Alcuin 1sts win college football title

Alcuin, who could only have been caught by a Halifax team two points behind them, were scheduled to meet Langwith in the last game of the term; however, two successive bad weekends of weather meant that the fixture never materialised, and Alcuin were crowned champions.

Despite this, the number of fixtures played has to be seen as a success - all of the second team matches were played, and only one first team match was abandoned, which is the most number of fixtures that has been played in the Autumn term in recent years.

Vice-President Jack Kennedy also performed his role admirably by doing his best to have the final fixtures rearranged, but this was always going to be a tough task going into Week Ten.

Despite these circumstances, Alcuin should see themselves as deserved winners. A mid-season slip-up against an underrated James side sandwiched victories against every other College side, including a notable 6-1 thrashing of a Vanbrugh side that Alcuin had not defeated in 4 years.

Halifax would've needed to have beaten Goodricke in the last game - which is certainly no mean feat - and would've needed Alcuin to lose against a weak Langwith side to have won the league. Despite finishing runners-up, Halifax are on a 6-game unbeaten run that they will be looking to continue into the new season. The first game of the term between Alcuin and Halifax could go a long way in deciding who will be champions this term, as it proved pivotal in Alcuin's title victory last term.

Goodricke finished third last term after losing the game of the term to Alcuin 3-1, which was watched by a number of screaming fans of both colleges. This term will see new skipper Adam Lewis hoping to launch another assault on a title that Goodricke should probably have won more in the last three years. Always one of the best college sides, Goodricke will no doubt challenge again, with the form of Colin High and Owen Grafham in the middle of the park pivotal to their chances.

James finished fourth last term, but went out of the race with a whimper having led in the middle of the term. Draws with Langwith and Goodricke weren't poor, but a 3-0 loss to Halifax certainly was, and skipper Buckley will want to reinstall the work ethic into a James side that outplayed Alcuin in the third game of last term.

The bottom four all have a lot to do if they want to challenge this term. Vanbrugh have a young side, who have proved with their victory in the second team league that there is certainly potential to succeed in football within the college. However, skipper James Sweetman needs to work out what his best team is, and in what formation Vanbrugh most succeed, or Vanbrugh will find themselves near the bottom of the table yet again, with the treble winning season of Simon Rogers two seasons ago a distant memory.

Derwent picked themselves up after the humiliation of losing to Wentworth with a point against Halifax and a win over Vanbrugh. Despite not being the team that they were last season, there is still a base for them to succeed in the new year.

Langwith's 8-0 win over Wentworth should not disguise the fact that the college will probably endure another term of suffering. The first game against Vanbrugh is a pivotal one for them, a fixture which they lost 3-0 last term. Aside from a spirited 0-0 draw with James, last term was one to forget for Langwith. Maybe the college should delve into their funds to bring back the infamous Shaun Lloyd-Griffiths to score the goals that propelled them to the title this time last year.

Finally, Wentworth finished bottom on 3 points, with a lone victory over Derwent probably an overachievement. Serious work will need to be put in over this term for them to finish anything other than bottom yet again.

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