Injury-time winner caps a merry Christmas for Soham

Soham striker Daniel Brown. Picture: Andy Burford. (Image: Archant)

Luke Stanley completed a fine festive campaign for Soham by netting an injury time winner, on Saturday.

The Greens looked to have squandered valuable points after allowing Wroxham to reign in a two-goal lead but captain Stanley struck in time added on to secure Soham’s third win in-a-row.

Steve Fallon’s side moved up into 10th place in the Ryman League Division One North, ahead of today’s (Thursday) visit of Dereham Town to Julius Martin Lane.

Despite heavy overnight rain, the pitch was deemed suitable for play and Soham were quickest to shake off any Christmas hangovers, with Dan Brown seeing an early effort superbly denied by Wroxham’s Elliot Pride.

But there was no stopping Brown in the 21st minute as he applied the finishing touch to a cross from wide by Matt Simpson.

Stanley saw a headed effort well held by Pride before Soham finally doubled their advantage, Simpson again the provider as Joey Abbs tapped home his cross from close range with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.

The Greens rallied again soon after the half-time break and it took some alert work from the hosts to prevent Jordan Gent’s header from crossing the line just minutes in.

Wroxham were not out of it, however, and seized back the initiative in the 55th minute when Andy Howell fired past Enol Ordonez from a corner.

The hosts immediately stepped up the pressure and their endeavour was rewarded in the 67th minute when Remy Gordon beat Ordonez with a shot that slipped inside his near post.

Matt Simpson saw a shot come back off the crossbar for a beleaguered Soham side before Gordon had a goal chalked off for offside.

The two sides continued to trade chances but neither proved able to land a decisive blow as the clock wound down.

That is, until the first minute of injury time when the lively Joey Abbs found space enough to cross for Stanley, who beat his marker to head home at the near post.