DIVISION 2B (continued) Witchford 96 Home W8 D1 L4 F45 A29 Away W6 D2 L5 F28 A23 Pts 45 (6th of 14) WITCHFORD S expectations were not particularly high following promotion from Division 3B, but they were ultimately well worth

DIVISION 2B (continued)

Witchford '96

Home W8 D1 L4 F45 A29

Away W6 D2 L5 F28 A23

Pts 45 (6th of 14)

WITCHFORD'S expectations were not particularly high following promotion from Division 3B, but they were ultimately well worth their place in the top six, finishing 11 points clear of Needingworth United Reserves in seventh.

A 3-0 mid-season victory at Longstanton - the eventual champions - momentarily made them look like possible championship contenders, but the same opponents crushed them 7-2 the following week and Witchford never seemed quite the same team after that setback.

The next nine games included defeats against Needingworth (twice), Sutton United, Wisbech St Mary and Over Sports Reserves - results that accounted for them finishing 15 points off the promotion pace.

But there were good results too including the win at Longstanton, home victories against Ely City A (third), Sutton (4th) and a 3-3 draw with Wisbech (second).

Stretham Hotspurs

Home W3 D2 L8 F23 A34

Away W3 D2 L8 F25 A42

Pts 22 (12th of 14)

STRETHAM opened their programme with a 4-2 home defeat to eventual champions Longstanton, and had to wait a further seven weeks before recording their first victory of the campaign.

A cup defeat at Whittlesey United Reserves was followed by an extraordinary 4-1 defeat of leaders Wisbech St Mary, who lost only one more league game all season and finished runners-up.

Ely City A (third) were subsequently held 2-2, so things at last seemed to be looking up for Hotspurs. But a 6-1 drubbing at Newmarket White Lion then precipitated a run of six successive defeats that sent the team plummeting down the table.

That sequence finally ended with a double over bottom club Bluntisham Rangers Reserves that sandwiched a shock 4-2 win at Sutton United (4th), but once again Stretham were unable to build on those results.

Wisbech avenged their defeat 7-1, Sutton did likewise (3-0), and Stretham also lost 1-0 at home to struggling Isleham United.

On the other side of the coin they drew 3-3 at Longstanton and lost narrowly to Ely City A and Newmarket (5th), so in the end Hotspurs probably picked up fewer points than they deserved.

It was a tough season though, and one they won't want to repeat.

Isleham United

Home W1 D3 L9 F15 A34

Away W2 D3 L8 F12 A52

Pts 15 (13th of 14)

UNITED suffered a disastrous campaign, averaging only one goal per match in the league, and a lack of firepower was undoubtedly at the root of their problems.

Having opened with a 7-1 home defeat by Milton Reserves, Isleham didn't fare too badly for a while, winning one and drawing four of their next six games. Then the rot set in with five successive defeats.

Isleham's prospects looked pretty bleak at that stage, because their next six outings included the likes of Ely City A (twice), Newmarket White Lion and Wisbech St Mary.

In fact they did (relatively) okay, losing only by the odd goal at home to Ely and Newmarket and holding Wisbech St Mary to a sensational goalless draw (a result which effectively cost Saints the championship).

But only four points were gleaned between November 11 and March 10, a tally which United could only match between March 10 and the end of the season.

Russell Boneham (normally a defender) topped Isleham's scoring charts with five.

Enough said.