College football 1sts round-up: clash of the titans

• Alcuin 3
• Goodricke 1

Sunday saw the meeting of the top two, with Alcuin playing Goodricke in a massive tie.

Goodricke were without both of their skippers, with Grafham suspended and Silson on a paintballing trip. However, they were able to call in university first team captain Dom O'Shea to bolster their attack.

Alcuin probably started the game as marginal favourites, and showed why by earning a penalty within the opening five minutes. Laurie Swann stepped up and banged in a goal which sent the Alcuin fans wild.

Goodricke put on the pressure after this in search of an equaliser, with Ramsden asserting himself in the middle of the park, and a mistake by Alcuin's keeper Wynd nearly gave Goodricke the equaliser.

The goal that their hard work deserved came from an unlikely source - Alcuin centre-back Laurie Swann! Goodricke had been superb from set-pieces up that point, and it was a corner kick that led to the own goal, with Swann glancing an excellent cross into his own net.

From then on, it was one way traffic until half-time, with Goodricke dominating, and Alcuin over-awed by the aerial prowess of Goodricke's two centre-backs Grayland and Lewis at corners.

After half-time the game was extremely tight, with neither side wanting to give anything away. O'Shea came into attack, replacing the other 1st teamer Ramsden, which gave Alcuin's midfield a little more time, but much less time on the ball for Alcuin's defence.

Goodricke found themselves down to ten men after 15 minutes, an injury to Leadbitter and no more substitutes resulted in O'Shea dropping into midfield. Goodricke were just as effective with ten men as they were with eleven, however. When their substitute arrived it seemed to actually hinder their play, as Alcuin started to assert themselves again when it was 11 on 11.

The intensity of the game was epitomised by the banter on the sidelines between rival supporters, which at one point resulted in the ref stopping the game for being told to 'sort his life out' by one overzealous Alcuin supporter.

With the game hanging in the balance, it was fully deserved that the excellent Henry Smith popped up with something special to break Goodricke's hearts. A swerving left foot volley from 25 yards, undoubtedly one of the best college football goals in recent memory, went into the left corner of the goal past the outstretched arms of Taylor.

Goodricke fought valiantly after the goal, but golden boot leader Dan Cox got the goal that his good display deserved to make it 3-1. A goal from Cox was surely inevitable. Although he hadn't received much service throughout the game, whenever Cox had the ball at his feet the Goodricke centre backs seemed ill at ease to stop him.

The 3-1 scoreline probably doesn't reflect how close a game it was, and ultimately it was a great advert for college football from two very strong sides.

Halifax kept up their slim chances of overtaking Alcuin at the top of the college football league with a 3-0 win over James on Sunday.

Missing four or five key players, Halifax started well and had the better of a tight first 20 minutes, where neither team really had a clear cut chance. As the half wore on however, they began to get pinned back by an experienced James side, who started to dominate the midfield and forced a succession of corners.

Despite this, a combination of some missed chances by James forwards, some good defending and one excellant save by the Halifax goalkeeper, meant that when half time arrived the game was still scoreless.

The second half was a completely different affair, with the introduction of long term injury absentee Ian Mckellow helping Halifax establish a dominance right from the kick off. After five minutes, good work down the right side of the pitch resulted in a goal for Dom Green.

James never really recovered from this blow, and Halifax had a succession of chances with good play by the Halifax midfield leading to excellant chances for Green and Joe Brennan. Shortly after this Halifax scored the killer second goal when Mckellow picked up the ball in the left wing back position, and surged past a couple of James defenders before cooly finishing past the stranded keeper.

After that the game slowed down a little and James tried hard to get back into the game, but Halifax had time to score a scrappy third, with Green forcing the ball over the line after a Fahey cross had led to a goalmouth scramble.

It was a good result for Halifax against a James team who have had a good season and played well in the first half but struggled to find a settled formation or any rhythm in the second. Halifax now find themselves in second position, two points behind Alcuin, with one game remaining. They must beat Goodricke, and hope that Alcuin don't defeat Langwith, to win the title. Whichever side wins the title this term, it will be their first college football title for many many years.

Alcuin line-up (3-5-2): Wynd, Preston, Swann, Crane, Wakeford, Hyde, Smith, Stratton, Webb (Edwards, 60), Cox, Williams. Subs not used: Murrills, Hodgkinson.

Goodricke line-up (3-5-2): Taylor, Lewis, Grayland, Joyce, Smith, York, High, Ramsden (O'shea, 45), Leadbitter, (Latto, 65), Coupland, Mortimer.

Man of the Match: Henry Smith.

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