RIDGEONS FIRST DIVISION Ely City 3 Tiptree United 6 ELY will need to pick up their form quickly if they are to maintain their hopes of promotion, after defeat in a match which had everything. Nine goals – including four in eight crazy second-half minutes

RIDGEONS FIRST DIVISION

Ely City 3 Tiptree United 6

ELY will need to pick up their form quickly if they are to maintain their hopes of promotion, after defeat in a match which had everything.

Nine goals - including four in eight crazy second-half minutes - a penalty, a sending-off and chances galore all added to the rich tapestry of this match, but come the final whistle all Ely were left with was the bitter taste of defeat.

Tony Brown, on his first match back after returning from an ankle injury, turned from hero to villain, scoring a goal but then conceding a penalty.

He turned home a loose ball in the box on 37 minutes following an Andy Chatters free-kick, but he chopped down a Tiptree opponent just before the break to allow the visitors to level.

A minute later, Dean Blackman was sent off for pulling back an opponent when through on goal, but despite this, Ely went back in front after half-time thanks to a fine shot from Robbie Mason.

Tiptree, however, then found their way through Ely's defences FOUR times in the following 10 minutes and added another for good measure nine minutes from time.

By the time substitute Steve Pollard rose to score Ely's third with four minutes to go, the result was academic.

Ely joint-manager Steve Taylor knows that his team have a tough task ahead of them if they are to stay in the promotion hunt.

"I think we are in a bit of a rut at the moment," he said. "I'm just disappointed that we haven't won yet in 2006, and we've just got to hang in there.

"We've got to roll our sleeves up and try and take maximum points from all our games."

Taylor revealed that Paul Webb and Steve Tuck have both been released by the club, while midfielder Baz Smith was considering his future.

"Baz has had a lot of problems which injuries and he's now got a problem with his hamstring. He's said he might give up the game altogether, but he's going to let me know in two or three weeks once he's over the injury."

n The evening with Martin Peters, scheduled to be held on February 3 at the Unwin Ground, has been cancelled.