smartly at his top left-hand corner a minute later, while Corrie nearly registered a second volleyed goal on 81 minutes, as a left wing cross again picked out Corrie free at the far post, but this time his tight angled rifled shot went narrowly wide of the top near corner.

United though were awarded a second penalty a minute later, after a neat run round the left wing and round into the box from Josh Allen was illegally halted from behind. Harry Brown again took the responsibility from the spot, completing his hat-trick smashing home into the bottom left-hand corner, despite the keeper getting a hand to it, to make it 7-0 to Bury United on 83 minutes.

United then couldn't take advantage of another great chance three minutes later as George Corrie latched onto a brilliant through ball,with just the keeper to beat, but chipped his effort straight into the goalkeeper's hands.

A superb move though saw United make it 8-0 on 88 minutes, a great drop-kick forward from goalkeeper Ethan Doward saw the defender only able to flick it on backwards to Yallop breaking through on goal whose stunning chip nestled into the top right-hand, far, corner.

United nearly added a ninth a minute later, but saw a 25-yard shot smashed just wide of the top left-hand corner, but head into a trip to Trinity in the county cup next week in style, with a trip to second placed (who have a game in hand on United) Haverhill in the league on the 17th.

Bury United:- 1 Ethan Doward, 2 Harvey Francis, 6 James Clayton, 4 Jack Phillips, 19 Charlie Steedmam, 8 Sam Goddard (C), 18 Joe Phillips, 10 Callum Goddard, 9 Harry Brown, 3 Jack Yallop, 11 Ryan Goulding. Subs: 22 George Corrie, 27 Josh Allen, 32 Jordan Price, 14 Liam Doe.

Booked: H10 (16').

Goals: James Clayton (3'), Harry Brown (12', 65'pen, 83'pen), Sam Goddard (17'), Ryan Goulding (41'), George Corrie (62'), Jack Yallop (88').

Needham Market U18 v Hadleigh United U18 | 16.11.2023 | Bloomfields | Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Youth League Central Division |

Needham Market Under-18s hit eight past Hadleigh United Under-18s as the young Marketmen look to prepare for the Suffolk Under-18 Midweek Cup on Thursday (23rd November).

Hadleigh though saw a goal disallowed for offside in the sixth minute when a cross into the area was sidefooted, first time, into the bottom right-hand corner.

At the other end, Ollie Fraser was fed into space on the edge of the box, six minutes later, whose fierce shot was deflected by a defender just wide of the bottom right-hand corner, while Eddie Barker's resulting corner was swung in dangerously towards goal but was beaten away by the goalkeeper on his line. James Letts then tried his luck at goal from 12-yards out, but saw his fierce shot deflected wide of the bottom left-hand corner for another corner.

It was from Eddie Barker's left wing set-piece that Needham broke the deadlock, the midfielder's brilliantly swung in corner found Stanley Fovargue in the centre to bullet head home into the bottom corner, 1-0 Needham.

An excellent strike from Ollie Fraser then doubled the - briefly down to 10 men due to a sin bin - young Marketmen's lead on 21 minutes. Eddie Barker threaded Fraser into space on the left wing, who in turn raced through onto the left-hand edge of the box to curl and dip a stunning, audacious, strike into the top far corner, 2-0 Needham.

Ed Barker then tried his luck at goal 3 minutes later, the forward was fed into space on the right-hand side, of the box, whose tight angled near post shot was pushed away well by the Hadleigh goalkeeper.

The home side tripled their lead on 27 minutes, a low shot towards the bottom left-hand corner was beaten away by the goalkeeper, as far as Alex Oakley to lay off to Eddie Barker for the midfielder to shoot fiercely through the goalkeeper's legs and into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 3-0 Needham.

Ollie Fraser then saw a fierce shot towards the bottom left-hand corner beaten away by the goalkeeper two minutes later, while a Needham shot towards the bottom left-hand corner was blocked as far as Ben Smith whose shot on the turn, from close range, was also blocked on 38 minutes.

Needham quickly added a fourth goal on 39 minutes as striker Ed Barker picked up his first of four goals for the night as he stabbed home into the bottom far, left-hand, corner from inside the box.

Travis Buxton then curled a tight angled shot from inside the box wide of the top near, right-hand, corner on 42 minutes, before the young Reds added a fifth goal just before first half stoppage time. Josh Smith released James Letts free, with just the goalkeeper to beat, with a great ball over the top to finish fiercely into the bottom corner, via a touch off the goalkeeper.

Hadleigh though had the last chance of the first half as number10 brokw free on the left-hand side before sidefooting a shot just wide of the bottom far corner after good goalkeeping from Roan Tucker narrowed the angle down well. 

