JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP SUTTON United, Ely City A and Littleport Town Reserves are all through to the next round of the competition after winning their third-round ties. Sutton looked in trouble against 2B promotion rivals Longstanton as they trailed

JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP

SUTTON United, Ely City A and Littleport Town Reserves are all through to the next round of the competition after winning their third-round ties.

Sutton looked in trouble against 2B promotion rivals Longstanton as they trailed 3-1 and 4-3 during Saturday's encounter.

But goals from Matthew Keys, Peter Wallace and Steve Townend kept them in the hunt before a late double from substitute Ryan Bate sealed a 5-4 win.

Townend's rare goal came after a shot from Colin Coulson wedged between the goalkeeper's legs on the line.

Ely's task at Needingworth United Reserves became that much easier when the home side had a player red-carded for throwing a punch at Adam Scott.

That was the most notable incident during a goalless opening 45 minutes, but Steve Pollard broke the deadlock when he converted Matt Brodie's cross after the break.

Brodie made the game safe at 2-0 with a sensational shot from the halfway line which caught the goalkeeper off his line.

Littleport, meanwhile, saw off Gamlingay United Reserves 3-1 with goals from Cavan Bennett, Scott Dews and Richard Layn.

DIVISION 3B

HEMINGFORDS United A are rock-bottom in this section, but on Saturday they belied their status by taking unbeaten The Vine all the way in a 10-goal thriller.

It was end-to-end stuff throughout as The Vine fought back from two goals down in the opening 20 minutes.

Man of the match Jez'Cutter reduced their deficit on the half-hour mark, and Wes Hilditch made the interval score 2-2 with his 43rd-minute effort.

Cutter then put The Vine in front for the only time in the match, but they subsequently trailed twice more before Grant Spencer's late double earned them a 5-5 draw.

Third-placed Soham United Reserves entertained top-of-the-table Wisbech St Mary Reserves in their first match of 2007, but there was no change in their respective positions after the leaders came through by the odd goal in seven.

The young Soham team battled with passion in dreadful conditions, but Wisbech's experience saw them through.

Soham's goals came from Jason Parker, Stuart Freeland and man of the match Shane Sadler, who is leaving the club to join the Army.

The Soham manager said: "Shane has been a real inspiration to the younger guys with his passion and spirit and he will be a big loss for us. We all wish him the very best in his new career."

DIVISION 4B

BURWELL Swifts leapfrogged March Rangers into second spot by beating their promotion rivals 5-3 at home on Saturday.

Kevin Driver headed on Lol Maskell's 10th-minute free-kick for Kev Driver to open the scoring, and another Maskell delivery saw Mike Edwards nod in a second goal five minutes later.

March hit back to level the scores before half-time, but Ollie Williams restored Burwell's lead after Driver had knocked on a corner.

Man-of-the-match Williams made it 4-2 with a brilliant solo effort, and he completed his hat-trick before Swifts defender Dave Benson managed to slice the ball over his goalkeeper's head for an own goal.

DIVISION 5B

ISLEHAM United Reserves grabbed their second win in a row at home to local rivals Wicken Amateurs, but remain fourth from bottom of the table.

An excellent encounter was decided in the second half when a Wicken defender bundled the ball into his own goal at the foot of a post.

The Vine Reserves, meanwhile, entertained Outwell Swifts Reserves, and needed a goal from substitute Mark Finbow in the first minute of added time to secure a 2-2 draw.

Ashley Dougan had scored for them after 37 minutes, but Outwell looked like taking all three points until Finbow's timely intervention.

Sixteen-year-old Matt Fuller was on target for Little Downham Swifts Reserves and he also won a penalty which Paul Bone converted, but his side still went down 4-2 at March Rangers Reserves.

JOHN ABLETT CUP THIRD ROUND

PYMOOR FC are out of the competition after losing 4-2 to Great Chishill on penalties, but Little Downham Swifts are through after winning their spot-kick decider against Litlington Athletic Reserves.

Scott Fuller's opener was followed by a Jamie Linney double as Swifts established a 3-1 lead, but the visitors got back on terms before losing in the shoot-out, with both sides having agreed that extra-time would not be required.

Goalkeeper Ally Naylor was Downham's saviour, keeping out two spot-kicks as his side came through 4-3.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL

M & E FREEMAN JUNIOR CUP

THIRD ROUND

ELY Park Rangers Reserves progressed by virtue of a 5-1 win at Brook Magpies, but their tie was a lot tougher than the scoreline would suggest.

Peter Munns missed a first-half penalty for Rangers, and the hosts immediately broke away to score what proved to be the only goal of the opening 45 minutes.

Ely were awarded another penalty after Steve Pollard was brought down at the start of the second period, and this time Matt Brodie stepped up to score the equaliser.

Munns was then fouled in the box as Rangers stepped up a gear, and Brodie was again successful from 12 yards to make it 2-1.

Brodie then completed his hat-trick in brilliant style after latching on to a back heel from Gary Dewsbury, and Pollard moved up front to score twice in the last 10 minutes as the visitors ran out comfortable winners.

In the quarter-finals of the Shelford Energy Cup, there was a 6-3 victory for LTFC 1906 at the expense of Elmdon Sunday, while in Division 4A, three points were earned by Fox Burwell as they beat Lakenheath Eagles 5-2 at home.