Steeple Morden 1 Whittlesford Utd 3 STEEPLE remain top of the BIS League Division 3A despite losing their 100% record on Saturday. The young and pacy visitors took advantage of a strong following wind to dominate long periods of the first half. They op

Steeple Morden 1

Whittlesford Utd 3

STEEPLE remain top of the BIS League Division 3A despite losing their 100% record on Saturday.

The young and pacy visitors took advantage of a strong following wind to dominate long periods of the first half.

They opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a good finish after getting the benefit of an offside decision.

Only a fine save from Brian Sarll and a goalline clearance from Andy Smith prevented them increasing their lead.

Steeple started to get back into the game, and Ben Holt put Joe Morris clear, but the young striker was denied by a double save from the keeper.

Shortly afterwards it was 2-0 when an attempted clearance struck an outstretched leg before falling kindly for a Whittlesford striker who made no mistake from close range.

With half-time approaching, and Steeple looking forward to the wind advantage, they conceded a crucial third, direct from a corner.

Manager Kenny Watters rallied Steeple at half-time, and they came out positively and nearly scored within a minute of the restart.

Then Ben Holt grabbed his 12th goal of the season, reacting quickest to the confusion caused by a free-kick whipped in by Charlie Prothero.

The second-half was dominated by Steeple and Morris appeared to have closed the gap with a snapshot following a corner but the officials judged that the ball had not crossed the line.

It was clearly not going to be Steeple's day when Andy Smith powered a header against the upright, and other good chances were squandered.

The visitors hung on for a victory that their strong first-half performance merited.

Steeple Morden: B Sarll, M Carlton, A Smith, P Hutley, J Watters, G Collins, J Murphy (N Carlton), C Prothero , K Parr (B Dix), J Morris , B Holt

Bassingbourn 2

Great Chishill 3

BASSINGBOURN and Chishill were involved in a tight and physical game on Saturday, which Chishill eventually won with two late goals, maintaining their 100 per cent start to the season.

The visitors' lost their perfect defensive record, when Bassingbourn scored with an unmarked header from a corner after five minutes, and it was clear Bassingbourn had a clear physical edge in the first 20 minutes.

However, chances were few and far between for both sides in the first half, and it remained 1-0 until half time.

Chishill came out with more belief in the second half, and started to put the hosts under more pressure.

Theywere awarded a penalty when Bassingbourn's keeper brought down Steve McGee just two yards from the goal-line.

The keeper, who might have been sent off for the foul, then saved Gareth Edey's spot kick.

Luke Tyler's deflected free-kick did get Chishill on level terms moments later, before Bassingbourn regained the lead, eventually finding the net after a goalmouth scramble.

Tyler had another long range free-kick tipped away by the keeper, and it looked like time was going to run out for Chishill.

However, with 10 minutes remaining, substitute defender Jamie Dunsden grabbed an equaliser out of nothing, with a weaving run, ending with a 25-yard shot that flew in the top corner.

It looked as if both sides would settle for a draw, but Gareth Edey had other ideas, as he made up for his penalty miss by burying a shot in the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Gt Chishill: Gallagher, R Drury, Gardiner, Manning, Bramwell; Tyler, Edey, E Drury, Jackson; McGee, J Drury. Subs: Dunsden, Fitzgerald, Radford.