After the long Summer break our League football returned today with most sides in action on the opening day of the Season. Ground unavailability, often overlapping with Cricket pitches, and teams struggling to raise sides due to ongoing holidays also prevented the day being a full League programme for all of our teams. Here is a round-up of all of the action:
Premier Division
Lincoln Moorlands/Railway 3-3 Hykeham Town TRFC
This game saw last Season’s champions and runners-up come face to face again on the first day of the Season. Andy Anderson recorded a brace for the visitors whist James Slater also found his way onto the score sheet. The hosts had George Asplin, Ash Woodhall, and Jordan Waplington all finding the net to ensure that the spoils were shared in an entertaining game between two of the sides strongly fancied to be competing for the title again at the end of the Season.
FVA Jerusalem 0-8 AFC Golden Eagle
The visitors boasted the second best scoring total in this Division last Season but their potential was dented by an inability to keep clean sheets last time around. Today saw their scoring prowess displayed again with goals from the prolific Higginson, who notched 4, plus efforts from Omelia, Pinnington, Greatorex, and Wynn-Jones completing their scoring. A clean sheet at the first time of asking got the Eagle off to a perfect start against the team that were playing their first game back in the League’s top Division after a few years absence.
Welton FC 0-4 Rustons United
Welton FC tasted life in the top Division for the first time in their League history but goals from Ben McDowell, Jake Reed, Steve White, and Lewis Smith ensured that the points went the way of their visitors who finished third in the Division at the last time of asking and who are keen to go better this time round.
Division One
AFC Saxilby 3-3 North Scarle FC
An entertaining local Derby at Mill Lane Saxilby saw the points shared between these two sides in a 6 goal thriller. Tyler Coy hit two goals for the home side and Michael Ward added to their tally. North Scarle must have had 3 goal scorers but a failure to provide their names means that those that did find the net will go unnoticed!
Nettleham FC 2-1 Plough Sturton
This game proved to be an excellent advert for Division One football with the first 80 minutes remaining goalless. Jamie Coulson changed that with a late brace for the home side whilst Stephen Pell replied for the visitors.
Lincoln High Street FC v Bassingham Bugle Horn FC – POSTPONED
It is always disappointing and frustrating when games are postponed due to one side being unable to raise a side. This frustration and disappointment would no doubt have been experienced by the boys from Bassingham today who have been looking forward to their opening fixture after the fixtures were published in early July. Sadly a telephone call at 09.30am to inform them that despite 6 weeks notice Lincoln High Street were unable to field enough players meant their day was left in tatters with a postponement being the outcome. Bassingham will be awarded the 3 points for the fixture as per rule and the matter will be dealt with by the League Management Committee when they meet in October.
Welton Sports AFC 2-1 Metheringham FC
This game saw two of last Seasons Premier Division teams facing each other having dropped down a Division in an effort to rebuild their teams after both struggled at the top level last Season. Jason Barratt opened the scoring for the hosts and Sam Biggs doubled their score after a goal mouth scramble with ten minutes remaining. Miles Lynch pulled a goal back for Meg but this proved to be too little too late. The Metheringham goalkeeper is to be congratulated for a true Man of the Match performance after he made a number of outstanding saves.
Division Two
Lincoln Green 3-1 Morning Star
Division two newcomers Lincoln Green got life in the Sunday League off to a perfect start when a hat-trick from Ollie Newell saw them claim maximum points from their game against newly promoted, and Fred Quibell Cup holders, Morning Star. Aaron Brennan scored for the visitors in a rare defeat for the Star team, this being only their third League defeat in two years.
Ruskington Lions 3-5 Lincoln Athletic
Another team playing their first game in the Sunday League were Lincoln Athletic. They had Josh Nicholson (with 2 goals) plus solo goals from Connor Tinsley, Logan Waby, and Bayley Howitt to thank for getting their campaign off to a great start after their visit to newly promoted Ruskington Lions. The home side saw Anthony Beresford score a brace plus a goal from Sam Fixter but these proved academic as the visitors enjoyed their first taste of success in the League.
Ruston Sports 7-2 Horncastle Town
These two sides were playing their first games in a higher Division and it was the home side who made the transition the better when 4 goals from Tyler Baker, and goals from Ash Stephenson, Jamie Green, and Jordan Taylor,saw them off to a flyer. Paul Cox and Joe Wilkinson reduced the deficit for the Horncastle side.
Saxilby Athletic 0-3 Turks Head
First half goals from Embrey, assisted by Brown, and Jamieson, assisted by Welsh, put the visitors in control in this game. Brown added a third after the break, his goal being assisted by Townend. Liam Welsh picked up the Man of the Match title for Turks following his outstanding performance with some timely challenges, not to mention his assist, for his team’s second goal.
