FOOTBALL Ridgeons League Premier Division Dereham Town 5 Ely City 2 ELY trailed 2-0 at half-time in this midweek fixture, and never recovered. Full-back Lee Dixon pulled a goal back for them at the start of the second half, but Dereham extended their lead

FOOTBALL

Ridgeons League Premier Division

Dereham Town 5 Ely City 2

ELY trailed 2-0 at half-time in this midweek fixture, and never recovered.

Full-back Lee Dixon pulled a goal back for them at the start of the second half, but Dereham extended their lead to 5-1 before skipper Simon Warren grabbed a late consolation goal for the visitors.

Martin Westcott was booked in the first minute of the game, and Peter Hinde followed him into the referee's notebook.

Ely City 1 Wivenhoe Town 2

WIVENHOE Town - twice announced as 'Whitton' on the Ely tannoy - came from behind to take all three points on Saturday.

The visitors started brightly and Ely goalkeeper Lee Pacey was called into action within 30 seconds as James England fired a shot towards goal.

Wivenhoe continued to dominate, and it was not until midway through the first half that City created their first chance, with Tom Pell's shot comfortably saved by Rutherford in goal.

It was therefore against the run of play that Ely took the lead, a typically gigantic throw from Ben Lawrence eluding everyone in the box apart from Russell Flitton, who nodded in at the far post.

On the stroke of half-time Pell was presented with a glorious chance to make it 2-0 from Robbie Mason's cross, but inexplicably mis-kicked in front of goal.

Less than a minute of the second half had elapsed when Wivenhoe got back on level terms, a Sam Collins corner being powerfully headed home by England.

Ely enjoyed their best spell of the game thereafter however, and Simon Warren headed over from eight yards when totally unmarked.

Mason then went close on two occasions, squirting one effort wide and then blazing over the top when well placed.

Wivenhoe changed their formation following a substitution, and Steve Bell - a replacement for the booked Nightingill - crossed for Adam Hampson to side-foot the visitors in front.

Ely pressed hard for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes, but the closest they came was when Rutherford was forced to tip over Mason's 81st minute header.

The Robins travel to Haverhill Rovers on Saturday in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Vase.

Cambs Invitation Cup Preliminary Round Draw

ELY CITY v Great Shelford

Mildenhall Town v Hundon

Newmarket Town v Waterbeach

Wisbech Town v CRC

Byes - Cambridge City, Histon, March Town United and SOHAM TOWN RANGERS