3 Feb 2008 - CBC Premier It's doubles all round as top two stay on course
It was doubles all round as Woodhouse West End and Blue Ball opened up a five point gap at the top of the CBC Premier, but the battle for promotion from the other Divisions is getting tighter than ever as just seven points separate the top ten in Division One and just six points separate second from tenth in Division Two.
CBC Premier leaders Woodhouse West End found themselves a goal behind at title rivals Stannington Village when Simon Bradbury put the home side ahead after just ten minutes, but David Haley levelled on the half hour mark and he netted a second in the second half along with another from Spencer Taylor to complete an eight day double over Stannington.
Blue Ball also found themselves behind when a quick break saw Luke Parkinson net his first goal for visitors Stocksbridge Park Steels, but with Joe Barker pulling the strings for the home side Ball hit back quickly as Paul Marrison first equalised and then scored what turned out to be the winner with a bullet header. Steels gave it their best shot after the break and hit the post and had one cleared off the line, but the Ball defence were in no mood to be beaten.
Those wins extended their lead to five points because third place Hemsworth Villa all but had their title hopes washed away at Niagara. Paul Jennings made an immediate impression on his debut for Niagara by putting them ahead after just two minutes, but Villa forced themselves back into the game and levelled through leading scorer Nick Owen.
It wasn't to be Villa's day though. The nearest they came to another was when Matt Bray hit a post and it was Simon Staniforth's close range header that put Niagara back in front before a second from Jennings sealed their victory.
After Handsworth WMC's Kieran Gallagher had hit a post early on it was Ecclesfield Travellers took the lead when Danny Touhey followed up after James Abramski had saved Craig Senior's shot. Gallagher wasn't to be denied for long though and he levelled for the home side with a free kick and then slammed home another free kick to put them ahead.
Travellers fought back and levelled when Dan Touhey's shot was blocked into the path of Chris Brown, who made no mistake for his first of the season. Handsworth, with Andy Sykes outstanding, were still having the better of things and after missing a few chances they finally grabbed the winner when Matt Hodgett headed home from Gallagher's cross. Another person to have an excellent game was referee Matt Walsh.
Division One Old Boys charge helped by Law, while Sheldon are Birched
Paul Hind's third goal of the season proved enough to for Pitsmoor Royal Oak to beat promotion rivals Devonshire and close the gap on the Division One leaders Millhouses Abacrombie to just one point, but the Division One table is so tight that just seven points separate top from tenth.
Up to third are Handsworth Old Boys after two James Law goals gave them a 2-0 victory over Trickshots, while up to fourth are Pen Nook after a Scott Birch treble helped them to a 6-0 win at Sheldon Athletic.
Birch's corner was headed home by Phil Cookson (see picture left) to give Pen Nook the lead and Danny McLean scored for the second week running to make it two. Birch then netted a terrific solo effort and with just thirty minutes gone, after a handball in the area, he added a fourth from the penalty spot. Sheldon did better in the second half, but they couldn't stop Birch completing his hat-trick or McLean adding his second.
More pictures from the game are below.
Loxley are just two points off the automatic promotion places after they came from behind to win at Park & Arbour
LFS. When keeper Simon Windle's long clearance bounced over Scott Parkin, Danny Adkins pounced to smash Park in front, but almost immediately Loxley hit back to level when Craig Crownshaw's free kick was headed home by Richard Lester.
Loxley had to introduce Mick Smith after Joe Shaw's debut was cut short by a knee injury, but Smith made the most of his opportunity by meeting Andy Hogg's free kick to put his side ahead and the points were made safe when Park's Dan Smith unfortunately turned Mo Hamed's free kick past his own keeper, although Loxley were indebted to two great saves by keeper Gareth Turner as Park came back with a late flourish.
Division Two Gartlan to the four for Brimington, as Service widen gap
Civil Service opened up a six point gap at the top of Division Two with a 4-1 home win over Anston Athletic, but behind them just six points separate the next nine clubs. Service would be the first to say that it had been a much closer game than the score suggests and it needed a mistake in the visitors defence for Lee Wild to put Service ahead and soon after, when Jake Ford dwelled on the ball too long, Joe Bellamy robbed him before racing away to equalise for Anston.
