Champion Lothar

Wandsworth finally wrapped up the Division Three title with a 2-1 home victory over Dream Team. Both sides experimented with young line-ups and the result was a tight first-half which saw just three chances and no goals. The second-half, however, saw the home side get into their rhythm although they were made to work all the way by a good DT side. The leaders were to score their first goal on 64 minutes and it was to arrive following some good work by their captain, Shorey. A good presence of mind saw him making himself available up front before knocking a fine ball into the path of the on-rushing Rick Tuttle. Tuttle didn’t have to break stride as he delivered an inch-perfect finish to defeat Williamson in goal. By now both sides were finding a way through the other’s rearguard but struggling to produce a finishing touch to go with it. This changed in the final few minutes but not before DT had suffered a blow of another kind. Tumer, one of their promising youngsters, picked up an injury which will see him miss the rest of the season. WFC then added the crucial second goal on 89 minutes. Tuttle turned provider to produce a telling through ball into the path of Alf Ackroyd who produced a good finish in the penalty area. As has been the case under MrJames, though, DT had a response of their own in the shape of an injury-time header from Milorad Gavrancic to make the final score 2-1. MrJames was happy with his side’s character and proudly said ‘at least I showed I can compete with the top team in the division.’ Wandsworth have, undoubtedly, been that top team and this was their day. At the end of the game manager LotharIstvan and his team took a deserved lap of honour in front of their adoring fans to celebrate their title success with Wandsworth news reporting ‘Exciting times are upon us’.

These Charming Men went to within a point of promotion as the beat The Champs 5-4 in a wild encounter at Irregulars Arena. The home side suffered a blow in their quest for victory as they lost Jordi Rodri as early as the third minute with a nasty looking injury. This misery was compounded just three minutes later as Luis Barros finished a classic breakaway for The Champs after being set on his way by the ultra-impressive Leigh Ellefson. Fortunately, These Charming Men were able to regroup swiftly and were boosted by a quick equaliser. Juan-Jose Galiano attacked the visitors down the right flank and delivered a perfect cross for Loran Rajabi to head home. With both sides also wasting a chance the opening 45 minutes was very tight with them going in 1-1 at the break. The second-half saw both sides create numerous chances as the game had a basketball feel to it. Galiano caused more trouble for the visitors as he displayed his crossing ability once again to find the head of Gregorio Jonay who, calmly, deposited it past Irving to put the hosts 2-1 up. Things were to get worse for The Champs as they lost Said Qahbadaik to injury before falling 3-1 behind on 58 minutes. Constantino Gris was the next to exploit The Champs weakness out wide and Galiano was on the receiving end, for once, to head in and double the home side’s lead. The Champs were to respond in fine style, however, as they scored twice in quick succession just after the hour-mark. Leigh Ellefson was the hero for the visitors as he produced a stunning header to bring them within one on 61 minutes before striking a perfect effort past Challis on 63 to tie the match up. The momentum was then to turn again in this incredible game. It was the turn of Tord Jakobson to take centre-stage as he produced a brilliant free-kick on 69 minutes to edge the hosts back in front at 4-3. When asked again to take a free-kick on 86 minutes he didn’t disappoint as he fooled Irving to give them a decisive two-goal advantage. Ellefson did record his hat-trick goal on 95 minutes to get The Champs within one but it wasn’t to be enough as These Charming Men held on for a breathless win. With a six-point advantage over wortley in fourth, RDCM’s men need just a point to secure promotion in what has been a stunning season of attacking football. RDCM claimed this was ‘good, good, good’ and that he might ‘give a few fringe players a run-out.’ The Champs, meanwhile, will be playing pressure-free football for the last few games but if they are anything like this game they will be well worth watching.

Alsancak F.C are now just one win away from securing promotion to Division Two following a 2-1 success at the Glory Hornets. Despite the home team just having pride to play for it was they who would start the better of the two. A Lionel Monk cross on two minutes was met by Eliott Malloy and his header had too much on it for ‘keeper Peyton to deal with. Alsancak took time to settle but managed to control possession and, therefore, work themselves into the game. A 25th minute strike from Kenny Acton meant that the sides would go in level at the break. Nana Adella provided the through ball for Acton and he scored with some style from his side’s only chance of the half. The visitors went on to show a level of dominance in the second-half to create four chances to their opponent’s solitary effort. The winning goal duly came for them when Stephen Julius was given too much space in the area to enable him to head home a Max Jekyll cross. Despite their superiority on chances they couldn’t add any more goals but the win was enough to take them to three points of promotion. Wienersnitzel will now look for his side to do it in style in their home match against the champions on Friday as Wandsworth come to town. The Glory Hornets continue to be competitive in a solid opening season and they will be looking forward to the new season full of optimism.

