Relegation Battle Goes To Final Game

Soham collected their second 1-1 draw of the Easter weekend, but go into the final game of the season needing to preserve their Ryman League status.

With Jon Kaye and Jack Mochalski still unavailable, the Greens made just one change to the side which had drawn with Tilbury on Saturday as Lewis Endacott returned from injury to replace Peter Maina in the starting eleven.

The game started at a quick pace with both sides having their share of attacking play although clear chances in the opening stages were limited as Mayhew turned Tennent on the edge of the area only to fire at Conroy. The visitor’s first real effort came after eighteen minutes however from distance Cambridge fired over, before Brown, Ottley-Gooch and Mayhew placed across goal. Just before the half hour, Groves flicked Cambridge’s throw into the middle of the area with O’Sullivan making a fine one handed save to keep out Mulready’s header before the striker opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Conroy’s kick up field was played on by Mason for Mulready to run on and slot past O’Sullivan. Shortly after Brown placed over on the turn, before the Blues had chances to go in at the break level however from Yaxley’s by-line ball Read put wide of the near post before Conroy pushed the midfielder’s header over his bar from De’ath’s long throw into the area.

Bury made the better start to the second half and ten minutes after the restart Mayhew headed over before the striker equalised three minutes later when he received Jolland’s ball to curl a shot wide of Conroy from outside the area. Just after the hour both sides had chances with the ball going across the face of goal which Mulready and Mayhew just failed to connect with. With fifteen minutes remaining Tennent headed narrowly over from Cambridge’s corner with the defender again coming close shortly after from a Cambridge freekick. The hosts were now delivering more balls into the Soham area but were unable to find a way past the defence as Jolland twice put wide. Both sides had opportunities for an injury time winner however Conroy made a diving save to keep out sub Bannister’s header before the ball was played up field where O’Sullivan came off his line to thwart the incoming striker.

The draw sees Soham end their away campaign with a draw and extend their unbeaten run to six games however with Ware winning at Cheshunt, the Greens drop to one place and two points above Heybridge Swifts in the relegation zone, ahead of the closing game of the season when they host runners-up Maldon and Tiptree.

Soham Town Rangers
N. Conroy, C. Russell, W. Gardner, A. Cambridge, J. Tennent, L. Groves, L. Endacott (D. Hobbs 72), R. Horne, R. Mason, S. Mulready, L. Brown
Unused: C. Ramadan, A. Bankole, P. Maina

Bury Town
N. O’Sullivan, D. De’ath, J. White, O. Fenn, L. Ottley-Gooch, K. Clements, N. Aitkens, L. Read, J. Yaxley (T. Bannister 66), J. Mayhew, R. Jolland
Unused: J. Kennedy, S. McGavin, R. Yallop

Score: (0-1) 1-1

Goals
STRFC: S. Mulready (31)
BTFC: J. Mayhew (58)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: None
BTFC: L. Ottley-Gooch (19)

Attendance: 344