11 Dec 2011 - CBC PREM - Todd rescues Southey, and The Vine saved by Moynahan -  Although CBC Premier leaders Civil Service’s game was postponed, it still turned out to be a good day for them as the three teams immediately behind them all dropped points. It could have been even worse for second place The Vine as they only just rescued a point after being 3-1 down at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels. Mitchell Savage gave Steels the lead when he flicked the ball over a defender’s head before scoring with a left foot volley. Rikki Davidson went close to equalising for The Vine and he was involved when it came. He crossed for Dan Bateman to head down and Craig Woolley (pictured left) netted with his left foot.

Steels were back in front before half time though when Kevin Davies’s corner eluded everyone and when Steels made it three soon after the break with a Mark Woodcock strike it looked as if The Vine’s unbeaten home record would go, especially after a Davidson free kick came back off the bar, but The Vine introduced Tom Moynahan into the fray and he had an immediate impact. He had an effort cleared off the line before Davidson crossed for him to pull one back and Moynahan then it the equaliser to rescue The Vine’s record. Referee Adam Burgess earned praise for his part in the game.

Third place Stannington Village could also only draw at home as they let a two goal lead slip against Pitsmoor Royal Oak. Stannington went in front when Josh Coulson’s cross hit the bar and dropped kindly for Jon Wall to tap the ball home and Coulson was the provider again when he squared the ball for Sean Flynn to double their lead. Lee Johnstone also hit the bar and Flynn hit a post, so Oak were probably grateful it was just two at the break.

After a few harsh words in the half time dressing room, Oak came out more determined and then got back into the game when Luke Fletcher’s mazy run took him past three defenders before he smacked the ball home from the edge of the area. Oak were now pushing the home side back and the equaliser came when Gavin Davis crossed for Leon Stocks to head home.

Southey Social started slowly again Handsworth Turf and it was Turf that almost went ahead when an Andy Stevens’ corner was headed against the bar by Joe France, so it was against the run of play when John Mellor, Danny Lindley and Simon Jebson created the opening for Todd Guest to put Southey ahead. The second half wasn’t too old though when Turf grabbed a deserved equaliser. Mark Jones placed the perfect through ball for Tom Crosby to mark his return from injury with a goal and after Keiran Gallagher had hit the bar, Crosby crossed for Ben Shackshaft to score his first goal for Turf.

It nearly got worse for the home side when France crossed for Liam Simmonite to bring a great save out of the Southey keeper and that seemed to be a turning point as Southey shook themselves and levelled when Rob Womack crossed for Guest to head his second. Southey then looked likely to win it, but the woodwork twice rescued Turf and stand-in keeper Carl Eaton (pictured right) produced some great saves to make sure his side held on to their point. Referee Najafi Mehdi gained praise for his part in the game.

DIV 1 - Loxley hit by Ash cloud, while Knight saves Fairbank and Aston say good Evans -  Bulls Head went back to the top of Division Two as four Nick Ash (pictured left) goals helped them to victory over Loxley, while Fairbank-Rhodes needed a Joe Knight equaliser to rescue a point at Woodhouse Angel. Two Ash goals gave Bulls Head a two goal half time lead, but Loxley looked to be back in the game when Joe Fury scored. They weren’t in it for long though as Alan Mowforth smashed home an unstoppable free kick before Ash added another two. Chris Peel then completed the scoring to leave Bull 6-1 winners.

It was bottom against top when Fairbank-Rhodes travelled to Woodhouse Angel, but Fairbank were shocked when Matt Parks gave Angel a twentieth minute lead. Fairbank were having plenty of the game but for once couldn’t find a finish until Shaun Dolby’s cross was met at the near post by Joe Knight. After that it could have gone either way, with Angel probably having just the better of the chances, but it stayed level. Sam Wright was another referee to earn praise for his handling of the game.

Aston Swallownest must have thought their promotion hopes were going right down the pan when Carl Pearce scrambled home an opener for Ranch and Dan Livett hit their second from twenty five yards. Aston’s fight back started when Ryan Hall’s pinpoint cross to the back post was headed home by David Sills and after Ian Draper had hit both post and bar he finally hit the net from Scott McCormack’s cross. It looked like they would have to share the points until the final minute when Draper squared the ball for Billy Evans (pictured right) to smash home Aston’s winner.

Anston Athletic were hoping for a third consecutive win when they entertained Brinsworth Whitehill and after Simon Herberts had hit the bar and Adam Mason had made a hash of the follow up, they did take the lead when Danny Nelson’s shot went in off the bar. Brinsworth kept plugging away though and when a mix up in the Anston defence brought the award of an indirect free kick in the Anston penalty area, Shaun Hinchcliffe took advantage to level. The second half saw Brinsworth take the lead when Russell Sheridan headed home, so it was Anston’s turn to fightback and they eventually earned a point when Nelson’s ball to Adam Russell beat the offside trap and he scored the equaliser.

