Steeple Morden 1 Great Chesterford Res 2 STEEPLE Morden manager Kenny Watters admitted it was a bad day at the office as his side slumped to a shock home defeat against lowly Great Chesterford. The home side struggled to come to terms with another enfo

Steeple Morden 1 Great Chesterford Res 2

STEEPLE Morden manager Kenny Watters admitted it was "a bad day at the office" as his side slumped to a shock home defeat against lowly Great Chesterford.

The home side struggled to come to terms with another enforced line-up change, difficult playing conditions and the lively opposition.

The opening exchanges followed the form book and Martin Holt struck a post before Ben Holt was denied by a fine save from close range after he had marginally beaten the offside trap.

As the game settled down, the visitors gained confidence and their nippy strikers started to cause problems for the reorganised Steeple defence.

Brian Sarll made a great save to push a fierce shot past the post but conceded from the resultant corner. Ben Morris, on the post, kept out a free header but the rebound was smashed home.

Steeple responded quickly, a powerful header from skipper Nick Carlton found Joe Morris at the far post and he out-jumped his marker to head down into the bottom corner.

This did not deter the visitors and they regained the lead after another Steeple move broke down.

The stolen ball was knocked in between the central defenders and keeper Sarll and the Great Chesterford striker responded quickest to nip in and head into the empty net.

Shortly into the second half, Martin Holt was put through following good vision from Jamie Murphy but his effort drifted wide.

The determined visitors were given a further boost on 55 minutes when Morden centre-half Paul Hutley was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Despite being unable to find any rhythm or break down the visitors, Steeple had a golden opportunity to get a draw in the closing stages.

The referee played a good advantage and Roy Dunsford broke clear and with only the keeper to beat from six yards, squared it to Ben Holt but his goal bound effort was somehow kept out by the recovering keeper.

The final whistle brought great celebration from the Chesterford players who had pulled off a deserved victory against a Steeple side that struggled to find any shape.

Steeple will be looking to make amends away at Hempstead United on Saturday.

Steeple: B Sarll, B Morris, P Hutley, N Carlton, G Collins (J Watters), J Morris (K Parr), J Murphy, C Prothero, M Holt (D Watters), R Dunsford, B Holt

Ely City Reserves 2 Foxton 1

FOXTON continued their poor start to 2007 with another loss, this time, to high flying Ely City on a blustery day on the Fens.

With flying winger Darren Chamberlain out injured, captain Ally Flack went onto the right wing and Andy Gray returned to central midfield.

With Foxton kicking into the teeth of the wind for the first half, they were immediately under pressure and had a constant battle on their hands to keep Ely at bay.

However after 25 minutes Ely's pressure told, when a great through ball split Foxton's defence and with the winger getting to the by-line he cut the ball back for the on-rushing forward to hammer home from eight yards.

The second half kicked off with Ely adapting to the wind much better than Foxton, and with their half-time substitutes, two first team players for two reserves, they started marshalling central midfield, spreading the play regularly and causing Foxton's midfield of Gray and Webber to try and keep up with play.

Foxton pressed and were caught once Audley had pushed himself up front, a great through ball sent the Ely striker clear and despite the attention of centre-half Chris Haynes, the forward managed to slot past Kimsey to make it 2-0.

Ely then had numerous chances to increase their lead once Foxton really pushed to get back into the game, but last ditch tackling and wasted opportunities kept the score at 2-0.

Manager Sean Audley then grabbed a goal back, when he hammered in from six yards following a Gray long throw, but in the dying minutes, Foxton could not get an equaliser, and Ely came out 2-1 winners.

Foxton: A Kimsey, I Tokely, A Gray, C Haynes, J Gwynne, J Clark, B Webber, A Flack, D Handscombe, S Audley, A Fields Subs: A Cambridge, C Coates.

- Foxton are away at West Wratting on Saturday.