After the restart, the home side were awarded a penalty on 47 minutes after Ollie Fraser danced through before being brought down from six yards out on the right-hand side. Up-stepped Ed Barker to cooly slot home his second of the night into the bottom left-hand corner, 6-0 Needham after 48 minutes.

The striker quickly completed his hat-trick 2 minutes later, a great long ball over the top from Josh Smith released Ed Barker through one on one with the goalkeeper before cleverly chipping home into the top left-hand corner from outside the box, 7-0 Needham.

Needham continued to hunt for more goals, as a 56th minute left wing cross fell to substitute Victor Zalewski unmarked close to the far post whose scizzor kicked effort at the bottom left-hand corner was well held by the diving goalkeeper.

Zalewski then saw a low shot towards the far corner, from the right-hand side, deflected for a good diving catch from the goalkeeper on 73 minutes, before Eddie Barker thrashed a shot from outside the box wildly off target five minutes later. 

Needham made it 8-0 though on 81 minutes, Ed Barker adding his fourth of the night as he broke through one on one with the goalkeeper, after beating two defenders to reach the left-hand edge of the box in acres of space and curl a great low strike into the bottom right-hand corner.

Travis Buxton then saw a deflected low shot after a driving run into space from 30-yards out well held by the diving goalkeeper on 83 minutes, while great play from the hosts fed Bradley Smith down the left wing whose ball squared across for Zalewski saw the striker's 12-yard shot deflected narrowly over for a corner two minutes later.

The former though went close to registering his first goal for the young Marketmen on 87 minutes, Brad Smith broke onto the right-hand side of the box whose well hit first time cross-shot dipped onto the top of the crossbar and out for a goalkick.

Needham U18s travel to Walsham Le Willows in the second round of the county cup on Thursday.

Needham:- 1 Roan Tucker, 2 Ollie Webber, 3 Josh Smith, 4 Eddie Barker, 5 Ben Smith (c), 6 Stanley Fovargue, 7 Ollie Fraser, 8 Travis Buxton, 9 Ed Barker, 10 James Letts, 11 Alex Oakley. Subs: 12 Joe Collins, 14 Victor Zalewski, 19 Isaac Ventura, 16 Bradley Smith.

Sin Binned: James Letts (19')
Goals: Stanley Fovargue (13'), Ollie Fraser (21'), Eddie Barker (27'), Ed Barker (39', 48'pen, 50', 81'), James Letts (44'),
Assists: Eddie Barker (13', 21'), Alex Oakley (27'), Josh Smith (44', 50')

Sporting 87 v Claydon | 18.11.2023 | Macron Suffolk Ipswich League Senior Division | Victory Sports Ground |

Sporting 87 move up to eleventh place in the Macron Suffolk + Ipswich League Senior Division, after a clinical 6-2 home victory over 14th placed Claydon.

Sporting went into the game above their visitors by one place, with the win moving Sporting to 4 games unbeaten - following 2-2 draws against both Henley Athletic (away) and Haugley United (home) and a 5-2 home win against Debenham LC.

In truth Claydon started the brighter, creating better chances in the opening forty-five minutes, while Sporting grew into the game well and had the better chances in the second half.

The home side though had the first shot at goal in the second minute as Joe Carroll's low 20-yard fierce free-kick was held well by the Claydon keeper. 

Claydon though went up the other end and broke the deadlock a minute later, Kubilayhan Kussan drove into acres of space outside the box before finishing smartly into the bottom right-hand corner, 1-0 Claydon.

The visitors then exploited space on the left-hand side of the box in the seventh minute, but the striker's close range good shot on the turn was smothered wide well by Hunter Walker in the Sporting goal.

Claydon then saw a shot from the left-hand side deflected just wide of the bottom far corner, for a corner, while a big chance from the resulting corner a minute later saw a far post free header go just over the crossbar from close range. 

Sporting's Jack Harris meanwhile saw a low shot, towards the bottom left-hand corner, from 25-yards out comfortably held by the keeper on 24 minutes, before the midfielder then saw a left wing cross-shot curling towards the top far corner only for the goalkeeper to claim it well three minutes later.

Jack Edwards then saw a ferocious 20-yard free-kick heading for the bottom right-hand corner held well by the goalkeeper on 29 minutes as Sporting looked to find an equaliser.

The home side almost found a leveller five minutes later but for a goal-line clearance. Sam Fenning broke through one on one with the keeper from point blank range whose finish on the slide was on track to nestle into the vacant bottom left-hand corner until a defender got back to smack the ball away.

A good save from the visiting goalkeeper preserved his side's lead on 35 minutes, Thom Chance broke free onto the left-hand side of the box before driving a fierce shot across goal towards the bottom far corner, forcing the goalkeeper to dive down quickly and push the effort away. 

