Soccer Star

Season 19 (Week 31) – End of Term Report

Premier League

CUMBERLAND RELEGATED AFTER HOME DEFEAT

In the games that mattered Cumberland Athletic and Doncaster Town both lost so there was not any change at the bottom and it is Cumberland that are relegated after just one season in the top flight.

The team of the week is Top Gun – great win at the Royals to finish 4th.

1.Bentley Vikings Old Boys ended the season with a win at Doncaster and a third successive Premier Title. It will be interesting to see if CJ can replace the retirees with suitable quality players for next season.

2.Mexicana Wave – a second season in the Premier League saw Chunkymunky chase Bentley all of the way and they were worthy runners up. They have some quality players and are likely to be up there again next season.

3.FC Abertawe – a 4-1 away win at Cumberland saw them claim 3rd place. It was a much higher position for MikeT than anticipated and next year will be about consolidating a top 6 finish.

4.Top Gun – an excellent away win at Molineux saw Alan Buckley take 4th position. It was a great achievement as last season they only avoided relegation on the last day of the season.

5.La Donny Luz – CJ’s boys have finished 5th three times in the last 5 years and with a couple more quality players could push for a title.

6.Loyal Rangers – it looked for a while as though the Opal’s most consistent performers could have been playing First Division football for the first time in their history but a good run in the second half of the season gave them a top 6 finish. In the last 5 seasons Loyal have not finished outside of the top 6 and Andrew Gaudie will be looking for a good start to the season and another title push.

7.Molineux Royals – it has been a good first season in the Premier League for Chunkymunky. They have a strong squad and they will prove difficult to beat again next season.

8.Riverplate – last season they finished 9th so a small improvement but MikeT would have been hoping for a higher finish. However there are some good teams above them and without new players a top half finish is the best they can probably expect.

9.Gigondas – without a win in their last 10 games or Dan Bell would have been in the top 6. It will be the same team next year and I can’t see them improving on this position.

10.Belmont Buccaneers – a third season with Chris Farmer and their lowest finish yet. There are some good youngsters coming through so it will be all about finding the right balance within the team.

11.Chapel North – have flirted with relegation in their 3 seasons in the Premiership. It will be a similar team next year unless Chris Farmer bloods some of the youngsters and it could be another battle to stay in the Premier League again.

12.Duffield Dynamos – a first full season in the Premier League for John LeGood and he will be very satisfied after their appalling start. Still need two or three top quality players to make sure their stay in the top flight is not a short one.

13. Doncaster Town – CJ’s team have been in the Premier League for the last two seasons and have been involved in relegation battles both years. They are the Opal’s most expensive squad at £78,000,000 but with an average age of 25 they will be battling at the wrong end of the table.

14. Cumberland Athletic – relegated after one season but finished with 34 points so certainly not disgraced. Stacy Goodwin has done a good job with a small squad and will be looking for a couple of new players for the new season.

15.Whitby Town – Steve Readman is back in control and will be looking to strengthen the midfield or it could be a few years before they grace the Premier League again.

16.Istra Pula – it proves that there is no such thing as ‘too good to go down. Last season MikeT guided them to joint second place and was hoping to be battling it out at the top. They will be looking at a quick return.

Division 1

ABERDEEN AND MOLES HIT THE BIG TIME

At the top of the table Aberdeen Terrors lose but still go up. Moles Villa and Abysmal Aftermath both draw so it is Moles Villa that are promoted on goal difference.

At the bottom Skegness Town fail to climb out of the bottom three despite a good 2-2 draw with Abysmal Aftermath as the Mighty Chucks beat Zantox Zity.

The team of the week goes to Team Scouse – great end of season win over Aberdeen.

1.Sylvan Lake – promoted from Division 2 last season and a surprise package for promotion this year. Dave Shepherd saw his team win 13 games in a row and will need a few goals from Arvid Fiske to ensure their stay in the Premier League is not a short one.

2.Aberdeen Terrors – it was a shock when they were relegated last season bur Rick Dimambro has done a fantastic job to get them back to the Premier League. It will be a similar team next season and they have the quality to remain in the Premier League.

3.Moles Villa – what a season for David Lloyd as he took the Moles to promotion and won the SLFA Cup in his first full season. Their success was on the back of Cardineli, Zabitini and Piaggio who hit 42 goals between them. Dave will certainly need these players to reproduce this form again next season against the big boys.

4.Abysmal Aftermath – missed out on promotion on goal difference. It is the second season in a row where MikeT’s men have dropped away after leading the Division for long periods.

5.Armthorpe Rovers – after their relegation three seasons ago they have finished 4th and 5th twice so CJ will be looking to one better next season. They have a strong team and will certainly be up there again next season.

6.Tigre Victoria – after topping Division 3 and 2 in successive seasons big things were anticipated for Tigre but their last 2 seasons in Division 1 had seen them battle against relegation. This top 6 finish could well be the catalyst for Chris farmer’s team.

7.Zantox Zity – relegated from the Premier League last year it has been an up and down season for Dave Shepherd. They certainly have a team good enough to finish higher next season.

8.St. Mary’s Saint – relegated from the Premier League last year and Dave Shepherd will be pleased with their position. Without new players it looks like a Mid table finish again next season. At the age of 35 and after 302 weeks at St Marys Saints he made his 200th appearance coming on as a 85th minute sub against Chris Farmers Tigre Victoria. He scored 21 goals all for St Marys from his central midfield role. In total he made 668 career appearances. He has taken up a coaching role at Inter Southampton as he feels his experience at St Marys where he helped mastermind their rise from the bottom of the Div. 3 table into the Premier league will be invaluable

9.Chadleigh Chargers – were most seasons favourites to go down this year and probably will be again next year.

10.Team Scouse – Wayne Smith has seen his side finish 10th in the last two seasons following relegation. Looks like a similar tale next season.

11. Dell Diamonds – MikeT will be very pleased with their finish after being rooted in the bottom three for long periods. Still short of several quality players so a similar story next season.

12.Kamikaze Vipers – their second successive finish in 12th spot since relegation. Gary Smith has some cracking players in a youngish side and if they can hang around in this Division they will be a force to reckon with in a couple of seasons.

13.Mighty Chucks – with only one win their first 10 games Stuart Meredith looked a certainty for relegation but they battled back well to avoid relegation by 2 points. It will be a tough Division again next year and they could well face another relegation battle.

14.Skegness Town – after 8 games Skegness were second and there was promotion talk in the camp but a dreadful run has seen them nosedive into relegation. Gary Farmer has a good squad to choose from and they will be a difficult side to beat in Division 2.

15.Team Punishment – a shock relegation for CJ but is not the first time we have said this about Team Punishment. Two seasons ago they were surprisingly relegated to Division 3 but then roared up to Division 1 with two successive titles. They will certainly be one of the stronger teams in Division 2.

16.Phantom Lords – another surprise as Chris Cook was planning a push for promotion. Only 2 points in their first 10 games was their downfall and their late recovery could not repair the damage.

Division 2

HEARTACHE FOR QUEENS CROSS UNITED

At the top it was heartache for Dave Curtis as Queens Cross United were overtaken on the last day by Stainsacre United. Queens Cross could only draw 0-0 with Norton AFC whereas Stainsacre had an emphatic 3-0 over Westfield Town. At the bottom it was Inter Southampton relegated after a 2-0 defeat at Wigan Wildcats.

The team of the week is Stainsacre United who made promotion possible on the last day of the season.

1.Boo Boy FC – two successive titles for Craig Thomson since they joined the Opal. Boo have an excellent squad and if they can get off to a good start they will certainly be one to watch next season.

2.Phoenix Vikings – like Boo Boy this is only their second season in the Opal but Todd Cooper’s team have made a big impact. Phoenix have a very strong squad and will certainly be one of the favourites next season.

3.Stainsacre United – must be said that this is a surprise. Had an excellent run with care taker manager MikeT but the big news is that their old manager Steve Readman will be taking them on again – he will certainly be pleased with the promotion.

4 Queens Cross United – a run of 5 straight wins seemed to have given Dave Curtis promotion but a last day draw with Norton sees them pipped at the post. Dave will have a tough task on his hands to get them to this position next season.

5.Ridgeway Thrashers – it looked for long periods this season that it would be a second successive promotion for Paul Rothon but a few dodgy results saw them finish 5 points adrift. I am sure they will be one of the teams to watch next season.

6.IFK Granite – another ‘what might have been’ for Derek Stuart. Last season they were 4th and have just been off the pace again this season. They certainly have a mean defence and if Derek can get the forwards going you never know ! IFK had a great cup run to reach the final where they lost 1-0 to Moles.

7.Riot City FC – only 1 defeat in their last 11 games saw Riot achieve their highest position in 5 seasons. CJ has an excellent but very young side so it could be a few more seasons before they realise their true potential.

8.Wigan Wildcats – over the last 5 seasons they have usually spent some time in the top 3 but Dave Wood has never managed to find the consistency needed for the final hurdle. They have the makings of an excellent side and are far too good for this Division!

9.Woodley Wanderers – probably not a bad finish after their promotion last season although I am sure Steve Wooldridge would have been expecting more. They have a good squad but probably need a couple more players to make the big push.

10.Norton AFC – Matt Raif will be happy with this finish in his first season with the club. Matt is still in the process of transforming his team and has plenty of money to spend – next season will probably be about keeping safe again whilst rebuilding takes place.

11.Boston United – probably need a couple more players to get into the top half the table. Wayne Smith is a busy man and a lot will depend on the time he can devote to bringing in new players.

12.Hundon Harriers – have flirted with relegation for the last 3 seasons but Gary Smith has a squad capable of a top half finish but will need to banish their away day blues.

13.SAS – avoided relegation by one point after only 1 win in their last 13 games. Dave Shepherd knows that unless he can strengthen the squad it could well be another uphill struggle next season.

14.Inter Southampton – a major surprise as a third successive relegation sees them drop from the Premier League to Division 3. It must be a mystery to Dave Shepherd how such a strong team have failed to pick any results together over the last 3 seasons – in fact they have only won 21 of their last 90 matches.

15.Chatterley United – recently taken over by Bo Moeske and have a squad good enough to look for a quick return.

16.Westfield Town – have been take on by Derek Stuart – will need some major rebuilding after the culling exercise by Glynn.

Division 3.

IT’S ATHLETICO LIVERPOOL BUT ONLY JUST

Athletico Liverpool are promoted but were the latest team to be hit by the Pigeon goal machine. It was an incredible 7th successive win for Pigeon. The Survivors missed out on goal difference after a 1-0 win over Sheffield Thursday – in fact one more goal and it would have been The Survivors up.

The team of the week is Pigeon Town - again but deserved.

1.Blue Stars - an incredible performance by Gary Farmer with an average squad. They lost only 2 matches which was the best of any team in the Opal and were the only team not to lose away.

2.FC Chadleigh – they were neck and neck all season with Blue Stars under Jim Phillips. His shock departure did not seem to disturb the rhythm as they strolled to promotion. Have a new manager in Kashaf Mirza, who I know nothing about and he is not on the forum, so we will have to try and direct a message to him via the orders.

3.Athletico Liverpool – shock relegation last season but Leigh Kinroy has done as he promised and taken them up but only by the skin of his teeth.

4.The Survivors – Stuart Meredith misses out on promotion by 1 goal – have been top 6 for the last 3 seasons but the third division is getting harder.

5.Orwell Saxons – Gary Smith has seen his team pushing for promotion all season but just falling short. He will be determined to see them up near the top again next season.

6.Paulton’s Park Rangers – seven wins in their first 9 games saw Dave Shepherd looking at a likely promotion but after that the season fell away. They have a good squad and will certainly be a team to beat next season.

7.Fortress FC – CJ has put some back bone into the squad since taking them on – they will be a difficult proposition next season.

8.Pigeon Town - I didn’t think I would be reporting an 8th position finish. They have been team 64 for many a season but John Ghent has given the Town a new lease of life. They finished the season with 7 straight wins and it will be interesting to see how they start next season.

9.Kings Park – without a defeat in their first 10 games and it looked a certain promotion for Dave Curtis but an incredible run of poor form (or bad luck) saw them drop down the table.

10.Vinton Stars – new manager Carl Garbett has spent plenty of money on his new team and if they gell a promotion push will be on the cards.

11.FC County – a new manager – not sure who – so we will have to see.

12.Woolwich Manor – finished the season unbeaten in 5 and new manager Dorrie Boyle will be looking to push on next season.

13.Sheffield Thursday – Robert Page will be looking to give them a push in the right direction.

14.Midway of Flete – rebuilding in process for Bo Moeske but they will surprise a few teams next season.

15. Jedi Knight – control team and if they do not finish bottom I will eat my hat.

15. Grantville Rovers – Colin Hammerton joined the club towards the end of the season but could not stop them finishing bottom. They have some good young players and will be looking for a good start.

There are a lot of relatively new managers in Division 3 and apart from the Jedi Knight it will be an extremely competitive division.



Season 20 - Week 31 – End of Term Report

Premier League

TOP GUN RELEGATED DESPITE A WIN

As expected it was Top Gun, who took the final relegation place although they did bow out with a 2-1 at Molineux Royals.

The team of the week is Bentley Vikings Old Boys – great win at the Doncaster to take the runners up spot.

1. Mexicana Wave (last season 2nd) – a worthy title for chunky in his third season in the Opal. They have an excellent squad and they will be the team to beat next season

2. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – after a very poor start to the season CJ recovered well to get Bentley into the runners up spot. They will be looking to take back their crown next season.

