Saturday Football Round-Up: City win to stay five points clear

SENIOR DIVISION B

ELY City Reserves maintained their five-point lead at the top of the table by recording a convincing win against local rivals Soham United on Saturday.

Dave Cornwell slotted home from Steve Pollard's cross to give City the half-time lead, and Pollard then made it 3-0 before Jamie Gayfer slotted home to make the final score 4-0.

Haddenham Rovers lost 3-1 at home to Sawston United Reserves, and Ely Crusaders saw their promotion hopes dented with a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Comberton United.

Lee Moll bundled the ball home to give Crusaders the lead, but the visitors pulled one back from the penalty spot and eventually ran out easy winners as Crusaders suffered injuries to both Matt Brodie and Jonathan Brown.

PREMIER DIVISION

Littleport Town improved their position with a 2-0 home victory at the expense of Somersham Town.

Sean Ambrose side-footed home the first goal after good work by Jim Francis and Nigel Smith, and Smith himself netted the second goal after Dave Beeton had struck the bar with a header. "I think 5-0 would have been a fair result,." said 'Port boss Dave Cullum afterwards.

Fordham were at home to Cottenham United, but their relegation worries worsened with a 3-0 home defeat and they still have work to do if they are to avoid the drop.

SENIOR DIVISION A

Soham Town Rangers Reserves made further ground on the Senior A leaders with a 3-1 victory at Hundon.

DIVISION 1B

Littleport Town Reserves remain rooted to the foot of the table after a 5-0 defeat at second-placed Outwell Swifts.

DIVISION 2B

Sutton United waved their promotion hopes goodbye as local rivals Ely City A eased their own relegation worries with a 3-2 derby win.

Sam Oliver and Will Ludbrooke were on target for United, but Lee Abbs was amongst the home scorers as City ran out winners by the odd goal in five to ease their own relegation fears.

Stretham Hotspurs were also successful away from home, winning 3-0 against local rivalsl Isleham United.

Ollie Langford gave them the lead after Dave Sandland had made a series of fine saves for Stretham, and Simon Jones made it 2-0 early in the second half before Richard Gray wrapped the points up with 15 minutes remaining.

DIVISION 3B

The Vine improved their promotion prospects with a great victory over West Row Gunners Reserves.

Grant Spencer and Karl Spencer both scored twice in the opening 45 minutes, and Karl Spencer went on to complete his hat-trick as The Vine ran out convincing winners against their Suffolk rivals.

Johnny Cutter and Gurkinder Mann were the other players on target in a convincing 7-2 win for the home side.

Little Downham Swifts drew 2-2 at home to Cottenham United A, and Soham United Reserves were beaten 4-1 away from home by Lakenheath Reserves. Both sides remain in trouble near the foot of the 3B table.

DIVISION 4B

Pymoor FC boosted their promotion hopes with a great victory over second-in-the-table St Ives Town A.

Tom Higgs put them in front, and Greg Saberton capped a solid performance by scoring from the penalty spot as Pymoor eventually ran out 2-0 winners.

Mepal Sports did Pymoor a huge favour by drawing 0-0 at home to Swavesey Institute Reserves, and Ely Crusaders Reserves kept themselves in the promotion hunt with a 4-1 victory at Wicken Amateurs.

Tom Ashton headed home a corner for Wicken's late consolation, but Luke Schunmann (2) and Sam Rolfe (2) had already put the game beyond recall for the visitors at that stage.

Sutton United Reserves won 2-1 at home to Haddenham Rovers Reserves thanks to goals from Richard Martin and Lee Read, but Burwell Swifts lost by the odd goal in seven at Milton A to continue their poor run of form.

Burwell started strongly and led when Dave Fordham converted a Mike Edwards flick-on from Chris Grant's free-kick, but they fell 3-1 in arrears before Edwards went up front to pull another goal back for them.

Burwell conceded their second penalty of the afternoon to go 4-2 behind however, and although they scored again through Edwards following a great through ball from Ben Hubbard they were still one goal adrift at the final whistle.

DIVISION 5B

The Vine Reserves won easily against Coldham United, but nevertheless remain bottom of the Division 5B table.

Justin Challis led the way with a four-goal haul, and he was joined on the scoresheet by Ashley Duggan (2), Mark Harlock and Gavin Morgan as the visitors ran out easy 8-2 winners against the league newcomers.

Littleport Town A also scored twice away from home as they went down 5-2 against promotion-chasing March Rangers, but two goals proved sufficient for Burwell Swifts Reserves and Little Downham Swifts Reserves to each earn a share of the spoils in their derby clash.

Burwell dominated throughout, but were eventually thankful for an Ollie Williams double as they came from behind to snatch a share of the spoils 2-2.

Shane Freeland was on target for Isleham United Reserves at Cottenham United B, but his side also had to settle for a solitary point as the match eventually finished 1-1.

LOWER JUNIOR CUP

QUARTER FINAL

Witchford '96 will face arch-rivals Wisbech St Mary in the last four of the competition after a comfortable 5-0 victory at home to Fulbourn Sports & Social Club in Saturday's Quarter Final.

Fulbourn looked useful early on, but fell behind when Ben Barnwell fired home a shot from the edge of the box.

Michael Ward lobbed the goalkeeper to make it 2-0, and he then headed home a Ross Spencer cross to put the result beyond doubt. Substitute Colin Coulson then added number four with a close-range header, and the same player wrapped up a 5-0 win with a typically robust goal in the closing stages of the tie.

The result suggests that Witchford had an easy time of it, but their man-of-the-match was goalkeeper Michael Vincent and as well as making several fine saves he also saved a penalty kick when the score was 3-0.