FOOTBALL SOHAM Town Rangers retained the Doug Unwin Memorial Trophy by defeating hosts Ely City 2-1. The match was still goalless after an hour, but Darren Jimson finally broke the deadlock by nodding home a left wing cross from Paul Jones. This prompted

FOOTBALL

SOHAM Town Rangers retained the Doug Unwin Memorial Trophy by defeating hosts Ely City 2-1.

The match was still goalless after an hour, but Darren Jimson finally broke the deadlock by nodding home a left wing cross from Paul Jones.

This prompted City to introduce former Soham man Peter Hinde to the fray, and with 14 minutes remaining Mark Kirby equalised from the penalty spot.

Charles Libam had the final word however, lobbing home the winner from a tight angle nine minutes from time.

All the proceeds from the game - more than £600 - when to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Ely had three days earlier received a taste of life back in the Ridgeons Premier League as Swaffham Town travelled to the Unwin Ground and beat them 2-1.

City then travelled to Newmarket Town on Friday night where they came from behind to win by the same scoreline thanks to an Andy Pettit double.

The Robins open their league campaign on Saturday with a trip to Lowestoft Town.

"It will be a good test for us against the FA Vase finalists in front of a partisan crowd," said Ely boss Dennis Lightning earlier this week.

Other signings apart from Hinde include Matt Lilley (ex-Newmarket), Martin Westcott (ex-Haverhill) and Keiran Badcock (ex-Saffron Walden).

Soham, meanwhile, continued their pre-season campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory against United Counties League side Yaxley.

Heavy rain beforehand meant that the match had to be played on Yaxley's training pitch, and with no floodlights available it was restricted to two periods of 30 minutes.

Libam headed in Jimson's long throw after just nine minutes, and Jimson himself added a second after holding off several challenges.

The hosts pulled one back with 20 minutes of the hour remaining, but Jimson restored Soham's two-goal lead with a low shot into the corner from Martin Bromwich's pass.

Libam then grabbed his second goal of the game with three minutes left, dispatching Michael Simpson's pass underneath the home goalkeeper.

Rangers then travelled to Mildenhall Town on Saturday, winning 4-3 with Simpson, Graham Rush, Jimson and Bromwich putting them four goals up before the hosts pulled back in the closing stages.

The team wrap up their pre-season programme this week with a trip to Stamford (Friday) before the visit of Waltham Forest in their final friendly on Saturday.

Littleport Town wrested the Mick North Memorial Trophy from neighbours Soham Town Rangers Reserves, coming from behind to win 2-1.

The holders went in front early on when Liam Eley's free-kick was deflected home, but Jamie Linney equalised at the start of the second half and Andrew Francis grabbed the winner.

'Port have re-signed Rob Foreman after a two-year absence and have also welcomed Craig Dorn back into their squad, but Kevin Hills has moved to Ely City and full-back Alan White suffered a serious injury in the recent friendly with Downham Market.