Midland Football League Newsletter
3rd September 2015 League News Grant Ryder has taken over the managerial reins at Heather St Johns following the departure of Mark Kavanagh. Heather have made a disappointing start to the season and Ryder promises to make changes "I always look forward to a challenge, I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't. There's a lot for us to put right here before moving forward and it's not going to be easy. It's a good club with a great infrastructure but it needs grabbing by the horns”. Enville Athletic are hosting a 10k run on Sunday October 4th. See attached flyer for further details. Weekend review FA Cup A good weekend in the FA Cup with a number of Midland League sides taking the scalp of higher ranked opposition. Story of the round has to be Westfields. Held to a 1-1 draw at Allpay Park by Evostik South Kidsgrove Athletic on Saturday, they travelled to Staffordshire on Wednesday night for the replay (this after hosting Hereford in the league on Monday). It looked all done and dusted at half-time with grove taking a 4-0 lead. The comeback of all comebacks began with a Jamie Cuss goal in the 65th minute and then Matt Reeve made it interesting with 15 minutes to go. Time for a hero and up steps Craig Jones. A free-kick and a last minute penalty took the game into extra time. Kidsgrove took the lead again and must have thought they were home and dry but Jones again with another free-kick brought the game level. In the last minute of extra time. Westfields were awarded a penalty which saw Grove keeper, Ben Chapman sent-off. Jones made no mistake from the spot to give Westfields a dramatic 6-5 victory. AFC Wulfrunians saw off the challenge of Evostik South Romulus at Castlecroft, Ben Jevons and Ricky Anslow on target. Coleshill Town pulled off a giant killing beating Evostik high flyers Stafford Rangers 2-1 at Marston Road, despite going a goal behind inside two minutes. Rob Evans scored the winner just before the break. Shepshed Dynamo flew the Midland League flag with an excellent 2-1 win at Carlton Town, the winner courtesy of Niall Prenderville four minutes from time. Jarrod Westcarr scored two as Dunkirk eased past Bottesford Town. Rocester took Leek town back to Hillsfield for a replay after Troy Carty scored a late equaliser. Leek made no mistake at the second time of asking although Karl Demidh’s goal, 8 minutes from time, made it interesting. In an all premier Division clash, Long Eaton United continued their good start to the season with a 2-1 win at Loughborough University. EvoStik South Newcastle Town proved too strong for Continental Star, the home side progressing with a comfortable 4-0 win. A goal on the stroke of half-time from Mason Rowley was enough for Rugby Town against Coventry Sphinx. Sporting Khalsa scored 4 without reply against Cadbury Athletic, Mensah Kinch and Craig Bannister both with two. A tight affair at Walshes Meadow saw the home side progress as Stourport Swifts beat Alvechurch 1-0. Jamie Willets scored the only goal of the game, his last in Stourport colours as he has joined Hereford this week. There was a big win for Hinckley AFC at Bromsgrove Sporting. Marco Adaggio and Luke Richards both scored twice in a 6-2 victory. Premier Division A busy Bank holiday weekend with one game on Saturday and ten on Monday / Tuesday. A bad weekend for Brocton as they suffered 2-1 home defeats to Bardon Hill and leaders Long Eaton United. Bardon Hill, on the other hand, picked up 6 points with two away wins, beating Coventry Sphinx 3-2 at Sphinx Drive. Stourport Swifts lost top spot after a 1-0 home defeat to FA Cup heroes Coleshill Town, Tom Weale with the only goal of the game. Heanor Town are the only side with a 100% record, their latest victory a 3-0 win over Dunkirk, Kieran Debrouwer with a brace. The Hereford derby attracted a record 1,825 to Allpay Park as Westfields and Hereford shared the points in a goalless draw. AFC Wulfrunians are fourth following a 2-1 win over Continental Star. Jamie King scored both but was later red carded to mar his afternoon. Alvechurch are a further place back after inflicting Highgate United’s first defeat of the season. Walsall Wood came back from 2 goals down at Boldmere St Michaels to grab a point in a 2-2 draw. Quorn have recovered from their slow start to the season and grabbed their 3rd win in succession over still pointless Loughborough University. A last minute goal from Jack Pearlman gave Lye Town the points in the Black Country derby with Sporting Khalsa. Division 1 Coventry United still lead the way in Division 1 with a perfect record from 8 games. They were pushed close this weekend with narrow wins at home to Pershore Town and at Leicester Road. Nuneaton Griff are second and they continued their goalscoring exploits with a 3-1 win over Pelsall Villa and a remarkable 7-3 win at Bolehall Swifts. Goals are being shared around with 5 players scoring 4 or more this season. Littleton are third with two home wins over the weekend, 3-0 over Coventry Copsewood and 4-1 against Pershore Town, Jamie Clarke moving into double figure goals for the season. Bromsgrove Sporting bounced back from their FA Cup defeat beating Pilkington XXX away, a reversal of fortune for the Pilks who had beaten Stafford Town 3-1 on Saturday. It was a bad weekend for Stafford Town as they were hammered 7-0 in the Staffordshire derby on Bank Holiday Monday by Lichfield City. Another struggling side are Heather St Johns and they suffered defeats at the hands of Racing Club Warwick (5-2) and Hinckley AFC (4-1) in the St Johns Park derby. Cadbury Athletic are 5th after a 1-0 win at Studley. Studley themselves picked up all 3 points on Saturday with a 3-2 over Atherstone Town. It has not been the best of start for the Adders but they did pick up a point on Monday in a 2-2 draw with Coventry Copsewood. Elsewhere on Monday, Heath Hayes and Pelsall Villa ended goalless while Southam United won 1-0 at Racing Club Warwick. Division 2 Alvis Sporting Club