Week three of the Season saw 23 League games scheduled to be played. One had to be postponed at 08.30am due to circumstances over which neither the League, or the teams, had any control over. The remaining 22 fixtures started on time but with two games being abandoned due to very different circumstances only 20 were completed. Here’s what happened on Sunday 20th September.
PREMIER DIVISION
Rustons United put in a 5-star performance when they entertained AFC Golden Eagle and duly maintained their 3-match unbeaten start. Jordan Southwell scored 2, with Billy Foster, Josh Raby, and Alex Mackinder each chipping in with a goal apiece in an impressive 5-1 win which inflicted the first defeat of the Season on their visitors who grabbed a consolation goal from Higginson. This result saw Ruston’s leap into top spot with the leaders at the start of the day, AFC Saxilby, without a fixture.
Current Champions, Hykeham Town TRFC, got their defence of the title finally started after the disappointment of seeing their first two games of the Season postponed. Morgan Clay scored his first ever goal for the Town with a towering header from a corner against Welton FC but the visitors will be pleased with their start to the Season after Tolchard netted for them to see the game end all square at 1-1, their fourth point from their opening 3 games.
This Division suffered the 08.30am postponement which came at Metheringham, where the home side, Metheringham FC, were due to entertain Lincoln Moorlands Railway.
DIVISION ONE
I begin this Division by sending my personal best wishes, and those of the entire League I am sure, to the Bassingham Bugle Horn player that suffered a serious injury shortly before half time which resulted in the referee calling the game to be abandoned. We all hope that the player makes a speedy and full recovery as soon as possible. At the point of the abandonment no goals had been scored and with the amount of time played in the game the fixture will be re-arranged by the League.
Cherry Willingham completed their second win in successive games to send them to the top of the table with an impressive 6-2 home win at home to Swanpool FC. Unfortunately, the scorers for Cherry are not yet known, but the Swanpool goals came courtesy of Liam Bentley and a penalty from Liam Wright. This result saw Swanpool knocked off the top spot as they now sit in second place immediately behind Cherry Willingham.
Two teams gaining their first wins of the Season were St Helens FC and North Scarle FC respectively.
John Papworth and Patrick Dougan netted for St Helens in a 2-1 home win against Ruston Sports FC, Timmie Mann was on hand to net for the Ruston based team who so far have found life tougher in their new Division following their promotion from last Season.
North Scarle and FVA Jerusalem must both be applauded for re-arranging this fixture at the last minute after both teams found themselves without an allocated fixture on Sunday. The game was only arranged with 24 hours’ notice and both teams showed excellent commitment at being able to field teams so late in the day. North Scarle will doubtless be the happier with the arrangement after goals from Tim Scawthon, Lewis Dobson, and Ryan Calvert set them on the way to a 3-2 win. Jack Wood and Lee Stanney replied for FVA in what proved to be an entertaining game by all accounts. A special mention too for referee Andy Park who, like the teams, stepped in at last minute to officiate in the game.
DIVISION TWO
Division Two has new leaders after Horncastle Town continued their impressive form this Season. A goal from Ryan Wheatley was not enough for Saxilby Athletic when they entertained Horncastle, as goals from Daniel Bodily, Skipper Lee Wilson, and Harry Close, secured the points for Town which sees them sitting in top spot at the end of the day.
Morning Star started the game in top spot but went down 0-3 at home to the much improved Plough Swinderby FC, who had 2 goals from Billy Munro, and a goal from Liam Bradley, to thank for maintaining their maximum points haul from their opening two games of the Season, a result which sees them occupy third place in the table, level on points with Morning Star, who now sit second.
Old Boys United made it three out of three but unfortunately for them it was losses when they lost 1-2 to Wragby at Fen Road. Their goal scorer was K.Sweeney but a brace from Ian Smith gave Wragby their first points of the campaign.
Heighington FC and Lincoln Green shared the goals around when the two sides met at Heighington. Lee Burke got 2 goals and further goals from Jamie Parnell, Mark Patchett, Jason Cook, and Callum Holvey, amassed a goals tally of 6 scored. A hat-trick by visiting striker Joe Aitken proved in vain for his team as, despite a further goal by Blake Caldwell, Heighington won the game 6-4.
