Harleston Town 4, Anglian Windows 0

ANGLIAN COMBINATON Division Four leaders Harleston Town bounced back from last week's defeat at Aylsham and maintained their 100 per cent home league record this season with a comfortable victory over lowly Anglian Windows.

With goalkeeper Rob Goodwin unavailable, Ben Green was moved from right back to between the sticks. Jamie Sheehan made his second start of the season alongside Paul Bliss in the centre of Town's defence, replacing the injured skipper Ryan London. Reserve team skipper James Rogers made his full first team debut on the right side of midfield.

It was Harleston who started the game the stronger and were a goal up within 10 minutes when a Fionn Goodwin Wright corner was knocked down superbly by Kieran Passey into the path of Paul Bliss who smashed an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net from 14 yards.

The goal rattled the visitors and Town continued to push forward and duly doubled their advantage shortly after when a long pass by Lee West into the visitors half was chased down by James Trudgill who showed good strength and persistence to rob the Windows defender of a ball he was second favourite to win before coolly lofting the ball over the keeper and into the net.

It looked at this point that Harleston could go on and score a hat full, but credit to Anglian Windows who began to come into the game, enjoying a lot of possession but unable to find a way past the impressive Sheehan and Bliss in the Harleston defence. Harleston did have further chances to increase their lead, Fionn Goodwin Wright fired wide after good work from Novak before being denied when one-on-one by the windows keeper. Harleston were trying to pass the ball with their usual quick tempo but were finding it difficult on the playing surface which bared more resemblance to a meadow than a football pitch. With both teams struggling to keep possession the game became scrappy and short on quality leading up to the break

Harleston came out for the second half looking to score the third goal which would effectively end the game, however, the second half began as the first finished, low on quality with chances at a premium.

The visitors came closest when a rare attack found them behind the Town backline and the wingers cross clipped the top of the bar. David Norman went close for Harleston with a well struck volley and the dangerous Novak had appeals for penalty waved away when he looked to be up-ended..

Town introduced all three subs in a bid to inject a bit more energy and urgency into the performance.

With under 10 minutes to go, good work once more from Novak down the left found James Trudgill, whose neat footwork engineered enough space for himself to drill an effort into the bottom corner of the net. In the closing moments of the game Craig Trudgill latched onto a James Trudgill through ball and finished well into the top right hand corner of the goal to complete the scoring.

JD Young MoM: Jamie Sheehan an excellent display at centre half.