Sole Bay 0 Reepham 1: There was a peaceful holiday ambiance at sunny, seaside Southwold as the Robin's rolled into town. The temperature was well into sun bathing territory, but that didn't prevent the visitors ripping out of the blocks and firing into a lead on five minutes.

Sole Bay 0 Reepham 1

There was a peaceful holiday ambiance at sunny, seaside Southwold as the Robin's rolled into town. The temperature was well into sun bathing territory, but that didn't prevent the visitors ripping out of the blocks and firing into a lead on five minutes. Keiran Davis ran onto a Colin Emberley through ball and the big man lobbed the on coming Sole Bay keeper Gary Matthews. From then onwards instead of forcing home their dominance and going onto score three or four Reepham struggled on the baked hard pitch to consolidate. Instead both teams stuttered and stammered their way through to half time.

After the break the home team demonstrated copious amounts of exertion, but there was a paucity of quality. Reepham improved upon their first half performance, but did not move towards any semblance of measured play as they retained possession of the ball, but only in fleeting phases. Sole Bay gravitated towards a distinctly direct attacking style, but Matty Huckle and Beau Howard repelled any Sole Bay attacks and Stuart Parsons in the Robins goal was mainly redundant. There were no more goals, although Shaun Belton smashed one against the bar and Howard headed just wide of the far post following a corner.

Shane Lutkin the victor's manager said as he left the park “I'd mark 70% for the performance and most of that would be for effort, but 100% for the result.” He continued, “This time last year we were dropping points when we should have been accumulating them and we were conceding soft goals, but we've moved on and I'd settle for scrappy one nil victories every week.”

At that juncture Reepham's forthright Head Coach, John Musgrove walked past and interjected, “We need to improve in the 'keeping possession' department; the opposition can't score if they haven't got the ball. We have the ability; we just need to get into a relaxed rhythm. It'll come, it's early days.”

Lutkin smiled as his colleague, Musgrove moved off towards the changing rooms and concluded “So, there we have it, the perfectionist and the pragmatist.”

Meloncollie Rose of Reepham Man of The Match was Matty Huckle who was forcefully imposing at the back.

This Saturday Reepham Town entertain Hindringham at Stimpson's Piece in a 2.30 kick off

Reepham Town Reserves 2 Freethorpe Reserves 1

A warm and sultry afternoon at Stimpson's Piece welcomed the visit of Freethorpe reserves. The home team was hoping to bounce back from two defeats in a row. Additional team changes where needed as injuries (and wedding's) took there toll, but a strong Reepham side took to the pitch.

From the start Reepham tried to get there usual slick passing game underway. A hard pitch and a few dodgy first touches made this hard work, but as usual hard work and commitment to cause were at the forefront of Reepham's exertions. Chances were few and far between for the first twenty minutes until a cross by Andrew Wardley found the head of Ryan Symonds, who mad great contact but could only watch as his header was cleared off the line. In the thirty first minute the first fluent move of the game, which started with a ball won in midfield by the ever reliable Robert Groves who placed a perfect pass to the feet of Leon Huckle in turn saw the opposition keeper off his line and from 35 yards and hit the perfect shot over him and into the net! A contender for goal of the season for sure. This goal lifted the Reepham side and just four minutes later a ball won by Toby Armiger in defence was played square to Groves at left back who then placed another good pass to Symonds. Symonds who is getting better each game since his injury, knocked in a lovely ball to the far post and directly onto the foot of the advancing Wardley. Wardleys first touch left the ball jammed under his feet just outside the 6yard box, but not one to panic he turned and placed a pass to the inimitable goal machine Huckle who finished with his usual coolness making his tally five goals in two games.

As the half drew to a conclusion a free-kick won by Freethorpe on their left side was struck into the box somewhat fortuitously for the visitors found it's way into the net. Goalkeeper Dan "Harry" Harrison was assured after the game by the free-kick taker it was meant as a cross. Nevertheless a goal just before half time was not ideal.

The second half found both teams in generous mood as they kept giving the ball back to the opposing team. Despite not being able to control the game Robins' Robert Groves and Jake Bonner had efforts cleared off the line but, in truth the second half was poor in quality.

The final whistle blew with no goals added in the second period half meaning Reepham deservedly took all three points and progressed to second place with a game in hand over leaders Aylsham.

