League Chat

Daventry Town land first title

Daventry Town clinched their first Premier Division title on 21^st April as a 3-0 win at Deeping took them out of reach of rivals St Neots. Tom Berwick’s spot kick put Town on their way to glory and Ryan Howell doubled the lead before Berwick completed the scoring with a late third.

The celebrations had been delayed four days earlier when Daventry saw a two goal lead overturned by a three goal Sleaford fightback at Communications Park.

A 4-0 win at Blackstones on 27^th April took the newly crowned champions past the century mark, but they missed out on equalling Rothwell Town’s sixteen year old points record of 105 as they were beaten 2-0 at runners-up St Neots in their final match – their only away reverse of the campaign.

St Neots completed the season with a 24 match unbeaten run intact and their 95 point tally would have secured the championship in twelve of the previous fifteen seasons!

At the foot of the table Rothwell Corinthians occupied the basement slot for the second season running after collecting just one point from their final seven games. Raunds finished next to bottom after Yaxley eased clear of danger by winning their last two matches.

Neither of the bottom two clubs were relegated though as the implementation of the Football Association’s ground grading policy saw\ demotion for 17^th placed Bourne Town and 16^th placed Holbeach United as the lowest two clubs which had failed to achieve an F grading by 31^st March. Events elsewhere then saw Holbeach reprieved by Stotfold’s transfer to the Spartan South Midlands League.

Romans end 78 year wait

Irchester picked up their first silverware since 1932 when they were crowned Division One champions by beating Rushden & Higham 2-0 on 17^th April. A Chris Caswell penalty and clincher from late season signing Eddie Mills took the Romans over the finishing line.

The Romans lost their last three games and finished just two points clear of runners up Peterborough Northern Star who were themselves two points in front of Eynesbury. A solitary Josh Moreman goal against ON Chenecks gave Star the win they needed to secure promotion to the top flight.

There was a late change at the foot of the division. Burton Park, bottom since September and winless until March, overhauled Rushden & Higham on the final day of the season by beating Irchester 2-1 at Cecil Street with Jack Wisniewski’s last gasp goal securing the scalp of the champions.

The Reserve Division One title race seemed well balanced for most of the season but in the closing weeks the contenders just melted away in the face of St Neots’ relentless consistency.

A 1-1 draw at Woodford on 24^th April wrapped up the championship with three games to go, Shane Fox the Byfield Road marksman. Paul Dodson’s men went on to extend their unbeaten run to eighteen games, fourteen of them wins, as the Saints opened up a nine point lead over runners-up Blackstones.

Raunds inevitably finished at the foot of the division despite a late improvement in fortunes but the battle to avoid the second relegation slot went to the final week of the season. Wellingborough needed one win from their final two matches to overhaul Northampton Spencer, but fell short after drawing at Stewarts & Lloyds and losing at Huntingdon.

Chenecks take Reserve Division Two title

ON Chenecks snatched the Reserve Division Two championship with the final domestic action of the campaign as a 5-0 win over St Ives on 6^th May clinched the crown.

Long time favourites Chenecks had been reeled in by AFC Kempston whose 5-1 win over Chenecks on 17^th April set up a thrilling finale, and the Walnut Boys went top with a 2-1 success at St Ives in their final game.

Elliott Muddiman’s four goal haul and a Joe Evans spot kick took Chenecks across the finishing line.

St Ives win first Knockout Cup

The Knockout Cup final between first time finalists St Ives and Newport Pagnell went the Saints way thanks to an extra time winner from teenager Conor Washington.

The final, played at Cogenhoe on 20^th April, remained goalless until two minutes past the hour mark when Jamie Blackwell put St Ives in front.

Newport substitute Michael Lyon struck five minutes from time to level the scores, but it was another replacement Washington who made the decisive contribution with a well taken winner three minutes into the additional half hour.

Third success for Stotfold

Stotfold won the Reserve Knockout Cup for the third time with a 2-1 win over first time finalists Peterborough Northern Star at Eynesbury on 22^nd April.

Goals from Jordan Cleghorn after 57 minutes and James Peters six minutes later gave the Eagles victory with Mohammed Suhail replying for Star after 68 minutes.

 Corinths the first Supplementary Cup winners

Rothwell Corinthians put their name on the league’s newest trophy on 29^th April as they carried off the Reserve Division Two Supplementary Cup with a penalty shootout defeat of Daventry United.

United, playing their last match due to the loss of the Royal Oak Way ground, took a two goal lead with a 28^th minute Dan Scott opener and a penalty from Damon Black six minutes later.

Dave Briffa reduced the arrears after 43 minutes, but United, down to ten men following Dave Hoppitt’s dismissal, held out until the 66^th minute when Russell Escritt equalised.