Chris Fowler had Service back in front before the interval and after the break Barry Durrans struck his first of the season to double their lead before Ford made up for his earlier mistake by slamming home from close range.
Oughtibridge Village's title hopes suffered a major setback when they lost 3-2 at a Fairbank-Rhodes now just two points behind them. Richard Tidy's through ball allowed Joe Knight to score with a neat finish into the far corner, before Andy Baxter made it two. Knight then hit his sixteenth of the season into the top corner to make it three, but Oughtibridge gave themselves some hope when Mick Smith netted just before the break. Shaun Hammond then hit a second for Village midway through the second half, but the home side's defence stayed firm after that.
Southey Social climbed above Oughtibridge, but they will still have been disappointed with just a point after Matthew Meaney and Nicky Bond goals gave them a two goal half time lead at Junior Blades. The Blades hit back strongly after the break and deservedly took a point with Adam Hardwick and Andrew Brookfield strikes.
The main threat to Civil Service's title ambitions could come from FC Brimington, who came from behind to beat Colley Club 7-1 with the help of four goals from
Michael Gartlan (picured left). Paul Smith opened the scoring for Colley, but it was against the run of play and it was no surprise when Elliott Christie levelled. Gartlan then started his scoring spree to put Brimington ahead, but after two Christie efforts were disallowed, they must have been thinking it might not be enough as they had to face a strong wind in the second half.
Colley came out strongly in the second half, but once Gartlan volleyed home Brimington's third there was only ever going to be one winner. He completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Christie had been felled in the area and he grabbed his fourth when he raced away from a static defence. Christie then flicked on for Andrew Bath to lob the goal of the game and after Gartlan had robbed a defender he fed Christie to complete the scoring with his second of the game.
10 Feb 2008 - CBC Premier Towel keeps Blue Ball title hopes dry, as West End hit back
In
the top of the table clash, Blue Ball lead with an Adam Podmore strike,
but West End levelled through Ashleigh Atkins and only a terrific penalty
save by Adrian Towel (see picture left) kept Ball's title hopes alive. Mark Hopkinson hit
three as Hemsworth Villa won 4-0 at home to Woodhouse Angel, but
Stannington Village's title hopes are gone after defeat at Ecclesfield
Travellers. A last gasp Robert Pratt free kick saw Handsworth WMC win at
Stocksbridge Park Steels, while a Simon Staniforth double gave Niagara
victory at home to Redmires
Blue Ball made it four points out of six against Woodhouse West as the clash between the CBC Premier's top two ended all square, but they were grateful for a terrific penalty save by keeper Adrian Towel to keep their point in tact.
The first half saw Ball take command and after Paul Marrison had squandered a couple of good chances, Adam Podmore seized on a piece of slack defending to beat keeper John Badkin to the ball and squeeze it under his body to put Ball ahead.
After Marrison missed a great chance to double Ball's lead but Towel made a great save to make sure they went into the interval in front, but after the break West End made them pay for those missed chances. Like true champions West End played their way back into the game and deservedly levelled when Spencer Taylor chased a lost cause before squaring the ball for Ashleigh Atkins to hit a firm shot into the bottom corner.
West End were looking the more likely winners and when Sammy Glaves was brought down just inside the area Rob Cowlishaw stepped up to hit the ball firmly, but Towel got his fingertips to it to push it onto the underside of the bar and the rebound was cleared. Atkins then headed against the bar and Ball were reduced to ten men for a second booking, but Ball held their composure and only a good save by West End keeper Badkin stop them from pinching a
winner. More action shots from the game are shown below
Mark Hopkinson grabbed a hat-trick as Hemsworth Villa made up ground on the top two with a convincing 4-0 victory over Woodhouse Angel, but the game was much closer than the score suggests, Only a mistake by keeper James Clewes allowed Keith Cronin to open the scoring for Villa and when Hopkinson doubled Villa's lead it looked like more of a cross than a shot that found the net.
