Week four of the Season saw 25 League games scheduled to be played with 23 of them actually managing to do so. Two games had to be postponed ahead of the weekend but thankfully all games that started were able to be played to a conclusion this week, the first time in the month that an abandoned game did not occur. Here’s what happened on Sunday 27th September.
PREMIER DIVISION
With the first month of the Season now completed it is Rustons United who are making the early running suggesting that they are likely to be real contenders come the end of the Season. Three wins and a draw represents an excellent start to the campaign for Jack Davis’s team. Their credentials were well underlined with an impressive 4-0 win away at current Champions Hykeham Town TRFC. Jordan Southwell, Lee Skepper, Josh Raby, and an own goal, accounted for their latest success, inflicting the first defeat of the campaign on their opponents who remain without a win in the opening month, however they have suffered two postponements in that time through no fault of their own.
AFC Saxilby maintained their excellent 100% start to the Season with their third win on the bounce. Two Ward goals and a goal by Josh Bowden accounted for Lincoln Moorlands Railway who had Jordan Wapplington to thank for their goal in a contest that finished 3-1 to AFC Saxilby. This result sees the Saxilby side remain in second position and already looking like a side who will do very well in this Division after returning to it this Season.
AFC Golden Eagle look to have put last Season’s indifferent form behind them as they made it three wins from four games after a Callum Omelia penalty gave them slender 1-0 win at home to Welton FC. Eagle remain third in the table as a result of this win, sitting right in the early mix of things at the right end of the table.
Welton Sports AFC earned the bragging rights from their local derby game away at Nettleham FC. The game finished 3-2 to the visitors with Conor Smith, James Dembrey, and a penalty from Matt Ward giving the visitors their first League win of the Season and in so doing inflicted the second defeat in successive games on the home side, for whom Jamie Coulson, and Luke Miller, both netted to ensure that the game finished as a close affair.
DIVISION ONE
Cherry Willingham head this Division after their opening three games, with Sunday’s 3-1 home win over St Helens maintaining their 100% start. Their scorers are unknown, Bailey Harris-Bushell scored the goal for the visitors.
Swanpool FC remain in second place in the table despite going down 0-3 away at Bottle & Glass. Callum Smith, Jack Forrester, and Max Wright, scored for the hosts to see them record their first win in their opening two games against the team who have gone toe to toe with them in lower Divisions over the last couple of Seasons.
Ryan Calvert and Nathan Rippon were on hand to net for North Scarle when they visited Ruston Sports FC. A goal from Jake Mann for the home side couldn’t prevent the Scarle team from triumphing 2-1 in this fixture, inflicting the third consecutive defeat on a Ruston’s side who are yet to register their first point this Season.
FVA Jerusalem opened their account with an impressive looking 3-0 victory out at Plough Sturton. Their success was due to a brace of goals from the free scoring Lee Stanney, plus a further strike from Michael Byrne.
DIVISION TWO
Morning Star have started this campaign impressively after a Season of consolidation last time around. They hit 6 goals thanks to a couple of goals each by midfield dynamo Joe Walukiewicz, and two more from Tobi Mayhall, plus additional contributions from Matthew Waite and Alex Matthews when they travelled to Horncastle to play Horncastle Town. Town replied with a single goal from Thomas Chalk which saw Star win the game by 6-1 and head the table with 9 points from their opening 4 games.
Another side with the same points per game record as Morning Star is Saxilby Athletic as their early Season good form continued when they defeated Plough Swinderby FC 2-1 at Saxilby. Tom Hicks scored twice for the home side with Timothy Oliver netting for the visitors. This result sees Saxilby at the right end of the table after an excellent start as they sit in second place just behind the leaders on goal difference.
Lincoln Green found their scoring boots when they exposed the recent frailties in the Old Boys United defence at Fen Road Washingborough. The home side did find the net on 3 occasions courtesy of a Hobson brace and a goal by Oxby, but 4 goals from Joe Aitken plus efforts by Jake Bailey John, Brad McKelvey, and Callum Rogers, saw Lincoln Green finish the day with a 6-3 victory. This result lifts Green into third place with an impressive 18 goals scored record from their opening 4 games.
Heighington FC claimed all three points from their derby game with The Ferryboat Inn FC in a 5 goal thriller at Heighington. Lee Burke, Josh Leay, and Greg Brown, set the result up with Seb Lig and Tom Buchanan reducing the deficit for Ferryboat.
