Ely City Reserves continued their cup exploits, as last years double cup winners beat West Wratting to progress to the second round of the Premier Cup.
Last years final opponents matched up, with Ely making a notable change in goal, Keeper Ben Newton replacing the absent Joe Murfitt and Fin Logan injured, so Josh Townshend took the skippers armband. New signing James McCabe also made his debut.
City started rampantly, Luke Mansfield flashing a shot across the face in the opening 3 minutes that the keeper did well to tip wide of the far post. McCabe was soon in the thick of the action, as his great right wing cross couldn’t find anyone as the ball crossed the 6 yard box.

On the quarter hour, Ely took the lead as Conor LOKER scored his second goal in as many home games, when he cut inside and shot low into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
Mansfield again went close again with an identical effort from his first shot on goal, but it just went wide. West Wratting were increasingly frustrated, as their lack of quality and Ely’s defensive unit stood any test. Newton was called into a routine stop from a dairy cutter and Dani Carvalho sliced away from a free kick. Ely doubled their lead just after the half hour, a long ball in behind from Ben Harnwell saw the keeper flap at an attempted gather and MANSFIELD tapped home into an unguarded net.

Tempers were starting to show, as Wratting’s frustrations grew and that wasn’t helped when a loose tackle from Slane had the away side jumping around the ref for a red. A yellow was suitable, disregarding the theatrics of the player on the end of the challenge and the protests!
Half time drew with the home side 2 goals to the good and dominant.
Second half saw Wratting come out the quicker side, but Ely remained comfortable. Expecting the away side to try get an early goal back, Ely sat off and controlled the line.
On 53, after soaking up the early pressure, City added a 3rd, when a long ball across the field was missed by a hesitant defender and the hard working Callum MACCALLUM poked the ball away from him before lashing the ball into the roof of the net past a hapless keeper. Again, tempers were short, with the away side remonstrating with the ref as more frustration set in as the tackles started to fly in. A quick handbags moment seemed to defuse as Wratting started to put some passes together in the Ely half, before forcing Newton into a reaction save on the edge of his 6 yard box.
From that save, Ely instantly broke and finished the tie, sub Sam TOWNSHEND picked up the ball deep between the lines. He got in behind the last defender before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
Wratting still huffed for a conciliation goal, but debutant Newton again got down quickly to parry the ball away safely from close range. And Newton earned his clean sheet in the final minute, spreading himself in a 1 on 1 to frustrate the Wratting attack.
Final score;
Ely City Reserves 4 - 0 West Wratting

Ely go into the second round draw, game due to be played first weekend of December with our opponents yet to be drawn.

Team; Newton, Slane, Challis, Baxter, Carvalho, Harnwell, J. Townshend ©️, Loker, Mansfield, McCabe, MacCallum.
Subs; Turner, Ashman, Woodbine, Stokes, S. Townshend.

Chris Gibson