How is it February already? Dry January out of the way, so responsible drinking is back on the table for those of us who took part.
LEAGUE NEWS
First things first, with it being the end of January we welcome back the Goal Of The Month competition. This month’s competition will be posted on our social media pages on Friday 2nd February. The monthly winners receive a pair of tickets to a Stockport County home game of their choice, courtesy of JR Sports, our ball and kit suppliers.
As per last week’s news, we have new SUNDAY, MONDAY and TUESDAY LEAGUES kicking off in February, so for more information or to book in your FREE ONE OFF TRIAL GAME, or to discuss what deals can be done for teams doubling up and joining a second league, fill in an enquiry form on the homepage or call or text 07809252658.
TUESDAY LEAGUE
As we approach the half way point of the season, with the aim still being to make the split with the top 6 playing each other for a second time while the bottom two join 4 new teams in the all new Tuesday Championship, Gangs Of Dwight Yorke look like they might not need the extra 5 games to claim the title. Inter Mi Van have done well since joining, but this was the acid test for them as far as the Tuesday league goes, and they fell behind early as Jimmy Leeson and Aden Jones scored in the opening three minutes. It was a long way back for them when Rob Brocklehurst and Jason Singleton made it 4-0 by the 15 minute mark. Gary Wood got Inter on the scoreboard, before Singleton and Wood added their second each to make it 5-2 at the break. Leeson’s second followed by a Simon Royle goal kept the gap at three. Goals from Jones and Chris Singleton took the game away from Inter, before further goals from Jones and Brocklehurst for Gangs, and Phil Hampson and Jonny Langton from Inter meant that Gangs eased to a 10-5 victory. That’s 6 from 6 for the Champions-elect.
Blakes 7, formerly Pathetico Madrid, looked destined for life in the new Championship after they suffered a 10-0 hammering at the hands of Inter last week, but a couple of new players were in this week as they took on an Oooze team who were able to field a team of 6 all by themselves! The new players that had impressed in last week’s win over Only Kruls weren’t able to make the same impact for Oooze as goals from Ben and Paul Waugh, and two from Michael Winn, sent Blakes into the break with a 4-0 lead. Matty Aked made it 5-0 with 16 minutes to go, before Callum Bullock finally took one of the many chances Oooze had spurned to get what seemed to be a consolation. Two more from Jago Stackhouse and Adam Corr brought it back to 5-3 with 8 minutes still to play, but John Lodge scored the final goal of the game three minutes from time to seal the win for Blakes. It’s Gangs next for them…… Only Kruls & Horses and Wellspring FC hadn’t mustered a point between them this season so far, so a game between the two of them meant that record had to go. Wellspring were never at the races this week as 4 goals in 5 minutes from Jack Mullern, James Thornley (2) and Sean Martin made it 4-0 at the break. Lewis Arden did grab a couple of goals for Wellspring in the second half, but Kruls added 8 more from Mullern, Seb Etchells (4), Thornley and Marcus Acott (2). Wellspring will definitely be dropping into this second division in a couple of weeks!
THE NEW TUESDAY CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE STARTING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. TWO SPACES LEFT!
SUNDAY LEAGUE
We are into the final straight in the Sunday league, as week 8 brought about a few more significant results as teams look to claim top spot in each division come the end of the season.
Two big games took place in the Premiership, as leaders Kinky Slipper took on a Kipsta Cobras team who had surprisingly beaten Duno a couple of weeks ago, while Duno looked to stay in contention as they played the surely soon to be dethroned champions, Insole. It took Kinky 10 minutes to break through in their game, as Wesley Harney grabbed the opener, before Jordan Hutchinson and Joe Lailey added a couple more by the 17 minute mark. Dillon Lowth pulled one back for Kipsta a minute later, but Hutchinson grabbed a vital 4th for Kinky just before the break. The second half started off with a Jack Horgan goal to make it 4-2, but it was a far more cautious second period and James Radcliffe’s late goal was the seal on an important win for the league leaders. Duno v Insole was a tight one last time around and this one was no different. There was just the one goal in the opening period, as Liam Watson gave Duno the lead as they looked to complete a league double over the champs. Insole piled on the pressure in the second period, and they leveled when Kyle Clarke scored 8 minutes in, before both teams went looking for the win with a draw no good to either side. It was Insole that won it with Connor Harding’s goal two minutes from time, leaving Kinky 4 points clear at the top with a game in hand.
