Chishill’s fine run comes to an end

Newmarket Town A 4 Great Chishill 2

After 22 games, Chishill finally came unstuck and lost their unbeaten run on Saturday.

A full strength Newmarket team won this quarter-final clash, with their firepower up front always too strong for the visitors.

They raced into a two goal lead in the first 20 minutes. The first goal was a fine 35-yard effort that caught Ian Gallagher off his line, the second, a fine finish from close range from Town's striker, after he used his pace to power down the left wing.

It was no more than the hosts deserved, as they had smothered Chishill from the start.

However, Chishill were not going to lie down easily and got themselves back in the game before half-time, when Steve McGee latched on to a long clearance and rolled the ball past the keeper.

The visitors had their best period just after the break, as they started to play some neat football, and went in search of an equaliser. But they always lacked the final ball, and Newmarket's keeper was not tested enough.

The hosts' counter-attacks were relentless, and they killed Chishill off in the final stages.

They scored a goal from a tight angle after another swift break, and volleyed in a fourth from a corner.

In the dying minutes, substitute Mark Burrows hit a fine dipping volley just over the bar, before McGee grabbed a late consolation. Elliot Drury worked himself some space in the box, before cutting the ball back from McGee to fire home.

Chishill are back in league action next week, at home to Withersfield.

Royston Town Vets 2 Cambridge Vets 2

TOWN Vets came from behind to earn a well deserved draw at Garden Walk on Monday in a game based on the number of chances created they should have won comfortably.

With Brian Cannon again unavailable, the only change to the Vets starting 11 was Mark Saggers replacing Jamie Clark, with the Vets looking to avenge a 6-2 hammering earlier in the season.

Royston started off at a frantic pace, with Dickie Harris, celebrating his 40th birthday, driving the home side forward, along with the subtle promptings of Saggers, creating early opportunities for Paul Lewis, Kevin Barthrop and Peter Leete. Lewis forced a couple of good saves from Cambridge keeper Jamie Gribble, as did Mike Jackson, as Town dominated the first 25 minutes.

It was no surprise when the Vets took the lead through what had to finally go down as an own goal from Gribble.

Barthrop's close range shot was pushed onto the post, rolled back along the line and as the Cambridge keeper tried to keep the ball out, his outstretched hand somehow pushed the ball over the line.

Trevor George, who always seems to hit the net against Royston, then pulled one back for Cambridge, following a quick breakaway, turning in a strong cross from the right, giving Merv Chaffey no chance.

The loss of Saggers had an immediate effect on the home side, as they quickly seemed to lose their direction and momentum, with the visitors equally recharged following their equaliser.

The second half saw a quiet opening period for the Vets, although it was a surprise when Cambridge took the lead through Andy Cranch mid way through the half.

Town responded positively, with Lewis forcing a fine save from Gribble, Leete, Harris and Barthrop all going close. It was Barthrop who deservedly equalised with 10 minutes to go, with a 20-yard drive that whipped in the near post.

Birthday boy Harris all but looked to have snatched the winner in the dying minutes, getting on to the end of a cross from the right, only to see his powerful header go the wrong side of the post.

Overall, a great game watched by a good sized crowd and played in the best of spirits, as is always the case between these two sides.

- This Sunday the Vets are at home to Fox and Duck Vets.

Whitwell Village 1 Baldock Town 3

Baldock Town moved to within three points of St Ippolyts at the top of the Premier Division and stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine matches with a battling 3-1 win at Whitwell Village on Saturday.

Baldock took a deserved lead on 13 minutes when a long Crow throw was laid off by Shelley to Brawley.

The young midfielder then played in the unmarked Masters, whose effort was diverted into the net by a home defender.

The advantage was doubled on 35 minutes when a Karl Beadsworth free-kick was met by the unmarked Mark Nunn, who glanced in his 10th of the season.

Michael Masters wasted a chance to seal the points just before the break when good work by Nunn and Shelley found Masters, but he was unable to keep his drive down.

After the break, Baldock were in total control and were playing some delightful football at the same time, but over-confidence lead to the home side reducing the deficit.

Sam Crow conceded possession cheaply at right-back and from there the Whitwell forward ran in unchallenged to steer the ball past Andrew McEwan, to let the hosts back into the match against the run of play.

The goal sparked the home side into life and suddenly Baldock were holding on.

Whitwell went close with nine minutes remaining when a cross from the left was met well by James Campbell, but his header went inches wide of the post.

The home side went desperately close in the dying seconds when a corner found Campbell once again unmarked, but he somehow headed over from five yards out.

In injury time Baldock broke quickly on the counter-attack and substitutes James Smith and Harry Holland combined to release Mark Nunn, who stabbed the ball home from close range to seal the points and another valuable victory.

Bottisham Sports Res 1 Steeple Morden Res 1

STEEPLE added to their points tally with a fine performance at Bottisham, despite having to recover from an early setback.

With only five minutes on the watch a mis-placed pass from Mark Robson was intercepted by Bottisham's Luke Bidwell and he avoided the challenge of Steve Little to round keeper Tim Tidey and give the home side the lead.

It was a blow for Morden who struggled to keep possession for any sustained period and found themselves defending deep and against a string of consecutive corners.

Steeple absorbed the pressure well. As the game approached half- time Kieran Smith and Alan Gates pressed the ball deep into home territory and when the centre-half panicked Damian Pennell seized the opportunity breaching the rearguard to slide the ball home from 14 yards as the keeper came to close the angle.

A rallying half-time team talk from Manager Paul Jarman saw the team full of belief at the restart. It was the visitors turn to apply the pressure and they came close on a number of occasions.

Gates did well to break free but his shot hit the side net and Pennell lobbed the keeper but the ball drifted agonisingly the wrong side of the upright. Darren Jarman's header from a Jason Clark corner was scrambled clear and Paul Geraghty's long range effort almost caught out the keeper.

The introduction of Bob Dix on the right flank gave the home side an added distraction as his pace, always a threat, forced them to sit deep. Morden's defence, rallied by skipper David Buey stood firm and with Andy Prentice exerting his physical presence in the heart of the midfield the most likely winners would be the visitors.

Late on Bidwell did break free of the attention of Jarman but Tidey pulled off a great one handed save to ensure a deserved share of the spoils and record their first point since mid November.