Both teams showed their intentions by playing some neat passing football, but it was the home side, which were looking the more penetrating. Hadleigh took the lead on 11 minutes when the visitors keeper failed to deal with a corner leaving the easiest of opportunities to make it 1-0.

Hadliegh were looking dangerous down the right hand side without creating any further clear-cut chances, indeed chances were few and far between. It wasn't until the 28th minute that Woodbridge had their first real effort on goal when Garnham let fly from 25 yards only to see it drift harmlessly wide.

On 41 minutes the home side went 2-0 up. With Woodbridge on the attack, Lait's misplaced pass allowed Hadleigh to counter-attack, Gouldbourn down the left, was given too much room and his cross was neatly finish at the near post by Davies. Within 2 minutes Woodbridge made it 2-1, a good run down the left by Rea who linked up with Jennings to find MAYHEW who neatly finished off the move from 12 yards.

Woodbridge started brighter in the second half and Mayhew had the chance to level the scores when Jennings run down the right presented him with an opportunity but he couldn't get the ball out from under his feet in order to set up a clean striking opportunity. On 53 minutes the home side went 3-1 up when the Woodbridge defence again failed to deal with a corner. A near post corner was missed by everyone, until it reached a surprised keeper who tried to deal with it using his feet, but in stepped a Hadleigh player to tap in from 2 yards.

Back came Woodbridge to make it 3-2 on 58 minutes. Woodbridge won a corner down their left, it was played short and crossed in to the box, the home side had a number of opportunities to clear, Mayhew managed to keep the ball alive and help it back across goal for SEVERY to score. Nicklin, just on as a substitute for Woodbridge first won a free-kick wide out on the right hand side and then had an opportunity from the resultant kick to put Woodbridge in the lead, but his header was comfortably saved by the home keeper.

The game was still end-to-end but Garnham in the Woodbridge midfield was beginning to take control, making some telling runs which Hadleigh were struggling to cope with. It was from one such run on 68 minutes that the visitors drew level when Garnham picked out MAYHEW who finished from close range. Hadleigh took the lead 2 minutes later when the visitors lost possession down the right & Hadleigh quickly switched play with a great cross-field ball behind the Woodbridge back-line to go 4-3 up.

On 81 minutes Woodbridge had an opportunity to draw level, chaos in and around the Hadleigh six yard box resulted in a number of efforts and desperate defending by the home side, who were throwing their bodies in front of every shot, finally clearing the danger for a corner. However, on 87 minutes a deflected shot from SEVERY wrong-footed Paisley in the Hadleigh goal to make it 4-4. Both sides went in search of a winner, with Hadleigh winning a number of late corners, which were dealt with better than those conceded earlier in the game.

The crowd were certainly kept entertained for the afternoon, Hadleigh will be disappointed having been a two goals up on two occasions, Woodbridge will be pleased with the second half effort of a young inexperienced side who never gave up, but know they will have to defend better as a team if the unbeaten run is to continue.

In the current climate where referees take so much stick, a special mention should be made of the performance of MR DUFFETT who controlled the game with little fuss, was happy to talk to both sets of players during the game, allowed play to continue whenever possible and certainly played his part in an entertaining game.

TEAM: Ross, Nichols, Severy, Lait (sub Nicklin 65 mins), Marsh, Widdowson, Rea, Garnham, Jennings, Tatum (Sub Wright 70 mins), Mayhew.

Next Fixture, Felixstowe & Walton United Reserves at Dellwood Avenue 2 pm Kick Off.