One week to go until the first Ballers week off in nearly two years, but once we’ve had that week we’ll be roaring back as we head into September, with the holiday season over and the darker nights creeping in, there’s not a lot else to do in an evening but to get yourselves out under the lights at Ballers…..
LEAGUE NEWS
No messing about, here’s where we have spaces for an immediate start for any new or returning teams:
MONDAY PREMIERSHIP – ONE SPACE
MONDAY CHAMPIONSHIP – ONE SPACE
TUESDAY PREMIERSHIP – ONE SPACE
The BRAND NEW SUNDAY LEAGUE kicks off on 2nd September, the first day back after our break, and we are currently looking to pick up teams before we decide what the actual format is going to be. So if you’re thinking of getting involved, make your intentions known so we can include you when we’re getting things set up.
We have a couple of teams who may be looking to shift from the WEDNESDAY LEAGUE to other night’s in the coming weeks, so if Wednesday was your preferred choice, get in touch and let us know.
SUNDAY LEAGUE
The penultimate week of the Sunday league could see the Premiership title decided if Duno could beat the only team capable of catching them at the start of play, Insole. That win looked on the cards early as Liam Watson scored twice in the opening 4 minutes, but Kyle Clarke closed that gap within a minute. Jack Cope restored the Duno two goal lead 7 minutes before the break, but we looked like going into the interval with just the one goal in it as Jack Atkinson scored a minute before the break. The final act of the first half was an own goal that gave Duno a 4-2 lead when the whistle went, and Debutant Jack Hartley made it 5-2 three minutes into the second period. With the title slipping away, the former champs responded with three goals in 4 minutes to draw themselves level, Clarke, Atkinson and Aaron Campbell with the goals, but the current champs also reacted like champions do and Calvin Alexander scored two to put them 7-5 in front. Tom Ciessi scored a debut goal for Insole with three minutes left to give us a big finish, but they couldn’t find even one of the two goals they needed to take the title race to the final week, so Duno retain their Premiership title for a second straight season.
When we set up the league for the new season, Kipsta Cobras will be one of those teams on the border of going up to the Premiership and staying in the Championship, as the Championship season this season has been badly affected by struggling teams. One of those was Pat’s Giants, who got a team out this week and will hopefully be ok going into the new season. We found ourselves level at 2-2 at the break in this one as Paddy Bannister and Matt Sands replied to Kipsta goals from Wayne Reeves. Kipsta eased away in the second half as Reeves added three more, Warren Yeo, James Bamgbose and Aaron Campbell the others, with Joe Marsland and Danny Brookes providing the replies for the Giants. Having promised Team Tom a relegation for next season to allow them to rebuild after a season of struggle, they have put out a team that has been extremely competitive at this level in recent weeks, and their game with Wellspring this week was certainly competitive. Mike Devitt gave Wellspring the lead in the 13th minute, but we were level at the break as Phil Partakis scored 6 minutes later. this remained the score going into the final 10 minutes, before The Tommers went in front through Rob Jordan’s goal 6 minutes from time, They sealed the win with two late goals from Scott Doherty and Carl Carter, to make it three straight wins. They now sit third in the table, having been promised relegation a few weeks ago, that’s just being awkward……
Ladzio’s highly successful first Ballers season has ended with them being crowned League Two champions, but they could still impact on who joins them as they played second placed Sevilla Lacatalent this week. A minute into the second half it looked like Sevilla might be confirming their status as runners up for the season as Jake Riley’s third gave them a 3-2 lead, with Jack Shepherd and George Cox grabbing Ladzio’s first half goals. The champs fought back in the final 10 thoug, and once Sam Findlow had leveled things up, Lewis Findlow added two, Shepherd his second and Sam finished it off with their 7th to give them what looks like a fairly comfortable win. Inter Your Sister needed to pick up a win to overtake Sevilla into second spot and make them play for it, but bizarrely their opposition, The McMuffin Men, could still take second place despite starting the night second from bottom. Sam Delgado gave McMuffin’s a two goal lead, but a rare appearance from Inter ‘skipper’ Steve Johnson saw an even rarer goal from him to pull them back into it 8 minutes from the break. It was 3-1 at the interval as Mark Bailey scored just before the half time whistle, and they confirmed the win with goals from Calan Sherer, Charley Eyre, Delgado and Bailey, with a late brace from Brandon Byers-Wilks providing a little consolation for Inter as their season ends with them taking one of the mid table positions.
