The clocks have gone forward, the sun has made an appearance, and many more weeks like this and I’ll be able to afford to get a haircut……

LEAGUE NEWS

One thing we weren’t expecting was to have to find a new team for the NEW WEDNESDAY LEAGUE which starts NEXT WEEK!

With the NEW MONDAY LEAGUE set to start at the end of April, we are down to the LAST SPACE as we look to get back to two full divisions.

By the time May comes around we will be looking to get the SUNDAY LEAGUE up to 5 divisions while the 11’s season is over for a few months.

For more information on any of the above, go to the home page and fill in the form on the ‘Join A League’ page

SUNDAY LEAGUE

If anyone saw our Facebook post a couple of days ago, you’ll have seen that Sunday was mostly made up of ridiculously close games. One game we didn’t fancy to be particularly close at start of play was champions Kinky Slipper’s game with Team Tom, and Rob Cresswell’s 7th minute goal was the first in what we expected to be a fairly comfortable win. The Tommers didn’t read the script though, and Rob Jordan leveled up for them 8 minutes from half time, but they didn’t make it to the break all square as James Radcliffe restored the Kinky lead 4 minutes from the interval. Two goals in 4 minutes from Joe Lailey put Kinky 4-1 up with 14 to play, but Tom Hornsby reduced that to a two goal lead with 8 minutes left. Radcliffe got Kinky’s 5th with the final goal of the game two minutes later, and the leaders keep up their 100% start to their title defence. Insole can’t afford too many more slip ups after their loss to Duno, and their game with struggling Dench again didn’t look likely to derail them any further. They raced into a 4 goal lead in the opening 10 minutes as Jordan Cunningham, Kurtes Curran, Brad Street and an own goal put them well in charge. Dan Jones pulled one back for Dench on 15 minutes, but Cunningham and Curran’s second of the game made it 6-1 at the break. There was a bit of symmetry about the second half as Cunningham and Curran added to the Insole lead before Jones got his second for Dench. Kyle Clarke, Aaron Campbell, and other own goal and Street’s second of the game made the second half score also 6-1, giving us a full time score of 12-2. Tough times for Dench…… Duno’s colours were lowered for the first time this season in defeat to Kinky Slipper, but they could join Kinky and Insole on 9 points if they could get back to winning ways against a Kipsta Cobras team who manage to keep scraping a team together in a time of struggle. They weren’t struggling in the opening 12 minutes as an own goal and a Jack Horgan goal put them 2-0 up, but Danny Burgess and Calvin Alexander quickly responded for Duno to send us into the break level at 2-2. Duno went in front for the first time through Rhys Clooney’s 32nd minute goal, but Wayne Reeves ensured that lead last just one minute as we headed into the final 10 minutes at 3-3. Burgess looked to have settled things in Duno’s favour with two goals in three minutes, but a Warren Yeo reply a minute later left them hanging on for the final couple of minutes. Hold on they did though, and it looks to be a three way fight at the top for the title this season.

Real Maskid will want to get in that shake up next season, and with a perfect three from three record they went in against El Caliente this week in what looked on paper to be a fairly tough test. They looked set to make light work of it in the opening 10 minutes as goals from Darren McConnell, Alec Pattinson and Kieran O’Connell put them three up. Ross Grealey pulled one back for Caliente, and we looked well set for a competitive second period. Maskid made their mark with two more goals in the opening 8 minutes through McConnell and Jake Morrey to pretty much put the result out of doubt, and the wheels well and truly fell off for Caliente in the final 10 minutes. McConnell and Morrey added three more each, and O’Connell his second of the game to give Maskid a thumping 12-1 win which will serve as notice to the Premiership teams that Maskid’s aren’t going to go away easily. The rest of the division is an absolute pick ’em for the second promotion place, and with El Caliente losing the other 4 teams had the chance to leapfrog them into second place. Step Brothers and Inter Row Z faced off in a game that was always likely to be close (and given that we’ve already talked about a 12-1 and a 12-2, we already know the rest of the games are close!), and it took 13 minutes for the deadlock to be broken through Josh Armitage’s finish. Ray Donnelly leveled up for Inter 4 minutes later, but an own goal and a well worked Rob Sheldon goal put the Brotherhood 3-1 up 4 minutes from the break. We looked like going in level at the break as Donnelly and Brandon Byers-Wilkes scored two in a minute, but Chris Moore produced a moment of magic in the final seconds to restore the Brothers lead. Sheldon’s second gave them their two goal lead back in the first minute of the second period, but the twists and turns continued as Michael Winn and Donnelly made it 5-5 with 18 minutes left to play. Armitage quickly put the Brothers in front yet again, and they looked like they might hold on for a vital win until Donnelly grabbed his 4th and the final goal of the game to end a great game all square at 6-6. Wellspring had kick started their season with a good win over Inter last week, while The McMuffin Men were still looking for that elusive first W. It didn’t look like happening this week as Wellspring flew into a 4 goal lead in the opening 8 minutes through two goals from Lewis Arden and two from Jay Berrisford. Sam Delgado pulled one back a minute later for McMuffin, but there were no more goals in the opening half and we went in at 4-1 at half time. Wellspring looked to have killed the game off 6 minutes after the break as Jake Hamilton scored their 5th, but McMuffin retained a slim chance of taking something from this one when Charley Eyre got their second a minute later. Delgado got his second 6 minutes from time but that still looked like being nothing more than a consolation until Eyre also got his second a minute later to make it 5-4. Mark Bailey grabbed the final goal of the game two minutes from time to give The McMuffin Men the most unlikely of points, while Wellspring will no doubt have been kicking themselves that they didn’t claim all three.

