RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE Soham Town Rangers 4 Lowestoft Town 1 SOHAM bounced back from last week s shock FA Cup defeat to pull off a stunning victory over Ridgeons Premier League champions Lowestoft on Saturday. Ian Benjamin made two changes to his startin

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

Soham Town Rangers 4 Lowestoft Town 1

SOHAM bounced back from last week's shock FA Cup defeat to pull off a stunning victory over Ridgeons Premier League champions Lowestoft on Saturday.

Ian Benjamin made two changes to his starting 11, with Michael Simpson returning from injury, and midfielder Scott Carter making his debut.

Andy Coleman and Paul Jones were both dropped to the bench.

The Soham players were fired up from the start, and took the lead after just 10 minutes, when Aaron Rutter delivered a corner to the back post, Paul Hill headed the ball to the into the danger area, and Stuart Williams finished off with his head.

This sparked a response from the champions and, they quickly got down to the fluent football they are renowned for.

Soham's first scare came in the 20th minute, when Dean Greygoose spilled a shot that came in from fully 35 yards out, but Simon Flanz was on hand to clear the danger.

Greygoose then pulled off a stunning save to deny Ross King, who shot from the left-hand side.

King was celebrating on the half-hour mark, when after showing power and pace to get in behind the defence, he lobbed the ball over the Soham goalkeeper from the edge of the area.

King then thought he had given Lowestoft the lead when he connected with a strong header, after a cross came in from a free-kick from the left hand side, but Greygoose pulled off another great diving save to keep the ball out.

Rutter, making his 250th appearance for the club, gave Soham the lead 10 minutes before half-time, when he popped up at the back post and smashed the ball home with his left foot, after a good run and pass from Johnson.

Benjamin made a tactical change at half-time.

Peter Hinde sat just in front of the back-four, giving the team a platform to build from, and this paid off with Soham going on to dominate.

Andy Furnell made the score 3-1 in the 64th minute when he scrambled the ball in from six yards and, after a couple of minor scares, the game was made safe in the 72nd minute.

Tommy Crawford and Paul Jones came off the bench, to replace Furnell and Simpson, and they had an immediate impact.

The pair combined well and played the ball on to Carter, and the debutant kept a cool head, taking it wide of Lowestoft 'keeper Reynolds, before slotting the ball home.

This was a fantastic response to Benjamin's stinging criticism of his players, after they took a 4-1 drubbing against first division Stowmarket last week.

Benjamin said on Saturday: "Lowestoft are an excellent side and this was a very tough game for us, particularly in the first-half, where their passing and movement was very good.

"We passed the ball a lot better in the second-half, were tighter at the back, and took our goals very well.

"Nobody let me down today. I even thought we could have gone on to score more goals, but I can't complain with a 4-1 win against the champions.