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Report
week ending Sunday 26 March 2006
Spencer
is Taylor made for West End and its simple as Simon shows Redmires
Howe
Although it was a
weekend of big scores in all three divisions, it was a smart double
from Spencer Taylor that pushed Woodhouse West End a step nearer the
top of the CBC Premier.
Taylor netted a goal in each half to give West End a 2-0 victory at
Handsworth WMC, a result that leaves West End just six points behind
the leaders, but, crucially, with three games in hand. It was also a
result that dumped Handsworth into the bottom three.
Also struggling just above the drop zone is Redmires after they
suffered the club's heaviest ever defeat, 8-1 at a Stannington
Village just moving into top form ahead of tomorrow's League Cup
semi final.
Wayne Bird headed Stannington in front and after Jon Wigfield
quickly added a second. The home side were in full flow now and
Simon Howe took advantage of some suspect Redmires defending to
plunder five goals. David Hague added Village's eighth, while Simon
Bradbury's goal for Redmires will have been of little consolation to
them.
Moving out of the bottom three for almost the first time this season
is Stocksbridge Park Steels 'A' after they just pipped Royal Oak
Pitsmoor by the odd goal in five. Adam Todd gave Steels a half time
lead, but Craig Jones cancelled it out soon after the break.
They didn't stay level for long though as Adrian Tazziman restored
Steel's lead and Andy Hibbert hit a third. Lee Clarke hit a second
for Oak, but Steel's held on for what could be the three points that
saves them from the drop.
Now definitely safe is The Park after they had a comfortable 5-1
victory at Crookes Club. Steve McMain and a Joe Barker double gave
Park a three goal half time lead and Adam Stringfellow and Lee
Bridges made it five before Andy Billingsly netted from the penalty
spot for the home side.
Division One's big game saw leaders Laycock Sports beat second place
Pen Nook to leave Laycock's just one more win away from guaranteed
promotion and put an end to Nook's title hopes.
There wasn't much between the sides in the first half, but just five
minutes before the break Sam Sequerra met Simon Bartle's corner to
head Laycock's in front. After the break Nook hit the woodwork and
twice had penalty appeals turned down, but a solid display from
centre half Ryan Dunn helped keep Laycock's nose in front and Steve
Morris scored with a trademark chip over the keeper to make victory
safe.
Up to third are Lord Nelson after four goal Brian Maguire inspired
them to an 8-2 victory at Oxspring United. Also on target for Nelson
was Matt Bray, Scott Wilkinson and Danny Wilkinson, while Alan
Crofts netted both Oxspring's goals before completing a 'hat-trick'
with an own goal.
In Division Two, Ball Boys gave their promotion hopes a massive
boost with a 9-3 victory over Tosalisana. Joe France led the way
with three, while Ball's others came from a Will Blakeney double and
one each for Richard Mills, Scott Bolland, Craig Woolley and Chris
Hull. Tosalisana never gave up though and Morden Rodrigues with two
and Nadio Nathinu netted three deserved goals for them.
Loxley also gave their promotion hopes a big boost when they
hammered one of their main rivals Half Moon 8-2. That result was
unthinkable when Paul Hull put Moon ahead and it was still unlikely
when Tom Shelton cancelled it out from the penalty spot before half
time.
Loxley had the slope and weather conditions in their favour in the
second half and they took full advantage to rip Moon's understrength
defence apart. Shelton added two more, Geoff Mayfield grabbed a
brace and Carl Wells, Kev White and an own goal made it eight before
Glen Woodhouse netted Moon's second.
Woodseats Abbey also had to come from behind to improve their
promotion hopes with a 4-2 victory over Cutlers Arms. After a
goalless first half it was Cutlers that took the lead, but after a
shake up sub Ryan Barker levelled for Abbey and another sub, Chris
Leek put them ahead. Mark Richards added a third for Abbey before
Cutlers netted their second, but a second from Leek made the points
safe for Abbey.
Hartley House couldn't match them though and their promotion hopes
are fading after their 4-1 defeat at Lynthorpe Oak. A Shaun Dolby
strike and two from Hilton Stratford gave Oak a three goal half time
lead and although Ryan Inkles pulled one back for House it was
Stratford that had the final word with another to complete his
hat-trick.
Despite taking an early lead when Gary Archer sidefooted the ball
home, Ecclesfield Travellers brave run to the Sunday Junior Cup semi
finals ended in defeat. Their hosts, Wickersley Cricket Club, hit
back strongly and soon levelled with a header from a corner.
