Saffron Walden Town netted two late goals to beat Ipswich Wanderers in their Thurlow Nunn Premier Division clash at Catons Lane on Armistice Day.

Saffron Walden Reporter: A Saffron Walden player celebrates with mascots (pic Jamie Pluck)A Saffron Walden player celebrates with mascots (pic Jamie Pluck) (Image: Archant)

A two-minute silence was observed by all in a 217-strong crowd, before Daniel Trendall fired a second-minute chance straight at visiting keeper Daniel Joyce.

The Bloods went close again as skipper Spike Bell’s floated free kick from the left came agonisingly close to finding a Walden head before it was just about cleared out of play by a defender.

The first goal came in the 17th minute, though, as James Crane’s lay-off on the edge of the box was smashed home by Charlie Portway with a brilliant shot.

Walden went close twice again in quick succession, as Trendall’s well-timed header from a cross hit the crossbar and Joseph Murphy headed just over from a corner.

The visitors had been fairly quiet thus far, but Joe O’Hare fired into the bottom left corner of Neil O’Sullivan’s net to level on 35 minutes, despite Bell’s sliding attempt to try and clear it off the line.

Crane had a half chance to put Bloods 2-1 up as he cut in from the left, but could not find the target, and Murphy’s shot after the restart forced a good save from Joyce.

O’Sullivan was called upon to make a save in the 59th minute, before Walden thought they had regained the lead when Portway tapped in from close range, only to be deemed offside.

It did not matter to Walden in the end, though, as Bell’s free-kick in the 82nd minute found Ashley Skeggs in the box and he was able to tuck the ball away to put the Bloods back in front.

Five minutes later, Walden sealed the deal through Portway, who dummied past two Ipswich defenders in the penalty area before driving the ball into the bottom left corner in tremendous fashion.

Walden: O’Sullivan, Bell, Ledwith, Murphy, Skeggs, Moody, Emsden, Trendall, Portway, Simon-Parsons, Crane. Subs: Maybanks, Gray, Game, Cunning, C Dicker.

Saffron Walden were 2-1 winners over Wivenhoe Town on Tuesday, as Ashley Skeggs and Dan Trendall netted, to move up to fifth in the table. The Bloods travel to Kirkley & Pakefield for their next fixture on Saturday.