Carpet Munchers 9 First Touch 11

Carpet Munchers FC (2)9[Callum Faulds 2, Stephen Woods 3, Patrick McNulty 3, Rob Danson] First Touch (4)11

Squad – Craig Wilson, Rob Danson, Stephen Woods, Callum Faulds, Patrick McNulty, Dan Arciniega

Munchers made a poor start, and without the solidity of the injured Iain Wilson in defence, slackness at the back left them 4-0 behind midway through the first half. The game turned, though, with a Stephen shot that hit the underside of the bar, and for the rest of the match, it was only an exceptional goalkeeping effort from the First Touch ‘keeper that prevented a  convincing Munchers victory.

Callum and Dan scored before half time to bring Munchers back into the game, and early in the second half Callum and Patrick netted to bring Munchers level. First Touch were always a threat going forward, and Craig made some excellent saves, but the quality of their finishing was high as they went back in front 5-4 and – after Stephen had equalised again – 6-5. Callum hit the post just before First Touch stretched the lead to 7-5, but Munchers were awarded a penalty after the ‘keeper came out of his area to save. He redeemed himself by making a diving save from Stephen’s penalty, but Rob battled well to win the ball back and score.

First Touch scored again to make it 8-6, but Pat followed up a shot to make it 7-8 and Stephen hit the equaliser, before the post once again kept out a Callum effort. First Touch benefited by going in front again, but Patrick equalised with a carbon copy of Munchers’ seventh goal. At 9-9, Munchers looked the likely winners, but two defensive lapses in the last minute cost goals, and the final score of 9-11 failed to reflect another good Munchers performance.

Hawkings 9 Smack My Pitch Up 4

Stephen Hawkings Football Boots (4)9 [Chris Elliott 5, Carl Robinson 2, Stephen Woods, Ric Elliott] Smack My Pitch Up (4)4

Squad – Iain Wilson, Chris Elliott, Ric Elliott, Stephen Woods, Carl Robinson

Hawkings, a man short at kick-off, made a poor start, and were a goal down before Carl arrived to make the fifth player. It soon became 0-2, but from that point on, Hawkings dominated the game.

There was an element of fortune about their first goal, though. Ric blasted a free kick just wide, it came back out to Chris, who belted it into the ‘keeper’s midriff, and as he lay on the ground poleaxed, Chris hit the second rebound home. It was almost 2-2 when the ball took a deflection off a Pitch defender and went over the ‘keeper and dropped in, but the referee had already blown for the ball being above head high. Carl soon levelled the scores, hitting a low shot from within his own half that zipped past the ‘keeper.

Pich were still a threat going forward, and although Iain made some fine saves, injuring his hand in the process, he could do nothing about Pitch’s third goal, or about a shot soon afterwards that struck the bar. Hawkings were still creating more chances, though, as they went forward, and Chris scored twice more to give them the lead. Pitch equalised late in the half, and Carl was unlucky not to score his second with a shot that hit the underside of the bar.

The second half was a tight affair, but Hawkings gradually gained control of the game. All five players contributed, although Chris’ next two goals were individual efforts, the second after he beat three men on the edge of the area before coolly chipping the ball past the bemused ‘keeper. He almost added another after a quick Iain throw found him clear, but the ‘keeper got a touch to the shot and turned it past the post.

Carl took a clever free kick to set up Stephen for the seventh goal, and when Pitch did get a shot in, Iain saved with his feet, the ball flew out to Chris and his pass set up Rick for number eight. The last goal of the evening was another venomous finish from Karl as Hawkings remained third in the table – had they been able to field a settled side in the earlier games, they could well have been clear at the top.

Man-of-the-match – Chris Elliott. A good two days for the Deal or No Deal £xxxxxxxxxxxxx winner.

Carpet Munchers 7 All Stars 8

Carpet Munchers FC (4)7[Iain Wilson 3, Patrick McNulty 2, Stephen Woods 2] All Stars (3)8

Squad – Craig Wilson, Iain Wilson, Rob Danson, Stephen Woods, Callum Faulds, Patrick McNulty

For the second time in three games, Munchers finished on the wrong end of a 7-8 scoreline, and once again it was a game they should have won. After a poor start saw them fall 0-2 behind, Munchers dominated the remainder of the first half to take a 4-2 lead. Iain scored the first, and was unlucky not to add another with a shot that hit the post. Patrick notched the equaliser before Stephen gave Munchers the lead, finishing from Rob’s pass, and Patrick added a fourth with a long-range effort. Although All Stars pulled one back, the action was all at the other end of the pitch as Munchers created a host of chances from some fine passing movements. Stephen and Patrick both hit the post, and the All Stars ‘keeper made some excellent saves to keep his side in touch.

Craig made a fine double-save at the start of the second half as All Stars upped their game, but it was Munchers who scored the next goal through Iain. Munchers didn’t create as many openings in this half, and also failed to pick up occasionally at the back, allowing All Stars to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 5-7 lead. Iain scored a sixth as Munchers pressed forwards near the end, turning in the rebound from Rob’s pass, and Stephen equalised after Callum’s shot was saved. In the last minute, though, All Stars scored the decisive goal for an undeserved victory.

