Rugby: Stowmarket go over the ton again

Stowmarket RUFC romped to their second 100-plus score of the season yesterday, destroying Haverhill 104-6 at Chilton Fields.

It puts the team into second place in the Eastern Counties One table, behind unbeaten Cantabrigians.

The stage is set nicely for the team's next league match, at Cantabrigians on November 13. Before then, they travel to London for a Junior Vase tie against the Honourable Artillery Company, who lead the Herts One League with six wins from six games.

• Read the Stowmarket website report on the Haverhill win here and pictures from the match here.

• See here for the Cambridge News version of the match report and news from Cantabrigians.

Football: Saturday's SIL round-up

Haughley United lost 3-0 at Ipswich Athletic in the Senior Division.

They hit the woodwork twice and had a player sent-off.

Read the full Green 'Un report.

Both teams finished with ten men as Old Newton United lost 2-1 at home to Achilles.

The hosts dominated much of the game and had a goal disallowed but conceded an own goal for what proved the decisive score.

Read the full Green 'Un report.

The midfield proved key to Salvation Army in their 2-1 Division Two win at Parkside United.

Lewis Stannard and Paul Gunton were on target for the visitors.

Read Salvation Army's website report.

Key players returned from holiday to help Cedars Park get back to winning ways with an 8-0 Division Five romp against Elmswell Reserves.
Read the club's Green 'Un notes.

Paper Talk: Stowmarket sport in the local media (In Touch With...)

The November edition of In Touch With... Stowmarket has been landing on doormats this week and includes two pages of local sport.

It features articles on Salvation Army’s charter standard club of the year award, news from Stowmarket Tennis Club and a round-up from Stowmarket Rugby Club, all as featured on the Stowmarket Sport website.

There are also news items from the Finborough Rugby Festival, Stowmarket Middle School Judo Club, Stowmarket Town Under-8s, Mid Suffolk Gymnastics Club and details of how 10-year-old Finborough School pupil Ciara Brown became one of the youngest people in the world to hold a PADI Open Diver scuba qualification.

• If you don’t get a copy of In Touch delivered, you can pick up a copy at outlets listed here.

Football: Two missed penalties but Stowmarket Town still come out on top

Goal! Ross Myhill fires in the opening goal.

Stowmarket Town 4 Diss Town 1

Stowmarket missed two penalties but still managed to gain a comprehensive victory over high-flying Diss at Greens Meadow this afternoon.
But the win was not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests with goalkeeper Kevin Bugg pulling off a stunning save and Dan Tredray clearing off the line within a minute of each other with the score finely balanced at 2-1.
Stow went ahead after 26 minutes when Ross Myhill was given acres of space in the six yard box to turn and hammer the ball home.
The lead was doubled eight minutes later when Wayne Proctor crashed his penalty kick against the crossbar but Lee Drummond was first to react to convert the rebound.
As is getting their habit, Stow conceded a goal within a minute of the second half starting when Stuart Garner

On top: Aerial action from
Greens Meadow this afternoon.

fired in from the spot, just beating the clutches of Bugg.
Six minutes later captain James Graham blasted the game's third penalty straight at goalkeeper Matty Webster before Bugg and Tredray kept out the rampant visitors as they swarmed over the home defence in search of an equaliser.
Proctor dribbled his way past three challenges to set up Marc Wake for Stow's third goal after 69 minutes and then Wake headed in Graham's cross after some tenacious work by the home captain with four minutes to go.
With leaders Cambridge University Press slumping to a shock 5-1 home defeat by March Town United, it leaves Stowmarket just two points off the top of the table with two games in hand.

Nearly: Goalkeeper Kevin Bugg gets his fingers to Stuart Garner's spot kick
but is unable to keep it out.

Stowmarket: Bugg, Tredray, Smith, Canfer, Birch, McConnell (Horsfall 87 mins), Myhill (Licence 79), Graham, Proctor, Wake, Drummond (Hall 82). Substitute (not used): Stacey.

Goals: Myhill 26, Drummond 34, Wake (2) 69, 86.

Booking: Birch 84.

Diss: Webster, Green, Garner, Shadrack, Gilding (Jackson 44), Watts-Sturrock, Rocastle, Catchpole, Wynne (Moody 63), Abbott, Bardsley (Hooks 53). Substitutes (not used): Cole, McFadden.

Goal: Garner 46 (pen).

Booking: Catchpole 59.

Referee: Neil Morrison.

