Today saw the curtain come down on the 2017/2018 League season with the final 10 games being played. All divisions had seen this season’s Champions determined previously however there were still points to play for as the long Season, extended by two weeks, drew to its conclusion
Premier Division
Champions: Anglers FC
2nd place: Rustons United
There were two games played today with the top two teams going head to head in this season’s finale. Rustons United entertained champions Anglers FC in a repeat of the LFA County Cup final of two weeks ago. The outcome was the same today when Anglers won 3-2 thanks to a brace from striker Stewart Aisthorpe plus a goal from Craig Bridge.
Saxilby Athletic came out on top of a seven goal thriller when they played host to Metheringham FC at William Street. Goals from Garrick, Hargrave, and Thorpe weren’t enough for the visitors on the day and the result ensured that the home side climbed off the bottom position of the table leaving near neighbours Newton United in the last position in the table.
Division One
Champions: AFC Golden Eagle
2ND place: Welton Sports AFC
Wishing Well Cherry FC finished their season with a goal fest on the 3G pitch at Cherry Willingham School. Both teams arrived to find that the pitch was gleaming with new markings but unfortunately the markings were for athletics and the goalposts had disappeared too! Both teams agreed to play the game on the 3G pitch and thankfully the game was completed. Wishing Well won the contest 6-3 thanks to two goals each from Corby and Szostak plus individual efforts from Maclaren and Pinnington. The visitors goals were scored by Ryan Smith (2) and James Wilson. Wishing Well finished in third place in the League table which represents a tremendous achievement by all at the Club. AFC Lincoln Green deserve enormous respect and praise for completing the season with effort and enthusiasm which sees them finish in last place. Despite regularly being unable to field 11 players for a great deal of the season pride has seen them play all of their matches when it would have been far easier to call and cry off. All at the Club deserve immense respect for the way in which they have completed the season and they will no doubt regroup again before commencing next season in a different division which may suit them better.
Old Boys United finish the season just one place above Lincoln Green and their season ended today with a 1-4 home reverse against Railway Inn AFC. The Railway marksmen were Stephen Crowther, Luke Dady, James Brett and Tom Ardron and Railway finish safe in eighth place.
Division Two
Champions: North Lindum Hawks
2nd place: St Helens FC
Champions North Lindum Hawks suffered their third consecutive home postponement today when their game against Heighington FC was called off on Saturday with the visitors unable to filed a team. This was most disappointing for the hosts as arrangements were in place for the presentation of their League trophy after the final whistle. Coningsby finished their season in fifth place in the table and they signed off with a comprehensive 6-2 victory at home to Lincoln High Street FC who themselves finished seventh which represents an improvement over their last campaign. Goals from the home side’s Andy Wyre and Tom Dickinson saw the teams go into the interval all square at 2-2. Second half goals from Andy Wyre, James Todd, Charlie Stapleton, and Brandon Rylett saw the Coningsby boys win 6-2 overall.
Shakespeare Athletic found their scoring boots when they visited South Clifton to take on Newton United Reserves, hitting seven goals and conceding two. It was a landmark game for Crampton who scored four of his team’s goals thus notching his 100th goal for the team. Not many players can boast that record for their teams although several have achieved this accolade over the years. The other goals came from Marshall who scored two and a header from Smith which completed the scoring.
Division Three
Champions: Nettleham FC
2nd place: Birchwood United
There was just one final game played in this division today and this saw The Sports Bar edge the game 3-2. Queen’s scorers were Guppy and Ip and the game has been reported to me as being a great game of football that was won by a worldie of a volley by a Sports Bar player. Unfortunately it is not known who the player is but it is also stated that the game was a great credit to the Sunday League so well done to all involved in that game. Queen in the West finish in third place with Sports Bar immediately behind them by one point.
Division Four
Champions: Morning Star
2nd place: Shakespeare Imps
Saxilby Sports FC finish in their highest position of fourth in the table and they signed off with a 3-1 away win today at Green Dragon. The final game in the division provided a remarkable scoreline with AFC West End defeating The Shed FC 6-5. Who said football wasn’t entertaining anymore?!
CUP FINALS
Although the League season has now finished there are still the four Cup finals to be played, all of which will be played within the next week so there is still some excellent local football to be enjoyed.
