HALSTEAD TOWN 2 WIVENHOE TOWN 3

Thurlow Nunn League division one

Halstead Town were unable to put an end to Essex’s last remaining unbeaten league record in senior football as Wivenhoe Town secured local bragging rights with a 3-2 win at Rosemary Lane.

It was the large and vocal travelling support who were celebrating at the end of this entertaining fixture as they saw their team secure another three Thurlow Nunn League division one points.

They have strengthened the Dragons’ position at the top of the able, but it wasn’t all plain sailing for the leaders.

Having taken an early two-goal lead, Wivenhoe were pegged back as a resolute Halstead side pulled themselves back level after half-time.

However, Adam Hampson came back to haunt his former employers with a third goal that proved decisive for the visitors.

Halstead made three changes to the line-up that had started at Downham Town in their previous game, with Ricky Spriggs, Jake Brown and Tom Cook all returning.

That meant Lee Hurkett and Owen Longley dropped to the bench, while Nick Miller was out.

Wivenhoe, meanwhile, also had three changes to the side that started their last game – a 0-0 draw at Great Yarmouth – as Miguel Nydam, Jamie Baker and Andy Schofield all came out of the 11.

In their place came ex-Halstead full-back Lee Clowsley, Josh Sidki and Tim Dennis.

A crowd of just over 200 was in place for the start of the game as they turned up for an eagerly-awaited Friday night game between two local rivals.

As befitted the occasion, it was a frantic start to the game, with Wivenhoe on the attack and their positive approach brought an early reward with a goal in just the third minute.

With the home defence under pressure, a corner was conceded and Reece Keating was able to get clear enough away from his marker to send a backward header looping over James Waters in the home goal.

The one upside of the early setback was that the Humbugs had 87 minutes to get back into the game and they responded positively with Marcus Warren sending an effort just over soon after.

However, Wivenhoe showed why they are leading the division as they were quickly back on the attack and forcing Halstead into conceding a number of free-kicks deep in their own territory.

It allowed the Dragons to pump dangerous balls into the home area and from one of these – on 18 minutes – top scorer Ray Turner added to his impressive season’s tally.

A free-kick wide on the right and only about ten yards into the Halstead half was played long into the Humbugs’ box by Jake Plane and Turner skilfully directed the ball into the net to double the lead.

Wivenhoe looked to press home their clear advantage and a good run down the right by Adam Hampson saw the ball pulled back to Keating, but with the goal beckoning, he dragged his shot wide of the target.

Halstead had to go searching for a way back in and James Murray came close to providing one when his snap-shot from the edge of the area forced Wivenhoe keeper Pater Haxell into his first save of the night.

It wasn’t what they wanted, but it did lift the hosts and their persistence paid off with a goal that halved the deficit in the 26th minute.

Cook showed good energy by closing down Haxell as he looked to make a routine clearance and the ball cannoned off the Halstead forward and into the net.

It made sure the derby atmosphere stayed tense and a 36th minute run from Hampson ended with him turning the ball agonisingly across the face of goal with no-one able to get a telling touch.

Halstead had been buoyed by their goal, though, and looked far more of a threat in the latter part of the opening 45 minutes.

Looking to get back on to level terms after the restart, the hosts made a change at half-time with their two-goal hero from Downham, Joe O’Hare, coming on for Nico Farthing.

Early chances fell once more to the visitors, with Waters having to tip the ball over from one long-range shot, but the next real action came at the other end.

Halstead broke in the 53rd minute and when the ball was pulled back to Murray, he forced Haxell into two first-class saves before it could be scrambled away to safety.

The reprieve was short-lived, though.

Excellent pressure in Dragons’ area ended with an effort slamming against the post but Jordan Pavett was perfectly placed to lash the ball into the net for a 55th-minute equaliser.

The urgency was suddenly all from the Humbugs, but parity was relatively brief as they were caught with a 63rd minute sucker punch.

A poor clearance at the back was hit only to Joe Davis, who threaded a lovely pass into the path of Hampson and he kept his cool before drilling a shot past Waters to regain the lead.

With their noses back in front, the Dragons looked to stifle the game and things became a bit scrappy from both sides as the referee’s whistle punctuated proceedings rather too often.

The hosts tried to do the pressing in the closing minutes and Pavett saw one effort deflected away for a corner but there was no way back and Wivenhoe’s unbeaten league record survived another test.

Halstead Town: James Waters, Charlie Pleace, Marcus Warren, Ricky Spriggs, Nico Farthing (Joe O’Hare 45), Ross Elkins, Sam Cripps (Owen Longley 80), Jake Brown, Jordan Pavett, James Murray, Tom Cook (James Norris 80).

Subs not used: Lee Hurkett.

Wivenhoe Town: Peter Haxell, Ben Lampon, Lee Clowsley (Luke Golde-McSorley 89), Josh Sidki, Tim Dennis, Joe Davis, Jake Plane, Reece Keating, Ray Turner, Adam Hampson, Joe Heron Subs not used:, Owen Bryan, Hasan Ayten, Jamie Baker.