The Greens came into the game high on confidence having booked their place in the Cambs Invitation Cup final during the week with a win at Wisbech Town, and made two changes to that side as Scott Davis returned at full back, whilst there was a debut for new keeper Gary Fisher.
It was a fairly slow start to the game with neither side creating any clear chances at either end. Pope headed over from a corner after twelve minutes, whilst Furnell had the host’s first meaningful effort but his shot across goal was pushed away by a diving Kamurasi. Slowly Grays started to get a hold of the game and began to enjoy the better of the attacking action. Following good play between Olima and Carlos, a fantastic Duncliffe challenge forced Dennis to fire over from close range. Up the other end, Ogbonna held his line to run onto Furnell’s long throughball, but after knocking it past Kamurasi, who by know was well out of his area, the striker was only able to fire across the face of goal from a tight angle out on the right. The Greens were then indebted to Fisher as the debutant made a number of important saves to keep the score blank just after the midway point of the half, firstly coming of his line to keep Carlos out with his legs, before tipping over Flynn’s strike and making a double block to keep out Gordon and Pope, with the ball going behind for a corner, from which Duncliffe cleared Baker’s header off the line. However after coming close on so many occasions, Grays finally broke the deadlock five minutes before the break when Joao Carlos came in unnoticed at the back post to head in Pope’s ball through the area. Furnell could have equalised three minutes later but was kept out by Kamurasi at the second attempt before Agombar fired high at Fisher in stoppage time.
Both sides made changes at the beginning of the second half as Danny Bunce replaced Grays Captain Lee Flynn at the break, whilst Dan Cotton came on for Dave Cobb just after the restart. The beginning of the second period continued in the same manner as before the interval with the visitors edging the play and did have the ball in the net again in the 48th minute but Louis Dennis was adjudged to be offside when he converted Olima’s ball towards the back post, whilst the latter also fired at the keeper from distance. However the game changed on two decisions in a ten minute spell just after the hour. The first came in the 61st minute when Paul Olima was dismissed for leaning his head towards Bromwich’s in an off the ball incident after earning his side a freekick. Eight minutes later Fisher came rushing out of his box clattering into Miguere, who had only been on the field a minute, as he ran onto a long throughball, but with no clear goal scoring opportunity the keeper was only given a caution. With the man advantage, Soham started to get into the game and soon raced into a 3-1 lead, levelling the score in the 73rd minute when Michael Simpson got the final touch to scramble home Cotton’s flicked on corner. The skipper and Cotton had other chances before the Greens took the lead with two goals in as many minutes. The second goal came in the 81st minute when Ogbonna was allowed to run at the visitor’s box down the right, only for his shot to be blocked by Baker into the path of Scott Carter, who from the edge of the area, powered his left footed strike wide of Kamurasi. Things got better for the hosts moments later when sub Paul Jones had time and space to collect a cleared ball, and fire an unstoppable shot into the top left corner from all of 35 yards. Carter could have further increased the lead shortly after, but was twice denied by Kamurasi, before Grays made for a nervy end as Nathan Gordon was allowed to get in between the Soham defence and convert with only four minutes remaining. Grays threw everything forward in search of a late equaliser, but despite earning a number of corners and Gordon heading over, Soham held on to claim an important three points and climb one place up in the table.

Soham Team
G. Fisher, S. Davis (S. Flanz 82), JP. Duncliffe, M. Bromwich, A. Coleman, M. Simpson, D. Escorcio, S. Carter, A. Furnell (P. Jones 68), D. Ogbonna, D. Cobb (D. Cotton 48)
Unused: A. Harrison, C. Munday

Grays Athletic Team
G. Kamurasi, C. Pope, P. Olima, J. Baker, L. Flynn (D. Bunce 46), G. Cooper, N. Gordon, K. Beeney, L. Dennis (JM. Sigere 68), H. Agombar, J. Carlos
Unused: B. Thomas, S. Mugho, J. Bunn

Score: (0-1) 3-2

Goals
STRFC: M. Simpson (73), S. Carter (81), P. Jones (82)
GAFC: J. Carlos (40), N. Gordan (86)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: D. Escorcio (Foul 66), G. Fisher (Foul 69)
GAFC: C. Pope (Dissent 34), H. Agombar (Dissent 87), D. Bunce (Dissent 87)

Red Cards
STRFC: None
GAFC: P. Olima (Violent conduct 61)

Attendance: 137


Match Pictures