First up on Tuesday 15th May is the Jock Mitchell Memorial Trophy. This is the competition contested by teams playing in the lowest two divisions. This season will see the trophy contested by two teams from division three. Champions Nettleham FC take on Queen Athletic who themselves finished sixth in the division. These two teams have met three times during the season as they played each other in the third round of the Lincolnshire County Football Association County Sunday Cup. The cup contest went the way of the Nettles when they won by 1-0 on Guy Fawkes day. Each side won their respective home League games by netting four goals whilst on home soil. Nettleham won 4-0 at Mulsanne Park under the lights back in November but Queen extracted revenge only last month when they overturned their visitors 4-0 at Skellingthorpe Road. As we all know League form counts for nothing in a one off winner takes all cup final so this game promises to be exciting between two teams who each are capable of winning on the day. The kick-off for this game is 7.30pm.
The Fred Quibell Junior Cup takes centre stage the following evening on Wednesday 16th May, kick-off 7.30pm. This final is for teams competing in the lower three divisions of the League. This year sees two teams from division two competing for the trophy. Plough Sturton take on Coningsby FC in a game that League results saw each side win their home game against each other during the regular season. Coningsby won 3-0 in the first game in January whilst Plough Sturton won 2-1 in April in one of the first evening games played this Season at the beginning of April. Plough Sturton are long established members of the League whilst Coningsby have just completed their second season with us having entered the League last Season.
Sunday 20th May will see the final curtain come down on the 2017/2018 Season with the last two Cup finals to be played. The Ron Eaglen Cup will be played in the morning with a traditional 10.45am kick-off. This competition is the flagship competition of the League with all divisions, except for the lowest division, required to enter a team in it. This Season, as is often the case, will see an all Premier Division final between County Cup finalist’s Rustons United and New Swan FC. Ruston’s have enjoyed an excellent Season finishing second in the League table having gone unbeaten in the League until they lost their first game just a couple of weeks ago and of course they lost a second game today. They have been in either first or second place in the League table for the lion’s share of the season and will be keen to claim the trophy that was won last year by their neighbours Ruston Sports. New Swan for their part have had a difficult Season overall after the heights of last Season which saw them challenging for the title for most of it. However players leaving lead to an indifferent Season this time around but results in recent weeks have been improved massively and a chance to win this coveted trophy will have the Swan boys giving it their all, that is for sure.
The last Cup final of the Season is the afternoon game which commences at 2.30pm in the shape of the Kelly Read Cup. This is the competition for the village teams who play from a village location. This Season sees Anglers FC, from Saxilby, attempt to secure a Season Treble having already bagged the Lincolnshire County Football Association County Sunday Cup and Premier Division title, when they take on Welton Sports AFC. Welton have just finished in second spot in Division One of the League and will now be heading back to take their place again in the Premier Division, a place that they lost at the end of last Season. This time around has seen the team re-group and re-focus and to finish in second place with 14 wins out of 20 games represents an excellent season by all those involved with this village side.
CUP FINAL INFORMATION:
All games will be played at Lincoln Moorlands/Railway Sports Ground, Newark Road, Lincoln. LN6 8RT. The kick –off times are: Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th May 7.30pm
Sunday 20th May: Ron Eaglen Cup 10 45am, Kelly Read Cup 2.30pm
Entry prices are: Under 5’s FREE
Concessions: (Over 5 but under 16 years + Over 60’s) £2.00 per person
Adult Person (16 years and over) £5.00
Parking is FREE.
As the League season is now over for another year I would like to thank our League & Cup Sponsors (White Mortgages Ltd) for their kind and generous help and financial support throughout the Season. Thanks must also be extended to all of the unsung heroes who make the League tick, firstly from within the League Management Committee on the administration of the League but equally importantly from all within the Clubs and teams who ensure that there is a team playing in the League throughout the season. Whilst my personal contact with each team is restricted to the Club Secretary I know how hard the Managers, Secretaries, Treasurers and the like, work hard to ensure that we all enjoy the game at a weekend, well I use the word “enjoy” loosely at times on some occasions!
The League AGM will be held on Wednesday 6th June 2018, just ahead of the start of the F.I.F.A World Cup and all teams are reminded that to be in the League next Season, commencing in September 2018, your Club must have a representative at this AGM meeting. Club Secretaries have been reminded of this and all necessary administration will need to be completed before this meeting, again something that all Clubs have been reminded of.
Enjoy the Summer and we will start all over again on the first Sunday of September. It will be here before you know it!
Ian Stephenson