Waddington United 2-3 Old Boys United
The Melladay brothers, Harvey and Guy, were both on the score sheet for the home side today but their efforts could not prevent their team from slipping to a defeat at the hands of Old Boys United today. Perhaps the goal of the day was scored by Chris Frecknall, the debutant goalkeeper, playing for the visitors. He scored from his own penalty area by lobbing the ball over the home keeper. Not a bad way to make your debut as a goalkeeper – by scoring from your own area! Scott Knibbs then added a second for the visitors to see them go into the break 2 goals to the good. Jack Hobson made it 3 after the break before keeper Frecknall had a moment that he will want to forget. He picked up a pass from Knibbs from which Waddington scored from the resulting free kick. Adam Wilkinson then had the opportunity to extend the lead for the visitors from the penalty spot but the home keeper pulled off a fantastic save before Waddington added their second goal of the game following a corner. After a nervy finish it was the visitors who just managed to hang on to claim all 3 points.
Division Three
Broadley FC 0-6 Bottle & Glass FC
Newly promoted and Jock Mitchell Trophy winners Bottle & Glass got off to a perfect start in their Division after this trip to Broadley FC. Max Wright scored a worldie free kick, as well as adding a second goal. Phil Robertson also scored 2 goals whilst James Stocks and Fraser McDowall also found their way onto the score sheet to give the visitors an impressive opening day of the Season.
Queen Athletic 2-2 Londesborough Arms FC
Queen got their Season off to a flyer with a goal after just 8 minutes when Chris Moulds opened his account. Cam Brightey levelled the game for the visitors on the 15 minute mark with a run into the box. Joe Glover then added a second for the visitors, who were playing their first game under their new name, dispatching the ball into the net from just inside the box before James Parkinson squared the game 10 minutes into the second half to send both sides home with a share of the points despite both sides creating enough chances to win the game.
Railway Inn United 3-1 Shakespeare Imps
It was the visitors who took the lead in this game but Clark cancelled that goal out with a 30 yard arrow of a shot. Zablockyj then put the Railway men in front before Oloton extended their lead on his debut.
Rileys FC 2-0 AFC West End
Josh Russell and Jack Murphy scored the goals to see the home side over the line in a tight contest at Skellingthorpe Road.
The Ferryboat FC 1-5 Swanpool FC
Newly promoted Swanpool FC soon found their impressive scoring touch from last Season again when they visited Ferryboat. Jake Stokes hit the first goal of the game with a 30 yard shot which looped over the keeper’s head before later adding his second. Liam Bentley carried on from where he left off last Season by adding 2 more goals to his impressive tally with the League. Liam Wright added a classy goal of his own with a 30 yard volley which found the top corner of the net to suggest that Swanpool will be a force to be reckoned with during this, their second, Season in the League. Seb Lig scored what was to be a consolation goal only for the home side.
Witham FC 3-4 HBW United
Witham took the lead in this game when Rick Durrant struck early before Dan Wilson added 2 more first half goals. When the break came the home side must have been in dreamland having such a welcome score line to defend. The visitors however had other ideas following a stern half time team talk apparently! After the break Jason O’Connor, Tim Williams, and Craig Good all scored to level the game before Neil Brown scored the games winner for the visitors with just 4 minutes to go when he struck a sweet shot from 20 yards out past the home keeper. This was a great game for the neutral but not so good for those connected with Witham FC!
Division Four
Helpringham Rovers 5-4 FVA Jerusalem Reserves
This game was a real cracker with the visitors leading by 4 goals to 3 on the 90 minute mark courtesy of goals from Alex Cairnie (2), Marcus Cooper, and Alex Tysoe. Simon Johnson, Mackenzie Smyth, Jordan Parker and Luke McCormick (2) were the marksmen for the home side with their leveler arriving on the 90 minute mark and the winner coming 4 minutes into stoppage time. This was a great start for the new side, who previously played in the Grantham Sunday League, as they made their debut in our League.
M.H.Blue Lion 4-5 Nosey FC
The home side took the lead through Jack before Tom Hirons added a second following a delightful through ball by Corey. Nosey grabbed a goal back by Garry Cassey before Ryan Reynolds made it 3-1 to the home side. The visitors then hauled themselves level in the game before Euan Titchmarsh played the ball to Ed Davies who promptly smashed the ball home. In a game that was swinging one way and then the other it was the visitors who snatched the points with a dominant second half performance. Their additional goals came from , Johnny Edwards, Ryan Kelly, Scott Goodacre with the winner coming from a long range shot by Ant Barratt.
Plough Sturton Reserves 5-3 Potterhanworth FC
The home side took to the field for the first time in their Clubs history as a Reserve team. They raced into a 3-0 half time lead courtesy of goals from Zidane Sisley, Jim Favill and Jake McCann. Second half goals from Tom Chin and Ben Light took their tally to 5 whilst the visitosr replied with second half goals from James Stephenson (2) and Eric Mears.
Welton FC Reserves 0-6 AFC Tempest
A hat-trick from Stephen Moore plus goals from Craig Froggatt, Adam Wallis, and Ben Good, gave the visitors the points in this meeting between two new teams to the League.
League Secretary