Easter Monday Football in the Sunshine – Big Attendances, Woodbridge Finish Runners-up, First Division North title goes to final Saturday ……

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643 at Harwich & Parkeston v. Little Oakley was the biggest attendance of the day

Congratulations to Woodbridge Town who have clinched runners-up spot after results this afternoon. A Ben Garnham penalty was enough to give them victory over Whitton United and 2nd place was theirs once rivals Godmanchester Rovers conceded 2 late goals to lose 2-1 at Ely City.

The 3 points for Ely City has secured their Step 5 status for next season and the second relegation place is now between Great Yarmouth Town, who were pegged back to 1-1 in their derby at Gorleston, and Long Melford, who beat Haverhill Rovers 1-0 with a 90th minute goal from Ashley Skeggs. The Bloaters will need to win at Godmanchester next Saturday to have any hope of survival, hoping that Long Melford fail to win at Thetford Town.

The First Division North title is going to the final Saturday. Leaders Harleston Town won their last match at Cornard United 5-2 but will be overtaken if Swaffham Town can win at bottom side Felixstowe & Walton United Reserves. The Pedlars set up the finale after a crucial 2-0 win at third placed Mulbarton Wanderers.

Coggeshall United‘s surprise 2-0 home defeat to Holland in First Division South puts their runners-up ambitions in jeopardy. They lead Halstead Town on goal difference but their final match on Saturday is at Champions Hashtag United while Halstead are at home to mid table Wormley Rovers!

Hashtag United – First Division South Champions 2018/19

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Congratulations to Hashtag United who clinched the First Division South title on Wednesday evening with a nervy 1-1 draw at Hackney Wick. Hashtag have been a credit to the Thurlow Nunn League and are promoted to Step 5 football next season.

The race is now on to finish runners-up and a possible second promotion place. Current incumbents Halstead Town slipped up by losing 2-1 at home to a much improved Wivenhoe Town in front of 309 spectators on Good Friday evening.

Coggeshall United will move above Halstead if they win at Fire United this afternoon. This is Fire’s final match of the season and they will finish bottom if The Weavers leave with 3 points.

36 game season, Hashtag v. Coggeshall Utd next Saturday

Also in First Division South this afternoon White Ensign play their final match at Basildon Sports Village – they hope to be ground sharing at Great Wakering Rovers next season

A Norfolk Side will win First Division North, Hashtag Closing in on First Division South Title

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GomarsallWhile the seven teams below them all won their matches on Saturday Premier Division Champions Histon lost just their third league match of the season – 2-0 at Brantham Athletic. Biggest winners of the day were Newmarket Town who beat Gorleston 7-0 with Sam Gomarsall netting a hat trick (pictured above after scoring his third).

At the wrong end of the Premier Division Great Yarmouth Town were the only team in the bottom eight to avoid defeat at the weekend. They climbed back out of the bottom two with a last gasp 1-0 win over Thetford Town on Friday evening.

Saturday’s results mean that it will definitely be a Norfolk side that wins First Division North. Harleston Town, Mulbarton Wanderers and Swaffham Town all won their matches at the weekend and mathematically are now the only contenders for the title.

Wisbech St Mary pulled themselves up from bottom spot in First Division North by beating AFC Sudbury Reserves 3-1 on Saturday. It was their first win in 12 matches and sets up a crunch Saturday next week with the bottom four all playing each other.

Hashtag United recorded their tenth successive win on Saturday, beating Braintree Town Reserves 4-0. They now need just one point from their remaining two matches to be the first ever winners of the First Division South title. Second placed Halstead Town had a key 3-2 victory at third placed White Ensign.

Histon – 2018/19 League Champions

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Congratulations to Histon FC – Thurlow Nunn League Champions for 2018/19.

Histon clinched the title by winning 3-0 at Wroxham on Tuesday evening. They have won the title with 5 games remaining and having lost just twice (at Long Melford and Woodbridge Town)

Histon Edge Closer to Title, 833 at Halstead v. Hashtag

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Tom Williams about to hit the winner for Hashtag, picture by Lucinda Steel

Two goals from Max York helped Histon to a 4-2 home win over Great Yarmouth Town on Saturday. Histon are now just two points from the league title and will clinch it with a win at Wroxham on Tuesday evening. Woodbridge Town are now second after coming from behind to win 4-1 at Thetford Town with Godmanchester Rovers dropping to third after being held 3-3 at Long Melford. Goddy had to come from 3-1 down with an Austin Diaper goal drawing them level in the closing stages.

Surprise result in the Premier Division was at FC Clacton where bottom side Framlingham Town won 4-1. The visitors went behind to an early goal but were 4-1 up by half time! It doesn’t look good for Fram though as 3 of their remaining 5 games are against the top 3 sides. With both Long Melford and Ely City (1-0 winners at Walsham le Willows) gathering points, Great Yarmouth slipped into the second relegation place after their defeat at Histon.

A crowd of 833, the biggest Thurlow Nunn League crowd of the season, flocked to the Millbank Stadium to see second placed Halstead Town entertain First Division South leaders Hashtag United. A stunning first half free kick by Tom Williams sealed a key 1-0 win for the visitors in a match superbly organised by Halstead.

Congratulations to Stowmarket Town Reserves and Walsham le Willows Reserves who both won their Suffolk Senior Reserve Cup semi finals on Saturday to set up an all Thurlow Nunn League Final later in the season.

Witham Town Reserves completed their 2019/20 Reserve League season with a 6-0 win at Haverhill Rovers Reserves. Twice winners of the competition, and a credit to the league, Witham will not be entering next season.