A MEMORABLE week for Ely City was rounded off in style with a superb 2-0 win at home to high-flying Tiptree United. First half strikes from Andy Pettit and Robbie Mason secured the win for the Robins in a performance that, for one of the first times at ho

A MEMORABLE week for Ely City was rounded off in style with a superb 2-0 win at home to high-flying Tiptree United.

First half strikes from Andy Pettit and Robbie Mason secured the win for the Robins in a performance that, for one of the first times at home this season, oozed confidence and panache.

Ely boss Denis Lightning, said: "This team were more than capable of getting the two wins this week and they have gone out there and proved it.

"I made a number of changes to the squad which won at Soham for today's game and the lads who came in have played some of the best football I have seen this season, so I'm more than happy."

Coming into the game hopes were high that Ely could retain some momentum from their impressive win at Soham in midweek, and so it proved in the early stages as the Robins looked every inch a team who had won 10 games on the spin let alone one cup derby.

A defence that had been vulnerable in weeks gone by was suddenly assured and on countless occasions snuffed out with ease, attempted attacks from the visitors who were restricted to very little early on.

With a solid platform at the back from which to build, the midfield, and most prominently Wayne Goddard, were able to control of the game and provided a pressing threat for the Tiptree defence.

The pressure proved too much after 25 minutes when an industrious Richard Chadwick managed to fire the ball across goal into the path of Pettit who did well to slot home at full stretch.

A bewildered Tiptree defence struggled to cope against a tide of Ely attacks in the aftermath of the goal, and the barrier was broken once more as the visitors were caught cold by a quick-freekick from Brady Stone which sailed into the path of Mason.

Mason collected the ball from high and smashed past a sprawling keeper who had little chance given the space and time afforded to the striker.

There was every chance that complacency could creep into Ely's performance after half-time but, to their credit, they emerged for the second 45 with the same attitude and level of desire as they had left the pitch with at the end of the first.

Tiptree were not without their chances though, and keeper Kieron Badcock had to be at his best to save from no more than 10 yards after his own poor clearance fell to a lurking striker.

The visitors went close once more just minutes later when a header struck the far post following a precision cross. Having ridden the worst of the Tiptree attacks, Ely settled once more into the game and forged some decent openings of their own.

Mason, in particular, had two or three good chances to wrap up the points most notably on the hour mark when he blazed over the bar from a tight angle.

A third goal proved unnecessary in the end though, and Ely played out the remainder of the game in relative comfort with a lack of match practice largely hampering the efforts of the visitors who posed little real threat in the dying stages.