Reepham Town 3 Caister 1: The Robins again played below their best, but slowly and surely the improvements are starting to become evident.

Reepham Town 3 Caister 1 (29/08/09)

The Robins again played below their best, but slowly and surely the improvements are starting to become evident. A large crowd watched as in the first half the visitors struggled, displaying a disjointed performance. Mark Gaskin and Colin Emberley were both back in the team after missing the first two games and the extra width they provided soon proved to be beneficial. Gaskin made the life of the visitors left back, David Newbury a misery, but it was Emberley who was initially the most effective. Receiving the ball wide left, he drew his man inside and then fed the ball to the overlapping Kevin Winkworth. A great cross reached Jason Hawkins as he crept in at the back post and the experienced midfielder got his first goal for Reepham. On 55 minutes the industrious Rodney Drake snatched a neat goal and again it was the Winkworth, Emberley combination which supplied the ball. Lee Turner at centre back was strong and on the hour he was too strong when he pulled down Drake. Shaun Belton rammed the ball home past the forlorn Aaron Lindoff from the ensuing penalty kick. Five minute later a lapse of concentration let in Caister skipper James Corke to score, but the three points were for the home team.

John Musgrove, the Reepham coach said, with a reluctant sanguineness after the game, “Well, it was better. Not excellent, but better. We've got some very good players here and today we got three points against a physical team without excelling ourselves. Its early days”.

Meloncollie Rose of Reepham Man of The Match was Andy Gooch for a discreet and yet remarkably effective performance.

Reepham Town visit Horsford United on Saturday. 2.30 kick off, (05/09/09) in the Norfolk Senior Cup

Reepham Town 6 Easton Reserves 1 (29/08/09)

The Robins Ressies went to the top of the league with a six goal win. A dubious penalty was the only way a courageous, but limited Easton Reserves could score.

Reepham Town Reserves fielded a strong team despite substantial changes. Danny Broome and Kieran Reeve came in for Gary Ives and Robert Groves respectively who were both at Reading Festival and James Brownley came in for Eddy Morgan, who was working, whilst Mark Savage replaced a cricketing Toby Armiger.

The Robins found it initially difficult to get the ball moving, but once they did Easton were pressed into almost perpetual defensive duties and they must have known they would struggle to create a good chance.

Within fifteen minutes Reepham's first goal came from Leon Huckle who scored directly from a corner. Huckle, from another corner, then set up Jason Hynd who battered the ball into the net with a great header. The Reepham pressure mounted and Chris Brownbridge, Easton's goalkeeper kept them in the game with a sequence of great saves.

However the fissure opened and Reepham's captain Rob Dodd lashed in a great goal from outside the box into the bottom corner. On forty minutes Dodd got his second with a towering header from a great Hynd cross.

Just after the break the ball hit Broome's hand, and yet a penalty was given. Eventually, Jay Back, who had a great game and could have several other goals scored. Young “Broomy” then made up for conceding a penalty by smashing in a great goal.

Joint Manager James Brownley said “I was very pleased with the improving performance of all of the players. I even thought I put in a decent show. I am confident that with the quality and strength in depth we have we will get better as the season goes on. Gradually we are becoming more organised as the team plays more games."

The Reepham Ressies are at home on Saturday (05/09/09) against East Harling Reserves with a 2.30 kick off.