PRESS OFFICER

Clive Milton

reporting on Matches

played on Tuesday 27th ,Thursday 29th April

and

Sunday 3rd May 2009

 MELTIS MEXICANS MAKE IT A LEAGUE AND CUP TREBLE

Meltis Mexicans got the victory they were seeking on Tuesday to win the exciting and closely fought Division Three title.  Evolution, long at the head of the division and forcing Meltis to pick up maximum points in every game, were overcome by a single goal in their evening meeting at the Alexandra Sports Centre.  Just before half-time, Meltis keeper Ricky Holmes sent a towering kick downfield which was flicked on by Jamie ‘Eyebrows’ McLennan to Scott Alleyene, who made no mistake in firing the ball into Evo’s net.  Despite ‘Bennie’ Benson leading the Evolution forward line and making chances, Evo just could not recover the goal, especially with man of the match Ricky Holmes in fine form between the posts.  So, with the Division Three title in the bag, and the County Sunday Lower Junior Cup won weeks earlier, Meltis Mexicans took on Marston Reds in the final of the Brian Craddock Jubilee Cup at Wootton Blue Cross on Sunday to try to make it a treble.

The Final began as if Meltis were determined to win the Final by half-time, laying siege to the Marston goal, the Reds defence looking jittery from the initial onslaught and not being able to get the ball out of their half.  But football is a ‘funny old game’ and a long boot out of Marston territory for the first time nearly and should have resulted in a goal to Marston.  The Reds’ danger man up front, Marcus Cuffy, set off up-field causing hesitation between the Mexican’s keeper, Ricky Holmes and centre back Steve Cunningham, who left it to each other to clear, but neither did and the comedy continued when a clear shot at goal was miscued, the ball finally being smothered by a grateful Meltis goal-minder.  The Reds were buoyed by their foray into Mexican territory and settled down to play some decent football, albeit at a hectic rate against a difficult and capable team.  Skipper and midfielder for Marston, Jamie Windmill, had an excellent game throughout.   Neither keeper had much to worry them during the rest of the half albeit Meltis had to kick one shot off their line, and a speculative deflected shot from Sundeep Gill caused a nervous moment for the Reds’ keeper as it just went wide for a corner.  No score at half-time.  The deadlock was broken six minutes into the second half with a simple but effective ‘route one’ goal.  Meltis keeper Ricky Holmes hoofed a long ball to the team’s hare, Scott Alleyne, who chased and latched onto the ball expertly driving it past a stranded Ryan Allen.  The Mexicans had their best spell of the half then and were unlucky not to make it two / nil when Jamie ‘Eyebrows’ McLennan had a clear shot at goal only to see his effort saved by the legs of the keeper.  However, the Eyebrows made up for it when on seventy minutes an excellent attack down the left by Damon Hazelwood and a pin-point cross found the head of the number nine who made no mistake from ten yards out.  At two / nil down, there was still time for the Reds to turn it round and they played some good football but could not breach the Meltis defence.  However, five minutes from time skipper Jamie Windmill pushed the Reds forward again and a twenty-five yard shot from him took a deflection but still had enough on it to beat keeper Ricky Holmes to nestle in the corner of the net. The last minutes became tense but the Mexicans managed to close the game down to realise their target of lifting the Cup and so attain their treble winning dream.   

In the Premier Division, Partizan completed their season as runners-up to Sandy Sunday in midweek when Partizan beat Atletico Europa three / nil.  Paul ‘Juicy’ Chamberlain scored twice for Partizan with Steve Snelling netting the other one.  Atletico Europa finished their excellent season one point behind Partizan in third place.  Champions Sandy Sunday put paid to any thoughts Mile Road Old Boys could have had in finishing second by beating them two / one on Sunday.  Sandy Sunday are champions for a record equalling three years running.  Sandy put out a strong side for the visit of Mile Road but had to put their leading scorer, Garry Fil, in goal due to injury to Barry Ulyatt.  Volunteer Garry was soon in action to prevent Sandy from going a goal down, having to thwart Mile Road with two saves in one-on-one situations.  Against the run of play Sandy scored first after fourteen minutes when skipper Peter Gatti found Zach Rowe on the left whose cross was slotted home by Stevie Thomas.  It became two / nil on twenty five minutes when Zach Rowe burst down the left and crossed for Steve Muggeridge to score.  Further fine efforts by Gatti and Muggeridge were saved well by the Mile Road keeper but there were no more goals before half-time.  Sandy’s Matthew ‘Macca’ McCartney announced his intentions early in the half by thundering the ball against a post.  Mile Road pulled a goal back half way through the second half when Reed converted a fine solo effort, but Sandy kept the Boys out for the rest of the half to win the league by three points.    