Wragby FC and Waddington United shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Wragby, a result which saw Waddington United collect their first point of the Season. Waddington lead 2-1 at the break with goals from George Foxcroft and Harvey Melladay seemingly setting them on their way for a first win of the Season but a first half goal by Ian Smith, coupled with a second half equaliser from Tom Boyd, ensured that the teams left the ground with one point apiece.
DIVISION THREE
With leaders Railway Inn United finding their game against Londesborough Arms FC Metheringham postponed, in addition to Witham FC v Queen Athletic suffering the same fate, it was left to HBW United to see if they could climb into the top two positions when they visited Lincoln Athletic. They did that in a pulsating 4-4 draw at King George V playing field. Adam Hughes and Timothy Williams both scored 2 goals each for the visitors whilst Mitchell Gorman, Ashley Mills, Martin Goodchild, and Kye Collins, all for the hosts, ensured that the points were shared.
Goals from Kurt Smyth, Sam Greenwood, and Mackenzie Smyth, secured the points for Helpringham Rovers when they entertained Broadley FC, winning the game 3-2. Goals from Ashley Paulson and Zac Markham proved too little too late for the Lincoln based side.
DIVISION FOUR
AFC Bailgate made it four wins out of four when they visited much improved Active Arena. The winning margin was 4-1 and the question I usually get asked about Bailgate’s result is “how many did Josh Schofied score”? This week, as in some of the others, the answer is “all of them, two in open play plus two from the penalty spot”. Jack Murphy grabbed a consolation goal for the home side.
AFC West End surged into second place in the table after an impressive unbeaten start to the Season saw them record a slender 1-0 win away at Nosey FC, their goal being scored by Aaron Gorman. With 3 wins and a draw from their opening 4 games they have amassed 10 points out of 12 which represents a vast improvement on their previous Season since dropping down a Division.
Where do I begin with FVA Jerusalem Reserves? They smashed 13 goals past Jolly Scotchman Reserves without reply at Monson Park and Manager Paul Brumpton has not even rung me to tell me about it! Perhaps he has as I have had my phone turned off since receiving this result! Pierce Halford lead the way with 4 goals, Brandon Hall, Ashley Brumpton, and Luke Osbourne each hit 2 goals apiece, with solo efforts from Richard Botham, Daniel Green, and Aiden Lord making up the baker’s dozen. This result sees FVA move up to fourth place in the table.
Hykeham Tigers move up to fifth place after goals from Kris Betts and Jack Mather earned them a 2-1 win at home to Potterhanworth FC for whom the reliable James Stephenson continued his remarkable record of scoring with their solitary reply.
Welton FC Reserves enjoyed their first win of the Season at the fourth time of asking with a 5-3 win at home to M.H.Blue Lion. Two goals each for Samuel Small and Jake Blenkinsop and a goal from Harry Whittaker did the damage for the village side whilst Rob Carter, Richard Wood, and Max Bidewell replied for the Lion.
SUPPLEMENTARY DIVISION
With the top two free-scoring teams without a game today it was Sleaford Athletic who capitalised to climb up to third spot in a Division which already looks very challenging for some teams whilst very competitive for others. Sleaford visited Engine FC and came away with a 3-0 victory, a result which is very respectable for both teams.
Jolly Scotchman FC Reserves netted three times at home to Cranwell FC, or should I say that Connor Lindley notched a hat-trick for the home side, but still found himself on the losing side as a hat-trick from Callum Clay and a couple of goals by Dale Weatherstone earned the points for Cranwell in a 5-3 victory.
Hykeham Memorial FC and Hospital Club shared the points in a 6 goal thriller at Hykeham. Mark Newman, Sean Cooper, and Richard Waite scored for the hosts whilst Aiden Cook weighed in with a couple of goals for the visitors who took home a point thanks also to an Aaron Bee goal scored directly from a corner – I must confess I didn’t know it was that windy! – sorry Aaron!!
LOOKING AHEAD
For obvious reasons September has presented more challenges that ever before, both to the League and all its teams and participants, but a combined will to succeed has won the day so far in seeing plenty of Sunday League football being played. Next week sees the start of our domestic Cup Competitions with the prestigious Ron Eaglen Cup taking centre stage with 21 Preliminary Round games scheduled to be played. The following week, 11th October, sees the Lincolnshire County Football Association County Sunday Cup Competition play its first round and the month is rounded off with both the Fred Quibell Junior Cup and the Jock Mitchell Memorial Trophy Preliminary Round games getting under way.
Let’s hope all goes to plan!
Enjoy the football and all stay safe.
Ian Stephenson
League Secretary