Haughley see off Bourne vale to retain 3rd spot in the senior league.

Haughley returned to 3rd place in the table where they have been for the majority of the season after beating a Bourne Vale side who battled hard and did cause Haughley problems in spells but lacked a real quality all over the pitch!

Haughley started brightly and on 3 minutes won an early corner. The corner was cleared to tony on the edge of the box where his shot went narrowly wide. On 5 minutes Haughley then surged forward with another attack started by Andrews with the ball going out to the left and the cross just defeated the attackers to slot home.

On 8 minutes Bourne vales first chance of the game resulted in a goal for the home team. The tame tackles put in from the Haughley midfield were simply not strong enough with twice the Bourne Vale player coming out on top through ricocheted tackles and then shot on the edge of the box through a crowded area into the bottom corner for 1-0.

Haughley kept battling and on 11 minutes, some great play from ash who went on a surging run who nearly found the end product. On 13 minutes Haughley levelled the scoring through some excellent work from Upson down the left who crossed in to Jamie to shoot where the keeper made a good save but the ball managed to get stuck in between the defenders and keeper and somehow ended up in the goal by 1-1.

After this it was Haughley's half with Jamie earning his team some free kicks in good positions where the free kicks from Will didn’t trouble the keeper. On 27 minutes another good move down the left resulted in Jamie hitting a shot into the ground where the keeper saved comfortably.

Bourne vales only other chance came through an error in the defence and the player was through on goal only to be denied from a great save by Daley. From the resulting corner which was handled well by Daley, his long kick over the top of the defenders played Jamie through on goal and his header was saved well by the keeper.

On 41 minutes Haughley took the lead through some good work from Upson who slid an excellent through ball to Jamie and with defenders napping, Jamie nicked the ball off the defender to go through one on one to smash home for 2-1.

HT 2-1 Haughley

Second half and Haughley started on the front foot with mounted pressure and came close on 56 minutes with a swivelled turn and shot from Jamie that just went wide.

Haughley extended their lead on 59 minutes with an outstanding team goal that ranks up there with the very best. Andrews orchestrated a great Haughley move pinging a diagonal ball to Jamie where the move broke down and Andrews received the ball back to then again ping a ball out to Hawky. Hawky squared the ball back to Andrews who fizzed the ball into Jamie’s feet where he delightfully flicked the ball round the corner for Hawky to latch onto his continuing third man run at the byline who cut the ball back to Upson who dummied for will to strike on the edge of the box with his left foot into the bottom corner! 3-1 Haughley.

3 minutes later and it should have been four when will burst through with the ball and shot wide. Moments later, up the other end a long range shot from the Bourne Vale midfielder that was destined for the top corner was brilliantly saved by Daley and the rebound which was certain to be a goal was again saved brilliantly again by Daley from point blank range.

Moments later, another outstanding save from Daley low to his right from another Bourne vale shot. At this stage, Daley was certainly keeping his team in the game as well as collecting and taking almost every corner and long through into his hands second half to take the pressure off his Haughley defence.

On 65 minutes Ash was replaced by Stevie and 3 minutes later Stevie should have sealed the game after some great work down the left from Hawky who similarly to the third goal squared the ball back from the byline to Stevie who hit over from 8 yards.

On 70 minutes Bourne Vale had another good chance to get back into the game as the striker did well to get in between Tony and Westy and shot narrowly wide. Haughley managed to defend very well and see off any other Bourne Vale attacks for the resulting part of the game.

Jops was replaced by Jack after 75 minutes and in the 90th minute Ivy came on for Jamie and in the last minute of the game, Ivy had a chance to extend the lead after a good through ball from Andrews sent Ivy through who shot wide.

A great win from Haughley who have and share this great team spirit and character to fight for one another to continuously pick up results when going behind and not always being at their best.

Player of the match this week could not be separated between Jamie and Daley where first half Jamie at times was unplayable and was the difference between the two sides with his overall play and 2 goals and second half Daley at the other end pulling off some brilliant saves and handling everything from corners and long throws helping his team to a hard fought win.

Haughley are next in action against top of the table cranes at Haughley playing field 8th February.