Premier Division
Ruston Sports FC 3
Metheringham FC 1
Metheringham visited unbeaten Ruston Sports looking to get back to winning ways and they were a goal up inside 7 minutes as Matt Robinson rose highest to head home a Jayden Driver corner. This was Meg’s first goal in 275 minutes of football. This lead lasted just 4 minutes as Ruston’s then scored with a simple header from a left wing cross. Play became end to end with Meg seeing a Jake Thorpe effort brilliantly tipped onto and over the bar by home keeper Rory McCracken. Ruston’s then took the lead as the first half was coming to a close with a close range finish when Metheringham failed to clear their lines following a corner.
In all truth the second half was almost a non-event with neither side able to put their foot on the ball and they just merely huffed and puffed up and down the pitch. There were half chances created but missed by both sides and Meg would say they had a couple of half calls for a penalty, both turned down. With Meg chasing the game there was always the chance that the home team would add to their goals tally and they did just that to make sure of the points from a close range finish from a right wing corner with just 5 minutes of the game remaining.
Division Two
Red Lion Dunston 1
Plough Sturton 0
On a lovely sunny Winters day for football Dunston entertained Plough Sturton looking to reverse the result of their meeting earlier in the season.
The game started off with both teams being wary of each other and the first 15 minutes went without any incident of note. Dunston then started to create some chances with Greg Brown getting some shots at goal, mainly from distance, without testing the Plough keeper. Dunston goalkeeper Steve Brumpton was called upon to make a smart save from a corner low down to his left, with few real chances created for the remainder of the first half the game was already looking like a 1-0 with either team capable of getting the all important goal.
In the second half Dunston started the better and after 10 minutes play a run from Brown into the box and a pass to Masters left him with only the keeper to beat, however he dragged the ball wide of the post. Dunston were now more in control of the game and were at this stage looking like the team to score but always alert to the danger of the quick Plough breakaways.
The only goal of the game was scored in the 73rd minute and it came from an unlikely source. Dunston’s right back, Harry Wright, who had another excellent game came across to take a corner and scored directly from it with the Plough keeper pushing the ball into the net. Confirmation from “goal technology” in the form of the Plough team in the local hostelry after the game confirmed that the ball was already in before the keeper got a hand to it so the goal has been credited to Wright. Dunston did have another chance to extend the lead shortly after but a good save from the visiting keeper ensured it remained 1-0. From then on it was Plough who were putting the pressure on the Dunston defence and with 10 minutes of play left the ball came high into the Dunston box and was lost in the sun by Brumpton. The Plough forwards got to the ball first and somehow it came back off the post to fall to another Plough forward but a great save from Brumpton, flinging himself at the ball, saw the danger cleared away. Plough continued to exert pressure until the very end but once again Dunston defended resolutely without any further clear chances being created. Although this was a narrow win for the home team this game could easily have gone either way.
Division Four
Hykeham Athletic 2
Broadley FC 3
Hykeham took advantage of Broadley’s weakened, bare 11, side and had a goal disallowed inside the first 10 minutes before Broadley keeper Robbie Stallard pulled off one of the saves of the season to deny them again. It was only a matter of time though before the home side took the lead. In an end-to-end game it was unlikely that either side would be able to retain a clean sheet and this proved to be the case when Broadley FC legend Luke ‘Biggers’ Taylor equalised after a good save from the Hykeham ‘keeper.
Hykeham struck first again after the half time interval when Stallard cancelled out his earlier save by letting a speculative 30-yard effort slip under his body. Brady Newstead, having one of the performances of his life, finally broke his Broadley duck after striking the post several times, latching on to a quickly taken Adam Simeoni free kick which beat the ‘keeper at his near post, ala David de Gea. Newstead also had a say in how the game ended when he whipped in a delicious cross that fell just behind another Stallard at the other end, this time it was top goalscorer Steven, and he craned his his long neck backwards to nod the ball over the goalkeeper from the edge of the box. His goal ended his own 3-match goal drought with his 15th goal of the season and a goal that proved to be the match winner. Credit must go to all of the players on both teams who played the game out with remarkable sportsmanship as this game was played without an officially appointed League referee.
The Blue Lion 0
Nosey FC 5
The Blue Lion recorded their best ever result since joining the League this season when they managed to keep their opposition score down to 5 goals with no goals being scored during the second half of the game. Blue Lion wish to give credit to Nosey FC for the way in which they played the game which was enjoyed by all who took part in it.
Ian Stephenson