Their was nothing lucky about his second scored after he played a great one-two with Kev Symington and his hat-trick came when he met the ball at the back post to slot home, but Angel kept coming forward and it needed a goalline clearance by Lee Swinburn and two terrific saves by Jamie King to stop Angel getting back into the game.
Stannington Village's title challenge looks over though after a third consecutive defeat at Ecclesfield Travellers. After a goalless first half a mistake in the Travellers defence allowed Simon Bradbury to turn past the keeper to put Stannington ahead, but a mix-up in the Stannington defence allowed Danny Touhey to fasten onto a long ball to equalise.
Craig Senior kept himself at the top of the goalscoring charts with a penalty after he had been brought down in the area, before Jamie Grayson fastened onto Chris Frank's pass to double Travellers lead. Stannington hit back with a Robert Fox strike and they looked to have grabbed a point until Shane Whittle produced a dramatic goalline clearance near the end.
Handsworth WMC kept themselves in contention, but only just as it took a last gasp Robert Pratt free kick to give them victory at Stocksbridge Park Steels. Paul Renshaw headed just over early on as handsworth pushed forward and when Matt Hodgett played Kieran Gallagher in for a one-on-one with the keeper he kept a cool head to score the opener.
Stocksbridge are fighting for top flight survival though and when the Handsworth keeper could only parry a shot, Adam Todd was first to the ball to bring Steels level. Handsworth did their best to regain the lead, but they looked to have missed out when Matt Sykes missed a great chance on his debut, but just as Steels thought they had earned a precious point Pratt produced a free kick worthy of winning any game.
Niagara eased their relegation fears as a Simon Staniforth double gave them a 2-0 home win over Redmires. The visitors looked a little rusty after three weeks without a game and Staniforth struck to give Niagara a half time lead and after the break he headed a second to put the result beyond doubt.
Division
One Goals galore as
Millhouses take a grip of the title
The five games produced 30 goals and Millhouses Abacrombie now look title favourites after they beat The Park 5-3, while Pitsmoor Royal Oak go down by the same score at home to a Handsworth Old Boys now in second place. Pen Nook went third with a 5-0 win over Trickshots, but Mosborough Royal Oak kept up the pressure with a 4-2 win at Sportsman Stannington and Devonshire moved up three places with a 2-1 victory over Loxley.
In an avalanche of goals, Millhouses Abacrombie took control of the Division One title race with a 5-3 victory over The Park while their main rivals Pitsmoor Royal Oak went down at home by the same score to a Handsworth Old Boys that climbed over them to second place.
Ally Berry's headed lob over the keeper gave Abacrombie an early lead and very quickly Danny Turner headed a second. The Park tried to respond and struck the bar, but Millhouses raced away from the rebound to make it three through Ben Woodman. Ben Lee gave The Park some hope when he headed home, but only a great penalty save stopped them falling further behind again.
After the break Turner rounded the keeper to make it 4-1, but The Park hit back through Lee Bridges and only a brilliant Mark davies save stopped them reducing the arrears still further. Woodman then struck a fifth for the home side from the penalty spot, but The Park didn't give in and Lee scored a third when they were awarded a penalty.
Doubles from Trevor Jones and Greg ward along with one from Dave Griffiths saw Handsworth Old Boys leapfrog Pitsmoor Royal Oak into second place. Although they twice found themselves behind, Pitsmoor Royal Oak levelled both times through Scott Szpajer and Gavin Davis and when Davis netted his second to put them ahead it looked as if they would go on to win it, but Handsworth levelled from the penalty spot and then hit two late goals to win it.
Also above Pitsmoor is Pen Nook after they hammered Trickshots 5-0. Craig Barraclough set up the only goal of the first half for Craig
Thickett, but soon after the break Scott Birch slammed home a penalty
(see picture below) to double Nook's lead. Birch should have had another when Nook were awarded a second penalty, but this time the Trickshots keeper saved it. It wasn't long though before Birch set up Barraclough for Nook's third and Barraclough turned provider for
Daniel McLean (in the foreground below) to make it four and for Mark Dobbs to add a fifth.