3. FC Abertawe (last season 3rd) – a second successive 3rd place finish and MikeT. will be looking to take on the top two next season.

4. Loyal Rangers (last season 6th) – Andrew Gaudie has seen Loyal finish in the top 6 in the last 6 seasons.

5.Aberdeen Terrors (last season promoted) – at various stages of the season the Terrors looked as though they would play a bigger part in how the title was won but too many draws saw them off the pace in 5th place. Rich Dimambro will be looking to put that right next season

6. Sylvan Lake (last season promoted) – Sylvan have had two successive promotions and were one of the teams expected to struggle in their first season in the Premier League. How wrong you can be as Shep had them playing well all season and a deserved top 6 finish.

7. Doncaster Town (last season 13th) – the highest finish for CJ’s team since they were promoted three seasons ago. They are the Opal’s most expensive squad at £71,731,000 – the only Opal team in the top 20 list. They are still a young team so they will do well to finish this high next season.

8. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 10th) – after 6 games they were in the bottom three and a possible relegation battle but they recovered well to finish 8th. Chris Farmer will be looking for a top 6 finish next season.

9. Moles Villa (last season promoted) – surprise addition to the Premier league but David Lloyd has had them playing out of their skins to finish 9th. The Moles had another good cup run before the holders went out in the quarter finals.

10. Duffield Dynamos (last season 12th) – a second season in the Premier League for John LeGood and he will be very satisfied with their improvement.

11. Chapel North (last season 11th) – have flirted with relegation in their 4 seasons in the Premiership. At least one retiring so Chris Farmer will need to blood some of the youngsters and it could be another battle to stay in the Premier League again.

12. Molineux Royals (last season 7th) – it has been a disappointing second season for the Royals. They have a strong squad and chunky will be looking for a significant improvement.

13. La Donny Luz (last season 5th) – CJ’s boys were expected be a top 6 club this season but after a very poor start to the season they have struggled all year

14. Top Gun (last season 4th) – after last season’s great performance it has been a disappointing season for Alan Buckley’s men who have been in the relegation zone all season.

15. Gigondas (last season 9th) – in the bottom three virtually all season so Dan Bell cannot have any complaints.

16. Riverplate (last season 8th) – a very poor season for MikeT, who saw Riverplate open the season well but drop like a stone after the first 5 matches

Division 1

BOO BOY ARE CHAMPIONS

At the top of the table Boo Boy FC lifted the title on goal difference from St. Mary’s Saint. Whitby Town are promoted after just one season thanks to a 2-1 win at Team Scouse.

At the bottom it was a big surprise relegation as Zantox Zity dropped from 12th into the bottom three after a 2-1 defeat at the Mighty Chucks. The win kept the Mighty Chucks safe. Stainsacre United moved out of the bottom three with a great 1-0 win at home to Armthorpe Rovers.

There was consolation for Zantox Zity as they recorded the largest ever score in a Cup Final against Cumberland Athletic. Zantox were 3-0 up after only 5 minutes and although Cumberland pulled two back Zantox hit another three goals to make the final score 6-2.

The team of the week is Stainsacre United – great end of season win over Armthorpe to keep them safe.

1. Boo Boy FC (last season promoted) – three successive titles for Craig Thomson since they joined the Opal in Division 3. It did not look this way when they were rooted on the bottom at week 7 but only 1 defeat in their last 16 games saw a dramatic turn round. It will be the same team next season and if they can get off to a good start they will certainly surprise a few teams in the Premier League.

2. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 8th) – a surprise promotion for Shep with success being moulded around a great home record of only 1 defeat in their last 18 games. They will want a good start so as not to repeat their last promotion when they only lasted the one season.

3.Whitby Town (last season relegated) – Steve Readman was back in control and they were in the top three for most of the season until a late loss of form threatened to ruin their season. A last season win at Team Scouse guaranteed their promotion. Steve could do with a couple of midfielders or they may have a short stay in the Premier League.

4. Istra Pula (last season relegated) – one of the favourites to go up but never really had any prolonged periods of form. A similar team next season so MikeT. will be looking for promotion.

5. Dell Diamonds (last season 11th) – a surprisingly good position for MikeT. with a young side – will do well to be this high next season.

6.Phoenix Vikings (last season promoted) – Todd Cooper’s boys looked certain for promotion when they were top after week 11 but an appalling run saw them lose 7 out of their next 8 games and drop away. They have recovered well over the last few games to take a top 6 finish and will be one of the teams to beat next season.

7.Armthorpe Rovers (last season 5th) – after a great start to the season promotion was on the cards but only 10 points out of their next 14 games saw heading for a relegation battle. CJ rallied the team to finish 7th which was their lowest position since their relegation 4 seasons ago.

8. Tigre Victoria (last season 6th) – with 5 games to go Chris Farmer was looking at a late promotion bid but only 3 points from these 5 games saw them drop to 8th.

9. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 12th) – opened the season with 5 draws and struggled to get going after this. Gary Smith has some excellent young players and he will be pleased with their improvement. If he can continue the improvement they will be a force to reckon with in a couple of seasons.

10. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 4th) – looked like being another promotion push in the first 3rd of the season but dropped away badly, similar to the last couple of seasons.

11. Mighty Chucks (last season 13th) – a second successive year that Stu Meredith has carried out a remarkable escape. With 5 games to go they were rock bottom with 22 points and 5 points from safety but 4wins and a draw saw them finish 11th and two places higher than last season.

12. Stainsacre United (last season promoted) – a 1-0 win against Armthorpe Rovers saw them climb out of the bottom three in the last week. Steve Readman will need all his skills again next season to keep them away from another relegation battle.

13. Team Scouse (last season 10th) – a last week defeat saw them relying on a Zantox defeat to keep them safe. Have been taken over by Dorrie and will be re-named Edinburgh Celtics

14.Zantox Zity (last season 7th) – a big surprise as they are relegated following a last weeks defeat at the Mighty Chucks saw them pick up only 1 point in their last 6 games. There was a little consolation for Dave Shepherd as they beat Cumberland 6-2 in the Cup Final (it was first that both teams in the final were relegated to Division 2).

15. Chaddesden Chargers (last season 9th) – will be replaced by Cupernham Kings managed by Steve Wooldridge

16. Cumberland Athletic (last season relegated) – a second successive relegation and a runners up trophy in the Cup Final. Bo Moeske returns to the Opal to take them over for the new season.

Division 2

TEAM PUNISHMENT TAKE THE TITLE

The three teams relegated from Division 1 all have a quick return.

The top three all won so it is Team Punishment who takes the Division 2 Title on goal difference from Skegness Town. Phantom Lords are third one point behind.

At the bottom of the table Boston United were relegated despite a 1-0 win over FC Chadleigh

The team of the week is Hundon Harriers – incredible score of 7-5 at home to IFK Granite.

1. Team Punishment (last season relegated) – they have become the Opal’s yo-yo team with either relegation or promotion in their last 5 seasons. CJ will be hoping that they make a longer stay in Division 1 this time. Andy Hand hit 17 goals this season and was the Opal’s top scorer.

2. Skegness Town (last season relegated) – Gary Farmer has done very well to get Skegness out of a tough Division. They were competitive all season and a run on of 8 wins from their last 10 games guaranteed success.

3.Phantom Lords (last season relegated) – a quick return for Chris Cook and they never looked back after hitting top three in week 4. They were the only team to have an unbeaten home record.

4. Woodley Wanderers (last season 9th) – after 9 games Woodley were bottom with 5 points and Steve Wooldridge was contemplating relegation but an incredible run saw them surge up the table and just miss out on promotion. With a better start next year they will be a team to watch.

5. Cusco (last season 10th) – Smelly will be happy with this improvement in his second season with the club. Matt has added a few players to his squad and they should be difficult to beat next year.

6. IFK Granite (last season 6th) – have been on the edge of the promotion pack for several seasons. They have been taken on by Paul Wise who is busy assessing his best team. Good enough for a top 6 finish again but it may take some time for the players to blend.

7.Riot City FC (last season 7th) – hit the top three at the halfway point but 4 points from their next 10 games saw them embroiled in a relegation battle. Recovered well to finish 7th again - CJ has an excellent but very young side so it could be a few more seasons before they realise their true potential

8.Ridgeway Thrashers (last season 5th) – won their first 5 home games but only picked up 2 points from their first 6 away games. They never really recovered from this start and although they were in the top 6 for long periods they dropped away and finished in a disappointing 8th spot. Razor has been busy in the transfer market and will demand a much better performance next season.


9 Abertay (last season 4th) – looked as though they were going to be in a relegation battle at week 18 but improved in the middle of the season and a respectable finish for Dave Curtis.

10.Wigan Wildcats (last season 8th) – it was the same old story for Dave Wood as they dropped out of the top three and finished in Mid table obscurity. Woody has never managed to find the consistency needed for the final hurdle - they have the makings of an excellent side and next year could be theirs.


11. SAS (last season 13th) – flirted with relegation again but now under the control of Robbie ?. With a few new players they should be Mid table next year.

12. Blue Stars (last season promoted) - seven home wins in their first 9 home games gave them enough points for safety. They only managed one away win and that was on the last day of the season. Gary Farmer has worked wonders with their squad but without any new players it looks to be a struggle for them next season.

13. Athletico Liverpool (last season promoted) – only 4 points from their last 8 matches saw them battling for their lives and they avoided the drop by only 1 point. Silky know this side is far too good be at the bottom end of the table and the supporters will be expecting more next season.

14.Boston United (last season 11th) – a surprise relegation with the main cause being a dreadful performance at home – it took them 9 games for their first home win and they only managed 2 all season. CJ will be looking for a quick return.

15. Hundon Harriers (last season 12th) – a poor start to the season saw them fighting an uphill battle. Have been taking over by Dave Smith and they have a decent squad - will prove a difficult team to beat in Division 3.

16. FC Chadleigh (last season promoted) – straight back to Division 3 after one season. They never found any rhythm all season – will not be an easy task for Kashaf Mirza to get them back.

Division 3

IT’S THE SURVIVORS BUT ONLY JUST

There was sweet revenge for Stu Meredith with The Survivors – last season they missed out on goal difference of 1 goal – this year they are promoted on goal difference from Vinton Stars. The Survivors drew their last match with Parkside City. Other teams had a chance to overtake The Survivors but Inter Southampton drew with Paulton’s Park Rangers and Orwell Saxons drew with Wolversburg FC.

The team of the week is Vinton Stars – brave 2-1 win but just miss out.

1. Wolversburg FC (last season relegated) – taken over early in the season by Lewis Brady. They were top then and he has kept them their all season – a great performance in a very tight division.

2. Hammerton Boyz (last season 16th) – in his first full season Colin Hammerton has taken them from Team 64 to promotion. A very good achievement and it will be interesting to see how thy cope next season.

3. The Survivors (last season 4th) – Stuart Meredith celebrates promotion on goal difference. This was their 4th season of trying to get out a tough division and an unbeaten run of 11 games saw them pinch the last promotion slot.

4. Vinton Stars (last season 10th) – Carl Garbett will be very disappointed that his team missed out on goal difference. With 4 games to go they were 2nd and held a 5 point lead over The Survivors but 3 defeats in a row saw all of the hard work go to waste. Carl has been active in the promotion market and they will start as one of the favourites next season.

5. Inter Southampton (last season relegated) – only 1 defeat in their last 13 games saw Dave shepherd miss out on promotion by just 2 points. They had the best goal difference thanks to some attacking performances and would have gone up if they had beaten their close neighbours Paultons in the last match.

6.Orwell Saxons (last season 5th) – a second successive top 6 finish and Gary Farmer will be looking to go one better next season.

7. Midway of Flete (last season 14th) – taken over early in the season by Dag Yngve Overli and had them on the edge of the promotion battle all season.

8. Paulton’s Park Rangers (last season 6th) – a disappointing season for Shep with too many draws. There has been a flurry of transfer activity but it will be tough season again next year.

9. Parkside City (last season 13th) – a move in the right direction for Rob Page and he will be happy with a top half position. Cup wins against Cusco and Chapel North showed that they have the ability to play at a higher level.

10. Fortress FC (last season 7th) – a disappointing season for CJ who expected a lot more from his team.

11. Kings Park (last season 9th) – one point from their last 6 games saw them drop from 5th to 11th. Dave Curtis will be looking for a top half finish next season.

12. Pigeon Town (last season 8th) - seven straight wins saw them second in the division but after that it went downhill as they dropped to 12th. Will be lucky to finish any higher next season.

13. Westfield Town (last season relegated) – to be replaced by Cupernham Rifles from the MOA managed by Steve Wooldridge.

14. FC County (last season 11th) – have been taken by David Lloyd and will carry a Moles title next season.

15. Woolwich Manor (last season 12th) – goals have been a big problem all season with only 20 from their 30 games. If Dorrie Boyle came solve this problem they are capable of a much higher position.

16. Jedi Knight (last season 16th) – my comment last season was “control team and if they do not finish bottom I will eat my hat”, which is a good job as I don’t own a hat.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 21 - Week 31 - End of Term Report

Premier League

WHITBY TOWN RELEGATED

Whitby Town looked to be on the way to safety as they raced into a 2-0 lead at La Donny Luz but Whitby crumbled in the second half and eventually lost 4-3. St. Mary’s Saint are safe after a 2-2 draw at home to Aberdeen Terrors.

