YOUTH FOOTBALL ROUND-UP Under-9 Witchford Colts 6 Mepal Sports 4 WITCHFORD kept their unbeaten run going with a good win over a strong side. Mepal took the lead early on, before Witchford made a quick substitution, bringing on Ewan Gilmour, who scored

YOUTH FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

Under-9

Witchford Colts 6 Mepal Sports 4

WITCHFORD kept their unbeaten run going with a good win over a strong side.

Mepal took the lead early on, before Witchford made a quick substitution, bringing on Ewan Gilmour, who scored straight away.

The goals flowed throughout the game with Gilmour (2), Nathan Parker, and Matthew Loades all finding the net, but it was a fine display from Sam Gulliver, scoring two cracking goals, one with each foot, that earned him the man of the match award.

Team: Sam Gulliver, Matthew Loades, Ewan Gilmour, Nathan Parker, Nathan Francis, Daniel Chapman, Harry Braybrooke, Ruairidh MacDonald.

Under-10

Waterbeach Colts 0

Ely Crusaders 3

THREE first-half goals gave Crusaders a comfortable win.

Ely opened the scoring when Tom Walker controlled a Charlie Root cross and slid the ball past the keeper. Root then turned provider, crossing for Jamie Simper, who unleashed an unstoppable drive.

Ely went close again when Sarah Lappin's shot beat the keeper but hit the woodwork.

Root then grabbed the third goal after he was played in by Daniel Moody.

Ely enjoyed the majority of possession in the second half but the closest they came was when Dominic Hunt's shot was tipped onto the post by the keeper.

This was a good all round team performance by Ely, who limited Waterbeach to just one shot.

Ely: Athi Ambi, Dominic Hunt, Sarah Lappin, Conor Logan, Daniel Moody, Mitchell Morse, Charlie Root, Jamie Simper (C), Will Stephens, Tom Walker, Ethan Weinberg.

Burwell Tigers 3

Ely Crusaders A 3

ELY recovered from being two goals down in the first 30 minutes to earn a draw.

Burwell Tigers' defence was magnificent and it looked like the visitors would never find a way through. Ely captain Oliver Bailey was in outstanding form but, despite half a dozen headers, simply couldn't find a breakthrough.

Eventually Ely's Luke Brown found the net, after a perfect pass from Jordan Rowsel, but Burwell replied seconds later to make it 3-1.

Brown then scored a penalty, with 15 minutes left, to ensure a frantic finish.

It looked like Tigers would take all three points until Brown popped up with an equalizer with two minutes remaining.

Ely Crusaders: Liam Walker, Aiden Merry, Joe Minar, Jonathan Humphry, Oliver Bailey (C), Fraser Crossman, Jordan Rowsel, Luke Brown, Ryan Dean, Tejay O'Keeffe, James Hutton.

Stretham Sporting B 0

Soham United 3

STRETHAM produced one of their best performances of the season, but were beaten by a strong side.

Soham attacked well from the start but were met with good defensive play from Jack Robinson and Dean Crookell and super goalkeeping from Ryan Eaton.

Soham did manage to nick a goal and take a 1-0 lead into half-time.

Stretham forwards Daniel Stead and Lance Brown broke through Soham's defence several times with brilliant shots from distance, but two more Soham goals secured the win. Stretham man of the match: Jack Robinson. Most improved player: Lance Brown.

Soham Town Colts 1

Newmarket Town A 9

IF it wasn't for goalkeeper Matthew Fretwell's alert reactions this could have been a lot worse for Soham.

After Newmarket scored in the first minute, Soham tried to get back into the match, with Ross Davey taking the game to the opposition, but a strong tackle took him out of the match and Soham lost their impetus.

Clinical finishing ensured that the visitors finished the half five goals to the good. Alistair Hutchinson scored for Soham but Newmarket continued to press and made it nine by the end.

Soham Man of Match: Matthew Fretwell

Under-12

Cambs Colts League Cup

Round 1

Stretham Sporting 7

Saffron Walden Town B 1

SPORTING bounced back from their first loss of the season to cruise through to the next round of the cup.

After dominating the early part of the game, Stretham took the lead with a George Carroll strike and they never looked back.