Mosborough Royal Oak kept themselves in contention with a 4-2 victory at a Sportsman Stannington beginning to lose ground on the others. Oak took the lead when Brent Hadley's corner was headed on by Andy Marsh for Jonjo Riley to find the net, but they gave their lead away when Andrew Marrison gave a penalty away for Jason Collier score.
Riley then turned provider for leading scorer Ricky Davidson to restore Oak's lead and Marsh crossed for Davidson to volley home their third. Davidson then set Craig Woolley up for Oak's fourth and although James Wood pulled one back for Sportsman it was nothing more than a consolation.
Devonshire continued their good form to force their way into the promotion reckoning with a narrow 2-1 home win over Loxley. Both sides had chances early on, but it was Devonshire that made the breakthrough when a quick break from defence saw the ball squared for Ross Melas to tap home from close range.
Loxley were level before the break though when they were awarded a penalty, expertly tucked away by Liam
Bamforth. Both sides knew that three points was a must to keep them in contention and it was Devonshire that claimed them when another quick break ended with Ryan Barker driving home the winner.
Division
Two Service leave it
late, while Brimington go goal crazy
Three goals in the last ten minutes gave Civil Service victory at Freemasons, while Southey Social stayed second with victory over in-form Fairbank-Rhodes. Hollin Bush went third with a narrow win over Bulls Head as Oughtibridge Village went down at Junior Blades, but the big danger to all the leaders is FC Brimington who won 9-0 at Anston Athletic as Michael Gartlan made it seven goals in two games.
The Division Two promotion chase looks like developing into a four horse race as leaders Civil Service, second place Southey Social and Hollin Bush claimed victories, but none of them were as spectacular as FC
Brimington's nine goal demolition of Anston Athletic.
Brimington had already missed three good chances when a four man move ended with Michael Gartlan accelerating past a defender to score from fourteen yards. Andrew Bath then headed home their second before keeper Newton's goal kick found Elliott Christie who raced away and round the keeper to make it three.
The second half wasn't tool old when Gartlan danced his way past four defenders before hitting home a right foot shot and it was soon five when Andrew Crossland headed a corner home. Gartlan was then brought down in the area for Chris Kealey to score from the spot, before Crossland played Christie in for him to chip the keeper. Gartlan then found Bath for him to make it eight. When Brimington were awarded a second penalty for handball, Gartlan strode up to complete his hat-trick and make in seven goals in his last two games.
Leaders Civil Service looked as if they might be on the wrong end of a shock when they were still being held by bottom club Freemasons with just ten minutes remaining, but the home sides stubborn defence was beaten when Lee Wild's shot was deflected past the keeper. Adam Firth's left foot quickly added a second and Wes Bamford netted a third at the second attempt after his first effort had been saved, but it had been a very close call for the leaders.
Second place Southey Social didn't make such heavy weather of it against a Fairbank-Rhodes missing some of the normal starting line up. Michael Gleeson put Southey in front from the penalty spot and Nicky Bond made the points safe with a long range effort.
Referee Nick Mason gained plenty of praise as Hollin Bush climbed to third with a narrow win over a depleted Bulls Head. Nicky Millhouse played in David Thornhill to open the scoring for Bush, but just five minutes later Bulls Head were level when Matt Law shot low past the keeper. With Luke Bagshaw outstanding in defence for Bush their goal was rarely threatened after that and they won it when Kyle Kilham's twenty five yarder went in off a post.
Despite a Dave Fidler goal, Oughtibridge Village dropped out of the top three when James Allen and Tom Crick goals gave Junior Blades victory over them, while Colley Club stayed in the pack just behind them with Ian
Sharland's goal giving them victory over Brinsworth Whitehill. Colley rode their luck at times as their visitors hit the woodwork four times, but in the end Colley's determined defence kept their second clean sheet of the season to take the points.
