BRANTHAM ATHLETIC 0 KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD 0

At Brantham Athletic FC last Saturday, it was a clash of the third from bottom home side playing fourth from bottom Kirkley & Pakefield FC.

The ‘Royals’ had both keeper Alex Blowers and striker Cameron Russell out serving suspensions with Jordan Smith and Daniel Conroy coming in as their replacements.

On 10 minutes, after a good tackle, Ben George set up Connor Swan whose shot was stopped by the home keeper.

The home team had a shot fly over the bar, but after further Royals attacking Lopez had a header gathered by the keeper then Swan had a good effort with a shot on the turn go just wide.

In the 53rd minute K&P keeper Jordan Smith made an absolutely brilliant save diving backward in mid-air to save a shot from point blank range - this was the one highlight of the match.

The Royals broke and Lopez should have scored from close in but the keeper blocked it.

Conroy shot just wide of the post then sub Hutchings fired over from 22 yards.

The home team looked dangerous on several breaks but were held in a very dour goalless draw, leaving each team with a point apiece.

Kirkley & Pakefield: J Smith, A Meeken (M Kirkby 86), H Creamer, B George, K Underdown, L Flower, J Barbor (K Hutchings 56), M Lopez, D Conroy (M Holt 79), C Swan (K Goldspink 66), G Barber.

On Saturday Kirkley & Pakefield's first team will be at Walmer Road in a league match entertaining mid-table Long Melford FC, 3pm kick off.

For this match the club are supporting former player Alan Arbor’s 'The Offside Trust' organisation.

The Reserves match last Saturday on Walmer Road with Holt United ended in a 2-2 draw with young striker Joshua Williams scoring both the Royals goals.

This week they have the long trek up to North Norfolk to play Wells Town in a 2pm ko.

K&PFC U23s had a good 2-0 away win at Spexhall Huntsman & Hounds with Grady Croft scoring both goals.

On Saturday they go to Dip Farm for a return match against Waveney FC ‘A’, 2pm ko.

Next Thursday, February 9 sees the local U18 club ‘derby’ when top of the table AFC Royals U18s play bottom of the table K&PFC U18s at Walmer Road, 7.45pm ko.