HALSTEAD Town claimed an invaluable 3-2 home win over Little Oakley to pull away from the lower reaches of the Essex Senior League table, writes KEN GILLIARD.

Mark McLean's starting line up included a debut for Lester Ward, recently signed on dual registration from Chelmsford City, and returns for Theo Duffin and Tom Graves.

Halstead goalkeeper Jack Cherry made two miraculous close-range saves early on, denying Nathan Rowe who turned on edge of the six-yard box and then making a superb stop from the resulting corner.

Halstead’s first big chance came on 17 minutes when Owen Betts' stooping header from Dean Ager's free-kick was comfortably collected by goalkeeper Billy Lawlor.

Ager's 20-yard was then parried to safety by Lawlor before Halstead went ahead on the half hour mark through Jamie Eveleigh, who stabbed home Lewis Clifford's cross at the back post.

But a very special goal on 37 minutes pulled Oakley back level.

Daniel Rowe picked the ball up 30 yards out with no apparent danger and let fly with a dipping effort that left Cherry with no chance.

Oakley had a spring in their step at this stage and Bobby Rea's driving run saw him slot the ball past Cherry but the retreating Theo Duffin cleared the danger for the hosts.

Lawlor tipped Ager's goalbound effort away for a corner, as the sides went in level at the break.

Cherry was quickly off his line to deflect Rowe’s effort to safety early in the second half while at the other end Matt Travell headed over from a corner when well placed, as the tempo continued at the same level as first half.

Halstead were then awarded a penalty as Eveleigh was taken down in the box and despite Lawlor's gamesmanship, Ager kept his cool and sent him the wrong way, Oakley looked to hit back immediately and a goalmouth melee in the Halstead box saw various efforts blocked and saved before Halstead eventually cleared their lines.

It came at the expense of a head injury to Alfie Cleal, who had been outstanding to that point and he was eventually replaced, ten minutes later.

Alfie Lambert, on for Cleal, almost made an immediate impact as he cut through the visiting defence and was only thwarted by Lawlor.

However, Halstead then got hit on the break as a long ball found Oakley substitute Noah Alsterlind who took the ball down and flicked passed Cherry and after the ball rebounded off the far post, Darren Mills followed in to equalise.

But Halstead scored their winner on 80 minutes as Travell's defence-splitting pass found Betts and he outran the Acorns back-line and calmly slotted passed Lawlor for his first Humbugs goal.

Oakley looked to respond immediately and the hosts were grateful to Travell for a goal-line clearance, after a dangerous free-kick looked to be destined for the back of the net.

The tension amongst the home crowd was palpable in injury-time but the hosts saw it out and recorded an invaluable win, as all of their rivals at the lower end of the table lost.