17 Feb 2008 - CBC Premier Niagara celebrate with Foster's double
Just three games beat the big freeze on Sunday morning, but all three could prove to have brought vital victories. In the CBC
Premier Niagara moved further away from the relegation zone with a home win over a Stocksbridge Park Steels who will now be looking nervously over their shoulders at the teams below them, while the one game in Division One saw Pitsmoor Royal Oak move back into second place with victory at Sheldon Athletic and in Division Two, a very late winner by Sam Taylor saw FC Brimington beat Anston Athletic and move up to fourth.
Niagara took the lead at home against Stocksbridge Park Steels after just five minutes when Simon Staniforth headed home his fourth goal in the last three games, but Steels fought their way back into the game and deservedly levelled mid way through the first half with a Chris Kelly strike and they could easily have led if John McSeveney's effort gone in instead of coming back off a post.
The second half wasn't too old when Craig Foster (pictured left) restored Niagara's lead with a well taken goal and he completed the scoring on the hour mark with a tap in he could hardly have missed.
Division One Davis double gets Pitsmoor back on song
After losing three of their last four, Pitsmoor Royal Oak's Division One title bid had well and truly hit the rocks, making victory over struggling Sheldon Athletic an absolute must. Pitsmoor started well and leading scorer
Gavin Davis (pictured right) found the net to give them the early lead that calmed their nerves and, after good work by Scott
Szpajer, Leon Stocks was on hand to double their lead before half time.
Pitsmoor continued to pepper the home side's goal and only the woodwork intervened on three other occasions. Chances kept coming and going and sub Lee Percival contrived to make a real hash of the easiest of them, but his blushes were saved when the ball landed at Davis feet and he made the three points safe with his fifteenth goal of the season.
Division Two Sam's the man but Brimington leave it very late
After
Michael Gartlan (pictured left) had levelled Tom Gabbitas's early goal for Anston
Athletic, FC Brimington looked as if they would have to settle for a point
until Sam Taylor popped up with a last minute winner to keep Brimington's
title bid on track. All the other games were postponed.
After being hammered 9-0 at home by FC Brimington, Anston Athletic were determined to not let the same happen again when they had to play them a second time just seven days later and it showed.
Brimington forced the early pace, but some wasteful finishing and good goalkeeping by Anston keeper Jon Parker kept the scores level, until against the run of play Anston took the lead with only their second attack. A quick break from the Anston defence forced a corner at the other end and when the corner came out to Tom Gabbitas on the edge of the area he hit a hard a low shot that flew in off the slippy surface.
After that they put numbers behind the ball to frustrate their hosts and with Parker in real form behind his defensive wall Brimington were kept at bay. Leversidge hit the bar, Elliott Christie headed wide and Michael Gartlan shot just wide, but Anston went into the interval holding the lead.
The second half started with Andrew Bath missing a sitter for Brimington and Christie beating three players before hitting the post with his shot. For all their possession Brimington went into the final ten minutes still behind. Two subs were introduced to try and bring a more direct approach and it brought a reward almost straight away when Bath flicked on for Gartlan to beat the offside trap and drill home the equaliser.
Boosted by that, Brimington had the bit between their teeth again and laid siege to the Anston goal again, but it looked like they would have to settle for just a point until Christie's run and cross from the left was headed down by Bath to sub Sam Taylor who took one touch before unleashing a shot that went in off the post for the winner.
It had been a really close call for the title hopefuls and a lot of credit must go the way Anston set their stall out and on another day they might just have got the point their defensive work possibly deserved.
The League was saddened to hear that Woodhouse Angel manager Andy Smith passed away last week after losing his fight against cancer. The game will be poorer for the loss of a real local football enthusiast and all our clubs are asked to hold a minute's silence before their games this weekend to honour his memory.
24 Feb 2008 - CBC Premier Ball bounce back to the top as Redmires hold West End
With their title rivals Blue Ball winning at Handsworth
WMC, Woodhouse West End lost the top spot in the CBC Premier after Redmires held them to a second successive home draw.
Woodhouse West End got the boost of an early penalty at home to Redmires and although he had seen his previous one saved, Rob Cowlishaw expertly put this one away, but after that they were forced to defend as Redmires three pronged attack forced them back.
