North Walsham Town 1, Mattishall 2Mattishall fully deserved their first league victory on their travels, over the title-chasing Angels, and with a third of the season gone there seems very little to choose between the teams in the Anglian Combination Premier.

North Walsham Town 1, Mattishall 2

Mattishall fully deserved their first league victory on their travels, over the title-chasing Angels, and with a third of the season gone there seems very little to choose between the teams in the Anglian Combination Premier.

Mattishall's first team are again in Friday night action when they travel to Diss tomorrow in the fourth round of the Norfolk Senior Cup with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Matttishall made four changes after their disappointing defeat at Watton. Marczewski and Hewitt replaced the unavailable Starling and Palmer, and Lewis and Wooden started in place of Hall and Knights who were on the bench.

Mattishall started very brightly and so nearly went in front in five minutes. A fine ball by the recalled Hewitt found Cole in space, but his tame shot was turned round the post by keeper Munday.

In their very next attack another fine through ball again found Cole in a good position, but in rounding the keeper he was pushed too wide. He squared the ball to Lewis who laid in Wooden, but with an open goal at his mercy he missed the target. Another half-chance came and went when again a quick break saw Catchpole drive the ball across goal.

However, as in previous weeks, Mattishall were punished in the home side's very first attack. A corner kick found centre-back Lown unchallenged header on the edge of the box fall to Clarke in the six-yard box and he squeezed the ball past Marczewski and Pledger.

This setback did not disrupt Mattishall's play and within minutes they were level when Cole again found himself in space and fed Lewis. He found the overlapping Hill whose deep cross evaded everybody, including keeper Munday, who despite getting a hand to it could not stop it from crossing the line.

The game then became a midfield battle with very few chances being created, although a fine run by the Angels' Hinton took him to the by-line, the final ball cleared for a corner.

Mattishall took the lead on 35 minutes. Following another flowing move again involving the impressive Hewitt, Wooden got to the ball first in the box, and although he fired over the referee awarded a penalty against the home keeper for fouling him. Hewitt slammed the resulting kick into the back of the net for a richly-deserved half-time lead.

The second half started with Walsham with an increasing, swirling, wind at their backs and defending was becoming very difficult. However Mattishall continued to drive forward looking for the killer third goal. Clear-cut chances were created but the forwards continued to miss them.

As the game entered its last quarter it became stretched, although Mattishall continued to create the clearer chances. However, a free-kick from Hamey from all of 35 yards was not cleanly taken by Pledger, and the rebound was hacked away.

At the other end Wooden and Cole were guilty of wasting golden opportunities, although Wooden so nearly made it three when, from a Catchpole cross, he got in front of his marker but just glanced his shot over the bar.

However, despite a couple of very late corners Mattishall's defence held firm.