Downham promoted after play-off final win

Downham Town 4 Harwich and Parkeston 0

Downham Town are celebrating promotion to Step 5 of the football pyramid for the first time in the club’s history.

Dale Stokes and Craig Dickson’s side made sure there was no slip-up in this afternoon’s play-off final against Harwich and Parkeston with a dominant 4-0 victory at the SCL Memorial Field.

The home side scored two goals in either half to send the Reds into the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division with a convincing performan in front of a crowd of 350.

There were ecstatic scenes on the final whistle as Downham ended a number of near-misses to join Heacham – promoted last weekend – in the top flight.

The home side got off to the ideal start in the ninth minute after Matty Prudence sent a stinging volley into the top corner of the net.

Matty Blackford saw his shot blocked on line after a long throw from Danny Beaumont before the same player fired just wide of the post after a Joe Jackson cross.

Downham goalkeeper Duncan McAnally comfortably saved a deflected effort from Christ Stratton at his near post as the visitors responded.

Seventeen minutes before the break, a McAnally goal-kick was headed backwards by a Harwich defender on the halfway line and Jackson ran through unopposed to slot past the goalkeeper and double the home side’s lead.

Jackson then skimmed a shot just wide of the Harwich goal while Jake Miller fluffed his lines in front of goal with a mis-timed air shot with the goal at his mercy.

Three minutes after the restart, Blackford surged past four challenges and slipped the ball through for Prudence to take a touch and fire home his second of the game.

Former Linnet Beaumont then fired cross across face of goal to Blackford, waiting at far post, but Stratton poked the ball off his toe for a corner as the clock ticked down.

A minute later, a Jackson snap shot on the turn was tipped round the post by Harwich goalkeeper Brad Cook.

Harwich and Parkeston’s only real chance of the contest came six minutes from time after Dan Keeble turned his effort wide of the target.

Substitute Jacob White saw shot well saved by Cook at the expense of the corner as the home side went in search of more goals.

Fittingly, it was long-serving defender Pat Yates who put the icing on the cake with a header in the fourth minute of injury time.

Downham: McAnally, Miller, Reed, Watts-Sturrock (Gould 87), Yates, Bird, Blackford (Prentice 86), Franks (Rawson 82), Beaumont, Prudence (White 67), Jackson (Conroy 76).

Harwich: Cook, Kebble, Harte, Smith, Wood, Hammond, Stratton (Raymont 78), G. Heath, Green (Eades 56), Busby, Tuck (J. Heath 30). Subs (not used): Mayhew, Corner.

Attendance: 350.

Referee: Lee Marwick (Corringham).

Goals: Prudence 2 (9, 48), Jackson (25), Yates (90+3).

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