Travellers couldn't get their game going at all and after snatching
the lead just before half time Wickersley went on to hit three more
without reply in the second half to take their place in the final. |
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Report week ending Sunday
19 March 2006
Firth
double sends Laycock's record tumbling
For The League's last unbeaten record was sent crashing as Division One leaders Laycock Sports were beaten 4-2 by a Burgoyne Arms side beginning to find their early season form once again. It wasn't too bad a day for Laycock's though as both second place Pen Nook and third place Lord Nelson also tasted defeat.
Burgoyne went ahead midway through the first half when leading scorer Darren Firth headed home, but it looked like it would be business as usual for Laycock's when Danny Milner equalised with a shot from a tight angle and Steve Morris chipped the keeper to put the ahead for the break.
Burgoyne came out for the second half even more determined and Scott Marcus soon levelled before Scott Marcus put them back in front. Laycocks stepped up a gear, but they couldn't find a way through and it was Arms that struck again when Firth netted his second.
After that Laycock's threw everything at them and it needed Arms keeper Chris Fox to be at his very best. Even when Laycock's were awarded a penalty for handball, Fox brilliantly saved Andy Register's spot kick and Arms held on to end that record and move back into the promotion frame.
The biggest threat to Laycock's chances of the title could well be Bagshaw Arms after they showed their pedigree with a great 2-1 victory at second place Pen Nook. The nearest either side came in the first half was when the Bagshaw keeper came out on top of a one-to-one with Nook's Daniel McLean, but the second half wasn't too old when Lee Beighton hit one into the top corner to put Bagshaw ahead.
Nook looked to have rescued a point when Mark Woodcock netted from the penalty spot after Chris Bell had brought Steve Marshall down in the area, but Bagshaw knicked it at the end when Lee Connor beat the offside trap to roll it past the keeper.
Lord Nelson had pushed themselves into the promotion frame with a ten game unbeaten run, but Telecom Sports had draw with them a couple of weeks ago and this time they went one better to end Nelson's run.
Two Daniel Mace strikes and one from Adam Bellamy saw Telecom race into a three goal lead and although John Dickens pulled one back, Telecom re-established their three goal lead with a Paul Marrison goal. Danny Wilkinson pulled a second back for Nelson, but they never looked likely to get anything out of the game and the defeat saw them slip out of the top three.
At the foot of Division One there were important wins for Stocksbridge Park Steels 'B' and Oughtibridge Village. Second half Lee Shepherd and Andy Horsfall goals were enough to give Steels the points at a Civil Service that was level on points with them.
Ten defeats in their last eleven had seen Oughtibridge Village slip into the bottom three, but after their 3-1 win at next to bottom Jordanthorpe Hotel, Village are now just three points behind Civil Service and with a game in hand. Mick and Lee Smith hit two of the goals and David Hudson grabbed their third while Rob Ross netted Jordanthorpes only consolation as they slip ever nearer the drop.
Walters
unlucky thirteen hits Oak
The CBC Premier saw more than half it's programme hit by the weather yet again, but the two games that were played saw Woodhouse West End move back into second place with a big win over Royal Oak Pitsmoor and The Park score their first ever victory over old rivals Stannington Village.
Although Oak had several players missing they made a great start with Scott Empsey firing them ahead, but Spencer Taylor soon levelled for West End and Danny Hooper volleyed a second to give them a half time lead.
Oak couldn't have imagined the whirlwind that would hit them in the second half, but West End were at the unstoppable best. Leading the way with five goals was James Walters and he has now scored thirteen goals in three games against Oak. Hooper grabbed his second, Dave Kippax struck twice and Lee Glaves took West End's tally to eleven, while John Mellor's second goal for Oak was little consolation for a defeat that confirms a bottom two finish for certain.
Both The Park and Stannington Village went into their game in good form, but, despite good approach work, Village couldn't find that killer final ball and it was The Park that found the cutting edge. Lee Bridges, a Matt Hill penalty and one from Joe Barker saw The Park comfortably complete their first ever win over Village, a defeat that as good as ends any outside hopes Village had for the title.
Pitsmoor pip Boys to go ten points
clear
Division Two leaders Pitsmoor Hotel moved ten points clear with a narrow win in a seven goal thriller at Ball Boys, while back up to second are Loxley after a 4-0 win at Hollin Bush and two points further back are half Moon after their 2-0 win at wadsley Bridge Travellers.
Ball were first to strike when Lee Godwin netted his first ever goal from the edge of the area, but a Glynn Walker soon had Pitsmoor level and they then went in front when Scott Spiers headed home.
Joe Grant levelled for Ball before the interval, but the second half saw Leon Stocks put Pitsmoor back in front. A Craig Willey own goal then extended their lead before Will Blakeney's seventh goal in three games reduced the arrers for Ball, but depite further pressure from the home side, the leaders held on to widen the gap at the top.
