Champions Woolavington put on a champagne performance this weekend with a 9-0 home thumping of Grasshoppers '04. The bare bones Hoppers outfit battled hard in the first half hour to try and prevent the inevitable but once Woolavington scored their first goal it was a case of one-way traffic and as the game wore on the young visitor's heads dropped as goal after goal went in. Matt Blackmore led the way with a hat-trick, Marcus Butler scored two, one of which happened to be the 100th league goal of the campaign for the home side, while Jason Jones, Gary Head, Matt Fursland and Ian Bellinger completed the rout.
Meanwhile in the battle of second versus third Pawlett United ran out convincing 4-0 winners over league runners-up Railway Club after a superb 40-yard strike into the top corner from Lee Turner and further goals from Lee Harvey, Vince Kennedy and Ryan Williams.
Tiger Old Boys kept up their strong end of season surge as they won 4-2 at home to Ashcott after strikes from Nick Kierle, Paul Hooper, Jamie Chillingworth and Lee Huntley. If they win their remaining league fixture the Tigers will secure third spot on goal difference from Pawlett.
Flag Old Boys have also rediscovered their best form in the final weeks of the campaign and extended their fine recent run with a 4-3 away win at Maltshovel. The home side took an early lead through Paul Organ but Jamie Stewart equalised for Flag just before the break. The visitors then raced into a 4-1 lead in the second half with a second goal for Stewart and further strikes from Danny Crossley and Polish hotshot Michael Baran before Shane Smith and Mike Skidmore almost got Maltshovel back in the game with a late fightback.
In the remaining game in the top flight Maxwells emerged as narrow 3-2 winners against Cross Rifles thanks to goals from Sam Mullins, Danny Palfrey and Mike Stone. Richard Jones and James Bell responded for the Rifles.
The second division championship was confirmed in style as Quantock Pride made light of a potentially tricky trip to Admirals with an emphatic 8-1 away win. The first half was an even affair with the scores level at 1-1 at the break but Pride ran rampant in the second period with James Bawden (3), Liam Nash (2), Shane Nelson (2) and Nick Stevens, with his first of the season, ensuring that Pride finish their campaign four points clear of second placed Commercial who only have a single game in hand.
The other stand-out result in the second tier emerged at Morganians where bottom-of-the-league Grasshoppers '05 registered their first league win of the campaign with a 6-1 hammering of Woolavington Reserves, thanks in no small part to their six new Slovakian super-signings who have dramatically transformed the Hoppers second string with their cultured continental play. Frankie Novak (2), Mark Barden (2), Dave 'Elvis' Norrell and a screamer from 64-year-old super veteran Bob 'Sedgey' Seymour finally secured a three point haul for '05 in their 23rd league outing.
With Grasshoppers '05 winning, second-from-bottom Countryman will be looking over their shoulders after going down 3-2 to Commercial despite goals from Shay Scriven and Alan Combes. Countryman and '05 are now both on seven points with only goal difference keeping Countryman off the bottom. As such, it sets up a mouth-watering clash this Wednesday evening when the two sides go head-to-head in what will be '05's final league game, while Countryman will still have a further game to play after that.
In the remaining game in the second division Blake Old Boys ran out 4-2 winners at home to Bridgwater Wanderers with this result pushing Blake level on points with third-placed Huntspill Crowns but with a game in hand with which to try and secure third spot from their final game of the season.
(Story First Published: 16.04.07) |
