Acle United 2, Brandon Town 1UNITED, now fourth in the Anglian Combination Premier Division, kept up the pressure on other top teams, including their visitors who are third, now only one point better off.

Acle United 2, Brandon Town 1

UNITED, now fourth in the Anglian Combination Premier Division, kept up the pressure on other top teams, including their visitors who are third, now only one point better off.

Tomorrow, Acle visit Hempnall, who lead the chase for the Sterry Cup (2pm ko).

Players at the weekend faced inclement conditions after referee Mr Geary had a long look at the surface. Thanks went to the sterling work put in by groundsman Kevin Gilbert to prepare a pitch that goes way above many played on in the county.

The teams served up a game of excellent football played with good sporting attitudes and brilliantly refereed by Mr Geary without the need to keep stopping play yet always ready to jump on any misdemeanour.

Acle just about deserved their victory if only because of the fact that they hit the woodwork three times and found visiting keeper Corston in immaculate form. He made numerous last-ditch saves to deny the rampant home side who had two wide men - Morgan and Holsworth - continually teasing the tall defenders and Thomson a main threat both on the ground and in the air.

At the back Nobbs, Harrison, Foreman and Faulkes coped admirably with the attacks from the visiting strikers.

After five minutes a mix-up at the back gifted Brandon the lead when the ball somehow finished in the net. This was the message to Acle and they stepped up a gear and equalised with a brilliant goal from Thomson.

He went past four defenders before putting the ball into the bottom right corner of Corston's goal.

Thomson was then denied his hat-trick when his shot hit the bar and Corston made two excellent saves.

Ritchie Fruin's appetite in midfield was unquenchable and he always seemed to be on hand when needed by his team-mates. With Crosbie and Jody Harrison supplying the grit across the middle, the home supporters were continually applauding the excellent football being played by both teams in atrocious conditions.

The second half saw more of the same with Acle perhaps ahead on points, and after 80 minutes with the light fading, Acle won a corner on their right. Fruin sent a beautifully-flighted left-foot curler inside the near post for United to take all three points.

It would be difficult to name a player of the match, this honour won by referee Mr Geary.