Hethersett Athletic

Hethersett Athletic returned to winning ways when they beat bottom club Rosary Rams 4-1 in the Norwich Sunday Premier Division. The scoreline flattered the visitors who had to rely on two late goals to make sure of the points after a spirited comeback from Rams. There were chances for both sides in the first half, but Hethersett took the lead after 39 minutes when a Chris Steele corner was turned into his own goal by a home defender. Hethersett looked to be on their way to a comfortable victory when Neil Stewart set up Mark Appleton to score with a hard low shot just two minutes into the second half. With Steele and Appleton returning after injury Hethersett looked a more balanced team but the fragility of the midfield and defence was shown up after 75 minutes when Rams headed home a free kick as Hethersett went to sleep. The home side looked capable of snatching a point until the 86^th minute when Appleton went on a powerful surging run that took him past a defender before cutting in to score with an unstoppable drive. Two minutes later Appleton beat the offside trap and squared the ball for Adam Bunton to tap home. The victory takes Hethersett back up to third place in the table. This Sunday they travel to play second placed Norman Wanderers at Sloughbottom Park. Hethersett have been drawn away to runaway Division 1A leaders AFC Wanderers in the second round of the League Cup on January 27th.

Hethersett Athletic Ladies resume their league programme on Sunday with a home game against Dagenham and Redbridge (Easton College 2 p.m). They will be looking to achieve a quick-fire double, having beaten them 4-2 early in December.

With well over half the season gone, Hethersett are seven points clear at the top of the Eastern Region Premier Division although a number of teams below them have games in hand.

Hethersett will be looking to put a poor result against Bedford before Christmas behind them as they step up their campaign for the championship and promotion to the third national tier of women’s football.

“We will be going all out to win all our remaining matches. We know that eight more league victories will give us the title and so we will be treating each match like a cup final,” said Hethersett Athletic chairman Peter Steward.

Hethersett Athletic Reserves went down 3-0 at home to Ketts Tavern and Hethersett Athletic A lost 4-2 at Mischief Tavern with their goals coming from Kavanagh and Oliver. This Sunday the reserves are without a game and the A team are home to Royal Oak.

Hethersett Athletic’s youth teams were without fixtures at the weekend but return to action this coming Sunday. The Under-16s visit Heigham Park, the Under-15s are home to Poringland (Memorial Playing Field 10.30), the Under-14s visit Lakeford, the Under-13s are home to Thorpe (Old Hall School 10.30), the Under-12s are away to Costessey, the Under-11s are home to Mulbarton (Old Hall School 2 p.m), the Under-10A side play Dereham and Salhouse at Salhouse and the Under-10B side are home to Mundford (Little Melton School)