In the First Division, Esquires maintained their busy schedule by playing on Tuesday and Thursday to complete their games, and seized the opportunity to beat Inter Cople to runners-up spot behind Caldecote Young Boys.  On the Tuesday Esquires beat Haynes four / one, and on Thursday beat Bell Sandy seven / one to complete their mission.  With the Britannia Harrison & Rowley Cup on their sideboard, Esquires can reflect now on an excellent season.  Brickhill Warriors finished their season on a rare high to get ahead of Houghton Conquest who came perilously close to the bottom two.  Warrior Rowan Hazelwood rounded off a decent season for him with four goals, Steve ‘Doc’ Jones scored once as did Chris ‘Cafu’ Powell.

Division Two side Wootton Park Rangers also had a busy end of season playing on Tuesday and Thursday this week and on Sunday.  On Tuesday they beat Cross Keys Wootton five / two, and followed that up by getting a rare point off champions 21st Century two days later.  Rangers have had an up and down season finishing mid-table, perhaps lower than they anticipated at the start of the year.  Wootton’s game against champions 21st Century was a real end of season affair with goals, apparent odd decisions and controversy.  The game had nothing riding on it, but Century’s Anup ‘Uno supremo’ Kalyan seized the occasion to score his thirtieth goal of the season with a tap in early in the game.  Rangers equalised but that man Kalyan scored his next goal with a sweet half volley which would have graced more salubrious surroundings than Wootton Village Hall playing field.  Century let the initiative slip when Rangers equalised again but Sanjay ‘Baby faced assassin’ Mall joined the ‘tap in’ set after Harjinder ‘Press officer’ Chana sent in a bullet header which looked over the line, but Sanjay had to make sure.  Rangers pulled that goal back again but Century thought they had won the game when Harjinder Chana again got the ball over the goal-line, but that dreaded flag was waving to deny Harjinder’s first goal of the season.  So a point each was the result of this one. Ship Inn have, in the last few weeks, sailed into calmer waters above the relegation zone with some well-timed wins.  On Sunday they found Wootton Park Rangers again in end of season mode.  Ship must have had that sinking feeling at half-time however,  going two / one down, but two half-time subs, pun intended, emerged and Nico soon made it two / two.  Dave ‘Banger’ Readman scored a penalty and then Jason (of Argonaut fame?) tapped in the clincher to make it a four / two win.  Ship’s win has ensured that Sharks are likely to be relegated into deeper water that is Division Three. (Enough, enough of the maritime theme!!!)

Division Three runners up, Evolution, finished their programme off in style with a seven / four win at Bell Sandy Reserves on Thursday.  This came two days after Evo relinquished the divisional title to Meltis Mexicans.  Another excellent season for Evolution who no doubt will continue their quest for supremacy over Meltis next season.

D & V Millward Cup winners, Sir William Peel, were in action on Thursday and Sunday, with a chance to snatch second place in Division Four from Bedford United Sunday.  At home to Wells Stars on Thursday the Peelers rattled in five goals without reply, thereby needing a point on Sunday away at Kempston Con. Club to overtake Bedford United Sunday on goal difference.  Sir William Peel duly settled the final promotion issue by getting that point off Kempston, to finish as runners-up in the division.

Champions of Division Five, New Inn Biggleswade, wrapped up their largely successful season on Tuesday with a five / one victory against Bedford Rovers.  It was goal-less at half-time, but sanity was restored when the Inn soon made the score four / nil.  However, Rover Kevin ‘Chopper’ Church buried a sweet half-volley into New Inn’s net as a token gesture of defiance before the score was made five / one.

The extremely long, arduous and very interesting season of the Bedford and District Sunday League will come to an end on Sunday 10th May when Meltis Mexicans play Eagle Heating in the last game of the season.  The result will not change any of the standings in the divisional table.

The Sandy and Biggleswade area clubs have had a very successful campaign this season producing three Divisional Champion sides, and two runners-up.  There are no relegation candidates from that area.  Sir William Peel won the D. & V. Cup, with New Inn Biggleswade as runners-up.  

It all starts again on Sunday 6th September, kick-off 10.30am, with a few new clubs joining the League from all over the Bedford & District area.

Enjoy the close season.

Clive Milton.

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 DON'T FORGET , GET YOUR CLUB AND PLAYERS A MENTION IN THE PRESS

Wearing one of my other hats, that of League Press Officer, every week I will be submitting a report to the Times & Citizen, and its associated newspapers, giving a report on League and Cup games played by the Bedford and District Sunday League clubs.

I am reliant on club members sending in to me information on their games.  It matters not if your club has lost the game, let me know goal-scorers’ names and nicknames (however daft), any interesting incidents, man of the match etc., and I will try to make it an interesting read.

I have no control over what actually gets printed in the newspapers, but my complete, unexpurgated version will be duplicated on the League website.

Players like to see their names in print and I believe that interest in who does what in the games is universally interesting,

so please give me a ring on 01234-273893,

or e-mail crmilton2@btinternet.com

by the Monday evening following the Sunday game.