The big game at the top of the Championship didn’t quite turn out the way we were hoping, as Team Tom were let down late by one of their players leaving them scrambling around for a 6th man. Dench took full advantage to lead 4-0 at the break with Marc Jagger getting all 4, and they looked set for a place on the Golden Gloves board as three more from Jagger made it 7-0 with 7 minutes left. Carl Carter got Team Tom on the board a minute later, but two Phil Carroll goals completed a comfortable Dench win that sees them leapfrog this week’s opponents to go top of the table. The Veterans and Step Brothers went into this week’s game in miserable form with just one win each so far this season. It was the Brotherhood that got off to the better start as Josh Armitage and Chris Moore put them two up in the opening 10 minutes. They took a firm grip on the game just after the break as two from Gaz Fay and another from Rob Sheldon put them out of sight with 18 minutes still to play. ‘Keeper Matt Fay wasn’t able to take his place on the Golden Gloves board as he conceded three in the final 4 minutes to make the game look a little closer than it was.
Inter Row Z looked likely to claim the League One title this week if they could beat second placed Wellspring in a game that had finished 14-2 in their favour earlier on in the season. Wellspring were fielding a different side this time, and they went two up in the first 5 minutes as Lewis Arden and Jake Hamilton grabbed early goals. It was 3-0 when Hamilton scored his second on 21 minutes, but Inter stayed in contention as Ray Donnelly scored just before the break. Both teams scored early in the second period with Donnelly and Chris Murray scoring for either side, but it was Wellspring who pulled away with three goals in 5 minutes, two from Arden and a third from Hamilton. Callum Donnelly grabbed a late consolation for Inter, but they will hope to secure the League One title before the season is over. Rooneytunes have been hit and miss since they signed up a few weeks ago, and this week’s game against Polish Army represented a chance for both teams to get some points on the board. It was the Poles who hit the front as two Marcin goals gave them the advantage before Cameron Higgibottom pulled one back for Rooneytunes before the break. A tight second half looked to be heading for a point apiece after Chris Sinclair drew Rooney’s level 5 minutes from time, but the Army marched to victory as Mateusz scored a last gasp winner. There’s not too much to say about the other game in the division this week, as struggling SK Dons took an absolute hammering at the hands of FC AOTS. Carl Buckley grabbed 10 and Adam Duty 5 as AOTS ran in 22 goals with just the one Matt Richardson strike in reply for the Dons. This season can’t end soon enough for them, while AOTS games in hand could still see them mount a challenge for second spot.
Stockport Eagles look likely to be taking the step up a level at the end of the season, with the only real question remaining being whether they finish first or second. They held a narrow 2-1 lead over Inter Your Sister at half time this week as goals from Michael Winn and Ryan McAndrew were countered by Dave Smythe’s reply for Inter. McAndrew’s second a minute into the second half restored the Eagles two goal lead, and they soared to victory as Winn grabbed his second and McAndrew got two more to ease them to a comfortable win. Pathetico’s hopes of being a part of the promotion shake up relied on them picking up a win over struggling FC Stront Bakken this week, and an end to end first half saw Pathetico lead three times only to be clawed back on each occasion. Carl Reynolds gave Pathetico the lead and John Lodge restored it, but Declan Matthews pulled the Bucket Boys level both times. Reynolds second eased Pathetico in front for the third time, but Lukas Voveris made it 3-3 at the break. There was literally nothing to choose between the teams in the second period, as the game finished 3-3, leaving Pathetico 5 points behind second placed Deportivo with time running out.
THE NEW SUNDAY LEAGUE STARTS IN MARCH. WE WILL ALWAYS FIND SPACE FOR NEW TEAMS!