Speaking after the game captain Robert "Doddy" Dodd was quoted as saying "It's hard to be tough on the boys after a win but, I think we will all agree if we want to continue progressing in the manner which the manager wants we have to learn to keep the football and use it better."

Reserve team manager Mark Neale backed up the comments saying "Possession is nine tenths of our game and we must learn that sometimes we can go back to go forward,” he continued “that said and being fair play to the players we battled and won the game, but we can't keep relying purely on hard work at some point the quality must start showing through.”

This Saturday the Robins Ressies are away to CNSOBU at the Britannia Barracks in a 2.30 kick off.

Reepham Town “A” 0 Hellesdon “A” 3

On a warm Saturday afternoon at Simpsons Piece the Reepham Town A team hosted Hellesdon A and they were eager to get back to winning ways. The team was strengthened with the return of a number of players including Captain Chris Whiting. The squad was optimism of a positive.

Matters got off to a bad start when for the second week in succession there was no referee present, so a Reepham official was forced into action; always a difficult situation. The youthful Hellesdon side was full of running and knocked the ball around well. The first fifteen minutes saw the Reepham team chasing their tails but they eventually got involved in the game and with some tough tackles were letting the Hellesdon players know that this was to be a competitive game. The 'stand in' referee kept the game flowing and both sides were enjoying their fair share of the possession. The game started to open up for Hellesdon who soon found themselves 1-0 to the good. The Reepham players kept their heads up and battled to gain more ball control, but the quick passing and pace of the Hellesdon side was proving too much to handle and it wasn't long before the second goal went in to double Hellesdon's lead.

The second half was played in much the same style as the first, that is to say physical, but fair with both teams battling it out in the middle of the park with very little in the either final third. It was Hellesdon however who broke into the Reepham penalty area to score their third and clinch the points. By this point Reepham were out of the game, but continued to battle showing good determination to keep going. The next fixture for the A team is away to Sprowston Beehive in The Primary Cup in a 2.30 kick off.

The Greenman 3 Reepham Town Sunday 1

Reepham Town Sunday side went into the game against The Greenman full of confidence and in the knowledge, that if they performed in the manner of the previous weeks victory against The Coachmakers that, three points would be more than achievable.

However, two late call offs and several other absentees saw the Reepham team re-shuffled to accommodate the change in personnel and a debut for John King.

Reepham started the game and quickly assumed control and won the possession stakes. The Robins started to dominate the game creating chance after chance. The Greenman could only respond with long range efforts, which were too ambitious to trouble the Reepham goalkeeper Lewis Rayner. Reepham pushed forward with fire in their bellies and came close on a number of occasions with Mark Gaskin, Jeff Larke, James Page, Daniel Davis and 'Dirty' Rob Dodd being denied by the inform Greenman shot stopper Ian Fossey. Reepham won corner after corner but failed to capitalize on this attacking presence and superiority. Thirty minutes into the first half The Greenman attack unlocked the Reepham defence with a long ball over the top to Lee Greengrass who finished neatly; one clear cut chance one goal. Reepham continued to dictate possession but found themselves 1-0 down at half time against the run of play.

A substitution was made at half time with a late arrival Jason 'Unit' Hynd coming on in replace of John King. Reepham started the second half as they finished the first in, command of the game and threatening The Greenman goal. Minutes into the second half a cross from Page found Gaskin's head who made it 1-1 and Reepham were back in the game. This didn't last long and moments later The Greenman were back in the lead with another through ball unlocking the Reepham defence and Chris Collins making it 2-1. Reepham continued to control proceedings and created further opportunities to get themselves back in the game with corner after corner going begging and 'keeper Ian Fossey proving to be too good to beat with everything being collected out of the air. With just five minutes left on the clock Reepham pushed further forward in search of an equalizer leaving space at the back for the home team to take advantage of and for Greengrass to grab his second and for his teams third of the morning with a well taken left foot finish. 3-1 and game over.

Robins Joint Manager, Stewart Grand was frustrated with his teams performance and said “Although we dominated possession and were the better footballing side winning games is all about taking your chances and this is what The Greenman team did. They had three chances and scored three goals. We created numerous goal scoring opportunities and were denied by a goal keeper playing out of his skin.” Grand continued “However, for a team to create 20 plus corners and not to win is very disappointing.”

Next Sunday Reepham Town Sundays are back at Stimpson's Piece with a 10.30 kick off against Acle Wanderers.