A minute later however, Sporting found the breakthrough courtesy of a well worked goal, a left wing cross to the far post was headed across, on a plate, for Sam Fenning from 8-yards out to tap into the bottom middle corner, 1-1.

Claydon though capitalised on the next real opportunity as Keifer Bultitude found space to shoot on the left-hand edge of the box to smash a great strike into the top right-hand corner to regain his side's lead, 2-1 Claydon on 42 minutes.

With the half drawing to a close, Dylan Buxton was cautioned for a late tackle, 25-yards out from goal out on the left wing, from which Sporting equalised once more  a minute into first half stoppage time. The set-piece was wrapped audaciously to Ash Brown at the far post to finish brilliantly into the top right-hand corner, 2-2. 

After the restart, Sporting started quick out the blocks, taking just 3 minutes to go in front for the first time of the afternoon. A great through-ball from Nathan Banks threaded Sam Fenning one on one with the goalkeeper in the centre - whose initial effort stayed out before the defender's clearance was deflected in off the Sporting striker, into the bottom right-hand corner, for his second of the game, 3-2 Sporting.

Sporting then shot narrowly over the crossbar from outside the box on 51 minutes, while Claydon saw a low shot from the left-hand edge of the box well held by Walker, diving down to his bottom near corner 2 minutes later.

Claydon on the other hand set a man free on the left-hand side of the box, but his tight angled shot towards the bottom far corner was again well held by the diving Walker on 54 minutes.

Walker was then on hand again to deny Claydon two minutes later, denying a fierce shot heading towards his top right-hand corner, before James Smith broke into space from distance only to smash his shot narrowly over the bar on 61 minutes.

Good defending from Claydon though thwarted a good chance for Sporting to go 4-2 in front, Sam Fenning was fed in space on the right-hand side whose low dangerous cross across the face of goal was smothered away well by the defender, before the goalkeeper then advanced well outside his box to interept possession but did well to deal with the resulting right wing cross while retreating back to his goal-line on 69 minutes.

Sporting did double their advantage in the 73rd minute, a low shot from the left-hand side was palmed away well by the diving goalkeeper, albeit only as far as Sporting's top scorer, and substitute, Nathan Banks to squeeze in his seventh goal of the season from point blank range into the bottom near, left-hand, corner - 4-2 Sporting.

Claydon then saw a rasping 25-yard free-kick towards the bottom left-hand corner deflected just wide for a corner on 76 minutes, while Fenning went close to completing his hat-trick at the other end, a minute later.

The striker had his back to goal as he looked to lob a standing overhead kicked effort over the goalkeeper but just wide of the left-hand post.

Sporting then drove through smartly before delivering a great low left wing cross into the area whose shot towards the bottom right-hand corner was beaten away well by the goalkeeper on 81 minutes.

Claydon however were reduced to nine men in a short period of time as a dangerous tackle in Sporting's box saw Ivan Buxton dismissed for a straight red card before Dan Parsons was sin binned for dissent on 86 minutes.

While Sporting made their 2 man advantage count, Claydon saw a dangerous low ball into the six yard box, after a driving run onto the left-hand side of the box, put behind of the near post for a corner by Fenning racing back smartly on 90+1 minutes, before Sporting put the result beyond any further doubt with 2 goals deep into injury time. 

Josh Thomas got in on the act, finishing in clinical fashion after being released free one on one with the goalkeeper on the right-hand side before smartly finding the bottom near corner - four minutes into added time, 5-2 Sporting.

Two minutes later, Sporting completed the scoring with Sam Fenning netting a hat-trick after being fed free on the right-hand side of the box, lashing home into the bottom near corner, 6-2.

Sporting host Ransomes Sports, while Claydon welcome Haughley United on Saturday.

Sporting 87:- 1 Hunter Walker, 2 Thom Chance, 17 Ben Lyddiatt, 4 Jack Harris, 5 Ash Brown (c), 6 Joe Carroll, 7 James Smith, 8 Josh Thomas, 9 Sam Fenning, 10 Rob Pettitt, 11 Jack Edwards. Subs: 12 Nathan Banks, 14 Harry Bennett, 15 Dan Stead, 16 Danny Hill, 3 Will Firrell.

Goals: S9 Sam Fenning (36', 48', 90'+6'), Ash Brown (45'+1'), Nathan Banks (73'), Josh Thomas (90'+4'); C10 Kubilayhan Kussan (3'), C7 Keifer Bultitude (42').

Sent Off: C8 Ivan Buxton (86'). Sin Binned: C16 Dan Parsons (87'). Booked: C15 Dylan Buxton (45').

REACTION | Jon Warnock Post Match Interview | Sporting 87 v Claydon | 18.11.2023 |

After the game, I caught up with Sporting 87 manager Jon Warnock to get his thoughts on his side's victory.

