I begin this week with a special mention for the scorer who netted from over 100 yards today. Sam Brown was the scorer for Bottle & Glass FC when they entertained AFC West End in Division 4. Brown received the ball from a colleague and as the saying goes “put his foot through the ball” when he played it up field. The ball sailed over everyone’s head before bouncing once between the opposition central defender and the opposition goalkeeper before it ended up in the net. We have all seen long range punts and shots which have ended up in the net but what makes this one special is that Brown was playing as a goalkeeper and he played the ball from within his own penalty area having received the ball as a back pass! Again as the saying goes “beat that if you can – answers on a postcard please”! He, and I guess the AFC West End keeper, will not forget that one in a hurry.
Kelly Read Cup – Preliminary Round
Just four games were required to bring the teams down to a total of 16 remaining in the draw for the first round of this competition which is open to all teams who are village based and who play from within a village locality.
Coningsby FC, promoted from Division Three last Season, pulled off what many people will see as a shock win when they visited Division One leaders Wishing Well Cherry today. Two goals from Ribeiro plus one from left back Dickinson did the damage with the regular scorer Pinnington netting once again for the home side.
Newton United knocked Welton FC out of the competition at the first attempt with a solitary goal from Calvert the difference between the sides at South Clifton.
Park and Froggatt were each on target at Mulsanne Park for Nettleham FC as they defeated Saxilby Athletic 2-1.
The game of the round, if scores are anything to go by, appeared to be at Wragby where the home side scored three, courtesy of the Lowman family, but their opponents Bassingham Bugle Horn FC went one better by scoring four. Scott Lowman hit two for the Wragby team with James Lowman getting the other but McDonald, Walker, Deakin, and Swales ensured that it was the boys from Bassingham who look forward to hearing who they have drawn in the next round when the draw is made by the League Management Committee when they next meet on Monday 1st October.
Premier Division
Lincoln Moorlands/Railway FC have made a strong start to the campaign with what is now four wins out of four in the League courtesy of a 4-2 win away at Hykeham Memorial this morning. A brace from Waplington plus individual efforts from Shipman and Asplin ensured their team leapfrogged Rustons United to take top place at the end of the day. Goals from Cooper and Barnes for Memorial proved only to reduce the goal difference for the game rather than influencing where the points would go.
With Rustons United without a League fixture today AFC Golden Eagle joined them on nine points following their excellent start to the Season which was endorsed by a 3-2 victory at Anglers. The Eagle scorers were Christopher, Omelia, and Baker which ensured that Anglers’ awkward start to the Season continued as they have taken just one point from a possible 9 after last Season’s blistering campaign. Despite goals from Wilkinson and Taylor they came up short which now sees them occupy a position in the bottom half of the table for the first time since they re-joined the League two Seasons ago. Nobody will be pressing any panic buttons there for sure, it is still very early days of course.
Hykeham Town TRFC became the latest team to take advantage of Metheringham’s defensive frailties when they hit 10 goals in their game out at Metheringham. Foster lead the way with four goals, closely followed by a hat-trick from Slater. Thomas added another goal himself, as did Anderson and Driver, the latter two players playing against their former Club for the first time since making the switch. Garrick scored what was no more than a consolation for Meg, who remain pointless at the bottom of the division, having now conceded 29 goals in their opening 3 League games.
Welton Sports AFC and New Swan played out an eventful game in Welton when they shared 6 goals between them in an incident packed encounter. The home side went into a three goal lead courtesy of strikes from Wilkinson, with two, plus one from Richards. Somehow New Swan came back from this with goals of their own from Schofield, also with two, and Halton. All this despite finishing the game with 10 men! The drama doesn’t finish there with the home side also missing a penalty for good measure. Welton will also say that they had the ball in their opponents net on three further occasions but as the book shows that only three of their goals were legitimate the table will show that the points were shared with a 3-3 final score line. Some game by the sounds of it.
Division One
With leaders Wishing Well Cherry in Cup action today there was the opportunity for others to show their potential leadership qualities by closing the gap at the top of the division. Trent Valley did just that by putting three goals past Fox & Hounds FC without reply courtesy of goals from Heap, Hewitt, and Ekins when they visitited their hosts at Birchwood Leisure Centre. This result was their third win in four outings which sees them now sitting level on points with Wishing Well on goal difference despite having played one game more. Lincoln High Street FC moved into third spot, again thanks to a 3-0 win at home to St Helens FC. Stone weighed in with a couple and Krystian scored again to give the High Street boys an impressive start to life in what is a new division for them this time around.