DIV 2 - I say James Old Boy as his five end the last unbeaten record -  In Division Two the League’s last remaining unbeaten record fell in spectacular fashion as Chris James hit five goals in Handsworth Old Boys 6-2 victory at Old Blue Ball – a victory that took Handsworth back to the top of the table. James first three and one from Phil Nshindano had Handsworth well on top before Alex Wright pulled one back, but two more from James in the second half meant that Callum Chambers second for Ball was just a consolation.

Richard Firth with four and Chris Hunt with three helped Colley WMC continue their good run with a 7-0 victory over an understrength Old Harrow Grenoside, while Tom Fletcher and Ian Phillips doubles helped Oughtibridge Village to a 6-0 victory over Chapeltown RBL. Marcus Pass with his sixth goal in the last four games and David Sheakey for a third consecutive week netted Oughtibridge’s others. Danny Marcus’s (pictured left) finish from twenty yards after he had beat three Crookes & District defenders meant that his goal and Players Lounge Athletic’s first clean sheet at home gave them their second home win of the season.

11 Dec 2011 - The Celebrity Football match at Sheffield FC is postponed -  The celebrity football match in aid of the Karl Darby Fund scheduled to be played at Sheffield FC on Sunday 11 December has had to be postponed due to the recent heavy rain. A new date is not yet known.

8 Dec 2011 - Referees for Sunday 18 December now listed -  The referees for Sunday 18 December are now listed - see Latest Fixtures. All home clubs should confirm the fixtures with the referees immediately. Please let Keith know if any of them cannot do the game they have been allocated to.

4 Dec 2011 - MACRON CUP - It's a stroll for The Park, while the shout for The Vine is four Rikki -  Division Two The Park (pictured) pulled off a major shock when they thrashed the CBC Premier's former Cup holders Hemsworth Villa, while four Rikki Davidson (pictured left) strikes saw The Vine come behind twice against fellow CBC Premier side Redmires to land a semi final spot for the fourth time.

Division Two The Park pulled off a major shock when they thrashed the CBC Premier's former Cup holders Hemsworth Villa to claim a place in the Macron Cup semi finals for the first time, while four Rikki Davidson strikes saw The Vine come behind twice against fellow CBC Premier side Redmires to land a semi final spot for the fourth time.

Alex Yule and Connor Bell both went close for Hemsworth Villa in the first half and Peter Burgin drew a great save from Sam Kirk in The Park’s goal, but Villa couldn’t make the breakthrough and when The Park had the better of the conditions, they quickly took control of the tie with four goals in the first eleven minutes of the second half.

Mark Townsend started things off before Tony Gurnhill struck twice. Calvin Thomas had set the second of those up and he then grabbed a brace of his own before Jack Ridge completed the rout and give the Division Two side their place in the semi finals.

The all-CBC Premier tie saw Redmires take the lead at The Vine when a good move was finished off by Dave Knaggs. Dan Bateman hit a post as The Vine strove for an equaliser and it was Bateman that flicked the ball on for Davidson to eventually draw them level before half time. The tie looked to be going Redmires way again when Knaggs was brought down in the area and Dave Elliott scored from the spot, but Davidson took the tie to extra time when he raced onto Shaun Blythe’s through ball to score.

Redmires started extra time the strongest and hit a post before missing two sitters and they paid for it when Davidson completed his hat-trick with a great solo run and he confirmed their semi final place when added a fourth after Bateman beat the offside trap before squaring the ball to him.

CBC PREM - Steels Savage Southey, while Senior double lifts Players Lounge -  A Mitchell Savage (pictured right) hat-trick helped Stocksbridge Park Steels come from behind to beat Southey Social, while a Craig Senior double against Handsworth Turf helped Ecclesfield Players Lounge end their run of five games without a win.

At Stocksbridge Park Steels Southey Social took the lead when Danny Lindley was fouled in the area and John Mellor rammed home the penalty and they went close to adding to it on several occasions, but another penalty when Adam Todd was brought down saw Todd level from the penalty spot before half time The second half saw Steels step up a gear and Savage stole the show with three goals, the third a volley needing great technique. Mellor grabbed a second for Southey late on but the game was over.

Ecclesfield Players Lounge ended their run of five games without a win when a Craig Senior double helped them to a 4-1 victory over Handsworth Turf. Ryan Keeney put Ecclesfield ahead before half time and Senior added his brace in the second half. Danny Leesley reduced the arrears from the penalty spot after Joe France had been brought down and Ryan Hardy twice went close to reducing them further, but Ecclesfield made certain with a Danny Turner strike and only a string of saves by Turf keeper Jamie King stopped it turning into a rout.

