Cambridge South 3rds, sponsored by PwC, earned a second consecutive victory, this time 4-1 against St Ives 5ths.

Due to the 3rds supplementing several players to the 1sts and 2nds, the final team was formed just an hour before the match. Despite this, South started strongly and immediately took the game to St Ives. The midfielders got the ball through and seasonal debutant forwards James Bridge and Jon Price were able to outpace the St Ives defenders.

It wasn't long before South's efforts paid off and still energetic double-up Rob Garett scored. Although St Ives tried hard to get back, our defence led by sweeper Andy Passmore and Steven Lane proved strong, and they found it easy to get the ball out via John Sharp and Phil Le Gouais.

Not long after, Rob wrongfooted the keeper by running across the backline and firing a direct shot at goal at a difficult angle rather than back to the top of the D. Although a St Ives defender stopped the ball with his foot on the line by lack of alternative options, a penalty goal was awarded. Later in the first half St Ives scored a lucky goal after a scramble in our D, resulting in a ball rolling slowly into our goal.

In the second half South continued to be strong with many scoring opportunities, some hard hits passing only inches past the post. It was only a matter of time before South scored two more goals, with our Jon Price (usually the keeper, making a rare foray outfield) and midfielder Wilco Dijkstra scoring.

St Ives, desperate to win and reinvigorated by two substitutes, stepped up a gear and succeeded in getting many short corners awarded despite the efforts of our defence and midfielders David Bridge and John Somerville. However South's defence proved impenetrable with keeper Tim Poole stopping various shots in the last fifteen minutes.

South, getting tired without subs, still managed to break free several times and were dangerous in the opposition's D, but didn't increase their lead. And so the final score was 4-1 for Cambridge South, a well-deserved victory, resulting in South displacing St Ives from the second position in the league. South currently sit three points behind early pacesetters Market Deeping 3rds, but have a game in hand.