Had it not been for a string of terrific saves by keeper John Badkin West End's unbeaten home record would surely have gone, but he was eventually beaten when Redmires were awarded the games second penalty. Danny Lindley had been a
constant threat to them and after he was brought down in the box, John Mellor stepped up to beat Badkin and earn his side a point.
That result meant that if Blue Ball could win at Handsworth WMC they would go back to the top and although they rode their luck and will have very mixed feelings about the game, they took the three points they needed. The first half saw Handsworth awarded a penalty when Ryan Taylor was felled in the area, but the normally reliable Robert Pratt dragged his spot kick wide.
In the second half Eddie Holmes headed wide when he should have scored and a number of other chances went begging, but Ball were having more of the game, although when their winner came it had more than element of luck about it. Sub
Richard Ford (picture left) tried his luck from outside the area and although the keeper appeared to have it covered it somehow went through him and into the net. Ball's big minus on the day though was the loss of leading scorer
Paul Marrison (pictured right) with a broken leg.
Third place Hemsworth Villa probably saw their hopes of the title go with defeat at in-form Ecclesfield Travellers as the leagues leading scorer Craig Senior took his tally to nineteen for the season. Villa might have guessed it wouldn't be their day when David Tollerfield's early strike came back off the bar before Senior struck a shot into the bottom corner to give Travellers a first half lead and soon after the break, Glen Bell's perfectly weighted ball gave Senior the chance to double their lead.
Senior was involved in the move that brought their third, heading back Danny Touhey's cross for Anthony Hutchinson to head home his first of the season. Keith Cronin pulled one back for Villa and further late pressure saw Nick Owen hit the woodwork, but the Travellers defence held
firm to give Jamie Grayson (pictured left) a win to celebrate his 200th appearance for Travellers.
Any outside chance of Stannington Village lifting the title as good as ended with their home draw with Niagara. It was the visitors that struck first with James Shepherd's thirty yard free kick flying into the net.
The second half saw Stannington take the lead as first sub Jack Mylnek scored at the near post, before Bobby Womack forced home the loose ball after Josh Wright looked to have been brought down by the keeper, but they couldn't hold onto it and Niagara took a deserved point when a Village defender turned the ball past his own keeper.
Stocksbridge Park Steels gave their survival hopes a big boost as Adam Todd netted four in a good win at rock-bottom Laycock Sports, who now look even more certain for the drop. It started well for Laycock's when veteran Andy register headed home at the back post, but like so many times this season, they couldn't hold onto it.
Todd's first came from the penalty spot, before he then met a corner to head Steels into a half time lead. Matt Kent briefly levelled for the home side, but Todd continued his one man demolition act with two more. Chris
Kelly then added two of his own to put Steels 6-2 in front, making Kent's late second for the home side nothing more than a consolation.
Division One Loxley topple leaders, while Sheldon end drought
Division One leaders Millhouses Abacrombie saw their lead cut to just goal difference after slipping to their second home defeat of the season by Loxley. Right from the off the visitors had a purpose about them that spelled trouble for Abacrombie and Craig Crownshaw header gave Loxley a half time lead.
It looked as if the game might turn the home side's way when Danny Turner forced home an
equaliser just after the interval, but with Mick Smith outstanding for Loxley, they again forced Abacrombie back and won it when Tom McIllhagga took Andrew Challenger's cross on his chest before volleying home.
Level on points with the leaders is Pen Nook after they continued their impressive run with a 7-2 victory over a Sportsman Stannington that look to have slipped out of the promotion running. That result hardly looked likely when Jason Collier fired home a penalty to give Sportsman the lead and quickly followed it with a second when he took advantage of some sloppy defending.
Scott Birch started the comeback when he poked home before the break and soon after the interval he set John Brook up for the equaliser. Sub Richard Hirst was brought into the fray and put Nook ahead with his first touch of the game and after Birch had been brought down in the area he picked himself up to hammer home the spot kick. Hirst then turned provider for Birch to complete his hat-trick, before Craig Barraclough added two more to complete the rout.
