A NEWFOUND sense of optimism and expectation engulfed Ely City at the weekend as a confident 1-0 win over high-flyers Hadleigh United, provided a much needed boost to the team s season. Robin s fans have been revelling in recent weeks at a raft of impress

A NEWFOUND sense of optimism and expectation engulfed Ely City at the weekend as a confident 1-0 win over high-flyers Hadleigh United, provided a much needed boost to the team's season.

Robin's fans have been revelling in recent weeks at a raft of impressive performances from the team and the expectation continued to build on Saturday as a fine Robbie Mason strike capped an assured win.

Boss Denis Lightning, said: "It was a good performance from the whole team in a game we could have won by two or three goals in the end.

"I thought we defended especially well, we didn't allow them any free headers and I think overall we deserved the win."

To help bolster the squad for the crucial pre-Christmas push, boss Lightning introduced two new players to the squad for Saturday's game, with Scott Fielding from St Ives, and Ross Williams making the starting line-up.

Almost immediately Ely were on the attack as the game got underway with the in-form Mason firing inches over with two minutes gone.

Tom Pell's tireless work on the right wing provided the Robins with an effective penetrative outlet and the number seven proved a constant nuisance for Hadleigh as he forged a couple of decent openings.

Though largely comfortable throughout the half, Ely's failure to take the lead proved a worry for the home crowd as the visitors began to creep into the game, with the midfield seizing increasing amounts of possession.

New signing Fielding had his first real sight at goal with half-an-hour gone as he latched on to a measured through ball from Mason, only for the keeper to thwart a poked effort.

Lightning's half-time team-talk would doubtless have been punctuated with calls for some end product to go with their domination, and his word's appeared to have worked wonders after the break as, with just two minutes gone, Mason gathered a Pell pass to fire home from 12 yards.

Ely continued their assault after the breakthrough and might have increased their lead further through Fielding who had two good chances to slot home.

With the lead only a single goal, the visitors were always in with a chance of grabbing an equaliser and as the minutes wore on, they made a concerted effort to test the aerial capabilities of keeper Lee Pacey, with a series of free-kicks and corners putting Ely's mettle to the test.

With two minutes left, Fielding again had a chance to seal the points as Hadleigh committed numbers to the attack, but was crucially just an inch short as a cross across the face of goal eluded him.

The miss proved of little consequence however, as the Robins held on for the win, only their third of the season.