maintained their 100% record with a 7-2 win over Earlswood Town, Dildale Linton with a hat-trick. Rostance Edwards are second following a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten Chelmsley Town, and a 2-1 win home win over Hampton. Chelmsley Town shared 8 goals in a thriller with Paget Rangers on Saturday, Dan carter with a hat trick for the visitors. Droitwich Spa are in 3rd place and picked up 6 points over the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Sutton United and a 2-1 win at Barnt Green Spartak. Games involving Coton Green continue to be entertaining with another 12 goals over the weekend. A 6-0 victory over Knowle was followed by a 4-1 defeat at Hampton, Clint Andrews moving to the top of the division score charts with his seventh of the season. Fairfield Villa are off the bottom after a win over Barnt Green Spartak and Knowle picked up their first win of the season with a 1-0 win over Earlswood Town. Austrey Rangers are in the middle of the pack after a 4-2 win over Feckenham. Division 3 FC Stratford have the only 100% record following a 5-2 win over Leamington Hibernian. Barton United are top winning 4-1 at Leamington Hibernian before dropping their first points of the season at Burntwood Town. Redditch Borough were the big movers at the weekend scoring 10 with only a solitary goal in reply. A 4-0 win over Enville Athletic was followed by a 6-1 win at Perrywood. Inkberrow are 3rd and they also scored 10 over the weekend. Nathan Davies was their star with hat-tricks in the 7-1 defeat of AFC Solihull and the 3-1 victory over Alcester Town. Smithswood Firs were involved in two high scoring games, a 3-1 home win over Shipston Excelsior and a 4-3 win at Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons, Dan Russell scoring 5 of the goals. Coventrians picked up their first points of the season with a 3-1 win at Shipston Excelsior. Badsey Rangers picked up 6 points at the weekend beating Alcester Town and AFC Solihull 4-2 and 2-1 respectively. Perrywood gained their firs point in a 2-2 draw at Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons while Burntwood Town beat Coventrians to register their first win. In the remaining game, Northfield Town defeated Enville Athletic 3-1. Weekend preview FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round 34 Midland league sides are in AF Vase action this weekend – a realistic chance for a trip to Wembley for many. There are 5 Division 1 vs. Premier Division ties, the pick of which are Coventry Copsewood at home to Bardon Hill and Alvechurch at home to Division1 high flyers, Lichfield City. AFC Wulfrunians entertain Pershore Town, Rocester travel to Heather St Johns and FA Cup heroes Westfields host Atherstone Town. In the one all Premier Division clash, Shepshed Dynamo host Loughborough University. The Division 1 front runners all have intriguing ties. Leaders Coventry United travel to North West Counties, Hanley Town; Nuneaton Griff take their goal machine to Shropshire to face West Midlands regional League, Shawbury Town who have a 100% league record; and Littleton travel to another WMRL side, Gornal Athletic. WMRL Wolverhampton Sporting Community face Hinckley AFC at Hazel Lane while Southam United travel to Brinsford lane to face Wolverhampton Casuals. A big day for Division 2 Barnt Green Spartak they travel to Premier Division Lye Town and also for Division 2 Paget Rangers who have a home tie against Division 1 Studley. Sporting Khalsa and Highgate United should be too strong for Dudley Town and Tipton Town respectively, while Stourport Swifts would expect to get past Pegasus Juniors. Quorn’s upturn in form should see them defeat Rainworth Miners Welfare and Continental Star will expect to beat Ellistown and Ibstock United at Dales lane on Sunday. The other ties look very hard to call and they are Ashby Ivanhoe versus Racing Club Warwick, Cadbury Athletic versus AFC Bridgnorth, Heath Hayes versus Bromsgrove Sporting, Leicester Road versus Harborough Town, Lutterworth Athletic versus Pilkington XXX and Stafford Town at home to Wednesfield. Premier Division The big game of the day sees Heanor Town hoping to maintain their 100% record at home to Hereford. A bumper crowd is expected at The Town Ground with Heanor eyeing top spot. League leaders Long Eaton United welcome in-form Coleshill Town to Grange Park and this one could be full of goals. Two struggling sides meet at The Ron Steel Sports Ground where Dunkirk entertain Brocton. Both Coventry Sphinx and Walsall Wood have made steady starts to the season and they meet at Sphinx Drive. Division 1 Only one game in the First Division where rock bottom Bolehall Swifts travel to 18thplaced Pelsall Villa with both sides desperate for points. Division 2 League leaders Alvis Sporting Club host Austrey Rangers looking to maintain their 100% start to the season. Chelmsley Town can move into 2nd placed if they can beat Sutton United at The Pavilion. Coton Green against Fairfield Villa has goals written all over it while there should be plenty of goals at Hampton versus Earlswood Town. Feckenham face Knowle with both sides looking for points to move up the table. The sides in 2nd and 3rd meet in the Presidents Cup with Rostance Edwards travelling to Droitwich Spa. Division 3 It’s first versus third this week as Barton United host Inkberrow at Holland Sports Club. FC Stratford will be hoping to take advantage of any slip ups as they travel to lowly Perrywood. Both Smithswood Firs and Redditch Borough would be hoping to keep on the heels of the leaders as they play host to Coventrians and Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons respectively. AFC Solihull are still looking for their first MFL point and they play host to Burntwood Town. The other three games look like tight affairs as Leamington Hibernian host Enville Athletic, Northfield Town host Alcester Town and Badsey Rangers travel to Shipston Excelsior. Comments are closed.
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