Littleport share spoils with Fen rivals Chatteris

Littleport Town 0 Chatteris Town 0

THERE was plenty of blood and thunder as Fen rivals Littleport and Chatteris clashed on Saturday but neither side could muster a goal as the respective defences prevailed.

There was an abundance of chances for both sides in a physical game at the Leisure Centre ground but a combination of errant finishing and lusty defending conspired to keep the score line goalless.

The point stretches Littleport’s unbeaten run into its seventh game and moves them up into ninth place in the league while struggling Chatteris remain second from bottom.

The first real chance of the game fell to Chatteris with little more than 10 minutes gone as former Ely City defender Tony Brown fired low across the box only for the resulting shot to fall straight into the arms of goalkeeper Leigh Follen.

Port’s Liam Hart had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring less than a minute later only for his cute lob from outside the box to sail over the bar, with the Chatteris keeper stranded.

On loan Ely City defender Brady Stone was well placed at the back post on the half-hour mark to latch onto a deep cross but he was left rueing his luck when he missed his kick with the goal begging.

David Cornwell was enjoying an industrious game in attack but lacked the decisive finish needed to open the scoring as he twice came close in the final minutes of the half.

His best chance came in the 44th minute as he rose highest to flick a floated cross onto to the post.

The visitors made a concerted effort to get the ball down and play in the second half and midfield trio Scott Goodger, Aiden Hollis and Jack Saunders were at the heart of most of their attacks.

Goodger saw a shot slip just wide after the hour mark and, from a slick counter-attack, Saunders crossed for Tony Brown, whose headed effort took a layer of paint off of the crossbar on its way over.

At the other end, Liam Hart was proving a nuisance and went close again in the 75th, a quick turn bamboozling a defender before a low shot slipped wide of the post.

Both teams tired as the match wore on and chances began to dry up as defences rose to the fore. Long balls were gobbled up at the back and wide players lacked the energy to trouble their opposite numbers as both teams settled for the point.