Junior Football Round-Up

LOWER JUNIOR CUP FINAL

Mepal Sports 2 Chatteris Town Reserves 1 (after extra-time)

Mepal claimed the first major trophy in their history by edging a tight encounter with Chatteris Town Reserves.

They held the upper hand for the first 20 minutes, but fell behind to a goal against the run of play.

It was even for the rest of the first half, but on the stroke of half-time Giles Peacock latched on to Luke Wilson's through ball and clipped the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 1-1.

There were chances at both ends in the second half and during extra-time, but with just three minutes left Matt Johannesen - on as a substitute for Wilson - fired a 25-yarder towards goal.

The Chatteris 'keeper got his fingertips to the ball, but it bounced in off the underside of the bar to clinch a dramatic win.

PREMIER DIVISION

Waterbeach claimed the Premier Division title by beating Littleport Town by the only goal of the game in midweek and then defeating Great Paxton 3-1, a result which relegated the losers.

Ely City Reserves meanwhile had helped Waterbeach by ending the challenge of Hundon.

The visitors were depleted and trailed 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining, but James Angier scrambled them back into contention and Danny Mitchell levelled the scores with three minutes to go.

Andrew Lee could then have won the match for City, but fired straight at the 'keeper with the goal at his mercy.

Ely were short of players again for the match at Eaton Socon on Saturday, and after taking an early lead through James Salmons they found themselves 2-1 down.

David Cornwell redressed the balance once more, but the home side grabbed two late goals to take the points.

SENIOR DIVISION A

Soham Town Rangers Reserves lost their final game 2-0 at home to Comberton United, but still finished the season in a respectable sixth place.

SENIOR DIVISION B

Littleport Town Reserves won their last game 3-0 at Willingham, but were condemned to a bottom three finish by Swavesey Institute's surprise 3-3 draw at Outwell Swifts.

Soham United's Danny Batt was on target in the home clash with champions Cherry Hinton, but the visitors went on to win 3-1.

DIVISION 1B

Ely City A beat Eaton Socon Reserves 4-1 in their last outing, but missed out on runners-up spot because Cottenham United Reserves thrashed Buckden 8-2.

Cottenham could now win the title on goal difference if they can beat March Town United Reserves in their final game tonight (Thursday),

DIVISION 2B

Pymoor FC ended up in seventh spot after winning their last two games away from home.

Robert Parker's hat-trick enabled them to come from a goal down to beat Milton Reserves in midweek, and on Saturday they recorded a 2-0 victory at Godmanchester Rovers Reserves.

Stephen Yarrow opened the scoring in that one, and Mark Harvey - who normally plays at full-back - grabbed the second after finishing his mazy run with an acute-angled shot which surprised the goalkeeper.

Witchford '96 - who finished fifth - conceded four first half goals as they went down 4-2 at Somersham Town Reserves, and Isleham United lost their last two games without troubling the scorer.

The conceded seven at home to Newmarket White Lion in midweek, and then three more in Saturday's home clash with Milton Reserves to finish in the bottom two.

DIVISION 3B

Soham United Reserves avoided finishing in the bottom two after taking four points from their final two matches.

In midweek they travelled to runners-up Lakenheath Reserves and soon found themselves a goal down.

Stuart Freeland's double turned the tide in United's favour however, and Andy Parker made it 3-1 just before the interval.

Mark Allen grabbed Soham's fourth goal before the hosts managed a late consolation.

That result meant that Soham only needed a point from Saturday's home clash with Little Downham Swifts Reserves, owing to the fact that their relegation rivals Bluntisham Rangers Reserves and Fordham Reserves were playing one another.

United led 1-0 through Ally Mohammed, and held that advantage until the closing minutes when Downham managed an equaliser which gave the hosts reason to worry.

Fordham meanwhile saved themselves by winning 2-1 at Bluntisham, who replaced them in the bottom two.

Downham were also in action on Saturday, with Gareth Draper (2) and Cabral Mauro amongst the scorers in a 4-3 win against Brampton Reserves.

Ely Crusaders meanwhile lost 3-2 against champions March Rangers despite goals from Mark Bridge and James Collins, having been reduced to 10 men by virtue of Ben Stone's broken leg.

In midweek they had won 4-1 at Cottenham United A, despite starting the game with nine men and finishing with only 10. Amir Rezazebeh (2) and Robert Day (2) were the goalscorers in that match.

Haddenham Rovers Reserves lost 2-1 at Lakenheath Reserves in midweek despite a goal from Benjamin Hill, and on Saturday they crashed 5-2 at home to Cottenham United A, John Lee accounting for both of their goals.

DIVISION 4B

Champions Burwell Swifts scored early in both halves as they overcame local rivals Wicken Amateurs 3-1.

Tom Thatcher was played in by Marcus Carrod for the opener, but Swifts goalkeeper Pete Brown was called into action several times to preserve that advantage.

At the start of the second period Carrod scored with a low drive to make it 2-0, and Thatcher fired home from the edge of the box after collecting a long ball from Mark Chinery before Wicken managed a late consolation goal.

A goal from Justin Challis meanwhile earned The Vine Reserves a 1-1 home draw with Exning Athletic.

DIVISION 5B

Burwell Swifts Reserves' goalkeeper Austin Wright was the man-of-the-match with a string of fine saves which helped to earn his side a share of the spoils in the home clash with Tydd United, securing fifth spot in the process.

His side trailed early on, and Wright included a penalty stop amongst his saves to keep Burwell in the match.

Charlie Forden equalised with a 20-yard shot after both Tom Thatcher and Lee Hardy had struck the woodwork, and Lee Anderson eventually made the score 2-2 with a great 30-yard free-kick after Tydd had taken the lead once more.

The game ended disappointingly, with one player from each side being sent off after receiving a second yellow, and one Tydd player receiving a straight red.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL

Ely Park Rangers finished second in the Senior Division on goal difference after beating Arbury, but their Division 1A Reserves blew their title hopes by losing at Exning United.

The first team needed to win by four clear goals to pip Triple-S to the runners-up berth in the top flight, but did much better than that.

Andrew Lee (4) and Luke Butcher (3) were amongst the goalscorers in a 9-1 win.

The Reserves meanwhile handed the 1A title to Magpies 2001 after going down 1-0 at Exning. Magpies won by the same margin at home to Bar Hill Reserves to snatch the championship from under Ely's noses.

In the Tucker Gardner Alliance League Division Two, goals from Stephen Evans (3), Andrew Lister, Neil Garner and Stephen Footer earned Ely Pymoor Rangers a 6-2 win at the expense of NCI Reserves.