SATURDAY FOOTBALL REVIEW BY STEVE GREEN SENIOR DIVISION B Soham United P30 Pts 27 (14th of 16) Home: W6 D1 L8 F24 A33 Away: W2 D2 L11 F20 A47 Soham United were always in trouble after losing their first five league matches, but three 2-1 vic

SATURDAY FOOTBALL REVIEW BY STEVE GREEN

SENIOR DIVISION B

Soham United

P30 Pts 27 (14th of 16)

Home: W6 D1 L8 F24 A33

Away: W2 D2 L11 F20 A47

Soham United were always in trouble after losing their first five league matches, but three 2-1 victories in their next four home games gave them hope of avoiding the drop.

Another five successive defeats plunged them back into trouble near the foot of the table, but again they showed some resilience to gain their first away victories - at Cherry Hinton (2-1) and then Castle Camps (4-1) in successive weeks.

Incredibly, Soham then suffered five more defeats in a row, a run which meant they had virtually no hope of escaping from the bottom four with only four games remaining.

They then beat Castle Camps 3-2 - their only double of the campaign - to keep their survival hopes afloat, but a 0-0 home draw with Sawston United Reserves meant that escape from the basement quartet was impossible.

But player-manager Andy Parker knew the early-season withdrawal of Tuddenham Rovers from the Premier Division, and Needingworth United's defection to the United Counties League, meant his side could still escape relegation by finishing outside the bottom two.

A 1-1 draw at Haddenham Rovers kept those hopes alive, and a final game 2-1 defeat of Swavesey Institute left Soham reliant on Sawston United Reserves' failure to win their final outing against champions Ely City Reserves.

As it was, Sawston could only manage a 1-1 draw against Ely, effectively relegating them from the Kershaw League alongside Great Chesterford.

Always competitive at home, Soham's youngsters were invariably let down by their performances on foreign soil, where they managed only eight points from a possible 45.

They will, however, be older and, hopefully, a lot wiser when next season comes around.