The team of the week is Bentley Vikings Old Boys – 4-0 win at Doncaster to take 3rd position.

It’s the same teams in the top three as the last 3 seasons but a different winner each time.

1. FC Abertawe (last season 3rd) – after finishing 3rd in the last 2 seasons it was just reward for MikeT. Only 1 new player next year so should be up there again.

2. Mexicana Wave (last season 1st) – a poor run a few weeks back cost them dearly but 4 wins to end the season and they take the runners up spot. Chunky has an excellent squad and they will be the team to beat again next season

3. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 2nd) – for the second successive season Bentley had a very poor start to the season and CJ was called upon to weave his magic to get Bentley into 3rd spot. CJ will need to address their habit of a poor start.

4. Sylvan Lake (last season 6th) – in their 2nd season in the Premier League Shep again performed wonders with Sylvan who were in the top 6 all season. An improvement to 4th and the supporters will be pleased if they can maintain this next season.

5. Boo Boy FC (last season promoted) – Craig Thomson had seen Boo Boy claim three successive titles before entering the Premier League this season. They had a great start to the season and topped the table for a while – Craig will be over the moon with a 5th place.

6. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 5th) – another top 6 finish for the Terrors. Rich Dimambro is one of two original Opal managers and he will be pleased with their overall performance.

7. Loyal Rangers (last season 4th) – this is the lowest position Loyal have finished in 11 seasons. Andrew Gaudie is the other original member of the Opal and after a slow start he saw them climb the table – a few new players next season may see them challenging for the title.

8. Moles Villa (last season 9th) –David Lloyd looked to be slipping back into Division 1 but in the last 10 games the Moles picked up 27 points out of a possible 30. The remarkable run saw them climb out of the bottom three and better last season’s finish.

9. Chapel North (last season 11th) – highest finish for Chapel since promotion 5 seasons ago which will please Chris Farmer. They only had 2 draws all season.

10. Duffield Dynamos (last season 10th) – the same final position as last year. John LeGood’s men looked certain for a top half finish but they were without a win in their last 6 games. There has been a flurry of transfer activity at the club and it will be interesting how the new players fit in.

11. Rapid Shackthar (last season 12th) – it has been another disappointing season for Rapid. They have a strong squad and chunky will be looking for a lot more consistency in the coming season.

12. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 8th) – three points from their last 11 matches saw Belmont drop like a stone and Chris Farmer will have been relieved that they picked up points earlier in the season. Not sure what to expect next season.

13. St. Mary’s Saint (last season promoted) – it looked like Shep was going back to Division 1 with 5 games left but an unbeaten finish has seen them just escape. With some good teams coming up it will be another tough season for the Saints next year.

14. La Donny Luz (last season 4th) – one of the biggest surprises for a number of years. CJ had built up a strong squad and La Donny had not been out of the top half since their promotion 7 seasons ago. They will be looking for a quick return.

15. Whitby Town (last season promoted) – Steve Readman has seen Whitby relegated, promoted and relegated in the last 3 seasons. They did not win in their first 10 games but they had a great second half of the season and were only relegated in the last week of the season.

16. Doncaster Town (last season 7th) – the Opal’s most expensive squad are relegated after 4 seasons. Doncaster never recovered after a poor start and were in the bottom 3 all season. CJ has a squad with an average age under 24 so if he can keep them together better times are ahead.

Division 1

RIVERPLATE ARE PROMOTED

Riverplate are promoted after just 1 season in Divisio1 after a 2-0 win at Edinburgh Celtics.

At the bottom Team Punishment are relegated after a 6-0 defeat at the champions, Mighty Chucks.

The team of the week is Mighty Chucks – six against Team Punishment.

1. Mighty Chucks (last season 11th) – after two successive seasons of battling against relegation Stu Meredith has undertaken a remarkable performance of guiding his team to the Premier League as Champions. They have been full of goals all season and were the Opal’s top scorers with 58 goals – in addition Tyson Povey claimed the Golden Boot award with 18 goals.

2. Istra Pula (last season 4th) – two seasons in Division 1 and they are back in the Premier League. MikeT will be looking for a Mid table finish.

3. Riverplate (last season relegated) – just one season in Division One for MikeT. In a close promotion race Riverplate kept their nerve to end the season with a 9 game unbeaten run.

4. Phantom Lords (last season promoted) – a great season for Chris Cook, who were always chasing a promotion slot. Phantom had another great season at home with only 1 defeat, following an unbeaten record the season before.

5.Armthorpe Rovers (last season 7th) – it was more of the same for CJ with Armthorpe as whenever they looked like promotion certainties you can guarantee a bad run follows. Since their relegation 5 seasons ago they have ever finished lower than 7th.

6. Dell Diamonds (last season 5th) – another good season for a young side – MikeT will be delighted.

7. Stainsacre United (last season 12th) – a surprisingly high finish for Steve Readman. Only 1 defeat in their last 9 games saw them move from a relegation scrap to an excellent top half finish.

8. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 9th) – after briefly topping the table early in the season Gary Smith (smudger) could have been forgiven for thing of promotion back to the Premier League. After that the season was a mixture of poor runs and improvements but they have finished one spot higher than last season – Gary Smith has some excellent young players and he will feel he is moving in the right direction.

9. Top Gun (last season relegated) – after last season’s relegation Alan Buckley would have hoped for a higher finish. Division 1 will be just as strong again next season and a Mid table finish looks like their best hope.

10. Phoenix Vikings (last season 6th) – a disappointing season for Todd Cooper, who would have anticipated being in the promotion push. It could have been far worse for Todd as Phoenix failed to win in their first 10 games and they were in the bottom three.

11. Gigondas (last season relegated) – with three games to go it looked like a second successive relegation for Dan Bell with Gigondas but 2 wins and a draw saw them climb to safety.

12. Edinburgh Celtics (last season 13th) – an improvement of one place for Dorrie Boyle. It looked like being a lot better for Dorrie as Edinburgh were just outside of the promotion push but just 1 point from their last 7 games saw them drop like a stone.

13. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 10th) – two points from their first 9 games saw Abysmal firmly on the bottom but MikeT had them scrapping for every point and they just avoided the drop.

14. Team Punishment (last season promoted) – they are without doubt the Opal’s yo-yo team with either relegation or promotion in their last 6 seasons. CJ will be hoping it will continue next season with a promotion back to Division One.

15. Tigre Victoria (last season 8th) – a big surprise for Chris Farmer with a talented Tigre team. A top half team for the last 2 seasons but there were very few highs this year as they only won 3 games.

16. Skegness Town (last season promoted) – taken over by Scott Mason – only one win all season.

Division 2

SHOCK AS WIGAN ARE RELEGATED

There was a major shock as Wigan Wildcats are relegated after 11 seasons in Division 2. They could only manage a 0-0 draw with Blue Stars and Hammerton Boyz escaped after a 0-0 draw with Chester.

The team of the week is Cupernham Kings – 4-0 win to become the Opal’s top points scorer this season.

1. Cupernham Kings (new to the Opal this season) – champions in their first full season after Steve Wooldridge moved them from the MOA. Only 1 defeat in their first 13 games saw the Kings on top and they never looked back.

2. Wolversburg FC (last season promoted) – a second successive promotion for Lewis Brady in a very competitive Division. A great start with only 1 defeat in 11 games saw them in the promotion pack and they displayed consistency all season.

3. Cusco (last season 5th) – started the season as one of the favourites to go up and they didn’t disappoint. It was the same formula for Matt Raif (smelly) as the other two promoted teams with a great start – only 1 defeat in 11.

4. Woodley Wanderers (last season 4th) – a second successive 4th place finish for Steve Wooldridge. Woodley were in the promotion race from week 1 but they eventually ran out of steam taking only 2 points from their last 4 games. They also had disappointment in the Cup Final where they lost 1-0 to Hentridge FC.

5. Zantox Zity (last season relegated) – a strong season for Shep and Zantox – with 7 weeks to go they were 3rd but then only one more win, in the last week of the season, saw them slip out of the promotion race. Zantox should be challenging for promotion again next season.

6. Riot City FC (last season 7th) – a repeat of last season for CJ with Riot as they throw away their chance of promotion. With 5 weeks to go they were in 2nd spot after hammering Wolversburg 5-0 but then inexplicably lost their remaining 5 matches. CJ has an excellent but very young side so it could be a few more seasons before they realise their true potential

7. Ridgeway Thrashers (last season 8th) – one away win their first 8 games and it was always going to be struggle for razor to get into the promotion race. There has been plenty of transfer activity and I have a feeling they will be the team to beat next season.

8. Abertay (last season 9th) – taken on by Scott Mason and finished the season with 4 straight wins to go from a relegation battle to a place in the top half.

9. Chester Town (last season 6th) – a first full season for Paul Wilson which has been mixed to say the least. They took 25 points from the first half of the season, which would have been a top 6 finish – the second half saw only 15 points and relegation form. Paul will be looking for a lot more consistency in the coming season.

10. The Survivors (last season promoted) – Stuart Meredith men were promoted on the last day of last season and were looking to stabilise their position in Division 2. They took time to adapt and were in the bottom 3 after week 10 but Stu coaxed the best out of the players for a satisfactory finish.

11. Hentridge FC (last season relegated) – flirted with relegation all season but a strong finish (only 1 defeat in 7) saw them to safety. They reached the SLFA Cup Final for the second year running and this year there was a happy ending for Bo Moeske as they beat Woodley Wanderers 1-0.

12. Athletico Liverpool (last season 13th) – taken over by BakerBoy Mid way through the season. A run of 8 games without a win and relegation looked on the cards but they rallied to face another season in Division 2. BakerBoy inherited an ageing squad and he has asked for the supporters to be patient whilst rebuilding is in progress.

13. Hammerton Boyz (last season promoted) – it was always going to be difficult for Colin Hammerton and this proved all too accurate as they spent log periods in the bottom three. The Boyz dug deep in the last 3 games to take 7 points and finish 1 point clear of the drop zone.

14. Wigan Wildcats (last season 10th) – what a shock as Dave Wood faces up to relegation. Wigan Wildcats were formed from Donny Belles at the end of season 11 and have spent the last 10 seasons in Division 2. During that time they have been on the brink of promotion to Division 1 several times but this year it is a different exit. They had a dreadful start with 6 defeats, rallied strongly and looked safe but only took 4 points from their last 7 games.

15. Lokomotiv Leabrooks (last season 11th) – a first full season for Robbie Stevenson started badly as they lost their first 11 games. They steadied over the rest of the season but the damage was already done.

16. Blue Stars (last season 12th) – taken on by Scott Mason and only picked up 4 points from their last 19 games.

Division 3

THE RIFLES ARE UP

Cupernham Rifles are promoted after a 1-0 win at home to Pigeon Town.

The team of the week is Paulton’s Park Rangers – exciting 4-3 win at their neighbours Inter Southampton.

1. Moles County (last season 14th) – taken over by David Lloyd this season who performed miracles to take them up to Division 2 as Champions. They have spent the last 10 seasons in Division 1 hovering around the bottom and they were not on anybody’s list of promotion candidates. The Moles were consistent all season – they took 31 points in the first half and 33 in the second half.

2. Vinton Stars (last season 4th) – Carl Garbett was devastated when his team missed out on goal difference last season. They started as one of the favourites and were always in the promotion pack but struggled to break clear until the last 4 games, which were all won.

3. Cupernham Rifles (new to the Opal) – a very good performance in their first full season after Steve Wooldridge moved them from the MOA. With 8 games to go they were 8th and 5 points behind the top three but 20 points from the last 8 games saw them clinch promotion on the last day of the season.

4. Hundon Harriers (last season relegated) – a first full season with Dave Smith and they just missed out on a quick promotion. Hundon had a tremendous home record and won their last 8 but they were let down by some poor away performances towards the end of the season.

5. Inter Southampton (last season 5th) – Dave Shepherd will be kicking himself that they did not gain promotion. Ten wins and 2 draws in their first 12 games saw them sitting proudly on top with a 10 point gap over 4th place. What happened next is difficult to explain as they failed to win in their next 9 games and they were down to 3rd. There was still time to save face but 5 defeats in the final 9 games and it was another 5th pace finish for Shep.

6. Paulton’s Park Rangers (last season 8th) – a good first half of the season saw Rangers established in the top three but Shep couldn’t maintain the momentum and a poor finish kept them out of the top three.

7. FC Chadleigh (last season relegated) – taken over by smudger early in the season and team building still in process. They won the last 4 games and finished in a respectable 7th position.

8. Orwell Saxons (last season 6th) – forms part of the Scott Mason dynasty. Looked like getting a top 6 finish but a poor end to the season saw them just hang onto a top half slot.

9. Fortress FC (last season 10th) – another disappointing season for Fortress, who have been taken over by Scott Mason.

10. Pigeon Town (last season 12th) – now under the capable wings of Rob Page (parkside). Rob will be looking for a top half finish next year.

11. Irvine Valley Inferno (last season 9th) – a reasonable first season for Dave Smith. The squad is a bit thin so a few new additions required or a similar finish for next season.

12. Woolwich Manor (last season 15th) – a modest improvement for Dorrie Boyle and a top half finish was on the cards until the last 4 games. It will be a 3rd full season coming up for Dorrie and with the club debt free he will be pushing for a big improvement.

13. Hornsby Harriers (last season relegated) – Scott Mason now has the reigns for the Harriers and will be looking for a better showing next season.