After Carl Wells, Geoff May and Tom Shelton strikes gave Loxley a three goal half time lead at Hollin Bush, Loxley never looked likely to lose the three points. Although skipper Simon Mirfin added a fourth after the break, the second half was closer and Loxley's keeper Craig Brown needed to show maturity beyond his seventeen years to claim his clean sheet.
Half Moon travelled to Wadsley Bridge Travellers knowing that three points would put them back into the thick of the promotion challenge and although both sides carved out plenty of chances in the first half, they went into the break without a goal between them.
It was a similar story in the second half, but this time Nathan Kingswood and Matthew Corn managed to find the net for Moon and give them the win that takes them within two points of second place.
Lynthorpe Oak made it four wins out of their last five with a 4-1 victory over
Tosalisana. Matt Nesta grabbed two, with their others coming from Hilton Stratford and John Batty, while Tosalisana's reply came from Tony Delfina.
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Report
week ending Sunday 12 March 2006
Blythen
to the rescue, but George stumble again
For a third week in
succession the weather decimated the fixtures, with only four games
surviving the snow and ice. Even though they played, The CBC Premier
leaders Woodhouse George will have also felt the chill as their title
defence took another stumble when it needed a last gasp penalty by Michael
Blythen to avoid defeat by Dronfield Town.
It started well for George when Gareth Simons put them ahead and they
dominated the early play. Things began to wrong though when Wes Pierce
missed from the spot after Blythen had been brought down in the area and
that was just one of many missed chances in the first half.
They paid for it when Nick Horsefield levelled for the visitors straight
after the interval and Horsefield was soon on target again to put
Dronfield ahead. Simons then hit his second to bring George level, but Ben
Kastell soon restored Town lead and it looked all over for george when
Shaun Waller saw red.
George aren't champions for nothing though and they rolled their sleeves
up to take the game to Town. It left them vulnerable at the back though
and had it not been for keeper James Clewes Town would have had the game
sewn up long before end, but when a handball gave George a second penalty
Blythen stepped up to hit the latest possible equaliser.
Despite the difficult conditions it had been a terrific advert for the
league and referee Colin Brown further enhanced his reputation with a
display that brought praise from both sides.
Haigh
double is just the tipple for Crookes
The only other CBC
Premier game saw Crookes Club snatch a rare point when a Kev Haigh double
earned them a 2-2 draw with Redmires. Haigh was first to find the net and
although Crookes had the better of the first half, they went into the
break level after John Cotterill netted from the penalty spot.
Redmires began to have more of the game and Cotterill was again on target
when he lashed home a corner to put Redmires ahead, but Crookes saved the
best till last when Haigh produced the most sublime of chips to beat
keeper Luke Siggs and earn his side a share of the points.
Milner hat-trick keeps
Laycock's on course
Division One leaders
Laycock Sports took another step towards the title when they hammered
local rivals Jordanthorpe Hotel 7-1 and with second place Pen Nook being
surprisingly held by Telecom Sports it saw Laycock's open up a two point
lead.
Steve Morris crossed for skipper Gary Luke to head Laycock's in front and
Danny Milner showed why he is such a hotshot by rifling home the leader's
second, but Jordanthorpe dragged themselves back into the game when David
Goudge found the net before half time.
The second half was one way traffic though and Morris soon got his name on
the scoresheet. Luke grabbed his second, before Milner did likewise and
full back got in on the act with a real rasper from the edge of the area.
Milner then wrapped things up by completing his hat-trick.
May
treble keeps Nook Penned in
Pen Nook worked hard to
get their game with Telecom Sports on and they must have thought all that
work was worth it when Ryan Cockayne, Mark Woodcock from the penalty spot
and Daniel McLean gave them a three goal lead, but the turning point came
just before the break when Daniel May pulled one back for the visitors.
May struck again in the second half, but when Martin Semple netted a
fourth for Nook it looked all over. Telecom had other ideas though and May
completed his hat-trick before Lee Johnson earned them a deserved point
with a late equaliser.
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Report week ending Sunday
5 March 2006
The
Ref is the top man as Oak get back to playing again
It was an emotional return to the field for Lynthorpe Oak as they made their first appearance since the tragic deaths of Steve Fairbank and Shaun Rhodes and although it was to eventually end in defeat by visitors Woodseats Abbey it had been a day when everyone could take credit, with special praise to the referee Mr JM Firth who donated his fee to the Cancer Charity chosen by the families of Steve and Shaun.
After the teams, along with all teams in the league, held a minutes silence before the game, John Kilcoyne put Abbey ahead in the first half and he had a great chance to add a second when his side was awarded a penalty, but his shot was saved by Oak keeper Wayne
Brelsford.