MONDAY LEAGUE
With the normally reliable Expected Toulouse missing through illness and injury this week, AC MIlmanchester had the chance to go clear at the top of the table as they took on Pathetico Madrid. Pathetico had picked up a first win of the season last week, but Nathan Thomson’s opening minute goal for them wasn’t the beginning of what would have been a massive shock as Kiarno Samms scored 4 in the next 13 minutes alongside a goal from Simon Hackney to put Milmanchester 5-1 in front. James Littlewood scored a second for Pathetico, but Chris Singleton scored one of their two more goals before the break to make it 7-2 at half time. The second half was one way as Samms and Singleton scored two each in a comfortable 12-2 win for ACM. Strikeforce and Not A Chance were part of the very first Ballers top division and met for the first time in a while with both teams looking to get points on the board to keep them in the mix for a top 6 finish at the half way point. After Mike Pinder had given Strikeforce the lead in the 5th minute, the Chancers took control and Kyle Bell scored three in 8 minutes to make it 3-1 5 minutes before the break. Pinder got his second two minutes from the break, and goals from Charles Yates and Matthew Ricketts turned it back in Strikeforce’ favour within 4 minutes of the restart. Not A Chance threw everything at the Strikeforce goal in an attempt to get back into it, but they were caught out on the break and Craig Oliver tapped home Strikeforce’ 5th with 9 minutes remaining. The Chancers ensured it would be a grandstand finish when John Wildman made the most of some poor defending to make it 5-4 with a couple of minutes to play, but they couldn’t break through again and Strikeforce make it two wins from two to sit in third place. Two teams who’ve struggled recently were looking for an upturn in fortune as Murder On Zidane’s Floor looked for a repeat of their friendly win over FC Rhino Ket, who themselves were also looking for their first points of the season. It was Rhino Ket who took a firm grip on this game in the first half as Jake Shaw, Harrison(?) and Jack Needham put them three up in the opening 7 minutes. Mike Hennessey made it 4 before the break and it looked a long way back for Murder. Harrison made it 5 early in the second half, before Zidane’s got on the board and ended the Rhino hopes of a place on the Golden Gloves list with an Ellis Stelfox goal. Hennessey’s second put Rhino 5 up again, but Conor McLellan reduced that to 4 with 15 minutes to play. Shaw’s second and Harrison’s third ended the contest, with Stelfox’s second 4 minutes from time just a consolation.
THE MONDAY LEAGUE WILL SPLIT ON 12TH MARCH, WITH NEW TEAMS BEING FILTERED INTO A NEW SECOND DIVISION. FRIENDLIES AVAILABLE FOR ANY NEW TEAMS WANTING TO GET SOME GAMES UNDER THEIR BELTS BEFORE IT STARTS.
WEDNESDAY LEAGUE
United and City both played this midweek, but it didn’t stop our Wednesday league from having a full turnout! New Team were in for a tough night as they faced champions and leaders Michu At De Gea Ba in only their third game, and were still looking for their first point. A one sided first half ensured that they would be waiting another week for that, as Alex Brady gave them a first minute lead before book ending the half with Michu’s 7th after Ian Davies had scored 4 and Matt Barton the other inbetween. A Jake Riley strike that had made the score 4-1 at the time was the only goal New Team could muster in the opening period. The second half was a bit tighter, but Michu eased further ahead with three early goals from Paul Rice (2) and Jamie Longworth, before New Team won the last 16 minutes 3-2. Daniel McDonald, Riley and Ryan Wall got their goals, while Barton and Davies got the others for Michu. Stockport Eagles were hoping to maintain their position as nearest challengers as they took on an Exeter Gently team who have struggled badly of late. It was Exeter who took the lead in the 5th minute through Mike Lavin, but it seemed to be going with form when Alecs Pattinson scored two and Ben Waugh a third to put Eagles in charge. We’re pretty sure the scorers are wrong in this one as Tom Wood is down as pulling one back for Exeter before the break, but we’re sure he was in goal……. Exeter found some form in the second period and turned this one around as Mike Belshaw, Wood(?) and Tom Harrison scored to give them a 5-3 lead. Ryan McAndrew pulled one back for Eagles three minutes from time, and some ill discipline meant Exeter had to hang on with 5 men, but they did to claim their first win of the season. They play New Team next week, while Eagles slip 9 points off the top. The Polish derby is a mid table affair so far this campaign, but with games in hand Magpie could make a play for the title if they can keep on winning. The went in front with two goals midway through the first half from Milosz Zawila and debutant Robert Michalski, but Polish Army were back in it a minute before the break after Dominik pulled one back. The Army turned the game around in the early stages of the second half as Dominik drew them level before Slawek put them in front with 13 minutes left. Their lead lasted just one minute as Michalski quickly drew Magpie level, and with both teams going for the win it was Michalski’s third of the game 5 minutes from time that sealed the win for Magpie. They face Michu next week needing a win just to halve their lead at the top of the table!
THE WEDNESDAY LEAGUE IS CURRENTLY FULL! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ABOUT ANY OTHER NIGHT…….