NOTLEY'S LOWESTOFT AND DISTRICT LEAGUE ROUND UPAPPROACHING the final hurdle in the crucial promotion and relegation stakes in the popular three division Lowestoft league, numerous issues still have to be resolved.

NOTLEY'S LOWESTOFT AND DISTRICT LEAGUE ROUND UP

APPROACHING the final hurdle in the crucial promotion and relegation stakes in the popular three division Lowestoft league, numerous issues still have to be resolved.

And it promises to be a crucial bank holiday weekend ahead with two games in the next three days.

It's a case of as you were in division one as joint leaders Norton and Waveney Reserves both had fine wins. Two goals from Norton's player manager Steven Hak and further strikes from Andy Boggis and a Danny Hoadley penalty sealed a good 4-2 away win at eighth-placed Ole Frank at Normanston Park.

Second placed Waveney Reserves also moved to 45 points, but from having played a game more, as they closed the goal difference between the two sides at the top to just two in a convincing 7-2 home win over 12th placed Mutford & Wrentham at Denes High school. Goalscorers were player manager Shaun Howes, Ian Hunter, two from Scott Jermy and another hat trick from Ray Winney.

With previous third placed side Barsham redundant, Oxford Arms and Spexhall took advantage to move into third and fourth respectively. Oxford just beat tenth placed Blundeston Magpies 4-3, while it was a 'jeckyll and hyde' performance from Spexhall as they bounced back from being 1-0 down to seventh placed Pot Black following Darren Boyd's penalty, to hit back in the second half and win 3-1 with goals from Harley Lubbock and two from Danny Milne.

Still with games in hand, sixth placed Hearts of Oak had an easy 8-2 away win at bottom of the table Beccles Caxton Reserves, while Kirkley & Pakefield A returned to winning ways in moving up to ninth with a 4-2 home win over 11th placed Corton White Horse Seltic.

The top four teams in division two all won, as leaders AFC Star had a narrow 5-3 away win at ninth placed Tudor while second placed Pakefield Re-United were awarded the points after 13th placed Sole Bay United Reserves could not raise a side.

Third placed Suffolk Punch and fourth placed Gt Yarmouth Town Hall both hit a magnificent seven in convincing home wins - 7-2 over seventh placed Ellingham and 7-1 over eighth placed Crusaders respectively.

Hopton moved up to fifth with a good 4-2 home win over12th placed Bungay Town A, Corton A are sixth after narrowly beating 11th placed Lowestoft International 1-0, while tenth placed Norton Athletic Reserves beat bottom of the table Harleston Town Reserves 4-3 with two goals from Daniel Robinson and further strikes from Gary Crisp and Steve Nicol - but Harleston missed a penalty that could've sealed a point.

Likewise in division three, the top four sides all won. Leaders Waveney A narrowly beat fifth placed Kirkley & Pakefield B 3-2, despite another brace for young marksman Olly Winram for the visitors.

Second placed Waveney Gunners beat first from bottom Marquis of Lorne 3-1, while third placed Spexhall Reserves also had a narrow away win beating 11th placed Westhall 1-0.

Earsham kept up the pressure in fourth with a 4-2 away win at tenth placed Blundeston Magpies Reserves, while seventh placed Corton White Horse Seltic Reserves beat sixth placed Norman Warrior 2-0.

Mutford & Wrentham Reserves are eighth after a 0-0 draw with 12th placed Factory Arms, while Oxford Arms Reserves moved up to ninth with a 5-1 away win at bottom of the table Carlton Rangers.

Mark Boggis