• Click here for a slideshow of action pictures for the game.
• Read the Green 'Un report here and Diss' take on the action, here.

Football: Today's Stowmarket area results

Ridgeons League

First Division: Stowmarket Town 4 Diss Town 1.
Reserve Division North: Diss Town Reserves 2 Stowmarket Town Res 1.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League

Senior Division: Ipswich Ath 3 Haughley Utd 0; Old Newton Utd 1 Achilles 2.
Division 1: Trimley Red Devils 3 Stowupland Falcons 1.
Division 2: Parkside Utd 1 Salvation Army 2.
Division 5: Elmswell Res 0 Cedars Park 8; Felixstowe Harpers 10 (ten) Old Newton Utd A 1.
Division 6: Cedars Park Res 5 AFC Titans 0.
Touchline Sports Trophy, 1st round: Achilles Res 0 Old Newton Utd Res 2; Haughley Utd Res 1 Capel Plough Res 7; Stowupland Falcons Res 0 Ransomes Sports Res 5.

Paper Talk: Stowmarket sport in the local media (Bury Free Press)

There is a fair smattering of local sport in this week's Bury Free Press.

As well as reports from Stowmarket Town and Stowmarket Rugby Club, as featured earlier this week on the Stowmarket Sport website, there are also reports from Stowmarket Town's Under 11s match at Elmswell and  Stowmarket Tigers' Bury St Edmunds Table Tennis League Two-Player Division match against Bury Saxons, as well as results from Stowmarket Golf Club, the Greene King Stowmarket & District Friendly Darts League, Ingham & District Ladies Darts League, the Frames Conservatories Direct Bury Sunday Football League and in-depth results from the first leg of Stowmarket Swimming Club's annual championships at the Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre

• Some sports reports are on the Bury Free Press website, or you can buy the paper for 65p at outlets throughout the area.

Darts: New venue for Stowmarket team after Unicorn closure

The closure of the Unicorn means the pub's darts teams have had to switch their home venue for the Greene King Stowmarket and District Friendly League. They will now play from the King's Arms.

Results
Greene King Stowmarket and District Friendly League
Week 7: Ixworth Greyhound 11 Stowmarket Unicorn 0; Old Newton SSC A 3 Gt Finborough Chestnut Horse 8; Beyton White Horse B 8 Old Newton SSC B 3; Haughley King's Arms 4 Stowmarket Little Wellington 7; Stowupland Crown 4 Beyton White Horse A 7; Onehouse Shepherd & Dog 3 Stowmarket Royal William 8.
Week 8: Old Newton SSC B 2 Stowupland Crown 9; Stowmarket King's Arms 5 Onehouse Shepherd & Dog 6; Beyton White Horse A 7 Haughley King's Arms 4; Stowmarket Royal William 9 Old Newton SSC A 2; Stowmarket Little Wellington 5 Ixworth Greyhound 6; Gt Finborough Chestnut Horse 7 Beyton White Horse B 4.

Ingham & District Ladies League
Team Knockout: Stanton Cock A 1 Norton Dog 6; Walsham Six Bells A 4 Walsham Sports Club 3; Troston Bull 1 Bardwell Dun Cow 6; Haughley King's Arms 5 Tostock Gardeners Arms 2.

Football: Ryan Giggs joins Stowmarket Town in national magazine

What do Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, Oldham Athletic, St Mirren and Stowmarket Town have in common?

The answer is they all feature in the latest edition of Football Focus, a magazine which aims to cover the latest views and interests within the game.

It features the inner workings of football clubs at all levels and is read by administrators within the game at every football club within the UK as well as the top clubs across the 53 UEFA participating countries throughout Europe.

There is a full page feature on Stow including an interview with Director of Football Neil Sharp.

Read the magazine article in full on line here. Stowmarket are on page 53.

Football: Stowmarket Town expecting large crowd

Stowmarket Town have the chance to make up ground on the Ridgeons League First Division pace setters on Saturday in the highlight of the day's local fixtures.
The visitors to Greens Meadow are second-placed Diss Town, who have not lost since the opening day of the season and conceded just two goals in their last six games.
But they struggled to beat lowly Fakenham Town last week and Stow will be confident of building on their 3-1 victory over March to move closer to leader Cambridge University Press, who face Diss the following week.
Diss have a good-sized away support and Stow officials will be hoping for their first three-figure league

attendance of the season.

