Elmswell 3, AFC Hoxne 9

AFC Hoxne took all 3 points against a weakened Elmswell side and with it gained promotion back to SIL Division 2 at the first time of asking. The game started with Hoxne well on top and almost scored straight from kick off but Ryan Perry saw his shot well saved. The opening goal came after 11 minutes when a corner from James Harrison was flicked into the roof of the net by Ryan Perry to make the score 1-0. Hoxne were controlling the match and should have scored on numerous occasions but Martin Kent, James Harrison and Ryan Perry all saw shots saved and Ryan Halil had one cleared off the line. The second goal of the game came after 19 minutes when Ryan Halil released James Harrison down the right and his low cross was flicked in at the near post by Reece Palfrey to make it 2-0. The game was quickly out of sight when minutes later Max Lock sent Martin Kent through on goal and his first shot was saved before a cheeky back heel saw the ball nestle into the net to make it 3-0. The home side were struggling to offer anything coming forward and when James Harrison was brought down in the area Gary Marcks dispatched the ball into the corner from the spot to make it 4-0. Just before half time the visitors scored a 5th when Reece Palfrey charged down a clearance and slid the ball into the bottom corner to make the score at the break 5-0.

Half Time Score Elmswell 0 AFC Hoxne 5

The second half was a different affair with the visitors taking their foot off the pedal and Elmswell offering more on the attack. A free kick was driven into the box and Lee Tricker flicked the ball on and Ryan Halil was there to header into the net to make it 6-0. Elmswell pulled a goal back when slack defending allowed the striker to get in on goal and finish well to make it 6-1. The home side got another goal back when confusion between Richard Ferry and Mark Ismay saw the ball deflect in off the forward to make it 6-2. The visitors pulled themselves together and were back on the attack when Gary Marcks found James Harrison on the half way line and he set off on a mazy run which resulted in him smashing the ball into the roof of the net to make the score 7-2. Again slack defending from Hoxne resulted in a back pass from Gary Marcks being misjudged by Richard Ferry and the ball trickling into the net to make the score 7-3. The referee saw fit to send off 2 Elmswell players and Hoxne ran out the rest of the game in comfortable conditions and scored twice more. Jordan Balls was introduced with 30 minutes to go for his first game in 13 months due to injury. It was 8-3 when Mark Ismay released Joe Hanner on the half way line and he ran clear before composing himself and slotting the ball into the bottom corner. The scoring was complete with 5 minutes to go when a cross from Russell Hockley found Ryan Halil who took a touch and smashed the ball into the net making it 9-3 scoring his 10th goal of the season from right back. AFC Hoxne man of the match was Reece Palfrey.