TWO goals in the first five minutes of the second half by Ray Turner enabled Halstead to complete a satisfactory double over the Norfolk outfit, whom they beat 3-0 at home in the first match of the season.
Lowly Downham gave a good account of themselves for long periods, but the visitors had all the answers, while the host keeper Matt Hails kept the score down with two tremendous saves to deny Terry Rayner and Andy Joslin.
Referee Duncan Foreman's b
ook was out inside two minutes when Downham's Craig Dickson unceremoniously brought down Liam Morley. Halstead skipper Steve Daly was also booked for his comments on the foul.
The game settled down into an end-to-end affair as both sides probed for openings, the first real chance falling to Chris Bryan when he turned a Terry Rayner cross into the arms of the keeper, while at the other end a good, low cross shot from Matt Calvert went close.
On 27 minutes Halstead went ahead. Hails was lucky to be only booked when he handled outside the penalty area, and the resultant free kick was typically blasted home by Bryan for his 15th of the season.
They looked to have made it two soon after when Daly headed home Terry Rayner's cross, only for a linesman's flag to indicate Barefield in an offside position, although hardly interfereing with play.
Downham kept going, often prompted by Dale Twaite-Smith, and were rewarded when a fine shot by Dan Foulsham found the target from 25 yards, the interval arriving with the scores level.
Turner then struck twice in five minutes to leave Downham with a mountain to climb, first converting a Terry Rayner cross before driving home a cross from Joslin, while in between Dave Barefield rattled the upright.
The home side brought on their substitutes as a damage limitation exercise, which prevented Halstead scoring again despite a lot of pressure.
Although it needed a goalline clearance by Marcus Fendley to thwart Bryan, and two more saves from Hails to deny San Lee.
Close on time a powerful Bryan free kick was inches wide as the visitors ran out comfortable winners.
Halstead Town: Wood; Joslin, Rowell, Emerson, Devaux, Morley (Newman 82), T Rayner, Daly, Bryan, Turner (San Lee 82), Barefield (C Rayner 85m). Subs (not used): Falla, Pollard.
l Goals by Dan Sakal and Josh Palmer enabled Halstead Reserves to beat Stanway Reserves 2-1 at Rosemary Lane in the Ridgeons Reserve League (South).
The full article contains 419 words and appears in Suffolk Free Press newspaper.
