All the action from across the district

Local football round up

by Gareth Draper

Kershaw Premier League Cup

LITTLEPORT Town launched an assault on their first piece of silverware for the season in the Premier League Cup, with a terrific 2-1 victory at Chatteris Town.

In an ill-tempered affair that produced six yellow cards between the two sides, Luke Butcher’s fourth effort of the season so far and Jose Mendez Monteiro with the second goal put paid to Chatteris’ hopes in this trophy. This continues Port’s superb unbeaten start to the season and they have gone five games unbeaten so far.

Kershaw Premier League

ELY City Reserves were quick out of the blocks in their game at last year’s champions Fulbourn Institute, as Sam James scored almost straight from the kick off with a neat turn and strike into the top corner to put the Robins Reserves in the ascendancy.

Fulbourn showed great resolve though, to equalise shortly before the break and their championship pedigree accounted for two more early second half goals to leave the final score 3-1 to the Institute, even though City were still in the game up until the final whistle.

Kershaw Senior A

SOHAM Town Rangers Reserves put on a sumptuous display on Saturday to cement their position at the top of the table, as they outclassed Brampton 4-1.

Goal machine Thomas Christie, netted twice to take his tally to eight goals in just five games this season and assistant manager Steve Bugg also plundered a double, as Brampton failed to cope with the early season pacesetters in this section.

Strugglers Fordham had another week to forget, even though it started brightly in their first game of the week on Tuesday night away to Mildenhall Town Reserves. Lewis Carter struck twice for Fordham, one a penalty and one an absolute corker, before his emotions got the better of him and he was sent off for two bookable offences. This was the signal for Fordham to capitulate again and Town promptly scored three goals in reply to steal the 3-2 victory. Another pointless outing at Cherry Hinton on Saturday swiftly followed, this time the score was three goals to Cherry Hinton with no consolation for rock-bottom Fordham.

Div 1B

LITTLEPORT Town Reserves travelled to Fenstanton for their first game of the season and it proved to be a day to remember for former Witchford ’96 striker Michael Ward, who completed the step up in class with ease as he came away with a magnificent debut hatrick for ‘Port.

Ward proved himself to be just as much a handful at this exulted level as he did in Division 2B, as he converted a penalty and notched two more opportunistic efforts with great help from the returning and impressive Stuart Seekings. James Francis also excelled on the day and managed to join Ward on the scoresheet, to make it a great start to the season for the newly bolstered Town second string, as they left Fenstanton with three points and a 4-1 win.

Haddenham Rovers struggled in their first game following relegation last year as they came unstuck at home against in-form Somersham Town Reserves, to the tune of two goals to nil. Early season table toppers Somersham went in 1-0 up at half-time, and doubled this tally in the second half to leave Rovers with no points to show for their afternoon’s work in this unfamiliar division.

Div 2B

WITCHFORD’96 made it two wins out of two for the season as they hosted and then overcame Milton Reserves 1-0.

Aron Spencer struck for the second time in two weeks to secure the spoils for jubilant Witchford.

The Vine made it two home losses out of two as they again went down by a single goal against Over Sports Reserves. Jez Cutter scored the only goal for The Vine and also picked up a booking, but his strike was not enough to contain Sports, who left with all three points.

Div 3B

ELY Crusaders won their second successive local derby by the narrow margin of a solitary goal as they defeated Little Downham Swifts 2-1.

Last season’s leading scorer and player of the season, Arron Hodson, claimed his first goal of the season for Swifts but goals from Andrew Hislett and Michael Warren for Crusaders continued their 100 per cent start to the campaign.

Mepal Sports made up for last week’s narrow defeat to Exning by travelling to Hemingfords United ‘A’ and walloping them by 12 goals without reply. Sports had a field day in front of goal and players to get on the scoresheet were Luke Wilson with a hatrick, centre back for the day, Paul Bone weighed in with a double, Darren Murfitt also claimed a brace, Lewis Hall, Sam Morgan and sub Kane Saunders also notched one apiece to add to the astonishing two goals that the evergreen but never prolific Martin Pettitt managed to grab for Mepal.

Fordham Reserves’ 80-mile round trip to a strong Tydd United side, proved fruitless as they went down 6-0 even though they were never humiliated and managed to hit the woodwork too.

Stretham Hotspurs suffered away day agony also as they were seen off by seven goals without reply by the early season pacesetters in this section, Estover Park.

Div 4B

SOHAM United Reserves played out an entertaining six-goal thriller against newly-promoted Longstanton Reserves that ultimately ended in a point each for both teams.

Aaron Lee snatched two goals for United and Ben Reed chipped in with one and ended up in the referee’s notebook too in this topsy turvy 3-3 draw.

Wicken Amateurs went to West Row Gunners Reserves and returned with nothing as they endured their second reverse in a row, this time 3-1.

Haddenham Rovers Reserves also had a miserable time at Milton ‘A’ as they were defeated 1-0 to leave them pointless this season.

Div 5C

LITTLE Downham Swifts Reserves put in a much improved performance this week as they entertained Girton United ‘A’ but ended up with nothing to show for their efforts going down by the odd goal in three.

A well-worked short corner between Mark Yardy and Nick Marsh ended up with Gareth Draper sneaking in at the far post to head Swifts into an early lead that lasted until half-time. They soon relinquished that lead after the break though, and buckled with only 10 minutes remaining to lose 2-1. A youthful Girton side were never comfortable thanks to commanding displays from Matt Oakes and Joe Coyle in defence.

The battle of last season’s two bottom clubs saw Swavesey Institute Reserves beat Sutton United Reserves at home by a stunning five goals to one. Leigh Ball’s goal was the only plus point for Sutton and made it four in two games for him following his opening day hatrick last week.

Witchford ’96 Reserves also conceded a nap of goals away to Willingham Wolves in their first game of the season even though Shaun Gimbert and Ali Macdonald scored for them. This was not enough, though, as the defence leaked five to a hungry Wolves outfit.

Div 5D

MEPAL Sports Reserves earned their easiest three points of the season as their opponents Outwell Swifts Reserves failed to raise a team. This makes it four points from two games for Sports following their 2-2 draw at home to Walsoken the week before. Scott Verdon and last season’s top marksman, Mark Finbow, were the men on target as they helped Mepal to their first point of the season.