A further goal from Carroll and a Zack Barton strike ensured that Stretham had a comfortable half-time lead.

Barton then scored a decisive goal in the second half, before Carroll completed his hat-trick and Michael Thomas got on the scoresheet. Captain Greg Hine completed the home side's tally with a penalty, before the visitors grabbed a consolation goal.

Stretham squad: Will Holmes, Braddan Westlake, James Fuller, Greg Hine, George Carroll, Ryan Newton, Harry Thomson, Matthew Kerridge, Conor Smithson, Michael Thomas, Jack Rose, Zack Barton, Craig Lawrence, Kieran Pauley.

Littleport Town 5 Eaton Socon 1

LITTLEPORT played some of their best football of the season against a good side.

'Port dominated the first half and took the lead with a superb Arron Heaps free kick. The home side doubled their lead with Heaps's second, before Nico Bishop scored two goals in quick succession, and a good header by Joseph Murfitt from a corner put the game beyond the visitors.

Eaton Socon scored from a free kick in the second half and continued to press but Littleport's defence was too strong.

Littleport: Sam Barker, Charlie Bowditch, Jake Kennedy, Ben Jewitt, Kiaran Phillips, Arron Heaps, Ashton Oaks, Jake Browning, Luke Thompson, Joseph Murfitt, Nico Bishop, Jed Oak-Leigh, Liam Ball, Josh Tollett

Soham Town Colts 3

Cherry Hinton 2

SOHAM'S never-say-die attitude shone through as they came from behind twice to grab an extra-time winner.

Cherry Hinton managed to take the lead, but a Robson Barker header put Soham back on level terms.

Cherry Hinton went ahead again, in the second half, when Soham failed to clear their lines, and despite the keeper grabbing hold of the ball, it was deemed to have gone over the line. They grabbed an equaliser in the dying seconds when Josh Greenley scored from a James Prewett corner.

Barker then grabbed his second goal of the game in extra time to secure the win.

Lewis Freestone had an excellent game in defence for Soham.

Papworth Blasters 7

Little Downham Eagles 1

LITTLE Downham Eagles struggled against Papworth and their only goal of the game came from Daniel Burdin. Man of the Match for Eagles was Jack Ure.

Under-13 League Cup

Buckden 5 Soham United 3

SOHAM travelled to Buckden without several key players but still put up a good show. They defended well for the first 20 minutes, operating an excellent offside trap, but the home side adapted well and went a goal up after 25 minutes, followed by three more before the break.

Soham started the second half well and the hard-working Craig Peacock pulled one back and, when Michael Wallis slotted home a well-taken spot kick, Buckden were on the back foot.

The busy Ryan Anderson went close twice, then Callum Eley made it 5-3 but the whistle came too soon for Soham.

Soham's men of the match were Ryan Brookes and Josh Radford.

Ely Crusaders 6

Huntingdon Rowdies 4

ELY picked up a superb win to knock a strong Rowdies side out of the cup.

Rowdies opened the scoring with a free kick on the edge of the box, but Ely replied quickly with a great move that finished with Nick Kyndt crossing the ball to Cameron Robb, who volleyed home.

The visitors went ahead again from a goalmouth scramble, but Ely replied instantly with a Luke Hayes header.

The second half saw a very strong and determind Ely performance, and quick goals came from Hayes and Crusaders' man of the match Ryan Lowe. Ashley Hammersley then added another for Ely, before Rowdies staged a fight back. They scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to get within one goal of Ely, but the win was sealed by Hayes completing his hat-trick.

Ely squad: George Bannister, Joe Dalton, Jake Hopkin, FD, Alex Minall, Lewis Buxton, Nick Kyndt, Alfa Balde, Ryan Lowe, Cameron Robb, Luke Hayes, Jacques Odell Rourke, Ashley Hammersley, Daniel Twinn, Alex Oxborough, Jake Molton.

Under-14

Spartak 6 Ely City 2

ELY battled hard but came away with no points.

After going 2-0 down in five minutes, Ely battled back when Liam Heaps slammed the ball home after Matt Waites had hit the post. Spartak responded immediately to make the score 3-1 before half time.

City kept their heads up and could have pulled one back when Dan Beavis, Will Law and Ryan Howell had shots saved.

