ALL the action from across the district

Local football roundup

By Gareth Draper

Kershaw Premier

IT was curtains for rock bottom Ely City Reserves as they lost two games in a week to Lakenheath, sealing their relegation from this section.

The week began terribly for the Robins’ second string as they travelled to Lakenheath on Wednesday evening and were thumped 6-1, with only Simon Farrow’s sixth goal of the season giving them any crumb of comfort.

The week soon got worse, though, with the return visit of ‘Heath to the Unwin Ground where City went down 3-2, confirming their drop into Senior A.

Littleport Town had a better week as they won their only game on Wednesday evening 5-2 at Cottenham United, where Richie Murfitt was the star of the show with a quartet of strikes. Sub Callum Walker joined Murfitt on the scoresheet with his first of the season as Town moved up into ninth place.

Senior A

SOHAM United confirmed their promotion to the Kershaw Premier League with a 1-1 draw against Cherry Hinton.

Soham deservedly claimed their promotion with this draw after leading the league for the majority of the season only to be caught at the last knockings by Cambridge City Reserves, who have won 11 out of their last 12 games.

Senior B

LITTLEPORT Town Reserves had a roller-coaster of a week that saw them lose narrowly on two occasions and then romp away with a win on Saturday to leap out of the relegation zone.

First up was at trip to league leaders Gamlingay United on Monday night where they were beaten 1-0. Next was a trip to third-placed Comberton United on Wednesday where Port lost 3-2 despite Comberton having a man sent off and Dan Bell’s double. The result that really mattered, though, came on the Saturday as they travelled to Hemingford United Reserves and this time it went all their way as they won 4-0 to give them hope of being in this section next season with two vital games left to play. Men on target at Hemingford were Sam Murfitt and sub Will Crisp who both bagged braces for Town, Murfitt’s goals came after 24 and 86 minutes and Crisp’s came after 62 and in the third minute of injury time ahead of another vital week for Port.

Junior Cup Final

WITCHFORD 96’s hopes of league and cup double were dashed by Peterborough & District Football League side Thorney as they were beaten 2-1 Histon on Wednesday night.

Ross Spencer scored the goal for 96 but they just fell short in what has been a magnificent campaign nonetheless for Martin Skilbeck’s men.

Division 1B

BACK in league action at the weekend, Witchford 96 journeyed to nearby Manea United and played out a goalless draw. Witchford now lead the section by 10 points with just one game left to play.

Division 2B

FORDHAM managed to escape relegation without playing a game as Bluntisham Rangers Reserves lost to Isleham United making it impossible for them to leapfrog Fordham out of the bottom.

Sutton United’s penultimate game of the season ended in a 3-0 defeat to promotion-chasing Bar Hill Sports & Social and United now lie stranded in mid-table obscurity.

Division 3B

STRETHAM Hotspurs will travel to Fenstanton Reserves for their last game of the season buoyed by Saturday’s result as they beat Exning United 2-1 to move them into eighth place in the league.

Little Downham Swifts hosted newly-crowned Lower Junior Cup champions Elsworth Sports in their final outing this season and equalised in the last minute through a fine finish from Rob Parker, latching on to Jamie Linney’s through ball.

It was Parker’s 21st goal of a bumper season for him and boss Tony Ure can be pleased with his first season in charge of Swifts.

Division 4B

FOURTH-placed Soham United Reserves had a good start to the week as they hammered bottom side Cottenham United 7-0 on Tuesday evening but this was countered by a 3-2 defeat on Saturday to Burwell Swifts Reserves.

Goalscorers for Soham against Cottenham were Thomas Christie, with a double, Bobby Fenn walloped in a hat-trick, while Ben Howe and sub Rob Aveston helped themselves to a goal each.

Mepal Sports Reserves’ final game of the season ended in victory as they beat Milton A 2-1 with Nick Samuels scoring both goals in the 35th and final minute of the first half to guarantee them eighth place this season.

Lower Junior Cup Final

ELY Crusaders were beaten after extra time by Elsworth Sports, who play two leagues above them. The score was deadlocked at 2-2 with Crusaders’ Scott Holmes bagging a rare double to take the match into extra time but ultimately Elsworth were too strong and scored in the additional minutes to make it 3-2 and claim the cup.

Division 5C

THERE was no league match for defeated cup finalists Ely Crusaders as Red Lodge Reserves failed to produce a side for their visit thus surrendering the points and leaving Crusaders champions by six points at the end of a fantastic season for them.

Division 5D

LITTLEPORT Town A also had the luxury of gaining three points without kicking a ball as their opponents, Chatteris Fen Tigers, failed to produce a side for their Monday night visit.