Within two minutes Lee Golding had United back in front but Briffa’s second goal nine minutes from time took the tie into an unproductive period of extra time.

In the shootout Dean Murray, Kevin Fox and Russell Escritt converted their kicks for Corinths while Black’s first kick for Daventry was saved by Paul Mackay and Golding and Dan Carter then failed to hit the target as United buckled under the pressure.  

Revenge is sweet for Swans

After finishing runners up in the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy in the two preceding seasons Newport Pagnell made it third time lucky as they avenged the previous seasons defeat by Reading Town with a 6-2 demolition of the Hellenic League title chasers in the 2010 final at Chesham.

Darren Lynch, Vinny Shrieves and Rob Macdonald all found the Reading net in the opening fourteen minutes as Newport made a sensational start. Reading reduced the deficit midway through the half but goals from Keith Williams and Chelly Nkong in the closing stages of the half had the outcome settled at the break.

Reading did score again on resumption but Lynch had the last word in added time at the end of the game.

St Neots make it a county clean sweep

St Neots completed a clean sweep of the Huntingdonshire FA trophies available to them when their senior side defeated Yaxley 1-0 at Huntingdon to lift the Senior Cup.

Lewis Webb’s 19^th minute goal settled a wind affected contest at Jubilee Park and earned St Neots the trophy for the first time since 1998, in the process ending a run of six consecutive final defeats.

Earlier the reserves had added the Benevolent Cup to the Scott-Gatty Cup by overcoming Somersham 7-6 on penalties in the final at St Ives after two hours play failed to produce a goal.

Junior joy for Chenecks

The all Northampton Junior Cup final derby saw ON Chenecks get the better of Sileby Rangers under the Nene Park floodlights.

A 34^th minute goal from top scorer Lee Bradley took the silverware to Billing Road for the first time.

Star comeback wins Lower Junior Cup

Status prevailed in the Northants Lower Junior Cup final at Raunds as Reserve Division One Peterborough Northern Star overcame Reserve Division Two Bugbrooke 4-2.

The Badgers twice led through Ross Arundell and Dave Griffin but Dave Kilby netted a first Star leveller before a three goal salvo from Carl Harper, James Curran and Dave Maxey took the trophy to Chestnut Avenue.

The trophy made it a successful note on which to leave for reserve team manager Seamus Morgan. He will be succeeded by youth team boss Seb Hayes who has previously had spells in charge of the Yaxley second string, Oundle and Thrapston.

Eagles withdraw from Bedfordshire Senior Cup

Stotfold opted to withdraw from the Bedfordshire Senior Cup after the county FA ordered them to replay their semi final against Arlesey.

Stotfold won the original match at Roker 1-0 but the Blues protested successfully at the appearance of Eagles reserve team skipper Anthony Bowskill as a late substitute as he had played insufficient first team games.

Star bridge two step gap

Peterborough Northern Star bridged a two division gap in status to win the Hinchingbrooke Cup in their first season in the competition, beating Zamaretto League Biggleswade Town 4-1 in the final at Huntingdon.

Ryan Francis shone with a matchwinning hat trick for Star whose other marksman was Mark Baines.

Eagles carry off Charity Cup

Biggleswade’s bad week continued when three days after their Hinchingbrooke Cup defeat by Peterborough Northern Star they were beaten 3-0 by Stotfold in the North Beds Charity Cup final at Langford.

Second half goals from Stuart Lochhead, George Brinkman and Paul Garrett took the trophy to Roker.

Fuller the season’s top boss

Daventry Town manager Ady Fuller has been named the league’s manager of the year for 2009-10 after a memorable first campaign at the Communications Park helm.

The former Woodford manager presided over a season which saw Town win 47 matches, draw four and lose just eight in all competitions, with a goal tally of 169.

Daventry won the Premier Division with 102 points and the Highest Aggregate of Goals trophy with a league tally of 120, were semi finalists in the League Knockout Cup, runners up in the Northants Hillier Senior Cup and reached the last sixteen of the FA Vase for the first time/

Administrator award goes to Battams

Sileby Rangers secretary Dave Battams has become the latest winner of the league’s Administrator of the Year award.

Dave has been in charge of the paperwork at Fernie Fields for the last seven years.

Fair play award s go to Bugbrooke and AFC Kempston

Fair play award winners for season 2009-10 were the Bugbrooke St Michaels first team and AFC Kempston second string.

Financial rewards for the best overall disciplinary records have been extended to the top five clubs this year with cheques going to AFC Kempston (£600), Woodford (£400), Sileby (£300), Wootton (£200) and Olney (£100).

Potton and St Neots win Hospitality awards

The league’s 2009-10 hospitality award winners were Potton United who received the best marks from referees and St Neots Town who topped the club markings.

