Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
This week's results were as follows:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Thursday:
In group 1 Alcuin 1sts have predictably navigated the group stage unscathed, scoring 9 points and 9 goals along the way. Langwith 2nds are pushing Halifax 1sts hard for 2nd place though and are currently ahead of the well-equipped Halifax 1st team on account of having scored more goals. The two meet at 11am on Monday in what will surely be a hotly contested fixture that Halifax 1sts have to win to save their blushes and avoid having to play in the Plate.
Halifax 1sts’ 1-0 win over James 2nds this week condemned James 2nds to last place but they’ll take confidence into the Plate from a display that frustrated Halifax, a sole Dom Green goal being the difference.
Group 2, the ‘group of death’, will go right to the wire as well. After a thrilling 3-3 draw Vanbrugh 1sts and Goodricke 1sts both have 4 points with one game to play with Halifax 2nds sitting ominously behind on 3 points ready to pounce and knockout either of the big hitters if they slip up in their final group game.
A rocketing Remington free-kick, a well worked Grafham goal and a sizzler from Silson put Goodricke in the driving seat at 3-1, but a fight back from Vanbrugh culminated in Gouland grabbing his second of the game which, after a Matt Richards goal, ensured the spoils were shared.
Tuesday’s other match saw Derwent 1sts ease past Wentworth 1sts 3-1 and seal their place in the next round after only two games. Lacaille (2) and an Alex Cooper header meant a late Derwent defensive lapse that allowed Wentworth only their second goal of their campaign was no more than a consolation.
Captain Chris Barnett, who was singled out as one-to-watch by college football guru and Alcuin captain Myles Preston last week, was obviously pleased to have qualified with a game to spare: “The Vanbrugh 2nds game is the day after Viking Raid so I’m glad it’s not so important now.” As for his team’s prospects he made no secret of his ambition when he said: “I genuinely think we’re one of the best teams in it and people don’t realise that. I’m confident we can prove people wrong.”
Although he didn’t score this week, Anton Murphy was singled out by Barnett as a dangerman. Murphy’s new found respect for college football has not gone unnoticed by his captain who admits he had doubts over the university 2nd team striker’s attitude until days before the tournament. However, an appearance at training and a brace against Alcuin 2nds mean Murphy should be safe from the subs' bench for a while yet!
Elsewhere in group 3 Vanbrugh 2nds’ 3-2 victory over Alcuin 2nds today mean they go through with Derwent 1sts, and as mentioned previously, the two meet on Tuesday to decide who’ll top the group and avoid Alcuin 1sts in the quarter-finals.
Perhaps the most open group is group 4 where all 4 teams are still in with a shout of qualification. Despite this James 1sts will be confident of getting through, only a heavy loss to qualifiers Derwent 3rds and a Goodricke 2nds win over Langwith 1sts could see them having to enter the Plate.
Derwent 3rds will be kicking themselves after letting an early lead slip against Goodricke 2nds. Derwent led thanks to a deflected Whitehouse free-kick but shortly before half-time Goodricke levelled and it came from full back Andy Case whose innocuous forward pass was brilliantly dummied by Adam Leadbitter to leave Dave Coupland through on the goal. Coupland will claim he was trying to improve on the greatest goal that never was; when Pele dummied the ball and ran round the Uruguay goalkeeper only to miss the resultant open goal in the 1970 World Cup. But it seems more likely Coupland was hurried by the onrushing goalkeeper Ben Lake and subsequently fluffed his lines. Either way the ball trickled past the both of them and into the corner of the net, meaning Case scored from 50 odd yards!
Sam Senchal was at the centre of attention for, mostly, the wrong reasons when he popped up from what appeared to be an obviously offside position to volley against the keeper and into the net from 8 yards. This drove the Derwent players berserk and soon after a fracas broke out with Senchal at the centre of it as he stood eyeball to eyeball with the equally vertically challenged, though considerably slighter, De Silva of Derwent. Accusations of elbows were rife from both sets of players but the referee did well to ignore the handbags and let play continue.
We was robbed!
It finished 2-1 to Goodricke 2nds and leaves them needing probably only a point against Langwith 1sts to go through. In an ad hoc post-match interview manager Michael Sneddon could only muster: “Get in! We’re on our way to the quarters”. Derwent 3rds captain Henry Clark was equally succinct and to the point when asked about the possible offside for the winning goal: “We was robbed!”
So only one more week of group games. They are as follows:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Thursday:
Monday's first game and Thursday's action are The Yorker's tips for entertainment this week as teams play each other in what will almost be a winner takes all situation. Tuesday's matches also offer this with Vanbrugh 1sts desperate to get through, whilst Derwent 1sts and Vanbrugh 2nds will fight to avoid favourites Alcuin 1sts.
Much to look forward to and as always The Yorker will be covering it: log on next week for the final group standings and draw for the quarter finals in both the main competition and the Plate.
The Yorker must have missed the rocketing left jab by Remington.
Sam Senchal should have been sent off for moaning.
Sam Senchal should have been sent off for hitting Will de Silva in the face during one of his tantrums.
Sam Senchal was provoked. He is my Didier Drogba, 8 goals in 8 games if you believe Sench
I heard him mention that he's scored 8 in 8. That surely cannot be true!
Jonny didn't play on thursday, so I doubt it was him. Plus I can think of players with far worse attitudes in college football- matt richards for one!
I saw jonny playing, so that's a lie!
Rumours have it that Myles Preston has tripped over his own ego and is out of the quarters.
Ouch!
Anyone know whose winning the golden boot at the minute? I know that Udy from Alcuin 2s is on 4, and im expecting that Gouland is on a similar amount.
Anyone else up there?
Derwent's other striker, Ed 'Porto' Lacaille, claims to have scored a fair few but that's because he plays for Derwent 1sts and 2nds. Do we allow cross-over players to be in with a shot of the prestigous college cup golden boot?
No, it's only for one team. Lacaille isn't getting away with that one...!
Goodricke looked in shit hot form against Derwent 2s yesterday. You know there's goals coming from all over the team when Andy Ramsden bags a brace!
Not as good as Vanbrugh 2nds today! Three wins out of three!!! Looks like it's gonna be an all Vanbrugh final!
Ramsden may have grabbed a brace but before the match he talked about how the ref, a Goodricke old boy, 'still bleeds green' apparently. If indeed the referee was Danny Horsfall, as Ramsden hoped, surely Derwent 2nds will feel aggrieved and look to Owen and/or Myles to take appropriate action. Thoughts?
Not that I don't think Rambo's capable of an unassisted brace, it's just... suspect to say the least!
Haha Greg you're becoming like Myles trying to stir controversy!! It's true Danny used to be in Goodricke and although I think Eddy was offside for his goal I don't think any of his decisions would have caused the result of the game to go any other way. Plus to be fair it isn't easy doing offside without assistants.
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