RIDGEONS LEAGUE, PREMIER DIVISION Soham Town Rangers 2 Dereham Town 3 DESPITE going ahead twice, poor defending meant Soham came away with nothing on Saturday. Rangers took a deserved lead in the 31st minute when Keke St Hilaire floated in a corner, Mich

RIDGEONS LEAGUE, PREMIER DIVISION

Soham Town Rangers 2 Dereham Town 3

DESPITE going ahead twice, poor defending meant Soham came away with nothing on Saturday.

Rangers took a deserved lead in the 31st minute when Keke St Hilaire floated in a corner, Michael Bisong flicked the ball on and, after a goalmouth scramble, Charles Libam got the vital touch.

A fluke goal gave Dereham the equaliser eight minutes later when Jordan Blyth ran in from the left and his cross looped over Soham goalkeeper Dean Greygoose.

The visitors were boosted by this slice of luck and created further pressure, but the score remained 1-1 at half-time.

Soham came out fired up in the second half, and almost went ahead in the 53rd minute when St Hilaire drilled in a dangerous cross from the right, but neither Libam or Andy Furnell could connect. Furnell then curled a shot narrowly over three minutes later, before the Dereham goalkeeper pulled of a fantastic treble save to deny Libam and then Furnell twice.

The pressure paid off in the 60th minute when Aaron Turner's first goal for the club gave Soham the lead. After Michael Simpson's shot deflected wide, Turner calmly slotted the ball under the goalkeeper. But, again the visitors hit back quickly when Dan Beaumont, who had been on the field for just two minutes, scored with a 20-yard drive.

The winner came in the 74th minute when Andy Coleman gave the ball away just outside the penalty area and Olly Willis fired across goal into the top corner from an acute angle.

In the 77th minute Peter Hinde came off the bench to return to the Soham side for the first time in four months after injury and Paul Hill returned from his three-game suspension, but they were unable to lift Soham.

Soham's final effort, a low Simpson drive from the edge of the box in the 86th minute, was easily dealt with.

Soham boss Ian Benjamin said: "Defensive errors have been creeping in the last few games and our opponents have taken full advantage. We've again surrendered a lead and failed to kill off the opposition, but I'm reasonably happy with the way the season has gone so far and am optimistic about next year."

# Soham play Harwich and Parkeston away on Saturday and Histon Reserves at home on Boxing Day (1pm kick off).