Spartak scored early in the second half, but again City fought their way back when Law won a tackle and set up Matt Waites to score and make it 4-2.

City then pushed on with many attacks coming from Jamie McCarthy and Codie Couzens on the right, but Spartak broke away to score two late goals.

Ely's man of the match was Jamie McCarthy.

Alconbury Colts 1

Soham Town Colts 1

TOWN started the stronger but were made to pay for missed chances when the home side took the lead with their first shot, a well-hit strike inside the box.

Soham came back with a positive response and were rewarded when Ryan Brook met a Dan Whitwell cross and placed his shot well into the corner.

The second half flowed with end to end play, with both sides creating chances but unable to convert.

Soham's Josh Heaps won the man of the match award for an excellent performance at left-back.

Soham squad: Ben Nicholas, Dan Sadler, Simon Murfitt, Josh Heaps, Andrew Pickerill, Joel Frey, Craig Allen, Dan Whitwell, Dan Brook, Ryan Brook, Elliot Drewery, Owen Grainger, Dalton Isaacson, Leevan Marshall, Ruben Carvalho, Michael Rola.

Under-15

Ely City 5 Ellsmere Eagles 4

ELY bounced back from a run of dissapointing results to pull off a hard-fought victory.

The visitors opened the scoring, but a cracking free kick from Sam Ashman levelled the scores. This was short lived when Ellsmere went in front again. Man-of-the-match Ryan Lane got his first of two goals to make it all square, before the visitors scored twice and took a 4-2 lead.

Lane then pulled one back with a fine goal, and he won two penalties in quick succession when his blistering pace caught the keeper off guard and Sam Ashman cooly finished both. City then held on to claim the win.

Under-15 girls

Waterbeach 1 Witchford 2

DESPITE a mediocre performance from the improving Witchford team, they managed to scramble the win with two goals from Meg Jones.

Witchford squad: Amy Marshall, Amy Johnson, Terri Martin, Emma Craven, Emily Mynott, Sophie Minall, Nancy Allen, Nicola Housden, Vikki Saville, Chelsey Morley, Lucy Boyce, Sarah Oldham, Becky Rawling, Laura Weller, Leanne Jeffrey, Leah Seymour, Hannah Rose.

Under-16

Pye Cup

Littleport Town 9

Willingham Wolves 0

A SUPERB Littleport could have easily reached double figures.

The home side were ahead within five minutes when Sean Monigatti headed home from close range after a searching cross from James Elliott.

Littleport continued confidently and attacks down both flanks kept the visitors under constant pressure.

Strikes from Tom Evans and Matt Fuller put the home side 3-0 up, midway through the first half and, after Luke Williams had a goal ruled out, and Sam Males hit the post from distance, goals from Dan Bell and Monigatti put the result beyond doubt before half-time.

Goals from Fuller, John Bartlett, Bell and Ryan Middleton extended Littleport's lead and if it had not been for the Willingham goalkeeper, it could have been a lot more.

Littleport: Rob Wilson, Sam Frost, Matt Fuller, John Kelly Lee Fuller, Luke Williams, Sam Males, James Elliott, Tom Evans, Dan Bell, Sean Monigatti, John Bartlett, Ryan Middleton.

Under-18

Thetford Town 1

Soham Town Rangers 4

RANGERS took another three points at Thetford, to keep them six points clear at the top of the table.

Soham were ahead inside six minutes when Adam Dean hit a superb left-foot in-swinging corner for Jason Lynch to head home.

Rangers were two up in the 19th minute, when Adam Clement came in from the right and had two shots blocked, before Lynch pounced to net the rebound.

Substitute Aaron Carmen made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute before Rangers left-back, and man of the match Simon Farrow, scored the goal of the game, when he lashed an unstoppable shot from 25 yards. Thetford managed to grab a late consolation goal.

Soham: Ryan Overton, Adam Dean (Cavan Bennett), Peter Jackson, Richard Grimster, Simon Farrow, Liam Camp, Luke Littlechild, Mark Allen, Steven Bell, Jason Lynch (Gareth Roberts), Adam Clement (Aaron Carmen). Sub not used - Mark Eastwood