It looked as if it would be very costly when a Matt Nesta free kick deservedly brought Oak level, but it was Oak that were left ruing the chances they had missed when Adrian Von Wurzbach hit a very late winner for Abbey.
That pushed Abbey into the thick of the Division Two promotion race, but leaders Pitsmoor Hotel are looking more and more like champions after their comfortable victory at second place Hartley House.
Pitsmoor had more than a touch of good fortune though as their opener came when Ryan Inkles attempted clearance hit Scott Spiers and flew into the net and there second came when a House defender headed the ball into the top corner of his own net. Their was no luck about James Thew's third though and Gavin Davies made absolutely certain with Pitsmoor's fourth.
That sent Pitsmoor seven points clear after Ecclesfield Travellers could only draw at lowly Wadsley Bridge Travellers. A defensive mix-up left Neil Whitworth with a simple tap-in to put Bridge ahead, but Ecclesfield levelled when the Bridge keeper couldn't hold a shot and Jamie Grayson followed up to score.
Bridge went back in front when Neil Whitworth was brought down in the area and his brother Steve stepped up to convert the penalty, but they then shot themselves in the foot as an own goal brought Ecclesfield level. Ecclesfield hit the post after that, but it would have been hard on Bridge if they had come away with nothing, while Ecclesfield can console themselves with the knowledge that the point was enough to lift them up to second.
Loxley's revival gathered pace with victory at Cutlers Arms, but it wasn't quite as straight forward as the 5-1 scoreline suggests. Cutlers had the better chances in the first half and could count two open goals among them and the sides went in level at the break. Loxley decided to change things round and Simon Mirfin stepped off the subs bench to transform the game.
Mirfin netted soon after the break and he hit a second from the penalty spot before his set-up gave Tom Shelton the chance to chip the keeper for Loxley's third. Craig Crownshaw's cross was then headed home by Carl Wells and a clever back-heel by Mirfin gave Joe Lilleyman the chance to make it five before Anthony Sidney grabbed a late consolation for Cutlers.
Ball Boys are also back in the promotion race after Will Blakeney's second hat-trick in as many games gave them a narrow 3-2 win over Hollin Bush. Blakeney gave Ball a two goal half time lead, but Bush were back in the game when Tom Moyses pulled one back straight after the re-start. The next goal was going to be crucial and with ten minutes left it was Blakeney that struck his third and it proved invaluable as Bush netted a second through Lee Sweet.
Both Hemsworth Villa and Woodhouse West End stepped up their CBC Premier title bids with victories, but while Villa's was very comfortable, West End's was as narrow as they come.
Villa had Mark Ward making his debut for them and when Scott Moat typically rescued a lost cause, Ward marked the event with the opener and it wasn't too long before he netted a second. Dronfield got back into it when Adam Gage's clearance fell to Danny Gibbons who returned it with interest, but two Lee Webber strikes either side of the interval put Villa completely in control. Ward then took his own tally to four before Gibbons hit his second for Town, but it was Webber that completed the scoring as he completed his hat-trick.
Woodhouse West End were strangely out of sorts against a Handsworth WMC fighting for survival and the best performance in the game came from referee Nick Mason. A very lacklustre first half saw the sides go in goalless at the interval, but the winner came soon after the break when Dale Fullers free kick was too hot for the Handsworth keeper to hold and Danny Hooper followed up to score.
At the other end of the table it was The Park who's place looks much more secure after they completed a 4-0 victory over third bottom Stocksbridge Park Steels 'A'. Lee Bridges grabbed two in the first half while Steve McMain and Ryan Marshall strikes in the second half completed a comfortable morning's work.
With Division One leaders Laycock Sports game at Bagshaw Arms falling to a frozen pitch it gave Pen Nook the chance to go level at the top and although local rivals Stocksbridge Park Steels 'B' pushed them all the way, Nook collected the
three points
required.
Man-of-the-match Craig Thickett set Nook on their way from close range and although that was the only goal
of the first half, the second was too old when Ryan Cockayne ignored Steels' offside claims to double Nook's lead. It was a tough scoreline on Steels and they deservedly pulled one back through Richard
Hirst, but Cockayne struck again to restore Nook's two goal advantage.
They needed it as Steels ex-Nook striker reduced the arrears again from the penalty spot and as the visitors went all out for an equaliser , Nook were grateful for both the woodwork and keeper Scott Bowskill as they hung on to record a first ever double over their local rivals.
Despite taking the lead through Alex Burton, Lord Nelson couldn't keep pace with them as they were held to a 2-2 draw by in-form Telecom Sports. Lee Johnson levelled for Telecom before the break and Paul Marrison then put them in front, but Nelson rescued a point when Jamie Middleton's free kick from just inside his own half flew over a startled keeper.
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