The PREMIER DIVISION has yet another new leader this week as ROYAL OAK KINGSBURY now find themselves at the summit on the back of their recent good form as once again they picked up maximum points , this week against TWO GATES UNITED . Oak had to start with ten men but started the brighter and got the ball down early on and played some good football and were unlucky not to take the lead through K. Cunningham who rose like a salmon twice but found the post with his first effort and the second was just over . The Oak were then unlucky not to get a penalty which looked a stone wall shout but the ref didnt agree , Two Gates then had a couple of scrambles in the box but the Oaks defence and keeper looked strong , soon after the Oak were awarded a penalty which looked softer than the first shout but was a penalty regardless and CARR managed to get hold off the ball to make it 1-0 and carry on his impressive goal tally for the season . Soon after that the Oak continued to pressure and were rewarded with a second goal through SMITH with a well taken goal that saw Oak lead at the break 2-0 . Second half started with both teams fielding eleven players which seemed to upset Oaks game and Two Gates had the wind and they were causing problems with the long ball and throw ins and set pieces and scored through one of these to make it 2-1 through STEVENS and then nearly made it 2-2 with another but K. Cunningham aka The Postman cleared the chance off the line and luckily off this break Oak counter attacked and a great ball from S. Cunningham put CARR through to score his second of the game and make it 3-1 and this seemed to kill Two Gates off and Oak seen the game out and were unlucky not to score a couple more , but the win took them top of the table ….. In DIVISION 1 , SNARESTONE GLOBE took the points in their six pointer tussle at the top with WILNECOTE WMC in a first v third fixture . In a game featuring some bizarre decisions by the ref , Snarestone were slow out the blocks but soon started to get in their stride however against the run of play,a mis-kick followed by a couple of lucky deflections presented the ball at the feet of the Wilnecote centre-forward SMYTH and he promptly found the net to allow Wilnecote a 1-0 lead at half-time . In the second half , Snarestone continued to create chances and soon BARKER pulled Globe level . After both teams were reduced to 10 men , some Harlem Globetrotter style ball control allowed ADAMS to then power past the Globe defence to make it 2-1 . However Snarestones pressure payed off as MUIR pulled things level , before with seconds to go Barker powered into the Wilnecote penalty area where a desperate lunge gave the Ref no option but to give Snarestone a penalty . And the coolest head belonged to Joe TEBBIT as with literally the last kick of the game he planted the ball in the back of the net to give Snarestone on the basis of chances created a deserved 3-2 win at the death ….. FC BONDS should have won their game comfortably against VAULTS as they were the much the better side for the whole of the 90 minutes , Simon McHALE grabbed him self a brace and with ten minutes left Adam Darby then decided to score in his own net to make it 2-1 but Bonds held out for the win .... DIVISIONAL CUP saw the might of TAMWORTH ARMS GALACTICOS take on bottom of the league and winless DUG OUT FC . There was always only ever going to be one winner in this encounter and this it proved as Galacticos eased through to the next round . The Galacticos started with their typical samba football with once again captain marvel FULFORD sending them on their way with another delightful finish , This lad is really carrying this team to silverware before his departure to the USA which will be a massive blow for not only Galacticos but for the sunbed takings in Tamworth too ..... After the Galacticos first goal it was more of the same football with Galacticos having meerkat Taylor popping up on the right and tackling Tucker on the left who was really throwing his weight after a couple of intense sessions in lifestyle during the week .... It was 4-0 before the half time break with Robin van no tech FOXALL scoring two of them with his usual composed finishing ? and Sergio BALL getting the other , but just before the break Galacticos were dealt a massive blow when Damian Jarrett thought he could smell chicken by the right corner flag and was running at full speed when he was unfortunately muscled out of a tackle from the Dug Out centre half meaning he had to come off with a suspected bruised toe nail ..... Nothing a pedicure wont fix ….. After the break Rolex Rickards was really turning the clock and the Dug Out struggled to deal with the amount of one twos he was playing .... What a signing from the Galacticos who have rejuvenated his career in the matter of a few weeks , Rickards went on to assist Fred FOXALL for his third and HAYES to make it 6 but it was not until the seventh goal where the quality of Galacticos really showed when Thirkette and Baker came off the bench to really show the strength and depth of this tanned , long haired well moisturised team ..... With THIRKETTE unleashing a FORTY-FIVE yard strike into the top corner leaving the goalkeeper no chance .... Good game on both parts but the Galactico steam train