Saturday's fixtures

Ridgeons League (3pm)
First Division: Stowmarket Town v Diss Town.
Reserve Division North: Diss Town Reserves v Stowmarket Town Res.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League (2.30pm)
Senior Division: Ipswich Ath v Haughley Utd; Old Newton Utd v Achilles.
Division 1: Trimley Red Devils v Stowupland Falcons.
Division 2: Parkside Utd v Salvation Army.
Division 5: Elmswell Res v Cedars Park; Felixstowe Harpers v Old Newton Utd A.
Division 6: Cedars Park Res v AFC Titans.
Touchline Sports Trophy, 1st round (2pm): Achilles Res v Old Newton Utd Res; Haughley Utd Res v Capel Plough Res; Stowupland Falcons Res v Ransomes Sports Res.

Rugby: First defeat for Stowmarket

Southwold 18 Stowmarket 13

Stow suffered Eastern Counties League One defeat for the first time this season in a windy encounter on the coast.

A winning run of five matches was brought to a close but some consolation was gained with news West Norfolk also suffered defeat.

It leaves just Cantabrigians with a 100 per cent record and Stow travel to the league leaders on November 13. Before then, Stow have the chance to get back to winning ways on Saturday when struggling Haverhill are the visitors to Chilton Fields, 2.30pm.

• Read a full report of Stow's defeat at Southwold on the club's website here.

Bridge: Success for O'Reilly and Lacey

Mike O'Reilly and Doc Lacey came out top with a 69.10% total in the Stowmarket Bridge Club Winter Trophy last Wednesday.
The pair scored 20 more match points than second placed Colin Robertson and Eric Wright with Mervyn Pearson and Mike James third.
Click here for full results and personal score cards.
This week sees the Suffolk Championship Pairs.
For details of Stowmarket Bridge Club, click here.

Football: Stow march on

March Town United 1 Stowmarket Town 3

John Griffin reports from the GER Sports Ground

Fifth-placed Stowmarket ended the five-game winning streak of March Town on a wet skiddy Cambridgeshire surface which they found to their liking.

With four changes to the 11 that started against Whitton last Saturday, Stow moved the ball well and found space down the flanks which they exploited to great effect when on 14 minutes Birch narrowly missed the goal with a high reaching header.

Only two minutes later, centre back Birch was now the provider with a strong run into space and a deep cross to Graham who could not quite steer his effort towards the sticks.

March weathered the early storm and through the skilful Escorcio, they started to build some pressing momentum of their own.

His neat one-two with Pepper was snuffed out with a brave sliding six-yard block from McConnell.

If only the Stowmarket defensive wall was as fearless 33 minutes in, when it parted like a bad haircut to see a 22-yard Escorico free-kick fly into the net.

To the Suffolk side's credit they responded well and with Tredray and Smith getting to grips with the March wingers, they flourished towards the end of the half which culminated in the equaliser five minutes before the break.

Graham played a neat through ball to Proctor, who held it up well, turned and found Drummond free down the left. He in turn skipped one tackle, drove inside and unleashed a right foot shot that Brookes could only get his fingers to as it nestled into the net.

With both teams hitting the woodwork before the whistle, they were content to take this encounter into the second 45 all square.

The Hares came out the traps for the second half with real vigour and started to bring their pacey winger Brand more into the game. His free-kick on 61 was saved well by Bugg, who looked very assured despite the wet conditions.

His distribution was also sound and just a minute later he released Myhill down the right whose penetrating cross was narrowly missed by the diving head of Proctor. This move settled Stow and they began to control the game.

Chances for their experienced Wake and Drummond passed by without the score being affected and as March threw more players forward the spaces were there for them to exploit and exploit they did with the lead on 75.

A free-kick by Proctor found the head of Birch who neatly steered the ball into the far corner.

Proctor himself rounded the keeper on 87, only to see his shot cleared off the line, but as the final whistle approached his industrious work paid off when Day was adjudged to have handled the ball trying to defend against him; he dispatched the penalty himself with aplomb.

Stow move up to fifth and with second-placed neighbours Diss on Saturday the three points make that encounter all the more intriguing.

Football: Away success for Stowmarket Town

Lee Drummond, Nathan Birch and Wayne Proctor were on target for Stowmarket Town as they ended March Town United's five-game winning run on Saturday with a 3-1 Ridgeons League First Division victory.

Read the full report from the Green 'Un here.
And read here for the March manager's blast at his team's "disgraceful" performance.

