With a number of players missing for various reasons, the visitors were forced to shuffle the side, making two changes from the eleven which had drawn with Wroxham as Darren Foxley returned whilst Callum Russell made his first start of the season.

The Vickers started the game quickly with Newby having an opening minute shot on the turn tipped wide by Clarke, with the hosts scoring from the resultant corner as Becka-Kah Debele headed home at the near post. The hosts continued to have all the play in the opening period of the game with Hahn and Debele also having efforts. After a slow start, Soham slowly started to get into the game with their first opportunity coming after fifteen minutes as Freund could only parry Richards’ ball with the keeper clearing from in front of Mason, with the ball coming back into the area with Foxley placing wide before having another effort over whilst Horne put wide. Athletic were given the opportunity to double their advantage midway through the half after Swinton tripped Rees inside the area, however Newby was unable to convert the resultant penalty with Clarke guessing correctly, diving to his right. The end of the first half was fairly evenly contested as Foxley headed over from Mason’s flick on and Lawton headed behind from a corner, whilst up the other end Debele rose to meet a right sided cross only to be denied by the far post.

Both sides made changes at the break as Casey, Gorbell and Hall were all introduced as Sharman had a couple of early efforts over the bar. A heavy hail storm early in the second half made conditions difficult for the players, and clear opportunities were limited until the hosts doubled the score in the 73rd minute when Debele received Hogan’s by-line ball, and after taking a touch, placed into the bottom corner. Into the final ten minutes, Foxley again came close firing over before being kept out by Freund at his near post, whilst Mason placed wide before having another effort deflected over as the game moved into stoppage time.

Soham Town Rangers
C. Bogard, C. Russell, B. Harris, R. Horne, W. Lawton, R. Paterson, D. Foxley, S. Swinton, R. Mason, R. Sharman, S. Richards (M. Hall 46)
Unused: R. Nightingale, D. Theobald

VCD Athletic
N. Freund, C. Hogan, R. Joseph (D. Casey 46), N. Symons, J. Bruce, F. Tchonang, K. Newby, E. O’Neill (M. Gorbell 46) M. Hahn, B. Debele (J. Stevenson 80), R. Rees
Unused: T. Youngs, J. Imudia

Score: (1-0) 2-0

Goals
STRFC: None
VCDAFC: B. Debele (1, 73)

Yellow Cards
STRFC: None
VCDAFC: E. O’Neill (44)

Attendance: 87