Just a point behind those two is Mosborough Royal Oak after they completed a fortunate victory at bottom club The Park. Craig Woolley set up Ricky Davidson to give Oak the lead and when Woolley was first to react to a penalty save he put them two up, but The Park hit back through Lee Bridges, before Ben Lee drew them level.
It was all The park at this stage and they twice hit the bar and had one disallowed, but just like so many times this season their luck deserted them and
Joe France (pictured left) turned in Ben Prior's cross to give Oak their luckiest three points of the season.
Just four points behind the leaders is Devonshire after they continued their good run of form by scrapping to a win at Trickshots. Both sides were finding it hard to trouble the keeper, but with Joe Carnell making a solid debut in midfield for Devonshire the began to get on top. When their winner came though it had more than an element of luck as Chris Garlick's free kick took a deflection past the keeper.
Sheldon Athletic ended their barren run with victory over local rivals Park & Arbour
LFS. After a goalless first half, Nathan Mardsen volleyed home to put Sheldon in front, but Park fought back and after Daniel Smith and Danny Adkins had both missed good chances Adkins finally volleyed them level. Darren Knowles then saw his overhead kick headed off the line as Park went for the winner, but when it came it was Sheldon's Luke Johnson that ended his side's run of just one point from their last seven games.
Division Two Top two beaten as Gartlan treble puts skids under Service
Division Two leaders Civil Service knew they were in for a tough game at home to a very in-form
FC Brimington (pictured), but it was Service that struck first when a corner was met at the
near post with a perfect header by full back Simon Hall. The lead didn't last too long though as Elliott Christie just managed to deflect a through ball into the path of Michael Gartlan who made no mistake from six yards.
Both sides had half chances after that until right on the stroke of half time, the moment that changed the game Briminton's way came when a long clearance following a Civil Service corner found Christie and after he shrugged off a couple of defenders he gave Taylor an opportunity he couldn't miss.
The second half started equally badly for the leaders as quick move by Brimington was finished by Gartlan from a tight angle and it soon got even worse when another slick move ended with Christie tapping home unmarked at the back post. Four soon became five when man of the
match Christie was brought down in the area and Gartlan stepped up to complete his hat-trick.
The leaders responded by sending on Martyn Kitridge to add a bit more guile up front and his instinctive reaction deflected a shot past the Brimington keeper and not long afterwards a long cross cleared the defence and Kitridge produced a cool finish under the advancing keeper, but it wasn't enough to stop them crashing to their first home defeat.
Southey Social started the day in second place, but after a 2-0 home defeat by Hollin Bush they now find themselves outside the automatic promotion places. Nicky Moorhouse netted goals in each half to earn the points for Bush and lift them into second place, but the contribution of veteran Lee Rogers was just as important.
Colley Club remain on the fringe of the promotion pack after they secured three points with a home win over Freemasons Arms. Ridah Miladi hit a scorcher from thirty yards to give Colley the lead, before Ian Sharland doubled it with a header from Richie Whitworth's corner. After the break, Tim Taylor pulled one back for the visitors, but any thoughts of a comeback were dismissed when Sharland cracked home his second.
Anston Athletic climbed a place away from the bottom three when they came from behind to beat Bulls Head 2-1. Adrian Stenton struck the opener for the visitors and had it not been for an incredible double save by Anston keeper Jon Parker they
might have had the game won. As it was, when a corner was flicked on by Ryan
Taff, Adam Russell swept in at the back post to level before the break.
The second half saw both sides go flat out for the winner and Bulls Head, with Matt Wilson working tirelessly for them, twice hit the woodwork. They also needed their keeper Gary Gascoine to make several saves to keep Anston at bay, but when he could only push Scott Kiplings shot onto the bar, Rob Parvin followed up to beat him for Anston's
winner.
Great Gesture by FC Brimington
After hearing about the double fracture to Civil Service's leading scorer Dave Whitby, their title rivals FC Brimington showed that some things are more important than football rivalry. Even though they weren't involved in the game that brought the injury to Dave, they had a collection among their players and supporters, and pictured right is Brimington's manager Cliff Thomas presented Dave with a cheque to help towards his re-habilitation. A terrific gesture by a club that obviously cares.