Click below for other local reports:

Old Newton United 3 Woodbridge Athletic 3
Haughley United 1 Felixstowe United 1
Cedars Park 2 AFC Crowley 3
Stonham Aspal Res 4 Salvation Army 3

Football: Today's Stowmarket area results

Saturday, October 23
Ridgeons League
First Division: March Town Utd 1 Stowmarket Town 3.
Reserve Division North: Stowmarket Town Res 1 Needham Market Res 1.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League
Senior Division: Haughley Utd 1 Felixstowe Utd 1; Old Newton Utd 3 Woodbridge Ath 3.
Intermediate Division A: Woodbridge Ath Res 8 Old Newton Utd Res 1.
Intermediate Division B: East Bergholt Utd Res 4 Haughley Utd Res 0.
Division 4: Salvation Army Res 0 Coddenham 7.
Division 6: Sizewell Assoc Res 1 Cedars Park Res 11 (eleven).

Suffolk Primary Cup
2nd round: Aldeburgh Town 4 Old Newton Utd A 0; Cedars Park 2 AFC Crowley 3; Stonham Aspal Res 4 Salvation Army 3; Stowupland Falcons Res 0 Saxmundham Sports Res 2.

Football: Salvation Army march to successes off the field

Top honour: Ipswich Town director David Sheepshanks presents
Salvation Army's Mark Cross with the Suffolk FA Charter Club of
the Year certificate in the Bobby Robson Suite at Portman Road.

Salvation Army FC have been enjoying a successful time off the pitch.

The Chilton Fields-based club has won a major award, being held up as an example to follow and are in proud possession of some new, top-notch changing facilities.

During the Suffolk County FA's 125th Anniversary Dinner at Portman Road, the club was presented with a framed certificate as Suffolk FA Charter Club of the Year.

The prestigious award was presented to mark the innovative approach the club has taken to improving the lot for match officials.

The Suffolk & Ipswich League acted on Army's proposals to introduce a training course for club linesmen.

And volunteers from the club were among the first to sign up with Adrian Moye, John Elletson and Danny Reynolds stepping forward for the chance to wear the fluorescent orange tabards.

It is not just during the game life is easier for referees. Army have also had new changing facilities provided for match officials with en suite shower and toilet facilities and a large changing area.

All change: Salvation Army's changing facilities have won praise.

The facilities were on view last Saturday when a VIP tour allowed many of the people involved in funding to see them in all their glory.

The well-attended social event brought together representatives from Mid Suffolk District Council and Stowmarket Town Council, including mayor Vera Waspe, as well as others who had been involved in the major project.

Football: Stowmarket Town face 'killer' opponents

Stowmarket Town face a tough challenge on Saturday at a March Town United side who have regained their killer instint.

The Cambridgeshire side have won their last five matches and, according to this Cambs Times report, are confident of making it six in a row.

Stow will be determined to get back to winning ways after last week's home Ridgeons League defeat at the hands of Whitton United, even without the benefit of a coaching session from former Scotland international John Wark.

The former Ipswich and Liverpool midfielder had hoped to help out at Tuesday's club training session but was called in to act as summariser for BBC Radio Suffolk at short notice. Instead, he hopes to make it to Greens Meadow within the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, centre back James Horsfall, left, has been named Stow's player of the month for September to win the Bruce Shanks Memorial Trophy.

A report on the club website praised him for an excellent month in defence alongside either Nathan Birch or Chris Smith.

Kristian Johnson won the reserve team award.

Stow Reserves face local derby action with a home match against their Needham Market counterparts and there is plenty of other action in the town and surrounding area with the first teams of Haughley, Old Newton and Cedars Park all at home.

Saturday's fixtures

Ridgeons League (3pm)

First Division: March Town Utd v Stowmarket Town.

Reserve Division North: Stowmarket Town Res v Needham Market Res.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League (2.30pm)

Senior Division: Haughley Utd v Felixstowe Utd; Old Newton Utd v Woodbridge Ath.

Intermediate Division A: Woodbridge Ath Res v Old Newton Utd Res.

Intermediate Division B: East Bergholt Utd Res v Haughley Utd Res.

Division 4: Salvation Army Res v Coddenham.

Division 6: Sizewell Assoc Res v Cedars Park Res.

Suffolk Primary Cup (2.15pm)

2nd round: Aldeburgh Town v Old Newton Utd A; Cedars Park v AFC Crowley; Stonham Aspal Res v Salvation Army; Stowupland Falcons Res v Saxmundham Sports Res.

Tennis: Stowmarket club helps Suffolk players beat the winter chills

Under cover: Stowmarket Lawn Tennis Club
can play all year round thanks to its airhall.