14. Forest Reds (last season 7th) – a second season for Dag Yngve Overli and a disappointment after performing so well the previous season.

15. Kings Park (last season 11th) – taken over late in the season by Tim Windram as a long term project. An ageing team that needs an overhaul so Tim will be happy for any improvement.

16. Jedi Knight (last season 16th) – my comment last season was “control team and if they do not finish bottom I will eat my hat”, which is a good job as I don’t own a hat. The same applies this year!

All of the teams are now taken and it looks like to be the most competitive season ever. Good luck to all managers in Season 22.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 22 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

BOO BOY ARE CROWNED CHAMPIONS

Boo Boy FC started the game knowing a win at Rapid Shackthar would see them crowed as Champions. Boo’s nerves were settled as Christov Mulhavian headed in on 4 minutes – his 15th of the season – and it was a first Premier Title for Craig Thomson.

Loyal Rangers sealed the runners up spot with a late winner at home to Belmont Buccaneers.

At the bottom of the table it was joy for Scott but tears for RichD as Aberdeen Terrors were relegated and Moles Villa stayed in the Premier League. It was a close shave though as with 10 minutes to go Moles were losing 2-1 at home to Duffield Dynamos and were heading to Division 1 but goals by Jaynes and Zabitini sealed a 3-2 win and safety.

The team of the week is Boo Boy FC – a win at Rapid gives Boo the Premier title.

1. Boo Boy FC (last season 5th) – Craig Thomson had seen Boo Boy claim three successive titles before entering the Premier League on and last season they finished a creditable 5th. This season Craig upped his game and after opening the season unbeaten in 11 games they ever looked back and are worthy title winners.

2. Loyal Rangers (last season 7th) – Andrew Gaudie has never been out of the top flight with Loyal since the Opal began and last season’s 7th place was the lowest they had ever finished. With a small squad and a few good loan signings, Loyal almost took the title again but Andy will be very satisfied with their 2nd place.

3. Mighty Chucks (last season promoted) – after joining the Premier League as Champions of Division 1 the challenge for Stu Meredith was going to be to keep the Chucks up. Five games in and the Chucks were joint top but just 1 win the next 8 saw them down to 10th ad it looked like a battle against relegation. Stu came up trumps however as he steadied the ship and with 2 games to go they were top but thy just ran out of steam. All in all an excellent achievement by Stu.

4. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 13th) – one of the bookies favourites to go down and with just 1 point from their first 3 games it seemed the bookies were right. Shep had other ideas and he made the defence a priority and this paid off as they steadily climbed the table to finish in a fantastic 4th position. The Saints conceded just 19 goals and only Inter Southampton bettered this. St. Mary’s also reached the Cup Final but unluckily lost on penalties to Armthorpe Rovers.

5. FC Abertawe (last season 1st) – at the half way point with just 1 defeat they were top and MikeT was looking for a second successive title but a mixed second half of the season saw them drop away to 5th.

6. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 3rd) – for the third successive season Bentley had a very poor start to the season and CJ was called upon to weave his magic. The 6th place finish is their lowest for 8 seasons and CJ will need to address their habit of a poor start.

7. Mexicana Wave (last season 2nd) just 2 wins in their last 10 games cost them dearly as they dropped to 7th position. It’s the first time they have finished out of the top 3 in the last 3 seasons and chunky will be looking to add some goals to their mean defence.

8. Sylvan Lake (last season 4th) – it is their 3rd season in the Premier League and with 6 games to go Shep looked to be continuing their excellent form and a title chance was on but they failed to win in their 6 of their last 7 games and finished 8th.

9. Istra Pula (last season promoted) – Istra were just above the relegation zone all season until they finally found their form with 6 games to go to earn 9th spot. MikeT will be looking to get Istra off to a good start next season..

10. Chapel North (last season 9th) –Chapel still have not made the top half since promotion 7 seasons ago. Chris Farmer will be looking for a little more consistency next season.

11. Rapid Shackthar (last season 11th) – after last season’s disappointing finish chunky was looking for more consistency with Rapid. They were off to a flying start with 5 wins in 7 games but that was as good as it got for chunky as the dreaded inconsistency appeared and they only won another 6 in the remaining 23 games to finish the same position as last season.

12. Moles Villa (last season 8th) – a poor first half of the season was compounded by the loss of their manager. Scott took over the helm and they survived by scoring twice in the last 10 minutes of the last match of the season.

13. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 12th) – last season Belmont only collected three points from their last 11 matches to drop into the relegation battle. This season they had a dreadful start and looked certain to go down but they responded well and Chris Farmer was relieved when they looked to be safe but they ended the season with 5 losses to avoid relegation by 1 point. It looks like it will be tough for Belmont next season.

14. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 6th) – another returning to the top flight 3 seasons ago Aberdeen had established themselves in the top 6, however only 1 win in their first 10 games saw them in the bottom three and they were relegated on the last day of the season when the Moles claimed a late win. Rich Dimambro is one of two original Opal managers and he will be looking for a quick return to the Premier League.

15. Duffield Dynamos (last season 10th) – at the end of last season I wrote “There has been a flurry of transfer activity at the club and it will be interesting how the new players fit in”. The answer is they struggled to find their true form and were hovering around the bottom three all season. JohnLG will be trying to find some stability next season.

16. Riverplate (last season promoted) – a terrible season for Riverplate who looked doomed from week 1. They only picked up form when it was far too late.

Division 1

GIGONDAS ARE RELEGATED

There was heartache for Dan Bell as Gigondas were relegated to Division 2 with a minute of the season to go. They looked safe as Armthorpe Rovers were trailing 1-0 at Stainsacre United but a late goal by Will Trent kept CJ’s boys up.

Cupernham Kings sealed the record points achieved in Division 1 with a 1-0 win at La Donny Luz.

The team of the week is Armthorpe Rovers – last gasp goal to keep them in Division 1 and a Cup Final win.

1. Cupernham Kings (last season promoted) – Steve Wooldridge has had an amazing time since Steve moved them into the Opal two seasons ago. Last year they were champions of Division 2 and this season they went one better as they blazed their way to become First Division Champions. The Kings opened with 11 straight wins and there was no looking back as they won the Division by 17 points. They also became the Division 1 highest point scorer with 69 points and equalled the record for most wins and least defeats. There is no reason why Steve can’t continue the excellent form of the last 2 years with the big boys!

2. Stainsacre United (last season 7th) – you would have struggled to have found any pundits to put Stainsacre in the top 3 but Steve Readman had other ideas and were always pushing for promotion – a final winning flourish saw them seal promotion with 1 game to go and a return to the Premier League after 7 seasons.

3. Whitby Town (last season relegated) – a real yo-yo team as Steve Readman has seen Whitby relegated, promoted, relegated and now promoted in the last 4 seasons. It was Whitby’s home form that saw them up and Steve will need this next season if it is not to be another relegation.

4. Phoenix Vikings (last season 10th) – it looked for a while as though Todd Cooper was going to take Phoenix up but they ran out of steam in the run in to finish and lost out on goal difference. Phoenix are always a difficult side to beat and I don’t see that changing next season.

5. Phantom Lords (last season 4th) – after just missing out on promotion last season Chris Cook was hoping to go one better. With 10 games to go they were right in the mix but just 2 wins in the last 10 saw them finish 5th. A good position to end up in but Chris knows it could have been much better.

6. Doncaster Town (last season relegated) – the second of CJ’s teams to be relegated last season and a similar story to La Donny, with them hovering around the top three but a poor end to the season saw them finish 6th.

7. La Donny Luz (last season relegated) – a major surprise when they were relegated last season after 7 years in the Premier League. La Donny were always within reach of a promotion place but only 1 wins in their last 6 games saw them tail off into 7th spot. CJ will be disappointed not to have taken them straight up and they will certainly be a team to beat next season.

8. Wolversburg FC (last season promoted) – a consistent season for Lewis Brady, where they never looked like pushing for promotion but looked too good for relegation. In a very tight league they secured safety by winning their last 2 games.

9. Dell Diamonds (last season 5th) – after two top 6 finishes MikeT was looking for more of the same but it was a very inconsistent season for Dell who needed to win their last game to stay up, which they did and jumped to 9th.

10. Edinburgh Celtics (last season 12th) – too many draws seemed to sending Edinburgh down and when they dropped into the bottom three with 3 games to go it looked curtains. However, Dorrie Boyle managed 2 wins and a draw to end the season 10th – 2 places better than last season.

11. Top Gun (last season 9th) – with 9 games to go Top Gun were bottom and it looked as though Alan Buckley was heading back to Division 2 after 8 seasons in the top 2 flights but an incredible 19 points from the next 7 games saw them escape by 1 point!

12. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 8th) – after 11 games it looked like the end for Gary Smith (smudger) as they were joint bottom with 6 points but they slowly improved and started picking up points. In a very close relegation battle they just escaped by 1 point.

13. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 5th) – after finishing in the top 7 for the last 6 seasons they were a big favourite to go up but after a poor start they never got going. With a minute to go in their final game they were on the way to Division 2 but up popped Will Trent to grab an equaliser and keep them up on goal difference. CJ will point to the one away win all season as a major reason for their woes. Another highlight on the last day was a Cup Final win on penalties from St. Mary’s Saint, after a 0-0 draw after extra time.

14. Gigondas (last season 11th) – just avoided relegation last season and struggled all year to keep out of the bottom three. A defeat in their last game, whilst Armthorpe gained a point saw them relegated. It is the first time that Gigondas have been out of the top 2 flights for 15 seasons and Dan Bell will be looking to rectify this as quick as possible

15. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 13th) – avoided relegation in the last game last season but this year they are down. After 5 seasons in Division 1 MikeT will be looking for a quick return.

16. Cusco (last season promoted) – a quick return to Division 2 for Matt Raiff (smelly). Cusco never recovered from a bad start and the supporters will be glad to see the back of this season.

Division 2

WOODLEY ARE UP

Woodley Wanderers took the final promotion spot with a 1-0 win at Chaddesden Celtic to give SteveW another promoted team to go with the Cupernham Kings.

At the bottom Vinton Stars are relegated after they lost and Hammerton Boyz won.

The team of the week goes to Woodley Wanderers – excellent away win to secure promotion.

1.The Survivors (last season 10th) – it has been an excellent season for Stuart Meredith who won 9 of their first 10 games and featured in the top 3 all season. Had a good battle with Chester Town over the last few weeks for the title but secured it by 2 points in the end. It will be the first time that The Survivors have played higher than Division 2 since the Opal began 22 seasons ago.

2. Chester Town (last season 9th) – in his second full season with Chester, Paul Wilson has taken them up into Division 1. Chester had a great start with 11 games unbeaten and thy never looked back. Chester have been in Division 2 for the last 15 seasons and the supporters will be hoping Paul can bring the glory days back when they finished 3rd in the Premier League.

3. Woodley Wanderers (last season 4th) – after 2 successive 4th place finishes Steve Wooldridge goes one better with promotion. Third place was up for grabs right up to the last week with nobody seeming to want to claim the spot. Woodley didn’t play well over the last few games but neither did any of the other chasing clubs so a win in their last game saw them promoted. Interestingly Woodley are similar to The Survivors in that they have never played higher than Division 2 football.

4. Pickering Town (last season promoted) – taken over by Wayne Smith at the start of the season and they had an excellent campaign but just missed out by 1 point in the end. Pickering had the joint top goal scorer in the Opal in David Norwood who hit 15.

5. Team Punishment (last season relegated) – they were in the top three at the half way point but CJ could not keep the momentum going and they finished 3 points behind the promotion places. Will be knocking on the door again next season.

6. Tigre Victoria (last season relegated) – it was a big surprise for Chris Farmer when a talented Tigre team were relegated. They started the season feeling sorry for themselves but picked up as the season progressed and look like a team to be beaten next season.

7. Riot City FC (last season 7th) – a repeat of the previous 2 seasons for CJ with Riot as they were always in with a chance but could not string a good run together. CJ has an excellent but very young side so it could be a few more seasons before they realise their true potential.

8. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 8th) – it looked as though it was going to be razor’s season as they won their first 3 games but they then failed to win in their next 7 and it was an uphill task from there on. There has been a flurry of transfer activity and maybe it will be Razor’s season next year.

9. Cupernham Rifles (last season promoted) – some good early season form saw the Rifles in the top three but only 1 win in their last 9 away games kept them on the periphery of the promotion race. Should be pushing for promotion next season.

10. Zantox Zity (last season 5th) – Shep was expecting a much better season with Zantox but only 2 wins in their first 11 games saw them just outside of the bottom three. Zantox rallied well but Shep will be demanding more from the team next year.

11. Hentridge FC (last season 11th) – Bo takes Hentridge to the same finish as last season – always picked up enough wins to keep away from the bottom three but lacked consistency.

12. Skegness Town (last season relegated) – taken over by Wayne Smith when they were rock bottom and did an excellent job to keep them in Division 1. With a few new signings they could surprise a few teams.

13. Hammerton Boyz (last season 13th) – for the second season running a win in their last game keeps them just above the drop zone. Colin Hammerton will be hoping his nerves can be given a rest next season.

14. Vinton Stars (last season promoted) – the supporters were devastated when Carl had to leave the team due to other commitments and they were in the bottom three for most of the season. CJ took them under his wing and they almost stayed up – a 2-0 defeat by their stable mates TeamP in the last game was their downfall. Should be amongst the front runners in Division 3.