keeps on Chooin as they finished 7-2 winners . MURRAY scoring both goals for Dug Out …. DIVISION 2 saw DRAYTON BASSETT pick up three valuable points to lift them out of the bottom two as they defeated POST FC by a single goal to win 1-0 thanks to an Andy GRAHAM goal …. FAZELEY TOWN themselves picked up three precious points in their relegation battle with REAL BELGRAVE winning 3-1 ….. DIVISION 3 saw SPORTS BAR ATHLETIC go away to SWIFTS at Anker Valley off the back of a scrappy 2-1 win away at Coton Arms last time out and wanted revenge on a Swifts side who had beaten them in the reverse fixture last time out earlier in the season . Last minute cancellations and drop outs meant that Sports Bar started the game with eleven players and no subs but still confident they had what it took to get the win they needed . They started by pressing Swifts in their own half and refusing to let them settle before settling into a routine of quick counter attacking football . Swifts found themselves 1-0 down early on as the pressing paid off when Adam WEBB had an effort deflected into the Swifts net by a defender . The own goal gave Sports Bar something to fight for and they restricted Swifts to a couple of half chances and corners that were easily dealt with by the defence and keeper . The second half saw Swifts have a spell of pressure but Sports Bar continued to defend superbly by limiting the opposition to half chances . The knockout blow came when Dan CROOT scored an absolute wonder goal on the turning half volley to lob the Swifts keeper from all of thirty plus yards out . From this point on there was only going to be one winner and with Sports Bar refusing to give anything away at the back , they went on to grab a third with another cracking finish . Adam Crotty played a back heel to wrong foot the Swifts defence and tee up skipper Martyn STEVENS for a lob from the edge of the box . Sports Bar saw the game out and could have added to the score if not for some rushed finishing . Overall it was a thoroughly deserved 3-0 win and three points that moves them up to third in the table ….. DIVISION 4 and still POLESWORTH SPORTS & SOCIAL seek their first points of the season and MERCIAN took full advantage of them this week nailing in six without reply to finish 6-0 winners and put an end to there own losing streak of late . Mercian dominated the game but Polesworth had there chances and failing to do anything with them and when they did Mercians keeper was there to deny them . This week saw Sean MILLS bag a hatrick , Tom BUTLER a brace and an absolute banger from Paul RUDD saw Mercian finally back on form winning again … NEWTON ALLIANCE and ANKERSIDE RANGERS both harbour dreams of promotion and this was a big game for both alike and a close contest would have been expected but it was nothing of the sort as Newton Alliance blew away Ankerside in style hitting them for SIX . Newton Alliances Luke Harris was in a league of his own and absolutely destroyed Ankerside single handedly , not to take anything away from their great team performance which led to their second clean sheet this season with their defence back to full strength and a midfield that is consistent although Barry Potter was ill , 3-0 up at half time . Second half was won 3-0 as well with Luke the wizard legs HARRIS grabbing a well deserved hatrick , Dan the pint size PRICE getting two and a first goal for Jay CROUCH . A fantastic free kick from Adam Cowell went in but the referee deemed the keeper was impeded , although video footage taken by a wag from the Alliance camp shows otherwise but 6-0 was a comfortable win showing that Alliance should be in the mix at the end of the season if they continue in this form ….. FAZELEY TOWN RESERVES secured their third win of the season defeating WILNECOTE PRINCE in some style 5-1 ….. LEAGUE CHALLENGE TROPHY action saw Division 4s unbeaten leaders TWO GATES UNITED RESERVES take on EDINGALE SWIFTS from the league above and Edingale Swifts came away from Anker Valley wondering how they hadnt at least taken the game to extra time against their unbeaten opponents . A poor start for Swifts was punished when a long throw was controlled and volleyed in from eight yards after ten minutes by WORRELL . Edingale were gradually getting more and more into the game but found themselves 2-0 down when a corner was headed in from only a yard or so out by RAWLINGS . Kieran Cherrie was unlucky with a couple of long range efforts which went just wide for Edingale while Liam Ellison had to be alert to clear off the line at the other end . In first half stoppage time Edingale were back in the game as Alex FALLON tackled the defender as he tried to run the ball out of defence and calmly slotted past the onrushing keeper . Fallon nearly made it two in a minute at the start of the second half but his low shot from the edge of the box went just wide . Edingale were now on top and got the equaliser they deserved when a cross into the box was met by the head of Justin TOMSON who looped his header over the keeper and into the far corner . The goal seemed to shake Two Gates back into action and the match became end to end with neither side seemingly wanting extra time . Edingale nearly went in front when substitute McNaught stretched to get on the end of a Fallon