Winter might be here but tennis players from across the county are heading for Stowmarket.
The town's club has erected its 'airhall' dome, which covers three of the five courts from October until March and enables tennis to continue, whatever the weather.
Club chair Helen Bidwell said: "We have a very popular 'Winter Membership' package which attracts lots of players from further afield.
"People who play through the summer at other clubs travel to us in Stowmarket so that they can play indoors through the cold and wet months."
Stowmarket Lawn Tennis Club caters for all standards of players, from absolute beginners to established team players, regularly taking part in tournaments.
There are several types of membership categories available, ranging from under 13 juniors up to full family memberships.
The club is very much a social and family orientated club and has an open 'tennis for everyone' atmosphere.
There are club nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 7pm, and club mornings on Mondays and Thursdays, 9.30am.
The club coach runs a comprehensive coaching programme catering for beginner children up to team-playing adults.
Adult group coaching sessions are held on Wednesday and Friday mornings.

• Stowmarket Lawn Tennis Club is in Iliffe Way and contact details are available on its website.

Golf: Winning month for Stowmarket golfers

Golfers at Stowmarket are enjoying a busy month.

Five pairs from the club earned second and fifth places in the Suffolk Lady and Junior competition at Waldringfield on Sunday.

On home soil, John Clark enjoyed victory in the Pindar Trophy, while J Daniel, C Underwood, S Hurst and A Hooper-Greenhill's net score of 53 was easily enough to win the Autumn Texas Scramble.

John Lucas won the Bill Crane Trophy and the Men's Midweek Stableford saw Michael Toon gain 41 points to finish first.

The October Medal saw Ross Layton finish top of Saturday Division One with Luke Rainbird pipping Lee Green on countback in the Sunday equivalent.

* See the Stowmarket Golf Club results section for full details of these competitions.

• Stowmarket Golf Club is in Onehouse. For more information and to apply for membership, visit the club's website here.

Motorsport: Top four finish for Stowmarket's Josh in first car season

Full focus: Josh Webster.

Stowmarket racer Josh Webster finished fourth in the Formula Renault BARC championship following Sunday's final event of the season at Thruxton.

The 16-year-old driver completed his first season in cars after switching from karts, just three points away from overall third place.

At Thruxton, Webster gained fourth place in the first race but, despite finishing in a similar position in race 2, was promoted to his fourth podium place of the season following a two-second penalty award against Dino Zamparelli.

Webster, a member of the Fortec Motorsport race team, gained his best finish of the season at Rockingham last month when he was second. After failing to finish his first race of the season at Brands Hatch in April due to an accident, he was only out of the top four in two races during the remaining 11 rounds at Silverstone, Croft, Snetterton, Rockingham and Thruxton.

The championship was won by Chipping Norton's Alice Powell with Mitchell Hale (Bristol) second and James Theodore (Telford) third.

• To read about the Thruxton event in full, visit the girlracer.co.uk website.
• For information about Josh, visit his own website at joshwebster.co.uk
• The official Formula Renault BARC website is here.

Football: Calling youth teams

Youth teams are more than welcome to send their reports for inclusion on the Stowmarket Sport blog.
Feel free to send a summary of details from the match you played in or watched to stowsport@gmail.com
Try to limit reports to no more than 200 words and remember to include full names of players.
Here's one from the Green 'Un on Stowupland Falcons u10's 4-3 defeat at St Johns.

Football: Ex-Scottish international Wark ready for Stowmarket Town date

Then and now: John Wark in his
international hey day and in
more recent times.

Stowmarket Town could have a massive boost to their preparations for the rest of the Ridgeons League season.

Former Scotland international and Liverpool and Ipswich Town legend John Wark has offered his coaching services to the club for some training sessions.

Officials are hopeful he will be able to run a session at Greens Meadow on Tuesday to pass on some of the knowledge he picked up in an 825-game professional career which brought 230 goals and honours including the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and two Football League championships as well as 29 Scotland caps

Locally-based Wark, 53, played in the 1982 World Cup finals and a year earlier appeared in the film Escape To Victory alongside Bobby Moore, Pele, Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone. 

He is keen to help his local team whenever his other media and Ipswich Town corporate hospitality commitments allow.

