Acle United 8, Loddon United 0

FOOTBALL: On Tuesday evening Acle went to town by thrashing their opponents with some clinical football.

Their clean sheet was down to Scott Foreman, who twice rescued Acle from one-on-one situations.

United annihilated their opponents and had narrow misses and saw saves from keeper Stebbing keep the score somewhat respectable.

The first goal came after only nine minutes of continual attacking. Harry Maddison collected the ball wide left and cut inside both Hancock and Ayre before shooting across Stebbing into the bottom corner.

Luke Goreham then drove home a brilliant drive only for the official to award Acle a penalty. Ricci Butler clinically converted the spot-kick. Ben Manning and Ricky Hodds both had chances to increase the lead.

After 30 minutes a nice, patient move by Acle sent Harry Maddison clear of a slack defence and he scored Acle’s third. Then an Acle free-kick was perfectly delivered by Ricci Butler to Robbie Oldham, who out-jumped two tall defenders to send a thunderous header in for goal No 4.

The shot of the game came three minutes into the second half when Daniel Foreman hit a measured free-kick, curling the shot across Stebbing for the fifth goal.

Two minutes later Ricci Butler chipped a through-ball over the heads of Squire and Parkin to find Nathan Thompson chasing through to score the goal his unselfish play had deserved.

Ben Morgan sent a driven cross across the penalty area to pick out Ricci Butler, who put the hosts 7-0 ahead. With the light fading Harry Maddison completed a well-deserved hat-trick.

Sour note of evening was the injury sustained by Scott Foreman in racing off his line to keep a clean sheet. All at Acle hope the injury is not as bad as first thought.

Acle United 2, Spixworth 1

IN a rehearsal of the final of the Mummery Cup, Acle drew first blood and collected all three points to keep themselves sitting just behind the Anglian Combination Premier Division front-runners.

The game was played on a superb surface prepared by groundsman Kevin Gilbert, which must rate as the best playing surface in the league.

Honours were even until the 37th minute when Daniel Foreman strode forward into the visitors’ half and sent a perfect pass into the path of Nathan Thompson. He chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to put Acle ahead.

Acle were playing well within themselves and increased their lead when Ricci Butler picked out Nathan Thompson in the penalty area, and with the cleverest of deft flicks he put Acle 2-0 ahead.

Acle then defended well and with the midfield of Oldham, Morgan and skipper Goreham spraying passes to every corner of the field it was difficult to see a way back for the visitors. However they scored a consolation goal midway through the second period.

Acle’s Daniel Foreman again showed why he is considered one of the best defenders in the league.