The last side to have any hopes of promotion are wortley afc and they showed massive grit and determination in coming back to defeat Grey Area 3-2. The first-half was short on chances but the majority that came resulted in goals. The home side would net from their only chance of the half as Alfred Naples struck gold from distance on just eight minutes. They did receive a blow shortly afterwards as they lost five-goal Quincy Bowey through injury and this was doubled when Area struck an equaliser on 26 minutes. It came from some good approach play by Alasdair Rioch and ended when Geoffrey Stiles finished calmly. The task became even harder for the hosts as their injury-jinx struck again with ‘keeper Cal Jenning leaving the arena with a knock. The second-half produced a lot more chances as the hosts sensed their season would be ending if they didn’t take the bull by the horns. They soon had to come from behind, though, as Frederik Smit shot home after a corner was delivered by debutant Herbert Stigsson. The home side refused to press the panic button despite knowing that nothing but a win would be good enough for them. They were rewarded for this cool approach as the game neared its conclusion. On 73 minutes they forced a corner which saw Michael Keeler deliver to the near-post for Curt Pryor to head in and give new life to the home crowd. Five minutes later and they had turned the game on its head. Another corner, this time swung in by Alfred Naples, again caused havoc in the Area defence and Nigel Krippner was on hand to put the ball in the net for the winning goal. While they still have to rely on mistakes from their rivals, Thegreatlordbags will have been proud that his side showed the required spirit to keep their dream alive. Carfin, meanwhile, will be counting the moments down until the change report and a chance to start a season on a level playing field.

Wiltshire Warriors continue to be steered on a more profitable track by new boss Big K as they defeated Glasgow City 3-2. Creating five chances in the opening half the only surprise at the break was the paltry one-goal lead with which the Warriors went in. The goal came after 34 minutes as Dante de Matteo finished well after a corner had been delivered by Wade Fairchild. The lead would have been better had the home side found a finishing touch to go with some good approach play. As it was they had to wait until the early stages of the second-half to be rewarded with goals. Fairchild turned scorer as he connected sweetly from distance on 47 minutes and, just six minutes later, Steven Milford followed in his footsteps with another long range goal. With a 3-0 lead the game looked over but City found some inspiration. A 56th minute goal from Isak Bergendorff gave them hope; collecting a pass from Edward Stoneley he produced a clinical finish. This hope then turned into expectation when two minutes later Hugo Weymouth headed in a corner to make it a 3-2 game. Try as they might, however, they couldn’t find the goal which would have brought them an unlikely point as the Warriors re-established themselves. The visitor’s game was effectively over when Petrus Normqvist was sent-off on 90 minutes. With Warriors news reporting that ‘a top five finish is a possibility’ the fans will be rubbing their hands in expectation of what Big K might achieve next season. City and Moonboy are in a similar position with the new season promising to tell more of the side’s potential.

Here For The Beer FC took advantage of playing a manager-less Northwich Victoria to record their first ever victory in the RM leagues. An injury to Jeremiah Guerrero in the tenth minute meant that the visitors had to play with 10-men for the remainder of the game. The hosts proceeded to dominate the first-half and went in front, albeit it with a bit of help, on 26 minutes. Atgeirr Aspas was the unfortunate player who put through his own goal to put Victoria up against it. Beer continued to create more of the chances in the second 45 minutes but looked like they would have to settle for a point when they repaid the earlier favour on 78 minutes. Michael Essien found himself facing his own goal and only managed in diverting it past Mendoza to level matters. Beer, though, weren’t going to let this chance pass them by and struck the decisive goal on 82 minutes. Essien managed to redeem himself by delivering a perfect corner for Terrence Maxfield to head in and send the home fans into sheer delight at their first three points of the season. The result, while not making much difference to their league position, will do wonders for the confidence of Howemiester and the team as they look for a much-improved second season. Northwich Victoria have to wait and see whether they will still be in existence following Madmagpie’s departure with new potential managers wanting the chance to build-up their own club from scratch instead.