cross but he couldnt make proper contact and the ball cannoned of both posts before coming back out . Two Gates regained the lead when a neat one two seen the midfielder SHELLIS burst through and slot past Bowles in the Edingale goal . Edingale tried in vain to get an equaliser when Fallon hit a rasping free kick just wide clipping the post and a Stuart Clarke header went just over . A keenly contested game which either side could have won finished with Two Gates just edging it to win 3-2 .... LADY AGNES DURHAM CUP saw an entertaining tie played out between local rivals WILNECOTE RED LION and WILNECOTE GLOBE . Red Lion went into a 3-0 lead with two goals from Adam DELANEY and one from Kieron CLEARY . Globe came out fighting in the second half and thanks to goals from Craig FARRELL , Darren CARTWRIGHT and Jake DAVIS pulled it back to 3-3 at full time . Extra time beckoned and Globe had to use all their resources having celebrated their Christmas party the night before and Red Lion took two chances that fell their way to go 5-3 up as DELANEY completed his hatrick and SHAKESPEARE netted . Globe fought back again with a goal from Adam ROSE and the momentum was now with the Globe but the Red Lion keeper made some great saves to win the game in the end for Red Lion 5-4 …. GLASCOTE SWIFTS of Division 4 were no match for Premier Division AUSTREY RANGERS losing 11-0 ….. Unbeaten WILNECOTE QUEENS HEAD were almost undone by 10-men and then 9-men as MAD DOG TATTOO FC showed ultimate Bull-Dog-Spirit to almost take their unbeaten mantle off them . With a scratch 11 for the second week running in a ¼ Final of a cup , Mad Dog Tattoo are in serious danger of seeing their cup final aspirations go down the pan due to lack of commitment after doing so well to get into these positions . Turning up with 11 players Mad Dog were reduced to 10 men before kick off as hot-shot Dave Gadsby failed a late fitness test and could not take to the field but Mad Dog having been unable to field a full strength side did not let that stop them in competing with Queens Head all over the park for the whole of the game with the players in the shirts showing their heart for the cause of why it all began . From the off you would never of guessed Mad Dog Tattoo were a man light and Queens were taken aback by their attacking intent and were lucky not to go behind in the early stages . Queens though did settle into the game and show glimpses of why they are unbeaten so far this season in all competitions but they were finding it very hard to break down a stubborn Mad Dog defence . A fairly even first half ended all square with both sides having ample opportunities to break the deadlock . The second half began as the first ended with both teams showing promise going forward and it was Queens who broke the deadlock ten minutes into the second half more through good fortune than anything else , when Mad Dog’s keeper cleared the ball into his own player deflecting kindly to Queens centre back ROBERTS who was up for the free-kick and said thankyou very much for the early Christmas present to score the easiest goal he probably ever will for 1-0 . The pressure on Mad Dog started to mount as Queens were creating chances but their eagerness to score cost them as first a ball into the box from a long throw in was glanced in by Berba – Josh HEATON then a fast break-away saw an opportunity for Mad Dog to take the lead , and it was taken in some style by Reece LYNCH who burst through to turn his marker inside out then curl a peach around the keeper from a difficult angle twelve yards out making it 2-1 Mad Dog Tattoo . However Lynch could not stay for the full game after being taken off to hospital with seemingly a serious knee injury with twenty five minutes still remaining and this meant that Mad Dog were down to 9 players for the remainder of the game . The thought of playing against 9 men should have spurred Queens Head on to victory there and then , however they huffed and puffed in part but Mad Dog were resilient throughout and dangerous on the counter . Queens could not find any sort of rhythm to their game and the chances they did create were not dispatched . Unfortunately for Mad Dog though the lead couldn’t last and having defended their goal like warriors until the dying minutes WELSH drew Queens Head level , finishing from just inside the area to make it 2-2 as he collected a throw in and rolled his marker to fire in low and hard . As full time approached , chances for Queens came and went with the Mad Dog keeper stopping everything . Even with the last kick of the game Queens could not find the target when one on one , and so the game went to extra time . Both teams struggled at this stage , even more so for Mad Dog , but as Queens could still not assert any form of dominance on the game due to the willingness of the Mad Dog players , no further goals were scored and so penalties would have to decide the outcome . Queens won the toss and went first , going on to score 4 out of the 5 required , and as Mad Dog missed 2 of theirs it was Wilnecote Queens Head who progressed through to the next round winning 4-3 on penalties to book a semi-final encounter with near neighbours Wilnecote Red Lion …...
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 22:58:05 +0000