After the heartbreak of Thursday night’s late cup final loss, where the Robins produced a heroic effort to try claim the silverware, it was back to league action to complete the objective of promotion.
Although a gruelling 95 minutes had taken a lot out of the side, Ely made one starting change, Emma Cooper came in for the absent Amy Lloyd and Megan Dunlevy returned to the squad with Erin Chandler.

Blistering heat and sunshine during the week had long gone, as Sunday brought cold and gusty winds south of Peterborough. Tired legs and a bobbly pitch, with a chilly wind - was put aside as the Robins got under way with their task.
Chances came early, Kelly Docwra chased down a pass back to the keeper, but as the ball fell for her, it bobbled up and she shanked just wide.
Ely pressed high, forcing a couple of corners early. Beth Horsfield delivered deep into the area, finding the lively Docwra who’s front post flick just found the side netting.
Whittlesey, who had been in their own good form over the months, lifting them to 4th with an outside chance of promotion, managed to hit their own break against the wind, but their winger flashed a low drive across the face that left Tiff Toynton untroubled in her goal. The home side were struggling to cope with Danni Youngs and Poppy Green up top, their press and aggression to win the ball saw Green go close in behind after Lou Harwood played her in, before Youngs exchanged passes with Docwra, but she saw her shot saved by the keeper.

On 20 minutes, Ely had their opener. Horsfield’s corner was excellently met by Youngs with a stooping header, which was saved by Keeper on her near post. Harwood’s follow up was fumbled down and birthday girl Docwra poked in off the post for 1-0.
The Robins could have doubled their lead 5 minutes later, Lane picked up the ball deep, playing Docwra. She played through to Green, who’s lovely first-time flick saw Youngs get in between the defenders but her shot was saved and cleared away.
Whittlesey came back into the game just before half hour was on the clock, winning a corner after their counter. The delivery was whipped in and although Toynton got her fist to the ball, it looped up in the wind and fell kindly at the back post for Destiny Nsofor to nod home the equaliser.
Spurred on by their equaliser, it took a great save by Toynton to keep the scores level saving a shot with her legs after an excellent move by the home side.
And that proved critical and a match turning save, from the clearance, Cooper hacked the ball over the top; the home defender miskicking her attempted return. Green gambled and the ball fell kindly in behind, she strode on and placed wide of the Keeper’s reach into the far corner for 2-1.

Green was chasing everything. Her hunger to make the defenders hesitate, combined with Youngs dropping into the gaps, pulled the home side defensively into places they didn’t want to be or play the ball. Green won a corner just that way, the initial ball into the box was cleared but Horsfield hit one from 25 yards first time and it just whistled past the far corner.
The pressure told, as a minute later, the Robins extended their lead. From the resulting goal kick out, Harwood won the ball in the air, flicking down to Docwra, she slipped inside her marker and clipped it into Youngs. She took a great first touch, creating space like all good strikers do, before shaping her body and stroking home under the keeper from 10 yards for 3-1 and some daylight for the away side.
They could have had a fourth on the stroke of half time, but as Lane, Harwood and Docwra rotated, Lane’s pass through to Green was cleared away.

HT; Whittlesey Athletic 1 – 3 Ely City Women

The second half started with the home side coming out with the wind behind them, knowing they would need to pressure Ely early. They started to throw more balls into air in behind Ely, as Toynton claimed well from a deep cross, then Dyer hacked away at the far post.
From the resulting corner of that chance, the Blues pulled a goal back. The in-swinging cross came in, Ely’s defence statuesque as Grace Spencer nodded home unchallenged.
That was a wake up call to the Robins, who saw their lead halved. Again, chasing from the front, they got the ball back down and took control of the game. Whittlesey tried to press and peg Ely back, their high line so dangerous with Green, Horsfield and Youngs poised for a ball in behind at pace. Before you knew it, two chances in five minutes and Ely restored their 2 goal cushion. After Youngs was denied through the middle, she dropped off to the right, Harwood found her in between the lines and Youngs raced on. She took it outside and then in, jinked her way past another before squaring the ball unselfishly to her strike partner Green who slammed home for 4-2.
Sir Alan made quick changes to sure up Ely, with Dunlevy and Kaci Gibson coming on, as the Robins compacted their shape. The back line sat a little deeper to harness the wind, a long ball from the home side found Gibson who headed away, then Harwood and Gibson doubled up to play out of danger and fed Em Cooper into attack. She was fouled and Ely comfortably kept possession up the field.
Dunlevy added the level of aggression tucking in down the right, as she pegged the home sides wingback into her own half.

Ely could have made it five, as they attacked the clock in the closing quarter of an hour, first Cooper went close before sub Bella Pillow couldn’t tuck the ball away after the ball squirmed loose in the Whittlesey 6 yard box. Chandler came on to add fresh legs and presence up top, as Ely saw out the game and get the 3 points.

FT; Whittlesey Athletic 2 – 4 Ely City Women

That 3 points secured promotion for the Robins, with a game to spare as their objective was complete, although over exceeding maybe with the possible shout of still being in the title race with a game to go.
After a heroic midweek task and then an uncomfortable game in difficult conditions against a decent Whittlesey side, the Robins had worked tirelessly to not let their standards slip.
Who knows, Sir Alan may not be the only one to have a title this time next week...!

XI; Toynton, Dyer, El. Cooper, Cullen, Em. Cooper, Horsfield, Lane, Harwood, Docwra, Youngs, Green.
Subs; Gibson, Dunlevy, Pillow, Lupson, Chandler.
Report by Chris Gibson