7 Apr 2012 - One of the day’s biggest games was the Division One promotion clash between Fairbank-Rhodes and Queens Ground, with Fairbank-Rhodes in particular knowing that victory would put them very close to a place in the CBC Premier. It didn’t start well for Fairbank though as Scott Whittington and Joe Knight both missed good chances before Ada Tomlin gave Queens Ground a first half lead.

It didn’t seem to be getting any better after the break when Andy Baxter blasted a penalty over the bar, but they did level when Matt Hodgett chested Mark Barnsley’s cross down before beating the keeper. Queens needed the victory to keep their title hopes alive and reacted by putting the Fairbank goal under siege, but keeper James Abramski performed miracles to keep them out. His work was further rewarded when a mistake on the half way line allowed Whiitington to race away and hit a winner for Fairbank.

Aston Swallownest kept their promotion hopes alive with victory at Colley FC. David Sills and Ian Draper gave them a two goal half time lead and although Faisal Maladi hit a real screamer to reduce the arrears for Colley, another one each for Sills and Draper made the points safe for Aston. It wasn’t such good news for Niagara though as their slim hopes faded further when they could only draw with Throstles. A Simon Staniforth penalty gave Niagara the lead in the second half, but another penalty allowed Nick Wells to level it up for Throstles.

The day’s other Division One game saw already relegated Brinsworth Whitehill finally find some form and thrash Ranch 5-1. Ranch even scored first through Richard Berry, but Brinsworth Levelled before half time and a hat-trick for Steve Hopewell with goals from Lee Davies and Russell Sheridan gave Brinsworth just their second home win of the season.

Both CBC Premier leader’s Civil Service and the side chasing them hardest, Stannington Village, took all three points, but only just. Civil Service travelled to Southey Social and immediately found themselves on the back foot, but Southey wasted chance after chance and it was Service that took the lead against the run of play when an unmarked Chris Fowler headed in at the back post. The second half started in much the same way , but this time Southey got their reward when Barry Durrans committed a foul in the area and John Mellor stroked home the penalty. The goal seemed to shake Service out of their lethargy and they finally began to play like leaders and after Ben Brown, John Charles and Paul Billard had all hit the woodwork, a quick break saw sub Andy Bath play a quick one-two with Brown before hitting their winner.

Although John Saville gave Stannington Village a first half lead against Laycock Sports, it might have been a few more had it not been for Chris Gill in the Laycock’s goal, but the second half saw Laycocks come into the came a lot more and they deservedly levelled when Nick Owen netted from a Sam Fisher cross. Laycocks continued to press, but a short corner routine by Stannington wasn’t picked up quick enough and when the cross came in Saville headed his second to give Stannington a scarcely deserved winner.

The first issue at the foot of the table was settled when Redmires victory at Hemsworth Villa brought an end to Villa’s thirteen year stay in the top flight. The match was a mirror of much of Villa’s season where luck just didn’t come their way. Hegel Moubissie’s opener for Redmires took a deflection off Villa’s John Smith to find the net and when Nathan Platts looked to have put Villa back in the game, twice his shot came back off the woodwork. Dave Knaggs was a constant threat to Villa though and he sealed Villa’s fate with a goal in each half.

Ecclesfield Players Lounge slipped into the second relegation spot after they were Savaged by Stocksbridge Park Steels. A header and two tremendous shots from outside the area gave Mitchell Savage a first half hat-trick and Steels a three goal lead at the break. Ecclesfield did much better in the second half though and pulled one back with a Liam Wilkinson header. He perhaps should have had a hat-trick of his own as he missed a free header in front of goal and then hit the bar. Steels defended well though and three times cleared off the line to stop Ecclesfield getting any further back into the game.

Handsworth Turf’s prospects weren’t looking too good when Ben Shackshaft turned Rob Shelley’s header into his own net and with the game just ten minutes old Leon Stocks deflected shot put Pitsmoor Royal Oak two up. With just one further game left after this, Turf knew they had to respond and they pulled one back when Joe France hit Kieran Gallagher’s cross in off the underside of the bar. They quickly equalised when a corner was headed down and Robert Pratt volleyed home and they took the lead before half time when Jack Hall collected a pass from France before finding the top corner. Oak were no match for Turf in the second half and Gallagher scored twice before Mark Jones set Pratt up for his second of the game to complete the scoring.

Handsworth Old Boys hung on to top spot in Division Two – but only just. They took the lead against an in-form Hollin Bush when Cole Starkes’ trip in the area allowed Phil Nshindano to score from the penalty spot in the first half. After the break Owen Clark grabbed a deserved equaliser for Bush, but Handsworth claimed all the points when Cain Brown climbed above Lewis Barker to head home the winner.

Hard on their heels is The Park who brushed aside Highfield Old Crown 6-0. Tony Gurnhill opened the scoring direct from his corner and he soon added a second. Daniel Robinson headed home a third before Calvin Thomas grabbed a brace and Mark Townsend netted the sixth. It was a similar story for Old Blue Ball at home to Crookes & District as Ball continued their promotion push with a 6-0 victory. John Heritage headed Ball into the lead and Callum Chambers set up Christian Rowe for a second before the break. Marcu O’Malley grabbed the third before Chambers added his name to the scoresheet. Rowe headed home his second before Daniel Dunkerley’s run and cross allowed Chambers to net his second.

Oughtibridge Village’s hopes were dented when they let a two goal lead slip against Junior Blades and had to settle for just a point. Tom Fletcher blasted Oughtibridge ahead from twenty five yards and Lee Bridges doubled their lead from fifteen yards. Bridges then hit the bar and Oughtibridge missed a hatful of chances. The Blades re-shuffled their pack to try to stem the flow and their fightback started when skipper Richard Brailey shot through a crowd of players to beat the unsighted keeper. The second half was a lot more even and the Blades grabbed a deserved equaliser when Adrew Pearson headed home Jamie Boardman’s cross.

Just outside the promotion pack is Colley WMC after they won 2-1 at Sharrow Vale. Lee Roome gave Colley a first half lead and Paul Dawson’s flicked header from a corner doubled it after the break. After that Sharrow really go on top of their visitors, but for all their pressure all they had to show for it was a tom Wray goal in the final minute.

The day’s final game saw bottom club Players Lounge Athletic claim a rare point away from home with a 2-2 draw at Chapeltown RBL. It might have been even better as David Ibbotson converted a Rob Russell flick-on to give Athletic the lead and Ibbotson then set up Danny Marcus to double it. They also hit the post twice, but Chapeltown forced their way back into the game with a Sam Walsh strike and they grabbed a point with a Liam Gibson goal.

Awards | News | Clubs | History | Sponsors | Management

Email : sssl