League One looks like it could be anyone’s to win this season, and leaders FC AOTS took on an improving Pat’s Giants in an attractive looking game. This one exploded into life with 5 goals in the opening 10 minutes following Steve Whittle’s 3rd minute opener. Jack Emmerson quickly leveled up for the Giants, and after Adam Duty had restored AOTS lead, he scored two more to turn this one in Pats favour for the first time. Duty got his second to level things up, and they were in front again when Eoghan Scott put them in front 9 minutes before half time. It was 4-4 at half time as Matt Hall got on the score sheet two minutes from the interval, and the same player put the Giants back in front two minutes after the restart. Again the game turned ad Adam Atherton scored two in three minutes to put AOTS in front with 17 minutes left, but wouldn’t you just know it if Giants didn’t fight back again with goals from Emmerson and Danny Brookes putting them 7-6 in front as we headed into the final 10 minutes. Emmerson’s 5th in the 44th minute looked to have sealed the win, but Whittle’s second three minutes from time meant it was a one goal game again. The Giants were able to hold on for the win in the end and they now join AOTS on 6 points in the early league table. Stockport Eagles and The Veterans both had three points on the board after their opening two games, so the winner of this one would join AOTS, Giants and Polish Army (who didn’t play this week) on 6 points in the promotion race. At half time it looked like being the Eagles as Ben Waugh and Ryan McAndrew (2) goals gave them a three goal lead at the break. Paul Atherton got The Vets on the board two minutes after the break, but Paul Waugh and McAndrew both added to the Eagles lead to make it 5-1 with 17 minutes left. Jay Willinghams 35th minute goal looked to be a consolation for the Vets, but when Atherton scored two more the score was 5-4 with three minutes still to play and we had yet another team trying to hang on for a win. The Vets couldn’t find a 5th though, so Eagles become the 4th team on 6 points in League One.

Only one game in League Two this week, but wouldn’t you just know it, it was another close one! Inter Your Sister are looking to make 2018 their year after an almost exclusively miserable 2017 (football-wise), but they faced an SK Six team who had picked up their first ever Ballers win last week. Brandon Byers-Wilkes gave Inter an early lead that was doubled in the 15th minute by Gaz Sumner’s goal (did he definitely score it this week?). Brad Bent pulled one back for SK 5 minutes from the break, but it was 3-1 at half time as Dave Smythe got his name on the score sheet. Henry Cooke got the first goal of the second half to make it 3-2, but it was the first and only goal of the second period as Inter hold on for their second straight win to go second in the table/

FC Stront Bakken and Polish Army played out a competitive friendly this week which the Poles won 7-5 with Mateusz scoring 4 of their goals.

WE HAVE HAD ONE DROP OUT IN THE SUNDAY LEAGUE THIS WEEK (SHOCK!), IT’S THERE FOR THE FIRST TEAM WHO GETS IN TOUCH!

