MANAGER Glenn Cowen admitted that it took an equalising goal to get his Holland FC side playing as they eventually won 5-1 against AFC Sudbury Reserves in Thurlow Nunn League division one.

Holland were leading 1-0 at half-time through a Billy Wales goal and were pegged back after the break, but Cowen said that sparked his team into life and they hit four further goals, including Wales completing his hat-trick.

Cowen said: "After two indifferent results, it was nice to get back to winning ways.

"We were lucky to be leading at half-time and a few words were said at the break, but they still equalised in the second half.

"However, that started us playing and we scored straight away through Rob Thorne as he calmly put the ball away when through one-on-one.

"Then Bill Wales headed in from Rob Thorne's cross, Blake Panrucker blocked a clearance and the ball went in to make it four-one and Billy completed his hat-trick with another header.

"It was a much better performance in the second half and a positive result considering we were not at our best and without Neil Goldsworthy, Chris Ribchester, Wayne Chapman, Lee Braddon and Terry Rymer but there is still work to do."

Elsewhere in division one, COGGESHALL TOWN'S domination continued as the leaders scored twice in the second half for a 2-0 win against Team Bury and HALSTEAD TOWN won 2-1 against Wisbech St Mary.

The Humbugs made harder work of it than they probably would have liked after leading 2-0 at half-time thanks to an early own goal and a Marcus Warren strike and saw their lead halved after the break, but they held on to move up to eighth.

However, BRAINTREE TOWN RESERVES lost 1-0 at second-placed Framlingham Town.

In the premier division, WIVENHOE TOWN had a great day on the road as their 4-0 win at Godmanchester Rovers maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

Adam Hampson scored a brace and there was one apiece for Jamie Baker and Andy Schofield.

However, BRANTHAM ATHLETIC lost 2-1 to Fakenham Town.

Meanwhile, Friday night's derby at the Rush Green Bowl went the way of visiting STANWAY ROVERS as they beat FC CLACTON 5-0 to leave the Seasiders still searching for their first points of the campaign.

Jamie Shaw scored twice for Rovers, while Billy Hunt, Tyler Kemp and Daniel Thrower got one apiece.

In Bank Holiday Monday action today, FC Clacton head to Hadleigh United in the premier division, while division one sees Halstead Town at Whitton United.