All the action from across the district

Division 1B

IT was three wins on the trot for Littleport Town Reserves as they defeated rivals, Haddenham Rovers 2-1 at home on Saturday.

Town started off satisfactorily and should have been a goal up after five minutes when Dave Cornwell missed a one-on-one. Surprisingly it was Rovers who took the lead through Philip Cowlan with his third strike of the campaign. Haddenham also hit the bar and post in one attack in a frenetic 10 minutes.

Littleport then settled down and got in some dangerous crosses which had to be scrambled off the line and it was the earlier villain Cornwell who atoned for his miss by converting a one-on-one. Rovers though, were menacing on the break and Town keeper Leigh Follen, made a fine save to tip a Haddenham effort onto the bar and it stayed level until half-time.

The second half was a more subdued affair that was settled by Dave Cullum Jnr’s super finish following a good team passing move. Haddenham tried hard to get back into the match but it wasn’t to be as Port’s midfield battled hard to keep the lead and eventually take the three points.

Kershaw Premier League

LITTLEPORT Town consolidated their third position in the league with a hard fought 1-1 draw at lowly Waterbeach.

Liam Hart was the man on target for Port with his first of the season for the first team, who are starting to look like real championship contenders.

Ely City Reserves could not build on their point and performance last week as they again narrowly lost 2-1 to Cottenham United, with United’s winner coming in the last five minutes. A tight first half was goalless but Cottenham took the lead with five minutes played of the second half.

The Robins equalised through James Seymour for his first of the season as he swept home with his left foot after good work from Adam Salmons but this merely set up the grim finale that saw City lose in the dying moments.

Kershaw Senior A

SOHAM United recorded a vital 1-0 win at Wimblington which could give them the boost they so badly need to get out of relegation trouble.

The game was scoreless at half-time even though United hit the bar twice and it could have been 3-1 to Soham at the mid-point. On a sticky pitch good football was tough to play but the exception arrived in the form of an excellent passing move that ended with Dan Symonds laying the ball off to Sam Cooper who lashed in from 20 yards to give United the lead.

Symonds then missed an identical opportunity and that could have been critical but for a fantastic save from United goalkeeper Gav Wiseman that made sure it remained 1-0 and gave Soham the precious points.

Soham Town Rangers Reserves travelled to bottom placed Mildenhall Town Reserves and came away with a point as they drew 2-2 in an eventful encounter. Steve Bugg and Thomas Christie both scored their 12th goals of the season for Rangers but Christie blotted his copybook by collecting two yellow cards which meant that he had to go for an early bath. Soham held on though, with the 10 men and earned what could be a valuable point.

Kershaw Senior B

NEW signing Will Ludbrooke scored his first goal for new club Ely City A but that was the only bright spot on another afternoon of woe as they went down 6-1 to Comberton United.

This week City had seven regular players missing and Ely’s third string have now gone 11 games without a victory, which must be a big worry for young manager, Gareth Arter.

Division 2B

THE Vine suffered another home defeat at the hands of Doddington United, which now leaves them third from bottom in the league.

Despite dominating the first half, a mixture of missed opportunities and fine goalkeeping resulted in The Vine going in at the interval 2-0 down. David Martin’s third of the season pulled one back for the home team but a further goal on the counter attack killed any chance of a late come back.

League leaders Witchford 96 entertained derby rivals Sutton United and came through with flying colours to win 3-1.

Callum Falconer’s first goal of the season and Tom Parrish were on target for Witchford and Ross Spencer notched his 13th of the season to seal the victory. Sutton’s goalscorer was Matthew Bruce on a disappointing afternoon for the seventh placed team.

Division 3B

IN this week’s local derby, Little Downham Swifts went to Stretham Hotspurs and rescued a point with a Scott Dews effort that equalised Dan Yardy’s goal for Hotspurs.

Ely Crusaders went down for the second week in a row at home and lost further ground on the leaders as they were beaten 1-0 by forth placed Tydd United.

Resurgent Fordham suffered a setback at home to 11th placed Wimblington Reserves as they lost 4-2. It all started so well for Fordham as Mark Oliver combined with Grant Pearson to cross for man-in-form Clive Boucheron to finish from close range and make it 1-0.

Five minutes before half-time Wimblington levelled only for sub Tom Wilson to set up Oliver to score with a 20 yard drive in the second half. Fordham made the cardinal error of not shutting up shop though, and Wimblington equalised again within minutes. This was the beginning of the end for Fordham and a header from a corner and a penalty 10 minutes from time wrapped up the scoring for Wimblington and piled more misery on sorry Fordham.

Division 4B

WICKEN Amateurs bounced back from two successive defeats to record a much needed 3-2 home win over lowly Burwell Swifts.

Goal machine David Holmes got Amateurs off to a great start with a strike from outside the area after five minutes but this was equalised by Swifts with a questionable penalty. Just before half-time, Wicken’s Josh Woodroffe turned in a loose ball in the area following an excellent corner from new signing Matt Sore.

Burwell would not be shaken off though and drew level again, before that man Holmes capitalised on a goalkeeping error to poach his 16th of the season and give his promotion chasing side a narrow victory.

Soham United Reserves faced a sterner test than last week’s humbling of Wisbech Fen Stars, when they hosted fifth placed West Row Gunners Reserves and came unstuck to the tune of four goals to one. David Clemence’s second goal in two games was the only positive to come out of a disappointing afternoon for United’s second string.

Division 5C

SAM Smith’s double for Sutton United Reserves made it three goals in three games for him, but this was matched by the visiting Witchford ’96 Reserves to leave this local clash at 2-2 at the final whistle.

Sam Ashman scored yet again for Witchford as well as Stuart Patman with his third of the season to keep the pressure on their promotion hunting rivals at the top of the league.

Dan Beavis marked his debut for Little Downham Swifts Reserves with a goal but had to watch seven more fly into his own net as Swifts suffered another heavy defeat. It all looked okay at half-time with the score just 1-0 to visiting St Ives Rangers Reserves but that all changed in the second half as Swifts tired and Rangers took full advantage.

John Ablett Cup

HADDENHAM Rovers Reserves’ assault on this trophy ground to a halt at the last 16 stage as they had a miserable afternoon at 3A side Hardwick A and could only come away with an 8-2 defeat. Hitman Darren Easey’s 14 and 15th goals of the season were never enough to stop Rovers crashing out at this stage.

Division 5D

MEPAL Sports Reserves comfortably saw off rock bottom outfit Upwell Town to record their first win in five matches.

It was 3-0 to Sports after just 12 minutes as Mepal cashed in on a defence that has conceded 64 goals so far this season. Scott Verdon scored after barely two minutes, David Abbott made it two and Jordan Lee added the third as the floodgates appeared to be opening. Town fought back though to strike back after 15 minutes and it stayed that way until half-time. Ashley Dougan was the only Mepal scorer in the second half as he scored his second goal of the season after 49 minutes to seal the 4-1 win for his side.