MONDAY LEAGUE

The full Monday season is nearly at an end, and in the Premiership things would be over as far as the title race goes if AC MIlmanchester failed to beat Expected Toulouse this week. Their attempts to keep the title race open didn’t start well as Jordan Milne and Waz Akram put the title favourites two up in the opening 7 minutes, but after a sluggish start they did pull a goal back through Simon Hackney’s finish a minute later. Akram got his second a couple of minutes later, and Toulouse were well in control at the break as Jack Taylor scored their 4th in the final minute of the half. It looked a long way back for the current champions when Milne got his second two minutes into the second period, but they stayed in touch as Callum Jones pulled one back a minute later, and it was game on when Kiarno Samms made it 5-3 with 19 minutes left. Milmanchester were applying pressure, but Toulouse always looked extremely dangerous on the break and Akram got their 6th 11 minutes from time to restore the three goal lead. Samms got his second 5 minutes from time to keep ACM in with a sniff, but Toulouse had the final word with Taylor’s second of the game in the last minute to give Expected Toulouse their first Monday Premiership title!

It might be early doors for some of the teams in the Championship, but it looks all to play for with a division of teams who mostly look capable of taking points off each other. The possible exception based on recent form is Pathetico Madrid, who have struggled for consistency of squad and performance of late, and they went up against a Nice Buns team who were after a first win after last week’s opening defeat to Jeremy Cheadle. Three goals in the first 5 minutes saw Buns lead 2-1 through goals from Jimmy and Charlie Williamson, with Alex Findlow having scored for Pathetico. Pathetico really didn’t get going in the first half, and by the quarter hour they were 5-1 down as Tom Hall, Dale Kirkham And Jimmy added three more goals. Nathan Thomson pulled one back, but another from Jimmy, another from Hall, a goal from Aaron Ellis and another from Charlie made it 9-2 at the break. With not much more than pride to play for, Pathetico were at least able to keep the score down in the second half as Charlie, Jimmy and Hall scored the only three goals of the half to give Nice Buns their first Ballers league win. FC Rhino Ket were looking to build on last week’s win over Pathetico against a Netsix & Chill team who had suffered a narrow defeat to Pique Blinders last week. Mike Pinder gave Netsix an early lead, but Louis Moore leveled things up on 10 minutes. Aaron Campbell quickly restored the Netsix lead, but we were Desmond at half time as Jack Needham(?) grabbed the leveler in the last minute of the half. Netsix flew out of the traps in the second half and seemed to have the result in the bag as Pinder and Campbell scored two each in the first 10 minutes of the period. Needham pulled two back to make it a two goal game with 8 minutes left, and Netsix were holding on when Jake Shaw scored another two minutes from time. Hang on they did though, so it’s another first Ballers league win for a new team this week.

In friendlies this week, Phantom Brazilians picked up a much needed confidence booster as they beat Ballers first timers (mostly) JM FC (a name we gave them) 6-4 in a highly competitive game. Hopefully we’ll see more of the JM Lads in time…… Having fought for that first friendly, Stockport Eagles came in to fill a slot after a late cancellation, and they lost that game narrowly to Pique Blinders, who having struggled to field a side at least kept their winning start going, final score 7-5.

WITH THE NEW MONDAY LEAGUE STARTING IN APRIL THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NEW TEAMS FLOATING AROUND LOOKING FOR SPACES, OF WHICH THERE IS ONLY CURRENTLY A MAXIMUM OF TWO. GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS…..