15. Harlow Town (last season 8th) – just 2 wins in their first 17 games saw them floundering in the top three. Scott had a much better second half of the season and they eventually only missed out by 3 points.

16. Athletico Liverpool (last season 12th) – the club were left without a manager in the middle of the season. Scott took over the helms but they were already a sinking ship.

Division 3

REAL LEICESTER ESCAPES THE TEAM 64 LABEL

Real Leicester moved off the bottom after an excellent 1-1 draw at the champions. Jedi Knights take the bottom spot.

The team of the week is Real Leicester – important draw to move off the bottom.

1. Lokomotiv Leabrooks (last season relegated) – the return of the Scottish Laird (Dave Curtis) and what a difference he made – 26 points from their last 10 games to take the title.

2. Hundon Harriers (last season 4th) – a first season in charge for Mark Steele and what a season it was. They had just 1 defeat in their first 20 games and Hundon looked as good as promoted but they could only manage 2 wins in the next 8 to make the last 2 games vital. Hundon didn’t disappoint and won the last 2 to secure a well deserved promotion. They were the top goal scorers in the Opal with 63 goals and also defended well to finish with an impressive goal difference of 42. Hundon also had the joint top goal score in Kenny J. Carsington with 15.

3. Inter Southampton (last season 5th) – Dave Shepherd was over the moon as Inter are promoted after 3 seasons in Division 3. With only 3 defeats all season and the best defensive record in the Opal – only 17 conceded promotion never looked in doubt. Now comes the hard work as they look to climb back to the Premier League, where only 8 seasons ago they finished 3rd.

4. Wigan Wildcats (last season relegated) – last season was a shock for Dave Wood as Wigan were relegated after 10 seasons in Division 2. The first 10 games were average but 5 wins in a row and they were up to 3rd – they were still 3rd with 7 games to go but an indifferent end to the season left them 6 points behind the top 3. Wigan will be the team to beat next season.

5. Irvine Valley Inferno (last season 11th) – a very competent season by Irvine, which has been helped by the recent appointment of Wayne Smith into the manager’s role. Should be a top 6 finish again next season.

6. Pigeon Town (last season 10th) – now under the capable wings of Shep and featured in the top 3 in the Mid part of the season. With a good start they could be pushing for promotion.

7. Paulton’s Park Rangers (last season 6th) – Paultons started like an express train with 5 wins and 2 draws but Shep could not keep the momentum going and it is another disappointing finish. They must start as one of the favourites next season.

8. Gleblands Town (last season 8th) – forms part of the Scott Mason dynasty. Could well have had a say in the promotion race but they failed to win at home in their last 9 games.

9. FC Chadleigh (last season 7th) –smudger is still in the process of team building and he will now be looking for them to push on next season.

10. Sky United (last season relegated) – a poor start by Scott saw Sky United 3rd from bottom after 13 games but a much better second half of the season saw them up to 10th.

11. Sky City (last season 13th) – an improvement of 2 places for Sky City but Scott will feel they have a lot more potential.

12. Woolwich Manor (last season 12th) – a top half finish looked on the cards until Dorrie failed to win any of the last 6 games and it was the same finish as last season. Dorrie will be demanding a big improvement next year.

13. Fortress FC (last season 9th) – one point from their first 8 games and Scott was heading for Team 64 but they finished the season strongly with only 1 defeat I the last 9 games.

14. Forest Reds (last season 14th) – a third season for Dag Yngve Overli and another disappointment as they finish 14th again.

15. Real Leicester (last season 15th) – taken over late in the season by David Lloyd and they escaped the bottom spot on the last day of the season. The Moles will be returning next season in a completely overhauled side.

16. Jedi Knights (last season 16th) – my comment last season was “control team and if they do not finish bottom I will eat my hat”, which is a good job as I don’t own a hat. I nearly had to go out and buy one as they only dropped into the bottom spot in the last week. Jedi finished with an incredible 17 draws. I am going to stick to my guns and the comments about Team 64 and hat still applies.

All of the teams are now taken and it looks like to be another competitive season. Good luck to all managers in Season 23.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 23 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

A 9th TITLE FOR LOYAL

Loyal sealed the title last week so it was a battle for 2nd place and it went to St. Mary’s Saint after they beat their close rivals Cupernham Kings 4-1. Mighty Chucks finished 3rd after beating Istra Pula 3-1. At the bottom Crawford Park Rangers moved above Stainsacre United with a 2-0 win.

The team of the week goes to St. Mary’s Saint – great win to secure 2nd spot.

1.Loyal Rangers (last season 2nd) – Andrew Gaudie has never been out of the top flight with Loyal since the Opal began 23 seasons ago and this is his 9th title win with Loyal. Without a win in the first 3 games but once they got going they were always in the top 4 and a strong end to the season saw them through. With a small squad and a few good loan signings it was an excellent performance and they will be there again next season.

2. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 4th) – another brilliant season for Dave Shepherd and similar to last season their success has been built on a sturdy defence and they conceded the least in the Premier League for the 2nd season running. In addition they have added scoring goals to their armoury and there is no reason why they should not be challenging again.

3. Mighty Chucks (last season 3rd) – a second season in the Premier League and a second 3rd place for Stu. It has been another excellent performance by the Chucks, who were very consistent all season. Jack Davinski shared the Golden Boot award with 15 goals and they should be pushing for the title again.

4. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 6th) – after three seasons with poor starts CJ had his hopes raised as Bentley were unbeaten in the first 7 games but a few inconsistent spells left them always off the pace - in the end 1 defeat in their last 10 matches saw them into a healthy 4th spot.

5. Cupernham Kings (last season promoted) – Steve Wooldridge has had a phenomenal time since Steve moved them into the Opal three seasons ago. Champions of Division 1 and 2 in the last 2 seasons they continued where they left off and after winning their first 4 games they never looked back. The Kings were always pushing for the title but they lost a few of vital games near the end of the season or they could well have been champions.

6. Sylvan Lake (last season 8th) – it is their 4th season in the Premier League and with two thirds of the season gone it looked as though Shep had a fight on to keep hold of their Premier status but 5 home wins in a row at the end of the season saw them move up 2 spots to 6th.

7. Mexicana Wave (last season 7th) – a second disappointing season in a row for chunky. After 17 games they were top of the league and looking good for a 2nd title but just 3 wins in their last 13 games left them floundering. It was a season of too many games that stats wise pointed to a better score! There has been transfer activity and we will have to see which Mexicana side we see next season.

8. FC Abertawe (last season 5th) – a mediocre season for MikeT and he cannot be disappointed with their 8th place finish – their lowest in 6 seasons. With the Premier League getting stronger every year Abertawe will have to improve considerably to finish in the top 6.

9. Boo Boy FC (last season 1st) – Craig Thomson left Boo Boy in mid-season after a fall out with the board. Glynn kept them to see if he returned – will be a big cull if/when taken on by a new manager and will be a while before they are pushing for the title.

10. Rapid Shackthar (last season 11th) – chunky has seen Rapid finish 11th in their last 2 seasons and they managed 1 better this term. They were onto a loser after only 6 games, in which they failed to win and were just above the drop zone. A couple of unbeaten spells kept them out of harm’s way but with a young squad they will need to improve next season.

11. York Rovers (last season promoted) – a real yo-yo team as Steve Readman had seen York relegated, promoted, relegated and promoted in the last 4 seasons so the target was to stay up. York achieved this with a good opening two thirds of the season and were safe despite only collecting 7 points from their last 9 games.

12. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 12th) – it turned out to be another tough season for Chris Farmer with Belmont, who replicated their 12th place finish. In truth relegation was never in doubt thanks to a good opening 17 games, which saw them up to 6th. The rest of the season was a disaster with only 2 wins in 13 games. Could be another tough season coming up for Chris.

13. Istra Pula (last season 9th) – it is two seasons back in the Premier League for MikeT and 2 battles against relegation. A vital win at fellow strugglers Chapel with 3 weeks to go saved them. It could be another tough season coming up for a youngish team.

14. Chapel North (last season 10th) – after 8 seasons in the Premier League, where they never made the top half they are back to Division 1. Just one point from their first five games and it was going to be an uphill task for Chris Farmer and that’s the way it proved.

15. Crawford Park Rangers (last season 12th) – Scott Mason had to wait 14 games to see Crawford win and they were dead and buried. A win in their last game saw them move off the bottom spot.

16. Stainsacre United (last season promoted) – three points from their first 8 games left Steve Readman with a mountain to climb and that proved too difficult as they are relegated after just 1 season.

Division 1

LA DONNY TAKE THE TITLE AS DUFFIELD ARE RELEGATED

In the big match at the top La Donny Luz beat Aberdeen Terrors 1-0 to leap-frog above them and take the title.

At the bottom there was heartache for JohnLG as a 1-0 defeat at home to Armthorpe Rovers saw them relegated.

The team of the week is The Survivors – vital win to keep them in Division 1.

1. La Donny Luz (last season 7th) – just two season in Division 1 and CJ takes them back to the Premier League. La Donny enjoyed a very consistent season and they were always in the top three. They had the least goals conceded in the Opal – just 20.

2. Aberdeen Terrors (last season relegated) – a quick return for Rich Dimambro - one of the two original Opal managers. It looked as though Aberdeen would struggle as they were without a win their first 5 games but a run of 16 games unbeaten saw them in the top three and that’s where they stayed. A defeat in their last game saw them loose the title but this was compensated by a Cup Final win.

3. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 13th) – last season they were within a minute of going down but CJ restored normality this season. They did however, have a few of the typical Armthorpe slumps but luckily snapped out of these before too much damage was done.

4. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 12th) – a best finish for smudger in the 6 seasons since they were relegated from the Premier League. Their previous best was 8th. The Vipers had a slow start but an 11 game unbeaten run and a 9 game unbeaten run saw them up to 4th. Only 4 defeats all season and if smudger could have swapped some of the draws for wins they would have been pushing for a top 3 spot. A bonus was a Cup Final appearance where they lost a close game 2-1to Aberdeen. They have a strong squad so there is no reason why they should not be near the top next season.

5. Phantom Lords (last season 5th) – Chris Cook left mid-season and Scott Mason took them over and maintained their promotion push. The Lords were in with a shout right until the last day.

6. Top Gun (last season 11th) – Alan Buckley was never pushing for promotion but never threatened by relegation so a 6th place finish is an excellent result.

7. Doncaster Town (last season 6th) – always hovering round the promotion places CJ could not get a long unbeaten run going so it’s one place worse than last year. Will be one of the teams to beat next season.

8. Riverplate (last season relegated) – four points from their last 7 away games saw them drop away from the promotion race. A top half finish will be the target for MikeT next season.

9. Phoenix Vikings (last season 4th) – a disappointing season for Todd Cooper as Phoenix started as one of the bookies favourites. With 8 games to go it looked as though they had a real relegation battle on their hands but 6 wins saw them to 9th.

10. Dell Diamonds (last season 9th) – briefly hit the top three but just 3 wins in their last 11 games saw them drop away. MikeT will look for a promotion push next season.

11. Chester Town (last season promoted) – after 15 seasons in Division 2 Paul Wilson was determined to keep Chester in Division 1 in their first season. With just 1 win in their first 16 games it seemed highly unlikely but Paul stuck to his task and kept them up by 2 points. It will be vital for Chester to get a good start to the new season.

12. Edinburgh Celtics (last season 10th) – too many draws seemed to sending Edinburgh down and when they dropped into the bottom three with 3 games to go it looked curtains. However, Dorrie Boyle managed 2 wins and a draw to end the season and hang onto their place. They were strong defensively with only 26 goals conceded but a strike rate of 19 goals is not good enough and Dorrie will be looking to bring in 2 new strikers.

13.The Survivors (last season promoted) –this season was the first time that The Survivors have played higher than Division 2 since the Opal began 23 seasons ago but Stuart Meredith looked as though he was going straight back. The Survivors were in and out of the bottom three all season but they won their last 2 games to live up to their name and 'survived' by the skin of their teeth.

14. Wolversburg FC (last season 8th) – Lewis Brady departed towards the end of the season and Wolversburg became the control team. Four points from their last 7 games saw them relegated.

15. Duffield Dynamos (last season relegated) – a major surprise as JohnLG suffered a 2nd successive relegation. It was a bizarre season for John as Duffield played well in most games but a combination of bad luck and injuries took its toll as they fell just 3 points short of safety. Duffield had a 2nd place finish in the Youth League which bodes well for the future. Expect plenty of transfer activity as only promotion will be tolerated next season.

16. Woodley Wanderers (last season promoted) – similar to The Survivors this was the first time that Woodley had played higher than Division 2 football and sadly they are back down. It was a horrible season for Woodley who didn’t win until week 12 and it never really improved. Steve Wooldridge departed and was replaced by the experienced Rob Page, who will be looking to steady the boat next season.

Division 2

TEAM PUNISHMENT ARE CHAMPIONS

A goal 3 minutes from time by Andy Hand gave Team Punishment a 2-1 win and the Division 2 title as Chaddesden Celtic lost and Riot City FC drew.

The team of the week goes to Team Punishment – excellent win to secure the title..

1. Team Punishment (last season 5th) – back into Division 1 for CJ after just 2 seasons. It looked like a stroll in the park for TeamP after they started with a 13 game unbeaten run but a disastrous run saw them looking nervously over their shoulders until they won their last 2 games. The last time TeamP went up they only lasted 1 season so CJ will have this on his mind.