Football: More reports from Saturday, October 16

Green 'Un reports from…
Ipswich Athletic 1 Old Newton United 1
Woodbridge Athletic 1 Haughley United 1
Stowmarket Town 0 Whitton United 1
Cedars Park 1 St Clement's Hospital Reserves 2


and club reports from...
Salvation Army v Benhall St Mary

Football: Stowmarket suffer home defeat

Stowmarket Town 0 Whitton United 1

Stowmarket Town's unbeaten home
league record ended today.

With revenge on their minds, Whitton, after their 4-1 Ridgeons League drubbing at home only a few weeks ago against a rampant Stowmarket Town, started the brighter as they hassled and harried the Gold and Black into miss-placed passes and aimless balls. 
With the home defence under pressure, a poor back pass gave Whitton their first opportunity; but Bugg in the Stow goal was equal to the pace of the midfielder and won the 50-50 battle. 
Two further high and wide shots and a desperate block from Stow's Ross on 14 minutes, cemented the visitors dominance.  
As the half wore on, Stow began to get into the game and had their first good chance, a shot from new singing Tournay-Godfrey, after a great through ball by McConnell, went just wide. 
Whitton looked rattled and began to withdraw to their area. A neat patient long ball from Proctor set Myhill through but he couldn't quite get his shot off. 
If the half ended in the home teams favour then the majority of the 67 in attendance were pleased to see the second 45 start as brightly. 
Two successive corners almost broke the deadlock but it was Whitton who took the lead. 
ANTON CLARKE struck a 35-yard lob volley that Bugg had no chance of back pedalling quick enough to stop going in. 
Both sides traded punches with the better chances falling to Stow. Myhill dribbled his way through the defence on 80, but with Tournay-Godfrey free to his right, his shot at the keeper was probably the wrong option. 
So the Greens get their revenge and Stow look to next Saturday for the three points at March Town United that will get their promotion push back on track.

Football: Late goal leaves Salvation Army beaten

Salvation Army 0 Benhall St Mary 1

Salvation Army have only themselves to blame for failing to see off the challenge of Benhall in their Suffolk & Ipswich League Division Two encounter at Chilton Fields this afternoon.

A 90th-minute header from Chris Sillett was all that separated the teams in a dour encounter, lacking goalmouth incident.

A strong wind made playing conditions difficult but Army dominated for long periods without ever testing visiting goalkeeper Dan Saunders.

Salvation Army captain Bryn Blower
torments a Benhall defender.

The closest the hosts came to breaking the deadlock saw Daniel Frappell send a cross skimming across the face of goal after 21 minutes, evading the touch of Paul Gunton and then, on the hour mark, no one was able to convert a similar cross from Darren Pleasance.

Army substitute Sam Dickie curled a 20-yard effort just over the bar midway through the second half but his team failed to create any clear-cut chances.

And they were made to pay in the final five minutes as they stretched their goalless run to three games.

Sillett sent a header crashing against Dale Watling's post in the 86th minute and then the home goalkeeper had to be alert to tip over Adam Mayhew's audacious 35-yard lob.

Salvation Army's Lewis Stannard
wins this aerial battle.

But he was beaten in the final minute when full-back Chris Bailey was allowed time and space to deliver a deep cross for Sillett to head home at the far post.

Salvation Army: Watling, Moye, Westcott (Cage), Blower, Doggett, Doughty, Rushbrook, L Stannard, Gunton (Dickie), Frappell, Pleasance (Pascarella). Substitutes (not used): Reynolds, J Stannard.

Benhall St Mary: Saunders, Bailey, Calver, Mayhew, Sillett, Oakes (King), Sillett, Flaherty, Hambling, Kaznica, Banks (Clark). Substitute (not used): Brown.

Scorer: Sillett 90.

• See a slideshow of action from the game here.

Football: Dismal day all round for Stowmarket teams

Home hopes: Salvation Army captain Bryn Blower tries his luck during his team's 1-0 defeat by Benhall St Mary this afternoon.

It was a day to forget for local teams this afternoon with none of the 12 in action managing to register a win.
Indeed, only one scored more than one goal and, even then, Haughley United Reserves' brace came in a 4-2 home defeat.
Of the 12 games played, three were drawn with nine defeats and a goals ratio of 9-38.