FVA Jerusalem moved up to fourth place after their fine 7-3 home win over North Lindum Hawks today. Forbes hit a hat-trick for the Skellingthorpe based side who also had Andrew and Scott Wilson both on their list of scorers, together with Prendergast and Stanney. North Lindum Hawks have now lost their opening two League games.
Division Two
Newly promoted and re-named AFC Rustons now head this division after a comprehensive drubbing of Cherry Willingham FC at the Marconi Sports ground. Reid hit four goals, with Collins, Harper, Ormond, and an own goal all making the scoring charts against the team that usually boasts a good defensive record.
Plough Sturton dropped from the top position after going down by the odd goal in 7 away at Old Boys United. Saxby, Blanchard, and Cawkwell netted for the side from Sturton but goals from Roberts (2), Hobson, and Sewell, gave the Branston based team the points which propelled them up to fourth place in the table with two wins from their opening four games.
Waddington United remain undefeated in the League after securing a share of the points following their visit to Witham St Hughs today. Pell scored both goals for the visitors in a 2-2 draw with Clay and Cawldron responding for the home side. Waddington would have hoped to claim all three points when the referee pointed to the spot in the last minute of the game. Up stepped Pell hoping to notch a hat-trick but he failed to convert and both sides had to settle for a share of the points.
Hykeham Social FC recorded their first points of the Season with a 5-1 away win at Dunston after first half goals from Foster (2), Wright, Szendry, and Foster-Mathieson saw them race into a 5-0 half-time lead. Credit must go to the very young Dunston side who are obviously finding life tough in this division this time around. A goal two minutes from the final whistle by Clarke proved a consolation for the Dunston boys who are certainly giving their all for the cause as the saying goes.
Division Three
Horncastle Town extended their lead at the top of this division today after inflicted a rare defeat on Morning Star FC in a 2-1 away win. Cheetham and Timmins were both on target for the visitors whilst Walukiewicz scored for the home side.
Ruskington Lions suffered their first defeat since entering the lead when they went down 0-2 at home to Rustons Sports FC. Baker scored a brace for Sports, a result which sees them climb into fourth place in the table.
Broadley FC and Shakespeare Imps played out a 7 goal thriller at Sudbrooke Drive where Broadley came out on top with a 4-3 win. Louth (2) and Newby put Shakespeare into a 3-1 lead but a storming last 20 minutes from Broadley saw them take all three points. Their goals were scored by just two goal scorers, namely Foss and Magill who both scored two goals each.
Green opened the scoring for Nosey FC when they visited Lincoln RNA and this lead held good at half time, however Russell and an own goal in the second half gave the home side a slender 2-1 victory.
Stacey West FC remain rooted at the bottom with their fourth consecutive loss after they went down 1-4 at home to The Sports Bar. Ross hit the only goal for the home side but two goals from Ward plus solo efforts by Guiderdale and Would ensured that it was the Sports Bar who enjoyed the win today.
Division Four
This division is always interesting to see how the new teams get on as the League never knows who will be playing for the new teams when they join the League.
It is two new teams that occupy the top two positions as the first month of the Season will be completed at this time next week. The current leaders are Crown & Arrows who made it three wins out of three today when they defeated FVA Jerusalem Reserves 2-1 at Moorland Avenue. Dobson and Hewson netted for the Arrows to keep the momentum going with their impressive start to the Season.
Second place is occupied by Bottle & Glass who made it two wins out of two thanks to the wonder strike from Brown being accompanied by goals from Tatton and Gray as they ran out 3-1 victors at home to AFC West End. Gorman got the consolation goal for West End but with the Bottle & Glass keeper being a goal scoring threat then there is reason for them to be optimistic about their chances for the Season!
M.H.Blue Lion are enjoying a much improved time of things this Season and they registered their second win out of three League starts today by defeating Green Dragon 5-2 at their new home up at King George V playing field. Wood was their hat-trick hero whilst a goal a piece for Wilkinson and Titchmarsh did the trick for the home side whilst Stephenson and Murphy replied for the Dragon.
Another new team this Season, The Ferryboat FC, deserve congratulations on recording their first win in the League. A sound 4-0 away win against The Shed FC saw Flintham celebrating as he scored all four goals for his team.
HBW United and Metheringham Reserves had to settle for a share of the spoils as the two sides finished all square at Branston. Barber and Poucher were on target for the home side whilst Brightly and Kirk were the marksmen for Metheringham. 2-2 was the way that one ended up which sees HBW remain undefeated in their opening two games and sees Metheringham picking up their first point in three attempts themselves.
Ian Stephenson.