2. Riot City FC (last season 7th) – an excellent 2nd half of the season saw CJ take Riot City up to Division 1 – it will be the first time they have played higher than Division 2 football in the 23 seasons of the Opal. With a youngish side they will have to be at their best to survive.

3. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 8th) – razor lost just 1 game in Chadd’s first 11 games and promotion looked on the cards. They had a few minor blips but always pulled out a result when needed, helped by being the Opal’s joint top with 50 goals – they also had the joint top scorer in Enzo Francescoli with 15 goals. It is up to Division 1 at the 5th time of asking and Paul will be keen to keep them there.

4. Hentridge FC (last season 11th) – they lost their first 5 games and looked down and out but just 5 defeats in the remaining 25 games saw them into a creditable 4th place. Unfortunately Bo has had to leave SS and this team now needs a new manager.

5. Cusco (last season relegated) – they were either good or bad, which left them looking at a double relegation at one point and promotion the next. Matt (smelly) will be looking for a lot more consistency next season and if he can find this they should be one of the teams pushing for promotion.

6. Hundon Harriers (last season promoted) – Mark’s (Goodhead) target was to consolidate following promotion but it became apparent early on that Hundon were not in any danger of going down and a possible promotion looked more likely. They were never out of the top 6 and had a top 3 place until 6 games from home. Defensively they have been sound but with just 31 goals a new striker to accompany Jan Wysock will be a priority.

7. Tigre Victoria (last season 6th) – the season started horribly for Chris Farmer leaving them in the bottom three and a relegation battle in front of them. With 7 games to go they suddenly clicked into gear and won 6 of the remaining games for an unlikely 7th place finish. Chris will be looking for promotion next season.

8. Lokomotiv Leabrooks (last season promoted) – the Scottish Laird (Dave Curtis) had an excellent opening few games but then they seemed to hit a wall with just 1 win in their next 10. They slowly pulled things round and Dave finished with a good 8th spot and he would probably have taken tis before the season started.

9. Cupernham Rifles (last season 9th) – with just 4 points from their first 8 games it looked like a relegation battle for Steve Wooldridge but as the season progressed so did their form and a final flurry of 9 games without defeat saw them up to 9th. If the Rifles get a good start they should be chasing promotion.

10. Inter Southampton (last season promoted) – Dave Shepherd will have been disappointed that Inter never achieved any consistency all season. One point from their last 3 games saw them finish in a lowly 10th spot. Unless they can put a run together they will be mid-table again.

11. Pickering Town (last season 4th) – 10 points from their first 4 games and it looked like being another good season for Wayne but a few personal problems saw Wayne take a few weeks off and they lost 6 in a row to leave them facing a relegation battle. Wayne managed to steady the boat and he will be pleased with the end position. Another positive was their top goal scorer David Norwood, who followed up last season's 15 with 13 this year.

12. Skegness Town (last season 12th) – another 12th spot for Wayne Smith. It looked like being better when they took 20 points from their first 10 games but it slowly deteriorated and at the end it was a tense relegation battle.

13. Gigondas (last season relegated) – Dan Bell's problem was a small squad and when things were going wrong he had little choice. After 18 games they looked comfortable but 1 win in their last 10 left them just escaping relegation. It could well be a tough season for them next year.

14. Abysmal Aftermath (last season relegated) – after starting the season as one of the bookies favourites for promotion the season can only be described as appalling. They were always down near the bottom but MikeT saw a glint of hope with 3 wins in the last 5 games but it was too little too late.

15. Zantox Zity (last season 10th) – another surprise relegation with Shep's boys failing to win away in their first 12 away games. They will be looking for a quick return but there are some tough teams in Division 3 next season.

16. Hammerton Boyz (last season 13th) – after just escaping relegation in the last 2 seasons this season they were not so lucky. Hammerton have failed to put out 11 players in the last few weeks and the future of Colin Hammerton is unsure.

Division 3

WIGAN WIN THE DIVISION 3 CROWN

Wigan Wildcats take the title with a 3-1 win at home to Forest Reds. They pip Gleblands Town, who take 2nd place with a 2-1 win at home to Sky City

The team of the week is Wigan Wildcats – good win to end a great season.

1. Wigan Wildcats (last season 4th) – back to Division 2 after 2 seasons for Dave Wood. Wigan had a decent start and were up near the top from the halfway mark,but with just 4 games to go they had a wobble,having just been beaten by the fourth placed team. Woody didn't have to worry as they won the next game which ensured promotion, sold the oldies, and the new lads came in and did the business,winning the last three to take the title.

2. Gleblands Town (last season 8th) – forms part of the Scott Mason dynasty. They had a decent season last year but Scott bettered that with promotion this time. With only 2 defeats in their first 14 games Gleblands were well on their way but they had an iffy spell and promotion looked uncertain. They recovered their early season form with 5 games to go and picked up 13 points to take 2nd place.

3. Moles Keynes Dons (last season 15th) – last season David Lloyd came in as the manager and escaped the bottom spot on the last day of the season. As with all of the Moles teams Lloydy knows how to get the best out of his players and that was the case again. The season started well with 7 games unbeaten, the form dipped a little but a run of 5 wins on the bounce left promotion in the bag – they could even afford to collect just 2 points from the last 4 games.

4. Atomic Adulescentia (last season relegated) – a first full season for CJ and after a mediocre first half of the season the players seemed to gel and just 2 defeats in their last 14 games saw them finish a highly creditable 4th spot. Should be amongst the front runners next season.

5. Fortunes FC (last season 13th) – a consistent season for Scott as they were in the top 6 all year. They never really put together a long unbeaten run but a very satisfactory seasn for the Fortunes.

6. Sky United (last season 10th) – a poor start with just 4 points from their first 6 games and the season seemed to be over but Scott had other ideas and 2 unbeaten runs of 6 and 10 games saw United on the edge of the promotion chase.

7. Sky City (last season 11th) – a good start of 20 points from 10 games saw them in with a chance of promotion but they fell away in the second half of the season. There was an improvement of 4 positions and with a youth team title the future looks good.

8.Paulton’s Park Rangers (last season 7th) – Paultons started as one of the favourites yet again but Shep's boys were again a major disappointment and they finished up 1 position lower. Shep will be demanding a lot more in the coming season.

9. Woolwich Manor (last season 12th) – a record high for Dorrie with a 9th position finish and 40 points. There are 2 new signings in for next season and a quality youngster coming through the books. Dorrie will be targeting a top half finish at least next season.

10. Harlow Town (last season relegated) – one win in their first 8 games and Scott was destined for an average season. Will need to improve if they are going to finish in the top half.

11. KVFC Academy (last season 9th) –pretty disappointing season, KVFC had a fairly settled squad but they just didn't blend. Very young team, hence the academy title, but smudger may not be at the helm next season so any re-branding name suggestions let me know.

12. Jedi Knight (last season 16th) – after seasons of being the whipping boys the immediate future looks bright for Jedi as Chris Cook has taken them over.

13. Athletico Liverpool (last season relegated) – after last season's relegation it has all been about re-building for Scott.

14. Forest Reds (last season 14th) – a fourth season for Dag Yngve Overli and another disappointment as they finish 14th again.

15. Toyn Town FC (last season 6th) – they are without a win in 23 games, which is a surprise as they have a decent squad. Shep is re-naming the side in the hope this inspires the players.

16. Trent Bridge (last season 5th) – before the season started a top 6 finish was predicted by the bookies. Things did not go according to plan – Wayne left and Steve Wooldridge took them over towards the end of the season so they will be looking for a good start.

With all of the teams likely to be taken it looks like being another competitive season. Good luck to all managers in Season 24.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 24 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

BENTLEY PIP CHUCKS

What an end to the season as Bentley Vikings Old Boys win at York Rovers whilst Mighty Chucks could only draw 0-0 with Istra Pula allowing Bentley to overtake the Chucks at the last hurdle. At the bottom it was also tense as with 5 minutes to go La Donny Luz were drawing at Mexicana Wave and on the way down but an own goal by Mujangi Bia gave La Donny a vital win and sent Sylvan Lake down to Division 1.

The team of the week goes to Bentley Vikings Old Boys – great win to secure the title.

1. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 4th) – a tremendous second half of the season saw them lose only 1 game and hitting the top for the first time with 4 weeks to go. They were involved in a ding-dong of a battle with the Chucks in the run-in but a victory in their last match saw them overtake the Chucks and a 4th title for CJ – a first in 5 seasons.

2. Mighty Chucks (last season 3rd) – a third season in the Premier League and after two 3rd place finishes for Stuart Meredith he goes one better with the runners up spot. However, the title was there for the taking but a draw in their last game saw them pipped at the post. It has been another excellent performance by the Chucks, who were very consistent all season, who should be there again next season.

3.Loyal Rangers (last season 1st) – Andrew Gaudie looked as though he was going to guide Loyal Rangers to a 10th title when they topped the table for 6 weeks between weeks 18 and 23 but an unusually poor run in saw them collect only 2 wins in their last 9 games.

4. Aberdeen Terrors (last season promoted) – it looked as though newly promoted Aberdeen would struggle as they were without a win their first 6 games but Rich Dimambro steadied the boat and a run of 9 games without defeat saw them hit 4th place at week 21, which they held onto. RichD will be delighted with this season’s efforts but will want a better start.

5. Cupernham Kings (last season 5th) – two seasons in the Premier League for Steve Wooldridge and a 2nd 5th place finish. The Kings had their usual good start and were 2nd after week 6 but the rest of the season consisted of winning spells and losing spells. They were never any lower than 7th and with a bit more consistency they could be knocking on the door again.

6. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 12th) – a big surprise as Belmont get a top 6 spot after struggling for the last 2 seasons. In truth Chris Farmer will feel a little disappointed as Belmont topped the table for 8 weeks between weeks 9 and 17 but they could not reproduce the form in the second half of the season.

7. Mexicana Wave (last season 7th) – it was another of those seasons for chunky where they should have won games but didn’t. The highest spot they achieved was 6th and they will need to find a lot more consistency if they are going to make it a title season.

8. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 2nd) – after last season’s runner’s up spot it was always going to be a difficult season to follow for Shep. It was looking good when they started unbeaten in their first 11 games and topped the League for 4 of these weeks. However, their home form went to pot with only 1 win in 12 of these and they finished 8th.

9. Boo Boy FC (last season 9th) – taken over by Steve Readman and looked to be heading for a relegation scrap but just 1 defeat in their last 9 games and they finished up with a very respectable 40 points.

10. FC Abertawe (last season 8th) – as a sign of how tight the relegation battle has been this season MikeT was only out of the bottom 3 on goal difference but winning their last 2 games gives them a 10th spot. A bonus for FC Abertawe was their 2-0 Cup Final win over Crawford Park Rangers.

11. Armthorpe Rovers (last season promoted) – CJ started with 4 straight defeats and they didn’t climb out of the bottom 3 until week 15. A reasonable 2nd half of the season saw Armthorpe always keeping out of harm’s way.

12. La Donny Luz (last season promoted) – with 5 minutes to it looked like a short stay in the Premier League but a winner 5 minutes from time in their last match saw them undertake a Houdini escape!

13. Rapid Shackthar (last season 10th) – a 5th season in the bottom half of the table for chunky. It started ok with 4 unbeaten games but a run of 9 games without a win and they were bottom of the table. It did not improve and they were still bottom at week 21 – chunky just managed to find a few wins to keep Rapid a point clear of the drop zone at the end of the season.

14. Sylvan Lake (last season 6th) – after 5 seasons in the top flight Shep is back into Division 1 with Sylvan. A poor start with just 1 win in their last 6 saw them struggle all season and a defeat at home in their last game was compounded by the late winner from La Donny.

15. Istra Pula (last season 13th) – after 4 seasons of batting against relegation MikeT is back into Division 1. Without a win in their first 8 games the outcome was inevitable.

16. York Rovers (last season 11th) – a real yo-yo team for Steve Readman as he has seen seen York relegated, promoted, relegated and promoted and with just 2 seasons in the big time they are relegated again. York started well and after 6 games they were 5th but a run of 2 points from 11 games was their downfall.

Division 1

BUSH FAIR HARRIERS ARE RELEGATED

There was one relegation place to be sorted on the last week but with Phoenix Vikings, Doncaster Town ad Bush Fair Harriers all drawing it was Bush to be relegated.

The team of the week goes to Crawford Park Rangers – away win gives them 2nd spot.

1. Chaddesden Celtic (last season promoted) – a second, successive, promotion for razor and Chaddesden are into the Premier League for the first time in their history. It was a very steady season for razor as Chaddesden rarely dropped out of the top three. Goals were a big strength for Chaddesden as they hit the most in Division 1 with 56.

2. Crawford Park Rangers (last season relegated) – a quick return to the Premier League for Scott Mason. It was a very consistent season for Crawford, who were always pushing for promotion but 10 points from their last 4 games was the clincher. Scott also had a first Cup Final appearance as Crawford lost 2-0 to FC Abertawe.

3. The Survivors (last season 13th) – this was just their 2nd season playing football higher than Division 2 in 24 seasons and now Stuart Meredith is taking them into the big time. It looked odds on that they would be going up as champions with just 1 defeat in their first 21 games but 2 points from their next 6 bought them back to earth and they had to battle over the last few games.

4. Top Gun (last season 6th) – one point from their first 4 games did not hold out much hope but Top Gun were then unbeaten in the next 15 games and Alan Buckley was in the top three. A dip in form saw them down to 4th but with 4 weeks to go they were back into the top three. However just 5 points from these last 4 games saw them lose out by 3 points.

