Cambridge South 3rds shared the points at St Ives, to complete a highly successful first season in existence, which has seen them finish second in Division 7NW.

The match was played in an excellent spirit throughout, maybe a touch too laid back in the opening twenty minutes as both teams appeared to be wandering about the pitch, enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine a touch too much.

South pulled themselves together towards the end of the half and created a couple of good chances. First a barn-storming run from right back by Mark Jackson saw him cover half the pitch, beat three men and pull the ball back to centre forward Wilco Dijkstra. His shot was on target, but the St Ives keeper got to it and it was a defender who was first to the rebound. Then Dijkstra played a beautiful forty yard through pass to pick out winger Jack Chalk, one-on-one with the keeper. The keeper did well, coming out fast to narrow Chalk’s options and smothering the shot.

The second half opened with St Ives beginning to pull the South defence around and looking the more likely side to break the deadlock. South did continue to create a sprinkling of chances, as at one point when Chalk appeared to be about to tap the ball home following a goalmouth scramble, only for a last ditch effort by the defender to see the ball squirt clear.

Around fifteen minutes into the half St Ives got the goal their joined-up attacking had deserved. A break down the right saw a shot driven in towards Will Benedikz in the South net. He blocked well, but could have expected more cover from his defence, as the ball was once again picked up inside his D by an attacker in acres of space. The second shot was driven in and another St Ives forward made a good run across Benedikz's face, adding a little flick to the ball which gave him no chance whatsoever.

As South pushed on to try and fashion an equaliser, holes were being left at the back and St Ives continued to produce more of the half chances. Then, with just three minutes left, South got their goal. A ball near the byline was pulled back, via a defenders foot, to Will Marston at the top of the D, from where he unleashed a fierce drive. It’s doubtful whether the St Ives keeper could have done anything with the shot, such was the power with which it was hit, but when it flicked up off a defenders stick to fly into the top right-hand corner, he didn’t have an earthly.

In the remaining couple of minutes, the match reverted right back to type, with St Ives producing two more near things as the South defence slumbered. Fortunately, both were inches away from the attacker's diving stick.

This wasn’t one of South’s better performances this season and a single point was the all they could have realistically expected for their performance. St Ives may feel slightly unlucky to have had to share the spoils.

South's man of the match was Mark Jackson, for an excellent all-round performance, starting at right back, then in the midfield and then at centre forward as South looked for a goal. Also earning their corn were Rory Johnson on the wing and Hannes Roux in defensive midfield, who each did their job very effectively.