On yet another hot day it was Ely who made the early running and Diaper brought out as top class save from Ryan Bedingfield in the Brantham goal, looking resplendent in a pink goalkeeper's top, to deny the home team an early goal. Ely were quick to push men forward and saw a good effort clip our bar and moments later some quick thinking saw the ball cleared from our area when it looked as if Ely would open the scoring.
We started to get into the game and a good ball down the left was latched onto by Lee Grimwood who saw a good shot well stopped by the Ely keeper. Ely hit back and should have opened their account when Murray, unmarked in our area, screwed the ball wide of the goal..phew!! Minutes later big centre back Lawrence headed over the Brantham bar.
We started to settle down and a good ball out of defence by Matt Ryland,who had a very good match at the back, set Michael Brothers on his way and Michael put in a telling cross that just eluded our front men. We started to make inroads into the Ely area and some good work by Ben Garnham saw the ball played to the feet of Dan Pryke whose first time effort was taken by the keeper at the second time of asking.
Half time 0-0
The second half started with us looking to go forward again and we did just that with Ben Deacon,Dan Pryke and Lee Grimwood getting through a lot of running up front for the team despite the hit weather conditions.
We took the lead with what you could only call a helping hand (or boot maybe in this case!!) when the Ely keeper was put under pressure trying to clear the ball from his area only to see his own defender Coe put the ball back past him and into his own net!.0-1
We then had to make a double substitution with both Kieran Lawler and Dan Pryke, who had almost run himself to a standstill, having to come off and the fresh legs of Sean Gunn and Adam Bloss were brought into the fray.
We doubled our lead when a good ball out of defence was played to Michael Brothers wide on the flank and he cut inside one defender before being brought down in the area by Coe and the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Ben Garnham to thump the ball home to his left with the keeper hardly moving. 0-2.
Ely were never going to give up and they did pull a goal back when a slip up by Ryan Bedingfield saw the ball run loose and Andy Claydon was the quickest to react and put the ball away into the far corner of the net. 1-2
Despite this set back we still pushed men forward and Ben Deacon and Lee Grimwood both had a chance to add to our tally but some good work by Ely keeper Greygoose kept them out.
Josh Mayhew, who had also come on up front, made a good run at goal and played a superb through ball for Michael Brothers whose first time effort went just wide.
Match report as written on the brantham webste