DK: To come back behind twice against a team that's just below you in table, that's a massive win for you guys. 

JW: Yeah, definitely Drew. Like you give a team encouragement and that builds their confidence and all of a sudden they become a better team and I thought first half they caused (problems). In fairness, I thought we were lucky to come in at 2-2 at half time, and I told my lads I wasn't very happy because when they went 1-0 up early doors they then had two or three really good chances to score and it probably reflects where their confidence levels were. Like, you know, a few weeks ago we were right down the bottom and we weren't scoring goals. This win just creeps us out a little bit further. Us, like Claydon, probably lacked a little bit of confidence in front of the goal at times this season and you know it kills you when you go one nil up and you don't go score when you should and then all of a sudden the opposition score and you lose your confidence again. So I was pleased to come in at 2-2 at half-time, because I thought they could have (led). But I thought we showed our character which we kept playing what we would do. We changed the system at half times and they were killing us a little bit first half, but the players that came on did really well, really pleased with Fenny, because Sam Fenning works really hard for the team. Doesn't always get the number of goals that he should, but he always works, and to get a hat trick today, it was really good. 

DK: Yeah, he deserved that hat trick and as a whole, I thought you were quite clinical today. 

JW: Yeah, yeah, you'd always look at things so you want more. You know the goals that you get scored against you. You look at the goals you miss. You think could we have scored more. But yeah, I mean, you've got to be happy, 6-2 win, you've got to be happy. Do you know what I mean? 

DK: You've got to give credit to Clayton's second goal, though. An absolute wealthy strike. 

JW: Yeah, great goal, great goal and there's not a lot the keeper could've done about it, I thought it was a great strike. 

DK: Like you said, with the second goal coming just inside injury time, like you say, it gives your team a boost and it was well timed. 

JW: Yeah, we've let in a few goals just before half time recently, so it was nice to come in, having just done the opposite - of scoring a goal rather than let one in. But you know, we had a good bench again today. We had players, I still got players missing through injury and unavailability. So, yeah, it's pleasing, we're getting there. We're getting there. 

DK: And second half, like we said, clinical four goals, clean sheet, second half perfect really.

JW:  Yeah, that is true. Yeah, I think. Yeah, I mean once they've gone down to nine men it was just about to keepthe ball really, but yeah, we did. We did the right job. I thought first half, we could have scored from some set play. I mean, Ash's goal was a super strike. Do you know what I mean, second phase yeah, it was good.

DK: Even with them having 11 on the pitch, still thought that you looked quite in control after you got that fourth goal. 

JW: Yeah, we did yeah, I think, the fourth goal - 3-2 it was a little bit nervous just because of where we've been this season, but once we got the fourth it then became a different story. 

DK: And that red card. Like you said, it was already kind of your game to lose, but it changed it and then that opened the door for you to then go and grab the last two. 

JW: Yeah, yeah, they've got the space and that we can attack then. We can go from there. 

DK: It's kind of one of those days, from their point of view, where, when it all goes wrong and you've got to capitalise on it. 

JW: Yeah and look, we've dropped some points this year, but we've drawn some games. We've drawn far too many games, because we've let in a goal or haven't scored or we should have done. We've been building last four weeks now we've picked up results and we're now beginning to sort of (pick up). Ransomes were really, really, struggling a bit this season and they've gone on an amazing run. We've got them next week, so that'll be a really good game. Two teams that turned their form around, so that'll be a big challenge for us next week against Ransomes. 

DK: Yeah, I saw your last result. You drew 2-2 at Henley, who are always good side towards the top of the table. Today you've got that momentum pushed on. You've scored six goals, beaten a side that whoever wins, it goes further up in the table, surely? 

JW: Yeah, last week was a great result. A 2-2 draw away at Henley was a great result and you take that any day in the league. Henley are a good side. 

DK: With the season still early days. Where do you aim to finish this season? 

JW: Well, I want to build on last year's success. Last year was the first year in senior football. However, this is a bit of a rebuilding year for us. We brought in about eight new players in the summer and so we are building. I've got a lot of players that have been with us for a long time, so we're trying to bring some fresh faces in and build and go again. So we set some targets internally, but we want to build on last year's. 

DK: Ash scored a really good finish for the equaliser. Nathan came off the bench, got a goal, and they're both players that have always been here, so even better for those two to be in the goals. 

JW: Yeah, Ash and Nathan have been with us for a long while and hopefully they've got a few more years in both of them still. 

DK: Especially with Ash's goal. You'd be hoping that there's a lot more of those to come. 

JW: I haven't seen him score many goals like that over his time, but it was a good goal. 

DK: What's pleased you most about today? 

JW: That we got the result after being behind. It's easy when you go behind to lose your head a little bit or not keep going, so to get a win was good.