Results in full:

Ridgeons League
First Division: Stowmarket Tn 0 Whitton Utd 1.
Reserve Division North: Woodbridge Tn Res 1 Stowmarket Tn Res 1.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League
Senior Division: Ipswich Ath 1 Old Newton Utd 1; Woodbridge Ath 1 Haughley Utd 1.
Intermediate Division A: Old Newton Utd Res 0 Ipswich Ath Res 5.
Intermediate Division B: Haughley Utd Res 2 Leiston St Marg Res 4; Stowupland Falcons Res 1 Stanton Res 6.
Division 2: Salvation Army 0 Benhall St Mary 1.
Division 4: Benhall St Mary Res 3 Salvation Army Res 1.
Division 5: Cedars Park 1 St Clements Hosp Res 2; Old Newton Utd A 0 Trimley Red Devils Res 10 (ten).

Suffolk FA Junior Cup
1st Round: Wenhaston Utd 3 Stowupland Falcons 1.

Football: Are you sitting on a paper goldmine?

The contents of your old drawers could be worth a fortune.
There is a stack of old Stowmarket Town programmes for offer on eBay, ranging from £1 to £7 and dating back as far as the 1950s.
Among those for sale are ones from Stowmarket Town games at Colchester United in 1953/54 and Gorleston 1955/56 as well as home fixtures against Sudbury Town 1958/59 and Maldon Town 1968/69 plus the FA Cup tie at present Football League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge in 1992/93.
Pre-war programmes can go for hundreds of pounds so check the back of your old drawers and see if you can earn a bit of Christmas present spending money.

Click here to see all the Stowmarket football memorabilia currently on offer on eBay.

Football: Stowmarket Town are home at last

Stowmarket Town catch up on one of their games in hand on Saturday with a rare home fixture.

Whitton United are the visitors to Greens Meadow, 3pm, and the crowd should be boosted with a few scouts from Haughley United, who take on the Ipswich-based club in the next round of the Suffolk FA Senior Cup later in the month.

The Ridgeons League First Division top two teams are not in action so it gives third-placed Stow the chance to narrow the gap on leaders Cambridge University Press, who are five points ahead from three games more, and Diss Town, who are four ahead from two games more.

It will be the first chance the Greens Meadow regulars have had the opportunity to see the team in home league action for seven weeks and is only the third league match the team have played since August.

The rest of Saturday's local fixtures

Ridgeons League (3pm)

First Division: Stowmarket Tn v Whitton Utd.

Reserve Division North: Woodbridge Tn Res v Stowmarket Tn Res.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League (2.30pm)

Senior Division: Ipswich Ath v Old Newton Utd; Woodbridge Ath v Haughley Utd.

Intermediate Division A: Old Newton Utd Res v Ipswich Ath Res.

Intermediate Division B: Haughley Utd Res v Leiston St Marg Res; Stowupland Falcons Res v Stanton Res.

Division 2: Salvation Army v Benhall St Mary.

Division 4: Benhall St Mary Res v Salvation Army Res

Division 5: Cedars Park v St Clements Hosp Res; Old Newton Utd A v Trimley Red Devils Res.

Suffolk FA Junior Cup (2.15pm)

1st Round: Wenhaston Utd v Stowupland Falcons.

Football: Falcons seek new blood

Stowupland Falcons are advertising for new players for their senior team.

The Suffolk & Ipswich League Division One club have failed to win this season and have placed an advert on the Gumtree website seeking to strengthen their squad.

Click here for full details.

Martial arts: Fight night success

A sell-out crowd at the Riverside saw the 13th kickboxing fight night, hosted by the Scorpion Martial Arts Academy.
Friday's audience saw ten full and semi-contact fights, including two for titles.
See here for full report.
The club's next event is on Sunday, October 24, when the BTA Inter-club Championships take centre stage.

Petanque: Double trophy joy for Meadlands

Stowmarket's Meadlands petanque teams' cup runneth over at the end of the Suffolk Petanque Association season with twin knockout glory.
Champions Meadlands A completed a league and cup double with victory over British Sugar B at Pakenham Fox in the Suffolk County Shield final.
Meanwhile, Meadlands B helped make up for their relegation from Division One with a 3-2 victory over Elephant & Castle in the final of the Suffolk County Plate at British Sugar, Bury St Edmunds.

Football: Home ties for village pair

Haughley United and Old Newton United have been rewarded with home ties in the second round of the Suffolk FA Senior Cup.

Haughley will welcome the sole remaining Ridgeons League team in the competition, Whitton United, on November 20 while Old Newton's prize is a match with fellow Suffolk & Ipswich Senior Division side Capel Plough.

Full draw: Haughley v Whitton, Achilles v Corton, Old Newton v Capel Plough, Ransome Sports v Lakenheath, Framlingham Tn v Stanton Ath, Sudbury Ath v Felixstowe Utd, Woodbridge Ath v Coplestonians, Beccles Town v Melton St Audry's.