TUESDAY LEAGUE

A full house of games in the Tuesday league this week as the Tuesday league goes from strength to strength with things looking really good for the new season which starts in a few weeks time. Gangs Of Dwight Yorke might have the league won, but teams have been running them close of late as Oooze became the first team to take points from them last week, and Karl Robins gave Inter Mi Van the lead in the this one on three minutes. It didn’t take long for Gangs to turn it round, two minutes in fact, as Jason Singleton and Liam Ellis scored to put the leaders in front. The put the foot on the gas for the remainder of the half, and a goaleach for the same two players either side of Connor Harding’s goal sent them into the break with a 5-1 lead. Inter hit back in the early stages of the second period and Ryan Andres and Gary Wood pulled a couple back to make it 5-3 with 18 minutes to play. Chris Singeleton scored with 4 minutes left to ease Gangs into a three goal lead again and that seemed to be that, but they had to hold on as Simon Royle and Wood scored to make it 6-5 with a minute to play. That was that though as Gangs just about get back to winning ways. Second place is going to go down to the wire, with Inter Row Z, Only Kruls & Horses and Oooze FC all able to overtake Mi Van with a win this week. Kruls and Inter couldn’t both win as they were playing each other, and as expected this was a close one too. Reece (just Reece) gave Kruls the lead in the 3rd minute and made it 2-0 in the 10th. Marcus Acott made it 3-0 less than half way through the opening period, but Inter kicked into life to score three of their own in the next 6 minutes. Kyle Clarke grabbed two before Callum Donnelly made it 3-3 6 minutes before half time. They didn’t go in level though, as Reece got his third of the half to edge Kruls into a half time lead. Tension kicked in in the second period, and for long periods it looked like we would be finishing up at 4-3 before everything kicked off in the final few minutes. Clarke leveled up for Inter 4 minutes from time, and Ray Donnelly scored a minute later to put Inter in front for the first time. Kruls weren’t up for letting this one go though, and Dan (just Dan) scored to make it 5-5 a minute later, before Seb Etchells grabbed a last gasp winner with just about the last kick of the game to send Kruls into second place in the table. Turkish Delight have been a funny team since they joined, being competitive in each game without yet gaining a point, and they were facing the much improved Oooze FC this week. It looked to be another week without that point arriving as Jay Roddis scored two and Phil Parker another as Oooze eased into a 3-0 lead in the opening 15 minutes. Volkan got Turkish on the board two minutes later, but Adam Corr restored Oooze’ three goal lead with 4 minutes of the half to go. Volkan got his second and Mohannad another as Turkish Delight got back to within one goal just before half time, but Parker’s second on the stroke of half time gave Oooze that vital two goal lead at the break. The second half was much quieter in terms of goal mouth action, and there was just the one Roddis goal in the final minute to seal the win for Oooze. They could yet nick second spot……

Shaka look set for a bash at the top flight next season as their 100% record looked likely to continue from a game with winless Beercalona this week. They got off to the ideal start as three goals each from Liam Paull and Tom Hannan gave them a 6-0 lead at the break. Beercalona improved after the break, and Ben Smith scored for them 19 minutes from time, but as the game looked like limping to a comfortable Shaka win, James Holden added two more and Mark Brookes the final goal to turn a comfortable win into an emphatic one. Black Jack were missing a couple of regulars this week as they took on the new / returning Con Dog, who went in front on 4 minutes through Joe Lailey’s finish. Alex Morell-Cooke leveled up for Black Jack, but the new team lead 3-1 at the break through two Jason Willingham goals in three minutes. Ryan Stevens looked to have sealed the win for Con Dog with their 4th half way through the second half, but Jake Whitehead halved the deficit soon after. Jimmy Leeson took advantage of a mistake from Black Jack’s keeper with 8 minutes left to seal the win for Con Dog, and all but end Black Jack’s chances of chasing down Shaka at the top of the table. LQ FC and Wellspring look likely to remain in this division next season, but the game between the two started spritely enough as Tim Price’s 5th minute goal canceled out Lewis Arden’s 3rd minute opener for Wellspring. George Quayle restored Wellspring’s lead half way through the period, but within 5 minutes LQ lead for the first time as Jason McLean and Matthew Brierley scored to see LQ into the break 3-2 in front. That became 4 two minutes after the break as Price got his second of the game, and LQ looked in control. Nathan Wilkinson pulled one back for Wellspring with 16 to play, before Murray Tupman made it 4-4 as headed into the final 10 minutes. An unfortunate own goal turned out to be the decisive goal and it went Wellspring’s way to give them a third win of the season.

THE TUESDAY LEAGUE IS CURRENTLY FULL. FOR SPACES, LOOK TO THE OTHER THREE NIGHTS!

WEDNESDAY LEAGUE

This was the final night of a Wednesday league season that already had a comfortable winner as Michu At De Gea Ba retained their title with a 100% record for the season. Just the one league game played this week, but it was the always popular Polish Derby between struggling Magpie FC and a Polish Army team who were looking to make second place theirs. The only goal of a tight opening 20 minutes was scored by Bania of the Army, but in those final 5 minutes of the half the wheels fell off for Magpie as two more from Bania and one from Pawel gave the Army a 4-0 half time lead. It wasn’t a completely one sided game, but Magpie didn’t carry any real threat going forward, and Polish Army added two more goals in the final 4 minutes through Pawel and Mateusz to give them a comfortable looking win in what could be Magpie’s last game with us.

In friendlies this week the champs won a hard fought game 8-5 against Stockport Eagles, who will be wanting to have a good bash at it next season, and Wellspring popped over from Sunday/Tuesday to give Exeter Gently a game and went away with a 6-1 win.

THERE MAY BE SPACES AVAILABLE IN THE WEDNESDAY LEAGUE FOR THE NEW SEASON WHICH STARTS NEXT WEEK. GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS!