(report courtesy of haverhillecho.co.uk)

HAVERHILL Rovers' inability to score at Walsham-le-Willows again saw them crash to their second defeat in four matches.

Rovers, who have never scored away at Walsham, controlled possession of the ball but found themselves seriously short of a cutting edge in attack which has seen them net just twice in their last four games.

Richard Heller hit the post with the goal at his mercy while Martin Westcott put a glorious chance wide but Walsham showed The Reds how it should be done with a clinical second after Marcus Hunt’s unfortunate own goal.

Striker Nick Impey was missing from the line-up due to work commitments but Adam Ben-Saud and Westcott couldn’t breach the Walsham defence.

Sam Green, making his 100th appearance for the club, had Rovers’ only effort on target when his only volley was held comfortably by Walsham goalkeeper Kevin Bugg down to his right.

Ben-Saud curled a free kick wide but The Willows nearly got lucky at the other end when Paul Musgrove’s cross struck Arron Benstead’s crossbar.

Another piece of luck gave Walsham the lead after the break.

Marc Wake’s effort was going to be harmless enough until it took a big deflection off Hunt and left Benstead wrong-footed as the ball nestled in the back of the net.

Westcott should have equalised when he rose high to connect with Wayne Goddard’s long throw but put his free header well wide of the post.

Benstead was then perhaps lucky not to be sent off as he brought down Paul Musgrove just outside the box as the last man.

The goalkeeper’s saving grace was that Musgrove was heading away from goal at the time.

Heller had the visitors’ best chance of the match but, after Martin Westcott had broken clear and crossed, he could only stretch and divert the ball onto the post from six yards with Bugg stranded.

Two minutes later and the ball was in the back of the Haverhill net as Wake raced clear and squared to Will Brown who made no mistake in planting the ball home.

ROVERS : Arron Benstead, Louie Farrington, Jamie Thurlbourne, Wayne Goddard, Colin Vowden, Joe Harvey, Sam Green, Marcus Hunt, Adam Ben-Saud, Martin Westcott, Richard Heller.
Subs - Paul Abbott (for Louie Farrington), Marc Abbott (for Joe Harvey), Cody Frazier (for Wayne Goddard).
Goals - None.