DIVISION THREE
The 8 teams that took to the field in this Division saw 5 of them scoring 2 goals apiece.
Railway Inn United now top the table having taken advantage of the fact that the morning’s leaders, Witham FC, were without a fixture. Railway put 4 goals past AFC Lincoln Imp, taking the maximum points in a 4-2 win. Home goals were recorded by Okiele Akieme McCall with 2, plus solo efforts by Bradley Bray, and Zac Zablockyj. Mark Pitchford and Thomas Ardron were the men on target for Lincoln Imp who tasted a rare defeat in this encounter.
Shakespeare Imps were also 4-2 winners when they entertained Londesborough Arms FC Metheringham, thanks to goals from Luke Foss, who grabbed a couple, Josh Chapman, and Adam Louth. Aaron Stafford scored 2 in reply for the Metheringham based side.
Adam Hughes, plus a penalty by Neil Brown, and an own goal, were the scorers for HBW United on their travels when they visited Skellingthorpe Road to take on Queen Athletic. HBW’s scoring exploits saw them record a useful 3-2 win over Queen Athletic, for whom Martin Waplington, and Jack Fryer, hit the target for the hosts.
Having mentioned three of the teams who scored 2 goals each, the final game saw Broadley FC host Lincoln Athletic and yes, you’ve guessed it, both teams scored 2 goals each in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Sudbrooke Drive. Ashley Paulson and Dale Bowman were the men with the goals for Broadley FC with Lewis Crosby and Kai Arter responding for the visitors.
DIVISION FOUR
Free scoring AFC Bailgate, or should I say free scoring Josh Schofield, added more points to their tally with a 2-0 win away at Nosey FC. Schofield himself added to his 10 goal haul of the previous week with a further goal, and he was joined on the score sheet by team mate Lloyd Freeman to secure the points for their team and to extend their unbeaten start.
Active Arena already seem more suited to this Division this time round and their solid performance at Welton FC Reserves saw them return home with a 3-0 win to their credit. Josh Russell is enjoying a fine start to his Season and he added 2 more goals to his tally whilst Alex Tysoe joined him on the team’s scorers list.
Jolly Scotchman FC are enjoying an improved Season this time around after their upward Divisional move but a penalty by Ryan Hall wasn’t enough to earn any points when they entertained AFC West End at Sleaford. Aaron Bestward and Harry Wells spoiled the party for the hosts with goals for the visitors in a 2-1 win.
Aiden Lord, Pierce Halford, and Joshua Piper made it 3rd time lucky for FVA Jerusalem Reserves to record their first points of the Season as their goals gave them a 3-1 home win over Hykeham Tigers FC for whom Dominic Zungu netted a consolation penalty.
If its goals you want then look no further than taking in a Potterhanworth or M.H.Blue Lion game, particularly when they play each other. Potter scored 5 goals in their last outing, despite conceding 6, and this week scored 3 more whilst also conceding 3 in a cracking 3-3 draw at Potterhanworth. James Stephenson added 2 more to his impressive total so far for Potter and Eric Mears completed their scoring. The visitors had Richard Wood on hand to notch a couple of goals and Ryan Reynolds to ensure that they went home with a share of the spoils.
SUPPLEMENTARY DIVISION
Whilst three games started in this division regrettably only two were seen through to a playing conclusion.
Lincoln High Street still lead the table after making it three wins on the bounce after a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Hykeham Memorial FC.
Witham FC Reserves won their first ever game in the League at the third time of asking with a 3-2 win at home to another new team, Jolly Scotchman FC Reserves. It is brilliant to see both teams developing their squads in a manner that now sees both having sufficient numbers to field two teams in the League. Well done to all at both Clubs for their excellent work and development of their Clubs. On this occasion Witham took the points with a 3-2 win courtesy of 2 goals by Darren Warburton and a further goal by Joe Brown, whilst Scotchman’s response saw Connor Lindley hit the net twice.
Unfortunately, the final game in this Division between Sleaford Athletic and Cranwell FC saw the game abandoned late on due to an alleged incident which will now be the subject of an FA investigation. Sleaford were leading 4-3 in the game at the time of the abandonment but the result will not be entered into League records until the outcome of the FA investigation is known.
Ian Stephenson