There were no games in League Two this week, but there were a handful of friendlies as teams kept active towards the season’s end. 4 goals from Chris Carroll helped Bangers & Pash to an 8-6 win over Stockport Eagles, with Ryan McAndrew scoring three in reply for them. Murder On Ziadne’s Floor were back for a second game ahead of joining the league for the new season, but having struggled to put a team out on the pitch, they lost 7-3 to League Two winners Beercalona, with Jay Ratcliffe scoring 4 of the Beercalona goals. League One FC Stront Bakken won a decent game against League Two FC AOTS 7-5, Declan Matthews scoring 4 and Chris Sinclair three, with Adam’s Duty and Atherton scoring a double each for AOTS. SK Dons are another team who are primed and ready to go for the new season, and they were the victim of a one man show as Paul Atherton scored 8 of The Veterans 12 goals as they ran out 12-7 winners, with Kyle Norris scoring three in reply for the Dons.
THE NEW SUNDAY LEAGUE SEASON STARTS ON 2ND SEPTEMBER. WE’LL CRAM IN AS MANY TEAMS AS WE CAN FIT, SO IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED, GET IN TOUCH!
MONDAY LEAGUE
It was a fairly quiet Monday of Ballers action with a number of teams struggling to field a side this week. Just the one top division game this week, but what a game it was as a struggling Diva Fever just about got 6 players on the pitch for their game with J Stands Barmy Army. An even first half saw the game swing one way then the other before we went into the break at 3-3. Bevan Southward’s opening goal started things off, Scott Stokes and Jay Willingham replied for J Stands, before John Brookes and Callum Jones responded for Diva, with Stokes scoring the final goal of the half. Southward and Nicky Edwards scored early second half goals to keep us level at 4-4, but the goals really started flowing in the final 11 minutes. Willingham twice put J Stands back in front with Jones responding in between, Brookes leveled again for Diva before Stokes scored the 5th goal in 6 minutes to edge J Stands back in front with 6 to play. Jones grabbed another leveler, but Edwards quickly restored the J Stands lead yet again, before Brookes goal in the final minute ended a breathless game with each team taking a point from an 8-8 draw.
Netsix and Phantom couldn’t be split going into this week’s games at the top of the Championship, and Netsix took an early two goal lead against Nice Buns through goals from Mike Pinder and Wayne Reeves. They held that lead at the break, and in a game of symmetry they repeated the dose in the second period as an own goal and Pinder’s second of the game rounded off a 4-0 win that leaves Nice Buns still looking for their first points of the season. Netsix have conceded just one goal in three games so far! So a win by 4 or more goals would send Phantom top, but Pathetico started well and Liam Needham gave them the lead in the second minute. Phantom leveled up through a Daniel Clayton penalty, and they took the lead when the same player scored 4 minutes before the break. They looked to have it won with three goal in the opening 8 minutes of the second half, Paul Wilkinson with two and Clayton with the other, but Pathetico rallied and Nathan Thomson and Needham quickly pulled two back. Phantom took the points when Alex Brady scored their 6th and final goal two minutes from time, but it wasn’t enough to take them top.
WE NOW HAVE ONE SPACE IN BOTH DIVISIONS OF THE MONDAY LEAGUE AS WE APPROACH THE END OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THESE SPACES WON’T HANG AROUND LONG SO GET IN TOUCH TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM.
