SATURDAY FOOTBALL Review By Steve Green SENIOR DIVISION B Haddenham Rovers Home W6 D3 L5 F34 A31 Away W6 D3 L5 F33 A32 Pts 42 (6th of 15) HADDENHAM boasted one of the deadliest strike forces in the division, with Kenny Holmes and Will Ludbrooke notch

SATURDAY FOOTBALL

Review By Steve Green

SENIOR DIVISION B

Haddenham Rovers

Home W6 D3 L5 F34 A31

Away W6 D3 L5 F33 A32

Pts 42 (6th of 15)

HADDENHAM boasted one of the deadliest strike forces in the division, with Kenny Holmes and Will Ludbrooke notching 44 goals between them, and that was a major factor in their top-six finish.

Having lost just one of their first five outings, Rovers contrived to lose 3-0 at Willingham (eventually fifth from bottom) and 7-1 at West Wratting Reserves (who finished at the foot of the table).

Two more league defeats sandwiched successive cup exits at West Row Gunners and Milton, so things weren't looking too good for Andy Markwell's troops at that stage of the season.

Haddenham stopped the rot by winning 4-3 at local rivals Soham United, and although they suffered a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of champions Whittlesford United that was the only game they lost in a sequence of nine.

Seven of their last nine games were away from home and although they lost four, those defeats were hardly unexpected - at Whittlesford, Comberton (third) and twice against Debden (runners-up).

Rovers were otherwise more than a match for the rest of Senior Division B, taking at least one point (and usually more) from all of them.

For next season, much may depend on whether Ludbrooke decides to take the plunge with Premier Division side Littleport Town.

Soham United

Home W3 D1 L10 F33 A50

Away W5 D2 L7 F24 A24

Pts 27 (12th of 15)

SOHAM United - reprieved by withdrawals last season - finished in the bottom four yet again after a disappointing campaign, particularly on home soil.

Four defeats in their first five games undermined early season optimism, but seven points from a possible 12 then made their position a little healthier. Cup defeats in successive weeks seemed to drain their confidence again, however, and five league defeats in a row then left them struggling near the foot of the table.

A couple of 4-1 away victories against fellow strugglers JM Sports and Barton Mills eased their worries for a short while, but three losses in the next four outings included a 2-1 home defeat by Willingham, who crucially finished one point ahead of them in the table.

United seemed to have turned the corner again with wins against West Row and Milton, and with seven games remaining there seemed every likelihood they would pull clear of relegation.

But a 2-0 defeat at Swavesey Institute was followed by a catastrophic 9-4 home reverse against eventual champions Whittlesford, a game in which Soham remarkably trailed 8-0 at one stage.

Draws with Castle Camps and Outwell Swifts were useful results, but United desperately needed one more win at that stage of the season. The disaster struck.

Soham had three games left, and realistically had little hope of taking anything from the home encounters with Comberton (3rd) and Debden (2nd). So the home clash with relegated JM Sports became a must-win fixture for Andy Parker's side.

As it turned out, one point would have sufficed, but Soham self-destructed in the first half and eventually went down by the odd goal in seven.

Two heavy defeats followed (5-0 and 7-2), and United found themselves again marooned in the bottom four - with only themselves to blame.