After only their second week together as a new squad since the summer trials, the team lined up with a new look and feel to the new season.
It was a nervy start, as an exuberant Heacham tested early with possession trying to unlock the Robins defence. But they home side soon settled and and it was 15 year old debutant Ben Taylor-Bunting who came close to opening the scoring, but as he got away from his marker, his weak shot was blocked away by the Heacham keeper. The pressure was constant and it soon told, as a great ball in behind saw James Seamark nip in and he got across his man before firing across the keeper into the far corner.

Lewis Fox narrowly missed with a spectacular over head kick, before he as also denied twice by the goalkeeper, once hard at him and the second blocked by his feet after being put in by Taylor-Bunting. But on the half hour, the move of the game saw the Robins piece together some fantastic play, as skipper Ollie Easton and Alf Lampshire exchange passes, Sam Mappledoram picked up the ball inside and played a one-two with Taylor-Bunting on the edge of the area before placing home into the bottom corner. Taylor-Bunting again went close, along with Fox again who fired just over as the Robins began to dominate high up the pitch.

It was on the 40th minute that the home side went three up - a great ball into Taylor-Bunting half way, saw him turn his man cleverly and race down on goal, holding off his defender he slotted the ball home from 18 yards.

HT: Ely City U18s 3 - 0 Heacham U18s

The second half saw the the away side come out with a little more threat, looking to snatch an early goal to give them some hope. And they got that when the forward went down under contact from a Red defender n the area and a dubious penalty was awarded, then dispatched excellently by Heacham's dangerous 9. They looked to go for a second, but Jacob Heffer blocked well, before Filip Davies and Oli Beck cleared two dangerous balls.

The Robins put to bed the tie as a contest with two goals in five minutes just after the hour mark. Fox, who had again been denied a spectacular curling goal, finally got his reward - heading home from a rebound off the keeper from a Taylor-Bunting rasping effort, that the keeper could only parry. Minutes later, a great ball in to the box from Leo Waters was flicked on by sub Billy Walsh and Davies arrived at the back post to nod in for the fifth.

Again, the Robins looked for more as they dominated the closing stages, Jake Thistlewhaite came off the bench to head over a Walsh cross before a loose touch got away from him before he could slot home. Isaac Heffer saw a late low dipping cross cause trouble in the 6 yard box before Easton saw a 30 yard dive blocked by the keeper.

A late flurry of substitutions and some frustration from the away side drew a few words from the referee, before Robins Keeper Conor Brant pulled off a late block one on one with the Heacham forward. The whistle soon brought the game to a close, a 5-1 victory for the new era to kick on with. The young Robins now face Harwich & Parkeston in the next round on the 3rd September.

FT: Ely City U18s 5 - 1 Heacham U18s

Team; Brant, J. Heffer, Davies, Beck, Mappledoram (I. Heffer), Lampshire (H. Thistlewhaite), Waters (Howe), Easton (C), Seamark (Walsh), Fox (J. Thistlewhaite), Taylor-Bunting.
Subs not used: Chivers, Regan.

POTM: Ben Taylor-Bunting