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Local football round up

Cliff Bullen Saturday Challenge Cup

ELY City Reserves put their recent sketchy league form behind them in the cup and found it much more to their liking as they beat lower league opposition, Milton, by three goals without reply.

This puts an end to their three game streak without a win and they had Peter Czalnecky, James Salmons and Lewis Peacock to thank for their goals even though they were depleted in numbers again this week.

Kershaw Senior A

SCORE draw specialists, Soham Town Rangers Reserves, made it four scoring draws in a row as they drew 2-2 for the second week in succession, this time at home to sixth placed Cherry Hinton.

They still remain in fourth place in the league though, as their nearest rivals failed to capitalise on another afternoon without maximum points for Rangers. Samuel James’ brace was the reason that Rangers salvaged a point and they were his first two strikes of the season on a great afternoon for him but a frustrating one for his team.

Soham United’s tough start to the season continued with a 2-1 loss against a Hundon side that were below them in the table at the start of the day, but by the end of the day had leapfrogged United into ninth position. Mark Allen was the scorer for United with his second of the season.

Kershaw Senior B

ELY City A’s struggles showed no signs of abating as they lost 2-0 Duxford United and now occupy the second to last place in this section.

They went behind to a freakish goal that the United player fortunately looped into Ely’s net and the final nail in the coffin came when Duxford scored from a free-kick even though there was more than a hint of offside. Boss Gareth Arter will be hoping for a swift turnaround in fortunes for his beleaguered troops.

Division 1B

BOSS Andrew Lee must have been a delighted man as he saw his side rocket to the top of the league with an emphatic 5-1 victory over a well-placed Chatteris Town Reserves side.

Sam Murfitt enjoyed scoring his first of the season in the 22nd minute so much that he added to that in the 35th and 80th minutes to complete a fine hat-trick for Port. Richie Murfiitt in the 40th minute and Chris Wilson in the 50th completed the scoring for a riotous Town win.

Division 2B

SUTTON United were the only local side with a win in this section as they swept past St Ives Rangers Reserves by three goals to one.

Serial goal-scoring striker of many years, Steve Pollard struck a double for United and sub Billy Tillyard accounted for the other on a very satisfying afternoon for the rising Sutton side.

The Vine made it five league and cup losses out of five this season when they were walloped 6-0 by league leaders Godmanchester Rovers Reserves. This leaves the Vine floundering in last position in the league and facing a tough test in getting out of the relegation zone this term following a one-sided affair with champions-elect Godmanchester.

Witchford ’96 travelled to lowly Bluntisham Rangers Reserves but were in for a shock as the opposition’s first team were not playing and this appeared to make a big difference as they went down by the odd goal in three. Bluntisham scored first thanks to a defensive error but plucky Witchford came back to level with a breakaway goal from Aaron Spencer with only a few minutes to go of the first half. Parity did not last long though, as a free-kick came into the box from Rangers and a flicked header over the defender and keeper meant 96 went in 2-1 down at the interval. After a half-time roasting from manager Martin Skilbeck, things did tighten up and Witchford had plenty of chances but have just lacked the ability to score and bolstered Bluntisham defended well to hold on to their first win of the season.

John Ablett Cup

IT was a great day for six out of the seven sides in action in this competition as they all went through to next round with victories over their various opponents.

Biggest winners of the day were Fordham who brushed aside Division 3A side, Fulbourn Institute A, by an impressive seven goals to one.

Lewis Cushing set up Chris Martin for Fordham’s opener before Cushing got on the scoresheet himself from Clive Boucheron’s lay-off. On the half-hour Boucheron grabbed number three and Grant Pearson and Martin, with the goal of the match, made it 5-0 at the break.

The hot weather slowed things up in the second half Martin set up Boucheron on the hour to score again but Fordham were caught on the break for the first time in the match to allow the visitors a consolation. Boucheron completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes remaining.

Haddenham Rovers put aside their recent struggles to record a 7-2 win over Milton A to progress to the next stage.

Justin Hudson scored a brace as well as Andrew Wilding for Rovers and Craig Knight, Ricardo Mayer and Marcin Skowyrski also made it onto the scoresheet in a cracking win for the newly created Haddenham side.

Little Downham Swifts won their third straight game with a 4-2 win over a Lode side that are riding high in the equivalent Division 3A.

Jordan Miller kept up his impressive start to the season in front of goal with his third of the season for Swifts and he was joined on the scoresheet by Aaron Povey, the highly experienced goal-getter Greg Saberton and sub Lee Abbs who all registered their first goals of the season in Downham’s fine win that keeps their winning run going.

Mepal Sports and Stretham Hotspurs both continued their great starts to the season with cup wins at home to Estover Park and Burwell Swifts Reserves, 4-0 and 5-2 respectively. Sam Morgan was on hand to score twice for Sports and team-mates David Heyes-Fisher and Craig Wilkinson also hit the back of the net as Mepal cruised through to the next stage of this competition.

Wicken Amateurs recorded their second cup win of the season with a narrow 1-0 victory over West Wratting A and will hope to convert this form into their league endeavours. Michael Rola was the hero as he swapped his usual substitute duties for a starting role that ended up with him grabbing the all-important winner in the 30th minute.

Division 5C

WITCHFORD ‘96 Reserves entertained league leaders Waterbeach A and put up a brave display but ultimately ended pointless as they went down by three goals to one.

The bright spot for 96 though, was another goal from Pawel Kolasa who made it four goals in four games with his consolation strike as Witchford valiantly failed to get the other goals needed to make the afternoon’s exploits worthwhile.

Division 5D

MEPAL Sports Reserves kept up their 100 per cent record in the league without even having to enter the field of play as opponents Estover Park Reserves could not raise a team thus handing them the win to extend their run of victories to four without defeat this season.