Ryan Gibbs sealed a stunning comeback for Haverhill Rovers as they came from 3-0 down to win 4-3 against Walsham-le-Willows this afternoon, writes Callum Crabtree.

After looking dead and buried just eight minutes into the game, Marc Abbott's men fought back to win a classic at Summer Road.

Gibbs sealed the emphatic comeback 15 minutes from time as a cross from the left ghosted beyond the Walsham defence for the number nine to slot home from six yards out.

The returning Luke Haines levelled the proceedings with an excellent curled shot under pressure to spark Haverhill to grab the eventual winner.

And yet the game looked out of reach after a rampant start by Fergus O'Callaghan's Walsham led them to a three-goal advantage inside the first 10 minutes.

Haines was caught dawdling in defence which led to Kieran Hagan capitalising and putting an inch perfect cross into Craig Jennings to tap in at the back post.

Walsham then went 2-0 up thanks to a moment of magic from Jack Spampanato.

The winger's expert drag-back on the byline sent Henry Hall sliding off the pitch, and Spampanato composed himself to slot home to make it 2-0 inside seven minutes.

It was three just a minute after when a Walsham corner was only half cleared to Jennings on the edge of the box who rifled home into the roof of the net to double his tally.

However, the comeback started on the 15-minute mark when Walsham goalkeeper Dan Stobbart fumbled a straight forward save into the path of Gibbs, who possessed a killer striker's instinct to get their ahead of anyone else to get his first of the game.

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11/01/2020. Walsham le Willows, UK. ..Football action from Walsham-le-Willows v Haverhill Rovers..Walsham manager Fergus O'Callaghan..Photo by Mark Bullimore. (26481136)

It was 3-2 inside 20 minutes after James McCabe unleashed a low driven shot from 25 yards out which snuck it's way off the inside of the post.

Despite conceding three, Mitchell Ware had a great game in the Haverhill net and pulled off one of the saves of the season.

Ware produced what can only be described as a leap of faith across his line to deny Walsham from six yards out with a phenomenal outstretched save.

Tensions flared a few times throughout the game, but referee Bradley Mingay produced just three yellow cards throughout the encounter.

And so it was first win for Haverhill under Abbott, which sees his side close the gap on Walsham to just one point near the bottom of Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division.

Echo Man of the Match: Ryan Gibbs. Attendance: 98.

* For reaction from both camps, see upcoming print editions on Thursday and Friday.