Frost Bites Into Programme...

Just six games went ahead as a hard frost hit the pitches on Sunday morning, writes Darren “Statto” Jones (statto@cssfl.info).

Just one game in Division One and TC United took the lead inside fifteen minutes when a Luke Brackenbury corner to the far post was powerfully headed home by captain Richard Minnis. Alex Lucy doubled the lead on the half-hour from another Brackenbury assist. Dan Carroll also hit a post in a dominant spell, but the second-half was a different story, Coopers United upped their game and their wing play caused problems. They halved the deficit when a deflected Steve Harris effort from the edge of the area wrong-footed Chris Benton and found the net. Ten minutes later, a towering Harris header completed a fine comeback to level. A competitive game heated up a little bit as both sides went for the winner but it was TC who grabbed it when Terry Lock arrowed in a cross, which Lucy met with a diving header to make it 3-2 and snatch the points.

With the Division Two leaders’ game falling foul, Chequers took advantage to top the Christmas tree. They made the early running against a ten-man Broadhall Athletic side, after missing some gilt-edged chances, they eventually went in front when Steve Koop netted. Soon after, Marcus Morton made it two before Gary Gibson ran the defence ragged and added two of his own. Morton made it five at the break. Jon Threader netted another, followed by Paul Osbourne. Garry Smith bagged a brace in consolation, but Gibson finished the 8-2 rout.

Division Three leaders Broadhall Icon stretched their lead after dominating their game, but still went in at the break behind after a sloppy pass from Dan O’Brien gifted The Old Post Office the lead through Scott Fielder. Michael Bunker equalised from a floated free-kick, but TOPO restored the lead when a 40-yard-strike from Karl Rickaby came off the crossbar and hit the ‘keeper and went over the line. Bunker equalised again after a neat flick-on from Dave Clements. Icon went in front for the first time when Dan Gregory converted a penalty, which came about from TOPO having a man sent-off for handling on the line. Clements sealed the win.

Despite recent good form, Roebuck Gate went in at half-time a goal behind to ten-man View Point Wanderers, courtesy of a neat Cameron Bridger header. The team talk seemed to kick them into life as Dave Morton popped up to grab an equaliser. From there, Gate asserted more authority and the decision to bring Stuart Rowe on up front paid dividends and turned the game around in a 15 minute spell which saw them grab a further four goals. Paul Ingram-Tedd touched in on the line following a corner from Rowe, before Rowe himself popped up to drive a shot from distance past a stand-in goalkeeper into the bottom corner. That man Rowe was hand again to slot a ball through for Skutela to latch onto and lash fiercely across the ‘keeper in to the far corner. Rowe hit the post, again from distance and a goal bound header from Mark Hollis was cleared off the line before Mark Blankley snatched the fifth, sliding in unnoticed at the far post to move them into third. It could’ve been more, if not for a fantastic performance between the VPW sticks from Lee Hollingsworth. They ended the game as they began, with Bridger meeting a Pete Bannister cross and cleverly directing a header past Richard Pomroy that had some of the opponents applauding.

Proverbial United started the better side but somehow found themselves 2-0 down in the first eight minutes. Firstly, Gary Henderson-Thynne scored with a header from eight yards when a short corner was played into the box by Darren O’Brien. ABC Taxis extended their lead after a session of pinball in the box culminated in Rob Neave blasting into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box. United were deservedly level by the 20 minute mark thanks to a Cory Cooper double. ABC retook the lead at the start of the second-half, latching onto a through-ball from O’Brien and coolly slipping it past the on-rushing ‘keeper. O’Brien found himself in the thick of things yet again when he was bundled over in the box by Darren Cooper, the resulting penalty was slammed home by Billy-Joe Sewell. Proverbial where then reduced to 10 men through a second booking but they refused to give in and even though they went down to nine men due to injury, they scored the best goal of the game when a fine effort from 25 yards out from Benn Evans with 10 minutes left on the clock before having an equaliser ruled out by a late flag. ABC saw it out the remaining minutes.

In just the fourth Frank Neville Memorial Cup game of the season, Broadhall hit seven without reply to wipe out the pre-match 3-0 lead for Granby. Scott Durham bagged a hat-trick, whilst John Johnston and Barry Plummer each chipped in with two.