Carthage Up

Carthage tightened their grip on Division Three with a 3-0 away win at promotion challenging Dream Team. Carthage looked the more progressive side from the off but Marcus Spillane would hit a free-kick over before also wasting a power shot on goal on seven minutes. Svante Jillhed would put them ahead, though, as he headed home on 18 minutes. Aurelius would protect this lead by saving bravely at the feet of Gianmarco Siligardi before also denying the hit-man from the spot. Their lead would be doubled on 52 minutes as Rhys Gregson finished smartly while Spillane was denied by Williamson moments later as the visitors continued to look good. Gregson would then see a flick header saved before making it 3-0 with a looping header on 66 minutes. Warren Dillin had a header saved by Aurelius at the other end and Paul Ghigo put his header over the bar as Dream Team couldn’t make any impact on their deficit. Blakey’s side have now confirmed promotion with the manager said ‘to be delighted’ but they will still have their eyes set on the title with just three games to go. MrJames will need his side to regroup quickly as they have sides closing up behind them in the race for the all-important third spot.

Arsenal moved closer to promotion with a 6-2 triumph at Alsancak. A dominant first-half performance began with an Eduardo da Silva half-volley which was well-saved. The hosts would then threaten to take the lead but Martin Cranie’s header struck a post and they would then be penned back. Sid Peyton hit a post with a powerful strike before Andrey Arshavin hit the bar with a shot in the penalty area. Tomas Rosicky would head off-target while Arshavin’s header was gathered by Hart as the chances kept arriving. Another save by Hart denied da Silva before the forward rounded the ‘keeper to open the scoring on 35 minutes. A header by Abou Diaby would make it 2-0 before the break as Arsenal began to get some reward for their play. Diaby would begin the second-half by heading over before da Silva did make it 3-0 with an excellent lob from distance. It was swiftly 4-0 with da Silva completing his hat-trick from the spot but Alsancak did respond with a clinical finish from Frazier Campbell only to be denied by the offside flag. Arshavin made it 5-0 on 76 minutes with a stunning free-kick before Diaby added his second with a looping header to make it 6-0. Andrew Taylor nearly put through his own goal but his side were to hit back in the closing stages. Lee Cattermole placed a header beyond Almunia for 1-6 while a penalty from Eoghan Millar added another injury-time goal. Fabrice Muamba had a header saved but Alsancak were well-beaten. Arsenal News spoke of the ‘space between them and 3rd’ but also added that there is ‘a strong belief that Arsenal can take the title home.’ Alsancak move on from this defeat by trying to derail the league leading Carthage and will want to be tighter defensively on Friday.

Wiltshire and wortley still have hopes of promotion after drawing 2-2 at the western. Wortley would have the first chance of the game and Curt Pryor would make it pay as he shot home after a corner. In a relatively quiet first-half chance wise the Warriors would enjoy the only other one of the half but Jack Balshaw’s power shot was saved by Jenning. The second-half opened with a Spencer Knight half-volley being saved by Hogg before the Warriors responded by netting through a Curt Elliott header only for it to be disallowed for shirt pulling. The Warriors would get their goal on 71 minutes as a miscued shot by Wesley Bird found the net. Brandon Hiller wasted a chance to put the hosts back in front as his header was saved but Jake Shiver did put them 2-1 ahead as he steered home a shot in the penalty area. A free-kick by Nigel Krippner was saved and the Warriors would capitalise by equalising through Dante de Matteo on 90 minutes to ensure a point apiece. Big K was ‘more than happy’ with their point and continues to concentrate his troops on a battle which ‘will go down to the wire.’ Thegreatlordbags is in a similar situation and will try and lead his team to three victories in the hope that it will be enough for promotion.

The Champs picked up a win despite Wylie’s continued absence as they defeated Spartans 2-0 at Sparta. An 11th minute shot by Daley Higson smashed into the bar before Isac Duveborn would give them the lead with a powerful long range shot. The second-half would be similar with the visitors having the only chances of the half. Rod Caunce would double the lead with a powerful header before Higson missed the goal with a strike on 70 minutes. The 2-0 lead would be enough, though, as they maintained their sixth-place. With both managers remaining inactive the silly season will tell all for these clubs.

Tir Eoghain made it three wins on the spin with a 1-0 home triumph over Glory Hornets. A shot by Kevin Royale went wide of the target for the hosts before a Lionel Monk header was saved at the other end as both sides tried to be positive. Harold Hankers would see a half-volley saved by Rosbotham as the sides would go in level at the interval. The second-half began with Jim Hotte having a header saved by the ‘keeper before the hosts got the opening goal as the same player produced an exceptional bicycle kick finish on 58 minutes. The home side would continue to look the more adventurous but Kyle Lang had a header saved and they might have paid had Monk been able to put his header beyond Raberg on 83 minutes. Hotte’s goal would eventually prove enough, though, as Tyroneabu claimed his third straight win as manager. Now in seventh spot the manager said that he was ‘generally happy’ although added that his side ‘will take time to gel.’ Perkins was recently quoted as saying that he’d ‘step down’ if he wasn’t ‘rated’ by the powers-that-be but rumours are circulating that the club’s fans are demonstrating to ensure their manager remains in his position.

Morley Town took advantage of playing manager-less Grey Area with a 3-0 win at Doon The Park. Their first chance came on four minutes with Adolf Munzberg missing a free-kick. Josh Phelps would do better five minutes later, though, as he rounded off a breakaway in fine style and a powerful effort by Ionel Traian on 36 minutes put them 2-0 ahead. It would be 3-0 before the break as Phelps steered in his second to complete a fine half. The second 45 minutes would see further chances for Morley but their finishing wouldn’t match their first-half efforts. Christopher Love was unlucky with a chip which hit the bar before Traian was denied by Kerrigan as he tried to place a shot beyond the ‘keeper. Love would try the acrobatic with a fine bicycle kick but it would be off-target while Martyn Stamford saw the post deny him a goal on 90 minutes following a header which had beaten Kerrigan. Morley News was quick to emphasise that the ‘teenage strikers’ had done the damage and this bodes well for the new season. Area might find their very existence under threat after Trecool left his post earlier in the day.