Jock Mitchell Memorial Trophy – Round One
On a day when Hurricane Brian perhaps had more of an influence than many of the players it was the teams competing in Divisions Three and Four who took centre stage in the day’s Cup competition. The Jock Mitchell Memorial Trophy saw 14 teams competing in the first round to see who would join the waiting 9 teams who had been fortunate to obtain byes through to the second round of the competition to be played next month.
If the ‘measure’ applied to a cup shock is seen as a team from a lower division knocking out higher League opposition then the 7 games today didn’t produce any cup shocks. Leading the way with the goals scored count today were Broadley FC who netted 9 times away at Branston Homeguard to win the game 9-1. Their reward in the next round is a trip to Division Four new boys Morning Star FC who have acquitted themselves well since joining the League in the Summer. Having won three of their opening four League fixtures the Star will be looking forward to taking on the challenge of one of the teams promoted from Division Four at the end of last Season.
Next highest scorers and a goal behind Broadley were Nettleham FC as they demolished visitors Newtoft Terriers 8-1 at Mulsanne Park. Their reward in the next round is a trip to same division opponents Queen in the West FC.
Nosey FC currently lead Division Four in the League and they also scored 8 goals when they ran out 8-3 winners at home to Metheringham Reserves today. They will now travel to Mareham United in the next round to face a new side in the League this Season, and one who are yet to taste League victory having taken just 1 point from their opening 3 League fixtures in Division Three.
Ruston Sports’ have made an excellent start to the Season since changing their name and playing location from previous Seasons. They currently lead Division Three and today their 6-0 home win over Railway Inn United maintained their strong start to this campaign. They will now host The Sports Bar in Round Two after The Sports Bar defeated Lincoln RNA 4-2 up at Sudbrooke Drive. With these two teams sitting One and Two respectively in Division Three at the moment this game already looks to be a mouth watering affair despite the fact that the Season is still young.
In the final game played in this competition today The Shed FC enjoyed a break from League football, which has seen them lose 5 of their opening 6 League games, when they visited and defeated the much improved Blue Lion 2-1 up at Bath Road Bracebridge Heath. They will now host another one of the League’s new teams this Season when they take on the challenge of Shakespeare Imps FC.
The full draw for the second round of this competition can be found under the relevant page in the CUPS section of this website.
Premier Division
Hykeham Town TRFC and Hykeham Memorial faced each other in League action today in the Hykeham derby down at the Memorial Hall. It was Town who triumphed 4-1 in a game that was actually much tighter than the score line suggests as two of their goals came as a result of defensive mistakes by their hosts from what I am told. This result maintains Town’s excellent start to this Season and shows a great improvement over their fortunes of last Season when they were playing under a different name in the League.
Rustons United had an excellent away win today defeating last Seasons runners up New Swan FC. Today their 4-1 away win saw them move into second place in the League on goal difference from Lincoln Moorlands/Railway who themselves were without a League fixture today.
New side Anglers FC enjoyed a narrow 2-1 home win against up and down Metheringham FC, a result which makes it 3 wins out of 3 for the new side from Saxilby.
There was a goal feast out at South Clifton when Newton United entertained local rivals Saxilby Athletic. The game turned out to be a thriller with the home side leading their opponents 3-0 with only 20 minutes to go. The visitors weren’t going to lay down in this game and they turned it round to win the game 4-3 and in doing so record their first League win of the Season. I can imagine the opposite feelings and emotions in the different dressing rooms at that ground today after the final whistle!
Division One
Leaders AFC Golden Eagle continue to fly at the top of this division and their 5-3 win away at Old Boys United today cemented their great start to the Season. With second placed Trent Valley without a League fixture today Welton Sports AFC moved up to third spot in the table with a 4-1 home win against a Bassingham Bugle Horn team who’s missing players frustrated their Manager Rick Christopher with several key players missing for various reasons. The players that did turn up did him proud in the first half by keeping the scores level at half time however a strong second half performance saw the hosts achieve the result that they were looking for in their first Season for a long time outside the Premier Division.
The other Welton team, Welton FC, did not fare so well when they went down to a 2-4 home reverse at Dunholme when they entertained Railway Inn AFC at Dunholme. Despite the strong wind in their favour in the second half and despite playing against 10 men for the last quarter of the game following a dismissal, the visitors looked quite comfortable as they hung on to their earlier hard work in securing a winning position. This result sees Railway sitting in mid-table with Welton FC placed third from bottom having played a couple of games more that the two teams beneath them in the table. It is early days of course but Welton will be wanting to pick up some immediate points so that they are not looking over their shoulder as the Season progresses.
The final game in this division saw bottom side Wragby FC collect their first point of the Season when they entertained FVA Jerusalem. The game ended 1-1 and sees FVA Jerusalem drop a place in the table to fourth as a result of other results.
Division Two
There was a full house of fixtures in this Division today with every team having a League fixture.
St Helens swept to the top of the table courtesy of their 3-2 win at home to Dunston FC whilst leaders at the start of the day, Cherry Willingham FC, suffered their first defeat of the Season when they visited Lincoln High Street FC in a game described by Referee Mr A.Pearson as a superb game of football which was a pleasure to referee. Well done to all involved there for making it the occasion that it clearly was. The winning goal from High Street was scored in the last minute of the game and was just enough to give them their first League win of the Season.
The game of the day on paper, if the score lines are anything to go by, appears to have been out at Sturton where visitors Waddington United returned home with maximum points courtesy of a 5-4 victory against the hosts Plough Sturton. This result sees Waddington United move up to fourth place in the table thanks to them taking maximum points from their opening two League games of the Season. It also inflicted the first defeat of the Season on Plough Sturton who themselves had taken maximum points from their opening two games. Plough Sturton remain third in the table on a slight goal difference advantage over their captors today.
AFC Harpars recorded their first League win of the campaign courtesy of a 3-1 victory over a Newton United Reserves side who have started this Season as a team that have been somewhat difficult to beat but not able to record any victories themselves with draws featuring mainly in their previous League games. Harpars’ now occupy a comfortable for now mid-table position.
North Lindum Hawks have so far been playing in Cup only competitions this Season with today being their first test and taste of League action. They will have enjoyed it no doubt as they saw off the challenge of Coningsby 3-1 at Ravendale Drive.
The division’s bottom two sides at the start of play, namely Shakespeare Athletic and Heighington FC, have found goals somewhat difficult to come by this Season from their opening games, that is until today. Their 3-3 draw however suggests that both teams are able to score goals as they did so in what looks to have been an exciting game on paper at least.
Ian Stephenson.