Reports 18th February 2006

Men's 1st XI end their winning run with a 1-0 loss to Bourne III

Men's 2nd XI come back from a goal down for a 2-1 win over Alford & District I

Men's 3rd XI grab a late winner to triumph 2-1 over St Ives V

Bourne Men's III 1 - 0 Cambridge South Men's I

H/T: 1 - 0

Scorers:

Cambridge South's mean machine took just eleven minutes to malfunction in the face of a lively Bourne team. After over four hours without letting top-flight opposition find the net, Div 4NW's most parsimonious rearguard were opened up after a cross from the left wing found an unmarked Bourne defender at the far post. Andy Bleach's last ditch tackle wasn't enough to prevent the inevitable.

For a team prowling the summit of the table and fighting a strong battle with March, the immediate response was somewhat tepid. South gradually fought their way into the game but they struggled to create any clear cut opportunities at all and it was the home side that were looking the more likely to score. Fortunately, Steve Parker was in inspirational form in the South goal and the score line was kept respectable.

The second half saw South dominating possession as Bourne appeared content to just sit back and form a blockade round their D. South pressed and created a number of half-chances, but didn't find the luck required to break past the Bourne keeper. Indeed, they were indebted to some smart stops from Parker as Bourne broke from defence and ran through on goal on two occasions.

Before the match Bourne lay at the foot of the table and it certainly wasn't the same side that South faced in the reverse fixture (where South ran out comfortable 7-0 winners). This was the first time in nineteen matches that the South front line had failed to find the back of the net and this was after they'd hit a lacklustre March 3rds for eleven the previous week.

Still, looking on the bright side, the showers afterwards were warm and the post-match teas weren't too bad. Sandwiches and chips this time, with a bit of footy on the telly. The Bourne players were quite nice, too, and to be honest Market Deeping isn't as bad as I thought it might be. Who said winning the league was all that mattered?

Captain Chris Baker was philosophical in defeat, "We didn't play badly, but it just wasn't our day in front of goal". Vice Captain Robert Garrett was upbeat about the season's prospects "Our destiny is still in our own hands. We're six points clear of third place and if we can beat March on the last day of the season then we can still finish top."

Elsewhere in the East brought this intriguing story; North Walsham, the bottom side of Division 2N, with a previous record of played 16, lost 16, scored 11, conceded 119, chose this Saturday to secure a shock 5-3 victory over Bourne 2nd XI…

Cambridge South Men's II 2 - 1 Alford & District Men's I

H/T: 0 - 0

Scorers: Andy Lewis, Mike Thorogood
MoM: Leo Tomita

Games between Cambridge South 2nds, sponsored by PwC, and Alford 1sts are generally hard fought, good spirited, even affairs, and this was no different. The superior speed and stick skills of the strongest Alford players were balanced by South's assertive midfield and solid defence, epitomised by man of the match Leo Tomita at left back.

The first half produced few chances for either side, the closest being a snap shot from South skipper John Greaves, which the keeper managed to block, and an Alford effort from range that whistled centimetres wide of the post.

Alford took the lead shortly after half time; a short corner routine appeared to break down, but the ball was quickly returned into the home circle for an unstoppable effort to be fired high into the corner. South came straight back from a short corner of their own as Andy Lewis buried the ball in a trademark move. The home team went ahead from another short corner soon after as the ever-dominant Mike Thorogood rammed a bullet of a shot from the edge of the D underneath the sprawling visiting keeper.

After this flurry of goals, both sides had their share of attacking possession, with Alford winning more short corners and South firing in the crosses and long passes into the D - mainly from the energetic and effective Andy Lewis. Neither side were able to latch on to the ball in scoring positions, leaving South with a good win.

Captain John Greaves commented, "There were many promising aspects to this game for South, who retained the ball much better than of late and fashioned many good multiple passing moves to turn defence into attack."

Cambridge South Men's III 2 - 1 St Ives Men's V

H/T: 1 - 1

Scorers: Joe Williamson, James Bridge

South 3rds, sponsored by PwC, snatched a late winner in this closely fought game. South, who had been struggling to score in recent weeks, started as the dominant side, keeping the ball trapped in the St Ives half for long periods. The pressure told when Joe Williamson was quickest to react to a save from the visiting keeper, steering the ball home from close range.

St Ives took this setback in their stride and began to create chances and force short corners, one of which provided an equaliser from a well worked move.

The teams turned around all-square, with both sides feeling confident of winning the game. St Ives's best chances of scoring appeared to be their well-oiled short corner routine, whereas South's were to outmanouvre a St Ives defence that included a number of players who were very strong in the tackle but maybe not as mobile as they had been in their prime.

Eventually it was South who forced the issue. Once again a period of pressure in the St Ives end produced a number of half chances and when one fell to James Bridge, he cracked in a trademark powerful drive to give the home side victory.

Winger John Somerville's post match comment was, "A very good, enjoyable game. That was the best that our midfield have combined for a number of weeks."