Hellesdon 4, Bradenham Wanderers 2BRADENHAM Wanderers, after suffering their first Anglian Combination Division Two defeat of the year 4-2 at Hellesdon on Saturday, bounced back Tuesday night with a 2-1 win at Downham Reserves.

Hellesdon 4, Bradenham Wanderers 2

BRADENHAM Wanderers, after suffering their first Anglian Combination Division Two defeat of the year 4-2 at Hellesdon on Saturday, bounced back Tuesday night with a 2-1 win at Downham Reserves.

Midweek, the Bulldogs took a well-deserved lead on 20 minutes when Derbyshire coolly slotted home to finish a slick four-man move. Within a few minutes the scores were level when a back pass hit a bump and jumped over the outstretched arm of keeper Baker. Bradenham then missed a number of chances

Both sides continued to play sharp, attractive football and midway through the second half Derbyshire scored the winner.

Manager Les Tufts had been confident he could lift his top-three team for a run of tough matches after losing to Hellesdon, a team they had beaten twice this season.

Hellesdon scored within two minutes, Bradenham's slow start continued and within 15 minutes they found themselves 3-0 down.

Slow starts have become something of a habit in recent games but Wanderers usually recover quickly, and towards the end of the first half Craig Clarke opened Bradenham's account with a well-taken goal.

Second half skipper Ricky Forder scored a second, but playing 'catch-up' the Bulldogs rearguard was exposed to a fourth goal, then they missed a penalty.

Among several good individual performances, were those of Frappell and Derbyshire.

On Saturday, Bradenham are away to fifth-placed Mundford.