Picture taken from Ely Standard (Steve Williams)

This was a coolish spring evening, this was a great looking R. Costings Abbey Stadium and this was all about the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup Final.
The Robins are the holders of this Cup having beaten Soham Town Rangers here last year but tonight the opposition is from 3 leagues above, Cambridge City. There was much publicity from newspapers and Radio Cambridgeshire with the Robins the underdogs but as someone once said ‘Football is a funny old game’ There was a good crowd at the ground with the Robins fans very vocal. Adam Murray was suspended for the game but he was there, in full view all the time, leading encouragement for the supporters to cheer. The unfortunate injured Josh Curry was also hobbling about the dugout and it was a great night for the squad. (The fans didn’t really need any encouragement believe you me) The Ely team was led out by their mascots who had a great evening all round, from start to finish. Ely would be going all out to give 100% to retain the trophy.
Cambridge kicked off but Ely showed how it was to be straight away. Liam Bolton won a good ball on the halfway line and threaded it in to Richard Chadwick’s feet. He took it on and had an early snap shot from distance but it went wide. The first minutes saw Ely in the Cambridge half for the majority of time and again on 6 minutes Bolts put a ball in that Luke Parkinson headed on to Chads but again the effort was just wide of a post. Cambridge did get the first corner on 9 minutes but it was easily cleared. A couple of minutes later it was Ely again, Porky Claydon did some great work (As he did all night to be awarded the Man of the Match) down the right and his cross eventually found Austen Diaper just outside the box, unfortunately his effort was high and wide but the Robins were in the ascendancy and it was giving them confidence to play.
On 16 minutes Darren Coe was shown a yellow card for bringing down Cambridge’s Lewis out near the touchline. The resulting free kick was cleared up to Porky who made another run at the Lilywhite’s box but his shot was blocked. Cambridge started to get into the game more and on 20 minutes Bolts gave away a free kick outside the box but it hit the wall and was cleared. On 28 minutes Ben Lawrence showed Cambridge what he could do with a trademark long throw into the box that the defenders had to scramble away for a corner. This came to nothing but they had been warned. Cambridge went forward and Prada tumbled into the box after Coey’s tackle, the Ref waved play on, rightly so, as the fans yelled for him to be carded for a dive. On 30 minutes Chris Sterecki did see yellow for pulling his man back, Cambridge’s Marriott stepped up and his sweetly struck free kick hit the outside of the left post to go away for a goal kick. On 33 minutes Ely struck to take the lead
Lee Pacey received a back pass and his long kick from just outside his area went well into the other half, Chads headed it on towards the right side of the Cambridge penalty area. Porky made great speed towards it as the Cambridge keeper Barrett also went for the ball. Porky got to it first and Barrett’s hand caught Pork’s leg and down he went. PENALTY The Ref showed Barrett a yellow card and Chad’s placed the ball on the spot. Admittedly it was not the best ever penalty but it was powerful and Barrett could only stop it with his legs, it rebounded back to Chads who coolly stuck it into the net 1 - 0
Cambridge went forward from the kick off and were awarded another free kick just outside the box but again it struck the wall with the resulting corner being cleared. A minute later a bit of a mix up in the Ely box between Ben and Pace caused a bit of consternation but it was eventually cleared up field where Porky fed into Tino Diaper but his shot was too high. On 39 minutes a through ball was played in for Marriott but it was just too far and Pace was able to collect. His mighty kick into the Cambridge box was headed out for a corner by a defender. Unfortunately the corner kick was over hit and went straight out at the back post.
It was still Ely that were pulling the strings and deserved the lead. On 43 minutes Chris Sterecki made a great run down the right but his effort was wide and a minute later Porky’s hard work earned them another corner out on the left. Again the kick was poor going straight out. Corner kicks were about the only thing The Robins did not show composure with. It was in fact Cambridge who had the last chance just before the halftime whistle. For once Sam Parkinson was beaten as they got away down the right. The cross came in and Pace was only able to get a hand on it and force it away towards the left bye line. A Cambridge player hit it back in towards the left hand post but the shot was blocked. The ball rebounded out to Cambridge’s Nightingale but his lob landed on the roof of the net. The break came with the underdogs going in for a well earned rest in the lead by a single goal
The second half started with end to end long balls before on 48 minutes a Cambridge attack down the right saw the ball half cleared to the edge of the box. One of their players was first to it but the shot was well over the bar. It was to be Ely who were to make the real impact on the game in the 51st minute as they doubled the lead to great cheers from their very vocal supporters.
Ely were awarded a throw-in down their left about 10 yards from the corner flag. Up stepped big Ben Lawrence, his huge throw reached just beyond the penalty spot as attackers and defenders alike went towards the near post. Tino Diaper, unmarked attacked the ball from the right, leapt like a salmon and with great power, headed the ball into the net to make it Robins 2 Lilywhites 0
To their credit Cambridge started to attack again and were slightly unlucky when a cross from the right was headed just wide. However things were going to get even more difficult for them when on 56 minutes Pepper made a very late, rash challenge on Chads and the Ref. had no hesitation in producing a Red card, leaving Cambridge with 10 men for the rest of the game.
It got worse for them as they were further punished for this. Lee Pacey took the free kick from inside his own half, Porky headed it goal wards, it was half cleared but Dave Smith pounced on it near the edge of the box and lobbed it into the right hand side of the net. 3 - 0
The Ely crowd are going mad but its Cambridge who go forward , a free kick to them on their left, well struck and it crashes against the Ely bar. On 63 minutes Chads comes off and is replaced up front by Taz Chisonga. Cambridge are now really attacking having brought on some subs A minute later another free kick but this one is straight at Pacey, a corner but its headed wide of the post. This time a cross field ball from left to right, the cross comes in and the goal bound header hit’s the bar and is cleared. On 76 minutes Tino is shown a yellow card for a foul and a minute later he is replaced by Josh Bridgeman. Ely slow it down a bit with the intention of holding what they have, Cambridge are a bit frantic but really it’s a lost cause. Taz tries to get away at pace but is cruelly brought down and the 4th Cambridge player is shown a card. On 83 minutes Kenny Smith comes on for Luke Parkinson. Taz has a shot forcing the Cambridge keeper into a save. Four minutes of added time but its basically over. The whistle goes Ely players officials and supporters go crazy with delight. The Cup is lifted and goes back to Ely again
This was a game where the Robins were the better side throughout and totally deserved the win. They played the better football and ‘wanted’ it more, a lot more than the opponents. Congratulations to all a great end to the season really.