TUESDAY LEAGUE
Most of the games in the Tuesday Premiership this season have been competitive, but despite being in a few close games Gangs Of Dwight Yorke maintained their 100% record going into their first meeting with Total Bala, who had only lost once this season prior to this week’s meeting. It looked like it could be a long night for Total when Gangs went into a two goal lead in the opening 14 minutes through Connor Harding and Chris Singleton goals. They were back level within two minutes as the debuting and one-named Olly grabbed a quickfire brace, but Callum Jones restored the Gangs lead before the break. Bala started the second off well and leveled three minutes in through Rick Kelly’s finish, but that spurred Gangs into life and they struck three in 6 minutes, two from Jones and one from Josh Morrissey, to take a firm grip on the game. They went 4 up through Wez Barker’s goal half way through the period, and though Matt Kelly pulled one back with a rare goal that wasn’t off his shin, Barker confirmed the win for Gangs before Olly’s third gave the full time result a more realistically close look to it. One of the games in this division that hadn’t been close as Gangs heavy win over Stroke Titty last week, and Stroke were behind early again as Michael Jennison scored in the second minute for Michu At De Gea Ba, as they looked to take the position of Gangs nearest challengers. Jay Willingham leveled up quickly, but Matt Barton put Michu back infront with just 6 minutes on the clock. Stroke fought back and lead by two at the break as Willingham grabbed two more and Ryan Stevens the other, and they opened up a three goal lead through Sam Tattersall’s goal 5 minutes after the interval. Barton quickly replied again for Michu, but Willingham added two more to make it 7-3 with 15 to play. Jennison got a second but Willingham replied again with his 6th of the game to keep the deficit at 4, and though Paul Mazzitelli pulled another back inside the final 5 minutes, it was Willingham who fittingly had the final say as his 7th helped Stroke to a 9-5 win.
Beercalona look the most likely to be making the step up to challenge the big boys next season and they started as heavy favourites against a Rooneytunes team who had struggled to put a side out this week. Scoot Williams and Martin Bell gave them an early two goal lead, and they lead by one at the break after Tom Ratcliffe got their third with Jack Hodkinson scoring Rooneytunes two. Hodkinson’s third had us level with 20 minutes to play, and Josh Borthwick leveled up again for them after Bell had restored the Beercalona lead as we headed into the final 10 minutes. Rooneytunes were denied an unlikely point by Williams’ second goal in the final minute, as Beercalona move onto 12 points from 5 games. Wellspring suffered their first defeat of the season last week, but would be expecting to get back to winning ways against an opposition they beat 23-2 in their first game of the season, Europeans. It was never likely to be as one way this time as Europeans have improved from that shocking opening night, and it was just 3-0 at the break with Lewis Arden getting two and Dan Stringer the other. Mohammad got Europeans on the board early in the second half, and Umair got their second just after Mike Devitt had added two more to ease Wellspring clear again. Callum Clarke, Arden and Stringer scored to secure the win for Wellspring, but Mohammad got his second in the dying stages to make this a far more respectable defeat for Europeans.
WE HAVE ONE SPACE IN THE TOP DIVISION OF THE TUESDAY LEAGUE FOR ANY NEW OR RETURNING TEAMS. GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS.
WEDNESDAY LEAGUE
Ajax Treesdown took on Magpie as they looked to strengthen their grip on the top spot in the Wednesday league, and having struggled to put a side out this week they were given a helping hand when an own goal gave them the lead in the second minute. Magpie struck back within minutes as Tomasz Glebiowski leveled things up, Evan Farrell restored the Ajax lead 9 minutes before the break, and they lead by two at the half time whistle as the same player got his second 5 minutes later. A second own goal, again two minutes into the half, saw the lead extend to three, but Dawid pulled one back for Magpie with 15 minutes left. Ajax killed off any Magpie hopes with goals from Daniel Kitchingham and Farrell, before Dawid got his second in the final stages to keep the scoreline respectable. The newly formed Random Ballers made their collective Wednesday debut against Exeter Gently this week, and with the make up of the team being 7 lads who’d pretty much never met before, it was always going to be a big ask for them to fit together as a team straightaway. They did score first when Max Brookes grabbed an opening minute goal, but reality quickly kicked in and Exeter hit back to lead 7-1 at the break, Tom Harrison and Kristian Igo with two each, James Magnani, Rob Milarvie and an own goal from Kurtes Curran (sorry. Not sorry.) the others. The Randoms improved in the second half, but still continued to concede as Harrison and Igo got two more each, and Tom Wood the other, with Curran scoring at the right end to give the Ballers a little consolation.
Arguably the game of the night came in the friendly between Stockport Eagles and Wellspring, which swung back and forth throughout. Eventually two second half goals from Michael Winn, adding to two by Ray Donnelly, were enough to give Eagles a 6-5 win, with George Quayle scoring two in reply for Wellspring.
WITH POLISH ARMY RETURNING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS (YAY!) THE WEDNESDAY LEAGUE WILL BE FULL AGAIN! FEEL FREE TO ENQUIRE THOUGH, AS THERE’S RUMOURS ABOUND THAT ONE OR TWO TEAMS MIGHT BE LOOKING TO MOVE NIGHTS.