Both clubs also receive some financial reward with Potton’s best overall record earning them £300, the Saints follow with £200 with Cogenhoe the third cheque recipient with £100.

Promotion for Munton at Bourne

Darren Munton has been named first team manager at Bourne ten years after first taking the job. He was first handed the reins in May 2000, remaining in charge until November 2002 when he handed over to Mark Mitchell.

Munton’s promotion from reserve boss followed Martyn Lakin’s end of season resignation following the demotion of the club to Division One for ground grading reasons. Lakin had taken over from Mark Cook in March 2009.

Assistants Phil Jarman and Steve Elger will also step up from reserve duty with under 18 management Pete Stanton and Chris Handley now taking the reserve reins.

Three successful years as reserve team manager for Munton culminated in a top three finish in Reserve Division One, followed by a success for the Wakes second string in the Lucozade Sport Performance Cup finals at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground on 16^th May.

This cup kicked off with 1024 teams playing ‘virtual’ ties through seven rounds with progression based on their actual results on the day of the round. With numbers reduced to eight the remaining clubs met in a real competition, split into two groups who played 30 minute matches against one another on a mixture of indoor and outdoor artificial services. The top two in each group went through to knockout semi finals.

The Wakes won all three group games beating Hertfordshire Rangers 1-0, Essex club Beckton Athletic 2-1 and Surrey side Addington 4-0. In the semi final they defeated Oakengates from Telford 1-0 and in the final repeated their earlier victory over Beckton with a 1-0 win thanks to Dan Schiavi’s last minute free kick.

Bourne’s reward for their success is a league standard Lucozade sponsorship package for next season plus VIP tickets for the entire squad to attend a Premiership match in the new campaign.

Stones appoint joint bosses after Bird exit

Blackstones manager Dave Bird resigned at the end of the season due to family and work commitments after two years at the Lincoln Road helm. Prior to succeeding Tony Lowther he had enjoyed plenty of success with the club’s youth and reserve sides.  

Taking charge at Lincoln Road are former Deeping duo Michael Goode and Darren Jarvis who have been named joint managers. Goode has been a mainstay of the Rangers rearguard for many years while Jarvis has been reserve team boss at Outgang Road for the last two seasons, leading his charges to promotion in his first campaign in charge.

Wayne Oldaker and Danny Clifton join the Stones backroom team in coaching capacities from similar roles at Deeping.

End of an era at Boston

An era has come to an end at Boston Town following the departure of manager Bob Don-Duncan by mutual consent.

The veteran boss had spent twenty five years at the Poachers helm in two highly successful spells in charge at Tattershall Road.

He first took charge in 1976 and in his first season took Boston to the FA Cup 1^st Round where they lost 3-1 at Barnsley. He led the club to two Midland League titles, one Midland League Cup win and three successive Lincolnshire Senior Cup A victories while another achievement on the national stage was a win over holders Stafford Rangers in the FA Trophy.

Bob moved on to Grantham in 1984 and then won his first UCL title with Spalding in 1988 before beginning a second spell in charge of the Poachers early in the 1993-94 season. He led Boston to the FA Vase semi finals that season and steered them to a first UCL crown twelve months later.

Another title was won in 2001, there were Knockout Cup successes in 2004 and 2007 and he took his trophy tally with the club to eleven with a 2009 Lincolnshire Senior Trophy success.

Shopmates add to backroom staff

Raunds manager Ian Jackson has added two new faces to his backroom staff as he prepares for the new season.

His former right hand man at Rothwell Town Pete Foskett will be the Kiln Park physio next season after switching from Peterborough Northern Star, while UEFA A licence coach Andy Drummond also joins the management team. He has previously been on the coaching staff at UniBond League clubs Stamford and Grantham.

Richardson joins Sleaford backroom team

Sleaford manager Brian Rowland has named Neil Richardson as his assistant for next season. Richardson has previously been with Mansfield Town as a player and a coach. Former assistant Jason Harrison will continue as part of the management team.

The club’s all time record goalscorer Jamie Shaw will take on a new post at Eslaforde Park next season, becoming club secretary.

Olney will go into the new campaign under new management following the decision of Mark Kerr to step down from the first team post he had held since March 2008. Work and family commitments have prompted his decision although he will remain involved with the Nurserymen.

The Kerr era ended with an Olney appearance in the final of the Buckingham Charity Cup, although Zamaretto Premier side Banbury proved too strong on the night running out 4-0 winners.

Joining the Nurserymen as manager is Neil Griffiths. After a successful spell as manager of Lavendon Sports culminating in championship success in the North Bucks League in 2009, Griffiths managed MK Wanderers in the Spartan South Midlands League during the 2009-10 season. He has brought in Chris Pink and Mark Walsh as coaches.