FA VASE Soham Town Rangers 5 Whitton United 0 FORMER Ivory Coast under-21 international Charles Libam scored twice on his debut in Soham s biggest win of the season on Saturday. The 25-year-old striker, who has signed from Newmarket Town, came in to part

FA VASE

Soham Town Rangers 5

Whitton United 0

FORMER Ivory Coast under-21 international Charles Libam scored twice on his debut in Soham's biggest win of the season on Saturday.

The 25-year-old striker, who has signed from Newmarket Town, came in to partner Andy Furnell up-front and his power and pace proved a handful all afternoon for the first division side.

Libam had an immediate impact when, after five minutes, he raced on to a fine Michael Simpson through-ball and forced the Whitton goalkeeper to make a stunning one-handed save. Libam then gave Soham the lead with a fantastic goal in the 18th minute, when he latched on to an excellent Brett Claydon pass, lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper, and then ran around him to tap in from close range.

Soham then took their foot off the gas and lapses in concentration caused them to give the ball away cheaply, but the visitors were still unable to take advantage.

Furnell came close just before half-time, when he came in from the right and beat three defenders, but he blazed his shot over the cross-bar.

Soham got back to their crisp passing game in the second half and doubled their lead when Keke St Hilaire ran 70 yards with the ball before cutting it back from the by-line to Paul Jones, who hammered home from six yards out. Libam made it three by linking well with Furnell, who then crossed the ball in from the right wing, and the African striker finished off with a powerful header from close range. Libam then came close to scoring his hat-trick on two ocassions, just after the hour mark - after 63 minutes he rose well to get on the end of a Jones cross, but headed narrowly over the bar, then, two minutes later, he had a downward header cleared off the line, after Jake Goodship whipped in a dangerous corner.

Libam then turned provider in a potential goal of the season. Libam played a perfect diagonal pass to St Hilare on the left wing, who took the ball away from the full-back with his first touch, before curling it precisely into the stantion in the top corner of the net.

Soham manager Ian Benjamin then took the opportunity to give 19-year-old goalkeeper Lea Jordon his competitive debut in the last 10 minutes.

Simpson capped off a fine performance by scoring, five minutes from the end, with a well hit shot from just inside the box. The home side kept looking for goals right up to the final whistle, and Goodship almost made it six in injury time, but his effort smashed the cross-bar.

The win has secured Soham a lucrative passage to the first round of the FA Vase, where they will play at Ipswich Wanderers who had a stunning 11-0 win against Long Melford at the weekend.

Soham's next match is away at Stanway on Saturday.