DIV 1 - Fairbank back on top and Queens make up Ground -  An Andy Baxter double helped Fairbank-Rhodes overcome promotion rivals Aston Swallownest and back to the top of Division One, while Queens Ground also had a narrow victory over Throstles. A late winner for Simon Turner saw Anston Athletic damage Niagara's promotion hopes, while Woodhouse Angel finally gained their first point of the season when new signing Dave Kippax (pictured left) grabbed an equaliser against Colley FC.

After leaders Bulls Head’s game was postponed, Fairbank-Rhodes took full advantage to reclaim top spot with a 6-3 victory over promotion rivals Aston Swallownest. Two David Sills strikes gave Aston a two goal lead after just twenty minutes, but Andy Baxter pulled one back from the penalty spot after Scott Whittington had been brought down in the area and Baxter then equalised when his long range shot deceived the keeper. After the break, Joe Knight and Whittington goals saw Fairbank take a two goal lead and although Sills completed his hat-trick for Aston from the penalty spot, further goals from Joe Walker and Hilton Stratford-Smith put the game beyond reach for them.

First half goals from James Ronksley and Nathaniel Foster and a man-of-the-match performance from Tom Bermingham proved enough to give Queens Ground a narrow victory over Throstles, who pulled one back through James Stones in the second half, but Niagara’s promotion hopes took a blow when a late Simon Turner winner gave Anston Athletic victory. Niagara had led from the first half when Matt Edwards scored at the back post and it looked as if would be enough, but with less than five minutes remaining Jamie Harrison scrambled home an equaliser before Turner scrambled home an even later winner.

Woodhouse Angel finally gained their first point of the season when new signing Dave Kippax grabbed an equaliser against Colley FC. Gareth Simons had put Angel ahead early on, but Carl Lomas and Dan Lloyd strikes had Colley in front by the break and it might have been more but for excellent saves by the Angel keeper. The second half saw Angel put the Colley defence under pressure and although the Colley keeper Matt Whitehead was almost unbeatable, Kippax eventually beat him when he marked his debut with the equaliser to finally break Angel’s duck.

DIV 2 - Village Pass with flying colours as Handsworth pay the penalty, while Blades go top -  A Marcus Pass (pictured right) treble and three penalties helped Oughtibridge Village come from two down to win a nine goal thriller at Handsworth Old Boys, while Drew Pearson's late goal saw Junior Blades do the same at Players Lounge Athletic. Old Blue Ball let a two goal lead slip before sharing the points at Highfield Old Crown, while Chapeltown RBL gained their third win of the season at Old Harrow Grenoside.

Division Two’s match of the day didn’t disappoint as Handsworth Old Boys and Oughtibridge played out a nine goal thriller that eventually went Village’s way with the help of a hat-trick from their veteran Marcus Pass and three penalties. Two Mario Esposito strikes gave Handsworth the early advantage, but when Lee Bridges was fouled in the area, Pass netted his first from the penalty spot. Greg Burgin then restored Handsworth’s two goal lead before half time, but after the break a second Pass penalty again pulled one back.

Chris James again restored Handsworth’s two goal lead, but Dan Sheakey produced a cool finish to pull one back before Pass completed his hat-trick to level the scores. Oughtibridge finally got their noses in front when James Baker raced through the Handsworth defence only to be brought down in the area and this time it was Kyle Tales that stepped up to hit the winner from the penalty spot.

After going two down in the first fifteen minutes Drew Pearson's late goal saw Junior Blades complete the fight back at Players Lounge Athletic to go top. Good interplay allowed Alex Evison to open the scoring and, when a shot rebounded to him, Aaron Parker doubled Athletic’s lead. After a few stern words at half time the Blades came out a different team and Adam Whittaker and Jake Schofield strikes put them level. It looked set to stay like that until the Blades received an early Xmas present from Chris Tingle in the Athletic goal and Pearson snapped up the chance so send his side top.

Old Blue Ball had a great chance to put more pressure on the top three when a Christian Rowe lob over the keeper and a Danny Dunkerley strike gave them a two goal half time lead at Highfield Old Crown, but Eddie MacErlain rallied his troops at the interval and after he had put Crown back in the game with a penalty, Stuart Underwood slid in to level after Gary Wilkins shot had been parried by the Ball keeper.

Dan Lazenby’s thirty yard free kick gave Chapeltown RBL the lead at Old Harrow Grenoside and Joe Maples doubled their lead. Michael Rodgers pulled one back for the home side, but it wasn’t enough to stop Chapeltown maintaining their unbeaten away record with their third win of the season.