Carpet Munchers 10 Stagecoach 8

Carpet Munchers FC (5)10[Iain Wilson 2, Liam Calland 3, Gaz Winter 2, Rob Danson 2, Callum Faulds] Stagecoach (4)8

Squad – Craig Wilson, Iain Wilson, Rob Danson, Liam Calland, Callum Faulds, Gaz Winter

A much better performance this week, and a victory which was more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests. Stagecoach were good opposition, though, and led on several occasions. In the first half, they took an early lead, only for Iain to level the scores. Another shot into the corner put Stagecoach 2-1 in front, and when Liam hit the post, thoughts of last week’s reverse surfaced. Liam did equalise to make it 2-2, but after Stagecoach took the lead again, Gaz hit the bar and Callum the post before Gaz levelled at 3-3. Rob’s first goal of the evening gave Munchers the lead for the first time, and although Stagecoach levelled at 4-4, Iain gave Munchers a half time lead when his shot came back off the back wall and went in off the ‘keeper.

Gaz extended the lead to 6-4 soon after the restart, before Munchers’ only poor spell of the night, when that lead quickly became a 6-8 deficit. Munchers showed their fighting spirit, though, and goals from Liam, Rob, Callum and Liam again secured the 10-8 victory.

Hawkings 9 No Fourteen Day Return 2

Stephen Hawkings Football Boots (1)9 [Stephen Woods 3, Chris Elliott 3, Callum Faulds 2, own goal] No Fourteen Day Return (2)2

Squad – Craig Wilson, Iain Wilson, Chris Elliott, Callum Faulds, Stephen Woods, Andrew Dignan

In the early stages, Return looked the likelier side, and it was no surprise when they took the lead. Stephen’s equaliser signalled a spell of Hawkings pressure, but it was Return who scored the next goal, and it took some good defending, with Andy and Iain blocking several efforts, and good goalkeeping by Craig to keep the score at 1-2 at half time.

The second half was a totally different matter, as Hawkings created chance after chance, while restricting Return to long-range efforts thanks to more disciplined defending. Chris scored twice to turn 1-2 into 3-2, and after good work in the corner between Callum and Iain, Iain found Stephen on the edge of the area and it was 4-2. Chris, Callum and Stephen added further goals, and an eighth came when a defender tried to cut out Stephen’s pass to Iain and turned it past his own ‘keeper. Callum scored the ninth and received the man-of-the-match award from the referee, but on this occasion it could probably have gone to any of the Hawkings players except Craig, who had one of his quietest matches of the season thanks to the performances of the rest of the lads.

Carpet Munchers 7 Cushdy United 8

Carpet Munchers FC (2)7[Stephen Woods 2, Gaz Winter 3, own goal, Rob Danson] Cushdy United (2)8

Squad – Craig Wilson, Iain Wilson, Rob Danson, Stephen Woods, Callum Faulds, Gaz Winter, Andrew Dignan

This was a very disappointing defeat against a team who should have been beaten comfortably, yet a combination of carelessness in defence and too little passing resulted in a narrow defeat. Stephen scored the opening goal, and shortly afterwards Rob hit the bar. Surprisingly, Cushdy equalised, and when Rob hit the post and Callum hit the bar shortly afterwards, it didn’t look as if it was going to be Munchers’ night. Iain was next to hit the upright, but the ball came out to Gaz, who scored with the rebound. Fifteen seconds from half time, Cushdy equalised with a long shot.

Fortune favoured Munchers at the start of the second half as an own goal gave them the lead again, and although Cushdy equalised, Stephen scored seconds after the restart to make it 4-3. However, Munchers were beginning to leave big gaps in defence, and 4-3 soon became 4-5. Up front, Munchers were out of luck again as Iain seemed certain to score until the ‘keeper produced a flying save to deny him, and Stephen was the latest Munchers player to hit the post. To make matters worse, Cushdy scored again to open up a two goal lead.

Rob scored a fine goal to make it 5-6, and Gaz equalised with a shot that went in off the post, but again sloppiness in defence conceded another goal. Gaz again equalised at 7-7, but another Cushdy player was left free in front of the net to fire in the winning goal. Munchers had an opportunity to equalise, Gaz chose to shoot when Iain was better placed and Munchers’ last chance had gone.

Hawkings 6 Walton Wanderers 3

Stephen Hawkings Football Boots (4)6 [Chris Elliott 3, Stephen Woods 2, Iain Wilson] Walton Wanderers (2)3

Squad – Craig Wilson, Iain Wilson, Chris Elliott, Ric Elliott, Stephen Woods, Andrew Dignan

This could rank as Hawkings’ best ever performance as they finally recorded a well-deserved victory against champions Walton thanks to a superb all-round team performance.

In a tight opening ten minutes, Stephen and Chris both took their chances to give Hawkings a 2-0 lead, and although Walton pulled a goal back, Stephen was unfortunate not to make it 3-1 when he had a goal disallowed for just being in the area. Walton equalised with a fortuitous goal, the ball taking a lucky bounce off both the side and back of the cage to land at a Walton player’s feet, and at this point another defeat seemed likely. However, a combination of resolute defending and good counter-attacking kept Walton out, and it was Chris and Stephen who added the only other goals of the first half.

Craig had been busy throughout the half, but he made his best save early in the second, with a superb deflection onto the post as Walton were already celebrating the goal. Chris emphasised the importance of the save soon afterwards with Hawkings’ fifth goal, and although Craig made a succession of excellent stops, and Iain and Stephen defended stoutly, it was by no means all one-way traffic, and Andy, Ric and Stephen all went close to adding further goals, with the Walton ‘keeper making some fine saves. Walton did pull a third goal back late on, but Iain quickly added a sixth for Hawkings, and as the game drew to a close, Hawkings seemed the more likely to score another.