Swifts stunned by another Soham spree

By Peter Butcher

WHEN Soham thrashed Sudbury 7-2 a fortnight ago it was a result startling enough to earn them the Ryman North Performance of the Month award for November, even though Sudbury have been struggling for form this season.

It will take something very special to deny Soham the December award, for yesterday (Saturday) they went one better with a stunning 8-2 victory at second-placed Heybridge.

Buster Harradine put them ahead after eight minutes but Ben Newson quickly equalised and there was little sign of what was to come. It was the 35th minute before James McCabe restored Soham’s lead, and they proceeded to score another four before the interval.

Luke Stanley’s header was followed by a long-range strike by Robbie Mason, and with Swifts in a state of shock Michael Simpson and Mason added two more to make it 6-1 at half-time.

When Solomon Ofori pulled one back midway through the second half it aroused thoughts of Merstham’s late comeback from 6-1 down to draw at Walton Casuals last month. But there was to be no repeat. Louis Baucutt quickly headed Soham’s seventh and Harradine completed the rout with eight minutes left. Soham moved up one place to seventh while Heybridge dropped to fourth.

Maldon extended their winning league run to 12 games and maintained their ten-point lead with a 2-0 victory at Chatham. The hosts defended with determination but were undone by two goals in two minutes early in the second half. Michael Toner and Chris Bryan were the marksmen.

Aveley moved into second place with a 3-0 home win over struggling Ilford. Always on top, they made hard work of finishing the job and it was almost half-time before Petrit Elbi put them ahead from 20 yards. Shane Oakley got the second after 79 minutes and Jordan Cox wrapped it up in added time.

Grays are third after a 2-0 home win over bottom club Ware, though it was a low-key affair after the news that former Grays winger Mitchell Cole, who starred in their FA Trophy winning side of 2005, had died at the age of 27. Cole went on to play in the Football League but was forced to give up full-time football because of a heart condition.

A minute’s silence was held before the game, which Grays won with an early goal by Jack West and a late one by Danny Bunce. They played the second half with ten men after Daniel Subuola was sent off.

Thamesmead strengthened their hold on fifth place with a 4-2 victory at Potters Bar, who were behind them only on goal difference at kick-off time. Rob Carter and Stuart Zanone put the visitors two up in 20 minutes and, after Daniel Ailey’s 37th-minute reply, Zanone quickly notched his second.

A penalty miss by Ashley Probets just before the interval might have proved costly for Thamesmead, though. Gary Wharton reduced the arrears in the 70th minute and Jose Espinoza should have equalised in the last minute. But he missed the chance and Thamesmead broke away for Carter to make sure of the points.

Tilbury were deserving 2-1 winners at Waltham Forest, but they had to wait until the last minute for Tom Webb’s decisive goal. Joel Barnett put Dockers ahead eight minutes before half-time but a foul on Tunde Adewunmi after an hour allowed the victim to equalise from the penalty spot.

Witham took the points at Sudbury with a lone tenth-minute goal by Emeka Onwubiko. Lee Boylan came closest to levelling matters when he hit a post, and Witham had Lewis Goldbold sent off near the end.

Needham Market chalked up their sixth away win and inflicted an eighth home defeat on Redbridge. The scoreline was 4-1, the 11th time in all matches this season that the Motormen have let in four or more. Nathan Clarke put Needham ahead on 13 minutes and Sam Newson added another six minutes before the break. George Monger crashed a shot home from 25 yards to give Redbridge hope in the 64th minute, but Bradley Barber soon restored the two-goal margin and Newson got his second at the end.

Waltham Abbey finished strongly but could not break the scoreless deadlock at Harlow, while the matches at Brentwood and Cheshunt, where Wroxham and Romford would have been the respective visitors, were called off because of frozen pitches.

Where next?

Margate on top; holders out of cup A GOALLESS draw at East Thurrock tonight (Tuesday) was enough to put Margate on top of the Ryman Premier table, a point ahead of Whitehawk who now have a game in hand.
November Macron awards announced HASTINGS United’s FA Cup success was recognised when the Ryman League’s Macron Awards for November were announced this evening (Saturday).

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