Saturday's results, October 9

Suffolk FA Senior Cup

1st round: Brandon Town 3 Old Newton Utd 8; Hundon 0 Haughley Utd 3; Stowmarket Town 1 Framlingham Town 3.

Kingsley Healthcare Suffolk & Ipswich League

Division 1: Stowupland Falcons 1 Wickham Mkt 9.

Intermediate Division A: Old Newton Utd Res 0 Westerfield Utd Res 4.

Intermediate Division B: Haughley Utd Res 2 Stonham Aspal Res 2; Wickham Mkt Res 4 Stowupland Falcons Res 0.

Division 2: Salvation Army 0 AFC Hoxne 0.

Division 5: Felixstowe Harpers 3 Cedars Park 3.

Club Colours Cup, 1st round: Cedars Park Res 4 Westerfield Utd A 2; Coddenham Res 2 Salvation Army Res 3; Old Newton A 3 Woolverstone Utd Res 0.

• Feel free to add your reports if you were at any of the games  

Rugby: Five out of five for Stowmarket

Stowmarket RUFC maintained their 100 per cent start to the Eastern Counties One season with a 57-12 victory over Ely at Chilton Fields on Saturday.

Despite that record, Stow are only second in the table, one of three teams with perfect records. 

Cantabrigians are top of the pile and Stow are there on November 13, three weeks before travelling to the third unbeaten team, West Norfolk.

Stow Seconds are third in Suffolk Merit League One, following a 17-13 victory at Harwich.

Football: Book tells Old Newton's sporting tale

They might only play at local league level but Old Newton United Football Club still have a fantastic tale to tell.

A book detailing the first 50 years of the Suffolk and Ipswich League club has been released and makes a fascinating read – not just for football fans but also anyone with an interest in local history and the community in general.

The 200-page commemorative book is filled with memories, statistics and pictures from 1959 to last season, when they were crowned league champions.

Of particular interest are the match reports, seeing how the writing style has evolved over half a century, while the mugs shots section contains nearly 80 of the club's players through the years.

Copies are available for £13, plus £1.10 postage and packing, from Andrew Shave, 5 Cross Green, Old Newton, Stowmarket, IP14 4DY (01449 678628) andrew.shave@hotmail.co.uk or David Shave, 16 Falconer Avenue, Old Newton, Stowmarket, IP14 4JP (01449 673537) daveshave45@hotmail.com

Football: More home gloom for Stowupland

October 9, 2010 – Stowupland Falcons 1 Wickham Market 9

The misery goes on for Stowupland as they slipped to their 23rd consecutive Suffolk & Ipswich League defeat and stretched their losing home run to 18 months.

But, despite trailing 3-0 at half-time, it could have been so much different. 

The Falcons pulled a goal back within a minute of the second half starting when substitute Dean Gridley latched onto a mistake by the visiting defence.

A minute later home captain Blake Richards sent a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper when it looked easier to score and, with Wickham Market clearly rattled from that early onslaught, Josh Birkes beat the offside trap but was unable to get his shot on target.

And the hosts were made to pay dearly by the Division One leaders who stepped up a gear to romp clear.

Michael Crawfoot, Jay Churchyard and Karl Goodwin had notched the first half strikes, despite a string of fine saves by home keeper Merrill Clarke who had to withstand an early blitz from Wickham Market as they forced seven corners in the opening four minutes.

The Falcons' only efforts of note in the first half saw Jamie Ralph hit a post after a poor clearance by Wickham goalkeeper Paul King and then head over when well placed.

But, after withstanding that early second-half revival by the hosts, Wickham turned up the heat with Churchyard completing a hat-trick to add to strikes from Aaron Pettitt (2), Sam Taylor and Luke Phillips with Goodwin also hitting  the bar.

Stowupland Falcons: Clarke, Birkes, Mower, Watling, Taylor, Double, Lee (O'Raw 46), Richards, Talbot (Gridley 31), Godbold, Ralph.

Scorer: Gridley 46.

Wickham Market: King, Baker (Johnson), Reeve (Williams), Phillips, Brown (Potter), Harvey, Goodwin, Crawfoot, Pettitt, Churchyard, Taylor.

Scorers: Crawfoot 11; Churchyard (3) 17, 54, 84; Goodwin 22; Pettitt (2) 64, 74; Taylor 67; Phillips 89.

• View a slideshow of action from this match here.