Hadleigh welcomed Essex Senior League Witham Town side to the "Millfield " for our last first team friendly.

Hadleigh won a free kick on the Witham touch line, Luke Read's well taken shot flashed across the goalmouth where Kris Rose managed to control and turn but his effort was cleared.

At the other end Kris Rose defended well in a Witham attack with a deft clearance finding Brett Girling with a neat confident back pass to keeper Aaron Benstead  to clear the danger.

Flowing play by Hadleigh's Ben Garnham & Luke Read found Keiren Joseph to shot into the area with the Witham keeper gathering well when under pressure from Ben Deacon.

Witham then earned a free kick in a dangerous position, with the inital shot in being cleared a Witham attacker fired just over, before Kris Rose then cleared a dangerous Witham ball into the area.

On 20 minutes Hadleigh broke with Ben Deacon firing just too high.

Witham took the lead on 25 minutes, when Hadleigh failed to pick up on an unmarked Witham player on the left , with a Witham player hitting the crossbar full on , the rebound ball fell to Witham's Rob Wignall to fire in low and hard.

A Brett Girling free kick for Hadleigh found Keiren Joseph in turn finding Craig Payne who's accruate pass back to Keiren Joseph saw his shot in just wide as Hadleigh looked to equalise.

Hadleigh's Ben Garnham was unlucky when a well taken shot hit the near post full on, with Keiren Joseph shooting in the loose ball, the Witham keeper saved well.

Hadleigh equalised on 40 minutes, when a well taken corner by Luke Read found Mark Powling, who's shot in found Craig Payne to net from close range.

In the dying minutes of the first half, Aaron Benstead made a fine diving save to deny Witham a second goal, but on the stroke of half time poor Hadleigh defending allowed Nicky Love to shoot in past the diving Aaron Benstead for a half time lead

H-T    Hadleigh 1  Witham 2

Three minutes into the second half Witham's Rob Wignall scored his second goal when Hadleigh's defence failed to deal with a corner ball with Wignall shot in beating Benstead.

Two minutes, that man Rob Wignall made it 4-1 to Witham with a spectacular shot in from 40 yards which whistled passed a static Aaron Benstead and into the top corner for his hat-trick.

On 51 minutes Hadleigh reduced the deficit, when another near perfect Luke Read corner kick in found Kris Rose to header powerfully in.

Witham still looked dangerous as they pushed forward , with a long range shot just skimming the far post , before the Witham keeper made a fine blocking save to deny Craig Payne.

However, again poor Hadleigh defending allowed Witham their fifth goal of the night scored by Tony Walkin.

Hadleigh's Craig Payne  saw a shot too high from a Luke Read free kick, before with his first touch of the ball Hadleigh sub Pat Fleming's cross in from the right saw a Witham defender having to clear the danger.

Hadleigh then made several changes with a Dale Munson free kick seeing Lee Owen's shot in headed clear , before a Matt Chinnery shot in skimmed the post.

A solo run by Luke Read saw Witham having to defend hard to clear the danger, before a Dale Munson strike was just wide of target.

As full time approached a Lee Own free kick was scrambled clear with Luke Read firing the loose ball back in with a Witham defender heading off the line.

F-T     Hadleigh 2  Witham 5

Hadleigh Team :-

1. A. Benstead, 2. B. Girling, 3. K. Rose,4. B. Garnham, 5. M. Powling, 6. M. Roper, 7. K. Joseph, 8. O. Canfer, 9. C. Payne, 10. B. Deacon, 11 . L.Read

Subs  12 M. Chinnery on for 9, 14. P. Fleming on for 8, 15. C. Leys on for 6 , 16. D. Munson on for 10, 17 L. Owen on for 4.