Match Reports
Saturday 26th September
First Team
Linton Granta A 0 - 2 Melbourn
Callum Browne ⚽Shai Swann ⚽
The first team go clear at the top of the league with a tough away win.
Melbourn first team took a well deserved 3 points from an open and even game of football. While Linton came out of the blocks more quickly, a well taken goal from Callum Browne settled any early nerves. What followed was 2 evenly matched teams sparring throughout. The game flowed and the ref kept good control with the use of 3 yellows, (which Melbourn also stole the count 2-1).
The game was made safe by a great 2nd half left footed drive from Shai Swann which nestled in the bottom corner. A hard fought victory and deserved on balance.
Starting XI - ?Subs - ?
Reserve Team
Melbourn 4 - 0 Guilden Morden A
AJ Gonis ⚽Dan Taylor ⚽Shane Worboys ⚽⚽
Despite not having a recognised centre forward the Reserves racked up four goals against early high-flyers Guilden Morden A.
Early on Melbourn dominated play with possession and sound defence. However Liam York in the Melbourn goal was the busier goal keeper from set pieces. A few chances went begging for the Reserves for want of a predator in the box. Melbourn took the lead after Josh Cantle put through live wire winger AJ Gonis, who gathered the ball in the inside right position and hit a pile-driver from the edge of the box, leaving the goalie no chance. The visitors came back and played well into half time, but could not find a way through.
Melbourn started the second half fast. After ten minutes Dan Taylor swept home a poorly defended corner at the back post. A minute later, a goal kick was headed clear by the Melbourn defence. This was picked up by Ross Cockburn who put through Shane Worboys to round the keeper and slot home the third. The rest of the game was comfortable and Melbourn added a fourth with five minutes to go. Cockburn once more with a through ball that opened up the Guilden defence, for Worboys to slot past the keeper unchallenged.
Starting XI - ?Subs - ?
Saturday 19th September
First Team
Melbourn 4 - 0 Haverhill Rovers FC Reserves
Ben Fox ⚽⚽⚽Keiran Butler ⚽
A Ben Fox first half hat trick and one from Keiran Butler on the stroke of full time made it two wins from two.
Fox’s first came from the spot just before the half hour, his second within a minute from the restart. The striker earned the match ball with a simple finish after great work from Lee Smith.
Melbourn dominated throughout with ‘keeper Brad Jones left a mere spectator but Haverhill did improve in the second half. The scores remained the same until the last minute with Fox involved yet again, his shot was well saved but Butler was on hand to put away the rebound.
Starting XI - Jones, Monahan, Woodcock, Richardson, Warwick, Sewell, Gywnne, Henderson, Smith, Waller, Fox.Subs - Butler, Swann, Browne, Armstrong, Deards.
Reserve Team
Thaxted Rangers Reserves 0-1 Melbourn
Jack Gittins ⚽
Match report pending.
Saturday 12th September
First Team
Litlington 1 - 5 Melbourn
James Gwynn ⚽Lee Smith ⚽Ben Fox ⚽⚽Eamon Henderson ⚽
The new season kicked off yesterday with an emphatic win with the short trip to Litlington.
We got off to the dream start after just 4 minutes, James Gwynn heading home Josh Sewell’s cross. Melbourn dominated the half with Sewell coming close on a couple of occasions and Keiran Butler almost doubling the lead but his header was brilliantly saved.
After the break, the hosts soon equalised with a simple header. The scores stayed level until the final quarter of the match when Melbourn found another gear, Lee Smith’s stooping header made it 1-2. Soon after, Smith flicked on Brad Jones’s kick and Ben Fox latched onto the thoughball and finished well to make it three. Five minutes later an identical passage play resulted in Fox being fouled in the box and he despatched the penalty for number four. Great work again from Smith set up Eamon Henderson for Melbourn’s fifth to round off a fantastic performance.
Reserve Team
Melbourn 1-2 Sawston Phoenix
Dale Wilson ⚽
Two early goals condemned the Ressies to defeat in their return to league action after a nine year absence.
A curling long range effort after nine minutes evaded Lloyd White in goal. There was a suspicion of offside in the preceding move but nothing could take away from the quality of the finish. Two minutes later a simple header from a corner saw the Ressies really having to chase the game. Apart from a spell of some joy with earlier longer balls, the rest of the half saw the visitors largely controlling events with their possession game. Phoenix had several shots but rarely tested White fully. Josh Cantle had a couple of chances for the Ressies, and Shai Swann attempted to pull the strings in midfield.
The second half almost started in disaster as the Ressies conceded possession, trying to play out from the back. A superb cross from the right was inexplicably headed over the bar in the six yard box by a Phoenix player as a result. The Ressies started to get more of a foothold in the game, but were still often chasing shadows. Twenty three minutes into the half Shane Worboys put Dale Wilson through on goal and Mr. Reliable slotted home. A few minutes later a cross from Cantle almost found Wilson in the box. Other than that Phoenix controlled events and closed out the game.