5. Riot City FC (last season promoted) – a first season for Riot playing football at this level and CJ will be pleased with what he saw. After 13 games they peaked in 2nd spot and although they could not maintain that high level of form a 5th place is a very good achievement.

6. Team Punishment (last season promoted) – started off like an express train and were top after 5 games. Inconsistency is the word CJ will probably use for the rest of the season but a top 6 finish will please him.

7. Dell Diamonds (last season 10th) – just after the half-way point MikeT was just above the bottom three but a good end to the season with only 1 defeat in 9 games saw them finish a respectable 7th.

8. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 4h) – after last season’s best finish for 6 seasons smudger was hoping for more of the same. His hopes were dashed with a poor start and they were in the bottom three at week 13 but a few good runs in the second half of the season saw a top half finish.

9. Edinburgh Celtics (last season 12th) – now under the managerial skills of Steve Readman who did very well to take them out of the bottom three to 9th place. The big challenge now starts as the fans will be expecting a top half finish.

10. Chapel North (last season relegated) – after last year’s surprise relegation Chris Farmer was looking for a good start – he was to be disappointed as Chapel lost their first three games. They suddenly found their feet and a run of 1 defeat in 13 games saw them into the top 6 – this was the best it got and they ended the season without a win in their last 8 home games.

11. Phoenix Vikings (last season 9th) – another disappointing season for Todd Cooper as Phoenix failed to produce the form he knows they are capable of. They spent parts of the season in the bottom three and still were in with a chance of relegation depending on the results of the last matches.

12. Doncaster Town (last season 7th) – started off as one of the bookies favourites but a poor start always left them chasing the pack. It got worse for CJ with 6 defeats in a row and they just avoided the drop.

13. Chester Town (last season 11th) – it was always going to be a tough season for Paul Wilson but he was pleasantly surprised with some steady football that took Chester to 6th with 5 weeks to go. On 35 points they looked safe but then disaster hit as they lost their last 5 games to finish just 2 points clear of the drop zone.

14. Bush Fair Harriers (last season 5th) – a first full season for Scott Mason and they missed out on staying up by just 2 points. A Mid season collapse with 1 win in 13 games was their downfall.

15. Stainsacre United (last season relegated) – a second successive relegation for Steve Readman. Two points from their first 5 games and they were always going to be embroiled in the relegation battle.

16. Riverplate (last season 8th) – started off badly, deteriorated in the middle and were utter crap at the end - the only person to blame was MikeT.

Division 2

GLEBELANDS SURVIVE

Glebelands Town had a 1-0 win at home to Duffield Dynamos to guarantee another season in Division 2.

The team of the week goes to Pickering Town – 4-1 win over the already promoted Rifles.

1. Cusco (last season 5th) – after just 2 seasons in Division 2 smelly takes Cusco back to Division 1 as Champions. It was an exceptional season for Matt (smelly) with Cusco who only lost 4 games. They were involved in a titanic battle for the title with Inter but a 6 game unbeaten run at the end saw them finish 8 points clear. Matt will be hoping this time he can keep Cusco up for more than 1 season.

2. Inter Southampton (last season 10th) – started like a rocket with 1 defeat in 17 games and 42 points already on the board. They battled with Cusco for the title but just ran out of steam in the end and took the runners up spot. It has been an interesting few seasons for Shep – just 8 seasons ago they were relegated from the Premier League, followed by 3 successive relegations to leave them in Division 3 – are they on the way back?

3. Cupernham Rifles (last season 9th) – one season in Division 3, just 3 seasons in Division 2 and now SteveW takes the Rifles up to Division 1. With the top two places taken by the half-way point it was always going to be a battle for the 3rd promotion race. The Rifles hit 3rd place in week 18 and remained there for 14 weeks despite firm challenges from other teams.

4. Skegness Town (last season 12th) – after finishing 12th in the last 2 seasons it was much better from Wayne Smith. After a poor opening Skeggie picked up and won the next 4 games – they were always around the top 6 but never hit the top three.

5. Tigre Victoria (last season 7th) – after a good start the supporters could sense a promotion season but 1 point from their next 7 games and it had turned to “get Farmer out” chants. Ten games later and without a defeat Chris was a hero again and they were on the edge of the promotion race. It could well be Tigre’s year coming up.

6. Crewedinese (last season 4th) – Gav Coyle took over at the start of the season but after leaving Steve Readman stepped in and kept them in the top 6.

7. Hundon Harriers (last season 6th) – after last season’s good performance Mark (Goodhead) was looking for more of the same and maybe an outside push at promotion. Hundon's start of 3 draws became typical of their season as they amassed 17 draws – a record for Division 2. With just 1 defeat in their first 16 games they hit 3rd place but a run of 5 draws removed any chance of promotion. Very strong defensively – they just need to add another 10 goals in the 'For' column.

8. Duffield Dynamos (last season relegated) – the home supporters were shocked as JohnLG left SS. In stepped Dave Lloyd to extend his ‘Moles’ portfolio and in his usual style took them from the bottom three to a Mid table position. A strong end to the season saw them go on an unbeaten 11 game run and bodes well for the future.

9. Arun Valley FC (last season relegated) – Steve Wooldridge is back in control at Arun (formerly Woodley). They have a decent squad, which is being improved and could be a dark horse next season.

10. Moles Keynes Dons (last season promoted) – a satisfactory first season in Division 2 with no major shocks.

11. Pickering Town (last season 11th) – a 2nd full season for Wayne Smith and a second 11th place. The season started badly and they always hovered just above the relegation pack.

12. Wigan Wildcats (last season promoted) – after last season's promotion Dave Wood was full of hope for the new season and after opening with 4 games unbeaten it looked positive. However, the next 8 games saw 7 defeats and Wigan were in the bottom three. The rest of the season was a combination of winning runs and losing runs and they finished up just 4 points clear of the drop. Must do better.

13. Glebelands Town (last season promoted) – forms part of the Scott Mason dynasty. With just 4 points from their first 8 games relegation looked a cert but a good mid-part of the season kept them safe -just!

14. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 8th) – Dave Curtis left mid-way through the season and they are looking for a new manager.

15. Wolversburg FC (last season relegated) – a second season for Wolversburg as the control team and a second relegation.

16. Gigondas (last season 13th) – just avoided relegation last season - they started badly and never got going. Dan Bell will be playing Division 3 football for the first time since Season 2 – some 22 seasons ago!

Division 3

ABYSMAL SEAL 2nd PLACE

All of the important places were already decided.

The team of the week is Abysmal Aftermath - 2nd place after a 2-0 win.

1. Jedi Knights (last season 12th) – a first full season for Chris Cook and what a season as they go up to Division 2 as Champions. They have been the Opal’s whipping boys for many seasons but at long last they seem to be heading for respectability. They were the Opal’s top scorers with 64 goals and in Matt Wirton they had the Golden Boot with 23 goals. They also broke the record for the largest goal difference for Division 3 with 46 goals.

2. Abysmal Aftermath (last season relegated) – after 2 successive relegations there is some light for MikeT as Abysmal were consistent all season and gained a deserved promotion.

3. Harlow Town (last season 10th) – a surprise promotion for Scott with Harlow Town after just 2 seasons in Division 3. At the half-way point they were 6th and 5 points off the pace but a strong second half to the season saw them hit the top 3 at week 24 and they never looked back.

4. Zantox Zity (last season relegated) – started as one of the bookies favourites and it all looked good for Shep as they cruised through the first 21 games but 3 points from the next 5 games and it was all over. They finished with 3 wins but finally missed out by 2 points.

5. Los Gigantes Saints (last season 8th) – it looked like another average season for Shep but just 1 defeat in their last 11 games makes them a team to watch next season.

6. Hammerton Boyz (last season relegated) – an outstanding performance at home secured a much higher place for Colin Hammerton then most people expected. The Boyz only lost 2 games and collected 31 points of their final 49.

7. Atomic Adulescentia (last season 4th) – after a 4th placed finish for CJ last season they were expected to be amongst the front runners but they never gained any momentum.

8. Forest Reds (last season 14th) – a sixth season for Dag Yngve Overli and one of his best.

9. St Lucia Saints (last season 15th) – a big improvement for Shep in his first full season. Thy can only get stronger so the future looks bright.

10. Sky United (last season 6th) – a good start by Scott saw Sky United pushing for a top 3 spot after 11 games but they lost their way and with 5 defeats to end the season they sank to 10th.

11. Woolwich Manor (last season 9th) – taken over by Chris Farmer and he steadied the sinking ship. The supporters will be expecting a top half finish.

12. Sky City (last season 7th) – a disappointing season for Scott, particularly away from home where they could only manage 1 win.

13. Martlesham Town (last season 11th) –inconsistency was evident as Martlesham had some good wins but then lost some easy ones. Smudger (Gary) will be looking to rectify this next season.

14. Tzeentch Demons (last season 16th) – a couple of managerial changes before Carl Garbett returned to the Opal. He has been busy adding to the team and could well be pushing for a top 3 spot.

15. Fortunes FC (last season 5th) – one win in their first 11 games and the season was over for Scott.

16. Athletico Liverpool (last season 13th) – with just 3 points from their first 10 games Scott was always fighting a losing battle. The reality is that there are not any real weak teams so if you have a bad start you are stuffed.

With only Lokomotiv Dinamo available it looks like being another competitive season. Good luck to all managers in Season 25.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 25

Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

RECORD BREAKING BENTLEY

All of the important issues were decided a few weeks ago although Bentley Vikings were chasing Opal Premier records. Today Bentley played The Survivors and returned with a 2-0 win and broke 5 records:

Most Points – 72
Most Wins – 22
Least Defeats – 2
Goal Difference – 41
Winning Points Margin - 17

The team of the week goes to Bentley Vikings Old Boys – winning end to a fantastic season.

1. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – a second successive title for CJ and a 5th title overall. Bentley hit the top of the table in week 11 and never looked back and eventually won by 17 points. The team will be just as strong next season so they will start as the bookies favourites.

2. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 4th) – a second season back in the Opal for one of the Opal’s original teams and a runner’s up position for Rich Dimambro. Aberdeen were only out of the top 6 for two weeks and were top for one week in week 6. A very consistent season and no reason to see any change next season.

3. Whitby Town (last season 9th) – a second season in the Steve Readman camp and what a season it was. They started the campaign as leaders in week 1 and were in the top 6 for 24 weeks – it could have been so much better as they only picked up 2 wins in their last 10 games. SteveR will have to make sure they play like they did in the first half of the season.

4. Mighty Chucks (last season 2nd) – after finishing 3rd, 3rd and 2nd last season most pundits had Stu to have the Chucks pushing for the title. However, a poor start of only 2 wins from their first 12 games left them thinking about a relegation battle! A good finish saw them undefeated in their last 8 games saw them through to an excellent 4th place.

5. FC Abertawe (last season 10th) – a much better season for Mike T although their away form was only average. Abertawe seemed to have peaked 4 seasons ago when they won the title and had slipped down the table since but a 5th place finish and a second Cup Final, although it was a 1-0 defeat to Chapel North - hopefully is a sign of things to come.

6. Zakynthos FC (last season 7th) – chunky had a good unbeaten start and was sitting top in week 7 but inconsistency set in again and they were never in the title race. It was a best finish in 4 seasons but they have never managed to rekindle the highs of their title win 5 seasons ago.

7. Chaddesden Celtic (last season promoted) – after two successive promotions it was a first taste of the big time for razor. It did not go according to plan as Chadd were without a win in their first 8 games and sitting bottom but the wins started to come and by week 15 they climbed out of the bottom three. A steady second half of the season saw a very creditable 7th place finish. Razor will not want a repeat start next season.

8.Loyal Rangers (last season 3rd) – Andrew Gaudie has been in the Premier League since the Opal started 25 seasons ago and incredibly his previous lowest finish was 7th. It started well for Loyal and they topped the table at week 9 but after that it was all downhill and they could not string two wins together. A late rally of 5 unbeaten games gave them a top half finish but it is not a season that Andrew will remember.

9. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 11th) – CJ started this season poorly as he did last season and Armthorpe were without a win until week 6. They rallied but could not get a long unbeaten run going and finished without a win in 5 games.

10. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 6th) – last season Chris Farmer surprised a lot of people by getting Belmont into 6th place and another good start saw them up to 2nd by week 11. They could not keep this pace up but were a top 6 team for two thirds of the season before 4 defeats in their final 5 games saw them finish 10th.

11. Cupernham Kings (last season 5th) – this was a 3rd Premier season for Steve Wooldridge and after finishing 5th both times previously a good season was anticipated. The Kings were off to a flyer with 4 straight wins and topped the league from weeks 2-5 and again in week 8. Inconsistency then set in but with 8 weeks to go they were still on for a top 6 finish, however just 1 win in the remaining games saw them a lowly 11th.

12. Super Sport FC (last season 13th) – a 6th consecutive season in the bottom half of the table for chunky. The highs were a 5th place in week 7 but the rest of the season was spent battling in the middle of the table.

13. La Donny Luz (last season 12th) – last season they escaped relegation with a late goal – it looked as though there would be no escape this year as they picked up just 2 points from their first 6 games. Four wins in the next 5 and they were out of the bottom three and the rest of the season saw CJ keep them just above the bottom three. They will have to improve next season or it could be 3rd time unlucky!

14. Crawford Park Rangers (last season promoted) – a brief stay in the Premier League and was not helped by the absence of Scott for a long period. Now under the management of Baz and it will be interesting to see how they fare in Division 1.

15. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 8th) – two seasons ago they were second, last year 8th and this season relegated so it’s down to Division 1 for Shep after 5 seasons. They started well and were 3rd after 4 weeks but only 1 win in the next 26 games sums up a very miserable season. If you had to come up with a reason it would have to be the forwards as St. Mary’s could only manage 17 all year.

16. The Survivors (last season promoted) – the first 12 games saw Stu only lose twice but 8 of these were draws and they were 4 points clear of the drop zone. They then went into self-destruction mode with only 8 points from their last 18 games and a quick return to Division 1.

Division 1

CUSCO ARE CHAMPIONS - ASKHAM ARE HEADING FOR THE BIG TIME

With 5 minutes to go the title was heading to Shep and Sylvan Lake but Bagrov fired home for Cusco at Kamikaze Vipers and Smelly take the title with Cusco.

There were six teams fighting for the remaining promotion spot but an own goal in the 3rd minute was enough to keep Askham Bryan United 3rd and SteveR is on his way to the Premiership.

The team of the week goes to Cusco – away win gives them the Division 1 Title.

1.Cusco (last season promoted) – what a couple of seasons it has been for smelly – champions of Division 2 last season and now champions of Division 1. Cusco hit the top three in week 12 and never looked back – they finished the season with 8 consecutive home wins and hit the top for the first time at week 30. It will be the 3rd time that Cusco have been in the Premier League (not under Smelly) – they lasted one year in season’s 6 and 12 and two seasons in 14 and 15 - in Matt will be hoping to make it a longer stay.

2. Sylvan Lake (last season relegated) – promotion after just one season for Shep. Sylvan won their first two home games and lost their two away games – they then only lost 1 of the next 16 games to put them firmly on the promotion trail. Sylvan were top for 17 weeks in the season and Shep will be disappointed not to take the title.

3. Askham Bryan United (last season 9th) – a second season under the managerial skills of Steve Readman. There were 5 teams looking for the 2nd spot in the last week but Askham kept their nerve to take a 1-0 win and promotion. They were never seen as true contenders but SteveR won his last three games whilst the other teams floundered.

4. Team Punishment (last season 6th) – were always in the hunt and CJ was in the top three several times. They could not get a long unbeaten run going and this has cost them promotion – will be one of the favourites next season.

5. Phoenix Vikings (last season 11th) – Todd Cooper started with 2 wins but then failed to win in the next 7 games and they were just above the drop zone. Just 1 defeat in the next 17 games and promotion looked to be on the cards. Nerves then set in and 3 defeats in the last 4 games saw them 3 points behind 3rd place.

6. Top Gun (last season 4th) – unbeaten in their first 10 games and Alan Buckley was thinking of promotion – a couple of defeats and there were niggling doubts but anther run of 9 unbeaten games and promotion was still on the cards. Disaster then struck with 5 defeats and it was similar to last season where it was a case of what might have been!

7. Riot City FC (last season 5th) – a second season for CJ in Division 1 – it was a case of win a few and lose a few and at week 23 Riot were 10th and 11 points adrift. They then went on a 5 game winning run and with 2 games to go they looked a good bet for promotion but 2 draws left them 4 points off the pace.

8. Doncaster Town (last season 12th) – another poor start left CJ chasing the pack. Their home record was the main reason they were still on the edge of promotion – Doncaster collected 31 of their 44 points at home but could not reproduce that away from home.

9. Chapel North (last season 10th) – Chris Farmer was off to a good start with a 6 game unbeaten run and 3rd place but 4 defeats in a row and they were back to 11th. The rest of the season was hit and miss and a 9th place finish – one better than last year. The bonus was a Cup Final win against FC Abertawe and a first Cup Final win for Chris in 20 seasons.

10. Istra Pula (last season relegated) – MikeT was looking for a quick return to the Premiership but it was a very indifferent season for Istra and they had to settle for Mid table. They are far too inconsistent and they will be looking over their shoulders again next season.

11. Dell Diamonds (last season 7th) – with just 2 points from their first 6 games MikeT was bottom and relegation looked on the cards. They slowly improved and a win at week 30 gave them another year in Division 1, however they have a young team and next season looks as though it will be more of the same

12. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 8h) – after another slow start smudger went on an 8 game unbeaten run to be in 7th position. This was followed by 4 defeats in a row and it was always going to be battle against being pulled into the relegation fight.

13. Inter Southampton (last season promoted) – with just 2 wins in the first half of the season Shep was in the bottom three and a fight to avoid a quick return to Division 2. Inter hovered around this position all season and didn’t secure safety until week 29. Shep will be looking to get a good start or they could be in trouble again.

14. Cupernham Rifles (last season promoted) – after just 1 season SteveW is relegated back to Division 2. A third of the way through the season it was looking bright for the Rifles as they sat in 8th position and closer to the top than the bottom. However, just 2 points from their next 9 games and they were in the mire and that’s the way it remained.

15. York Rovers (last season relegated) – a second successive relegation for Steve Readman. With just 1 win in their 13 games Steve was always fighting a losing battle although they were not officially relegated until week 30! It will be the first time York have played outside of the top two divisions – they have spent 23 seasons in the Premier League and 3 in Division 1.

16. Chester Town (last season 13th) – Paul Wilson is relegated after 3 seasons in Division 1. Chester won their first game of the season and the supporters were hopeful but they had to wait until week 18 for the next one! It was season without an away win and PaulW will want to rectify this quickly.

Division 2

STAINSACRE ARE CHAMPIONS

Stainsacre United swept to the Division 2 title with a thumping 5-0 win at their stable mates par Athletic.

At the bottom it was Riverplate and Moles Keynes Dons who dropped through the trap door.

The team of the week goes to Stainsacre United – 5-0 win for the title.

1. Stainsacre United (last season relegated) – after two successive relegation for Steve Readman Stainsacre are back into Division 1. They only lost 1 of their first 21 games – lost their way slightly but ended with 4 straight wins for a deserved title. SteveR will be focussed on getting them back to the Premier League

2. Abysmal Aftermath (last season promoted) – two successive relegations have been followed by two successive promotions for MikeT. Abysmal did not lose a home game all season and the title was there for the taking but a defeat against struggling Chapel South at week 29 left them fighting for 2nd spot.

3. Jedi Knights (last season promoted) – another incredible season for Chris Cook as Jedi get a second successive promotion. Jedi have been the Opal’s whipping boys for many seasons but Chris seems to have found the secret formula based on scoring. Last season they hit 64 goals and had the Golden Boot – this season it is 62 goals and runner up in the Golden Boot. A run of 9 straight wins thrusted them from possible promotion candidates to a battle for the title.

4. Duffield Dynamoles (last season 8th) – an excellent finish for Lloydy – at week 13 they were Mid table but a 5 game winning run saw them into 3rd place. They could not maintain this momentum but a very good finish for the DDMoles.

5. Hundon Harriers (last season 7th) – Mark (Goodhead) achieved his best finish to date with Hundon. The first 5 away games were all victories and Hundon occupied the top spot from week’s 7-11. Strangely after that it was the away record that let Hundon down with just 2 more in the remaining 11 games. Hundon were always in the top 6 and will be one of the favourites for next season.

6. Tigre Victoria (last season 5th) – there were high hopes from the Chris Farmer camp of promotion before the season began. It was, however a very inconsistent season and ending the season with 5 home wins could not mask the frailties of this team.

7. Pickering Town (last season 11th) – a creditable finish for Wayne Smith considering the terrible start of Pickering. After 5 games they were sitting bottom with just 1 point but they slowly crawled their way to safety - a 7 game unbeaten run early in the second half of the season was enough to keep them out of danger.

8. Skegness Town (last season 4th) – SteveR has added them to his portfolio and a Mid table finish will be a good starting point for next season.

9. Par Athletic (last season 6th) – a second season for Steve Readman and a respectable finish. A good start saw Par in the top three at week 6 but a run of 2 points from 8 away games saw them happy with a Mid table finish.

10. Harlow Town (last season promoted) – part of the Scott Dynasty – his absence saw Harlow stay in Division 2 on the back of a very good home record where they picked up 23 points of their 37.

11. Bush Fair Harriers (last season relegated) – another Scott team – it was their away record that kept them up - they picked up 20 points from their total of 34.

12. Chapel South (last season 9th) – Parkside makes a welcome return to the Opal and has taken over at the helm. He inherits a decent squad and with a few additions they should be Mid table.

13. Glebelands Town (last season 13th) – a second successive season for Scott, where they finish just above the bottom three. It looks as though next year which will be a struggle as well.

14. Moles Keynes Dons (last season 10th) – relegation after 2 seasons for Lloydy. A terrible end to the season with 1 point from 4 games saw them slip into the bottom three and are relegated by 1 point.

15. Riverplate (last season relegated) – three relegations in 4 seasons and Riverplate drop from the Premier to Division 3. Last season I wrote “started off badly, deteriorated in the middle and were utter crap at the end the only person to blame was MikeT” and I can only repeat these words.

16. Wigan Wildcats (last season 12th) – two seasons in Division 2 and Woody is back in Division 3. Wigan were bottom after week 1 and it didn’t get any better as they lost 19 of their games. It is a big surprise to see Dave back in Division 3 with a strong Wigan side and they will be one of the favourites next season.

Division 3

SHOCK AS TWO MANAGER-LESS SIDES GO UP

Zantox Zity were up so it was the two other promotion places. Wins for Lokomotiv Dinamo and Sky United put an end to the other sides aspirations.

The team of the week goes to Huntley Fairways - excellent win at Kesgrave but just too late.

1.Zantox Zity (last season 4th) – there was no messing about this year for Shep as they put last season’s demons to rest when they missed out on promotion after a big collapse. Just 2 games were lost - the last 17 were unbeaten as they romped to the title by 14 points and return to Division 2 after 2 seasons.

2. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season relegated) – they are the control team so promotion is totally unexpected. Shame on you Opal managers!

3. Sky United (last season 10th) – Scott has been absent so it is a big shock that United are promoted back to Division 2 after 4 seasons.

4. Huntley Fairways (last season 14th) – on the face of it a good finish for Carl in his first full season but with 7 weeks to go they were 2nd and a 6 point cushion. The collapse then set in with just 3 points from 6 games and the dream was over. Hunley had the best defensive record in the Opal with only 14 goals conceded but with only 25 goals scored Carl will be working on this.

5. Sky City (last season 12th) – a new manager in Mark (Goodhead) for the new season and back to their original name of Southpool.

6. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 13th) –a cracking start by Smudger (Gary) saw Kesgrave win 5 on the bounce and they were riding high at the top. They could not keep the momentum going but they still had a top 3 place with 6 weeks to go but with 3 defeats they just missed out.

7. Woolwich Manor (last season 11h) – with just 5 points from the first 7 games Chris Farmer was not expecting a good season, however Woolwich clicked into gear and with 7 games to go they were only a point from a top 3 place. Woolwich only lost 1 of the last 7 but there were 5 draws, which put an end to their hopes. ChrisF will be very pleased with the 7th place and should be knocking on the door again next season.

8. Atomic Adulescentia (last season 7th) – one of the fancied teams but CJ could not find any consistency and a disappointing finish.

9. Gigondas (last season relegated) – a poor first half of the season saw Dan Bell 4th from bottom. A much improved second half saw them through to a Mid table finish but Dan has plenty of work to do if Gigondas are to recapture their former glories.

10. Wolversburg FC (last season relegated) – had a temporary manager in MikeT for a short while but now taken over by Ady, who has big ambitions. Will be a team to watch next season.

11. Forest Reds (last season 8th) – after last season’s best finish Dag Yngve Overli would have been expecting more. It was looking good at week 19 when they were sitting nicely in 3rd place but they only managed 1 more win in the remainder of the season.

12. Los Gigantes Saints (last season 5th) – back to square one for Shep as Los Gigantes could never get going.

13. St Lucia Saints (last season 9th) – after last season’s big improvement for Shep in his first full season expectations were high but it was not to be as St Lucia disappointed.

14. Athletico Liverpool (last season 16th) – at least they were not team 64!!

15. Fortunes FC (last season 15th) – one win in their first 22 games and another next to bottom finish.

16. Hammerton Boyz (last season 6th) – team 64 spot for Colin Hammerton although to be fair I don’t think he has been around that much.

There are not any un-managed teams at the time of going to press so it looks like being another competitive season. Good luck to all managers in Season 26.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 26 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

CHORLTON ARE DOWN

Chorlton Athletic are relegated after they lost at home to Whitby Town and La Donny Luz won at Salford Saints. Both winning goals came in the 86th minute!!

The team of the week goes to La Donny Luz – battling win secures safety.

1.Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – a third successive title for CJ and a 6th title overall. Bentley lost just 3 games all season – all away from home – in fact their home league form is something the rest of us can only dream about – they are now unbeaten in 49 matches. Again will be the team to beat next season.

2.Whitby Town (last season 3rd) – another incredible season for Steve Readman as Whitby improved to 2nd. They started off well again with 8 wins and a draw to lead the table by 8 points – at the halfway point they were level with Bentley but could not keep up this pace. They finished up 11 points behind Bentley but 11 points clear of 3rd place.

3.Cusco (last season promoted) – after 2 successive titles it was going to be interesting to see how Matt (smelly) coped. The answer is simple – amazing! Four wins in the first five games and they were flying but then 1 point from the next 3 games and the doubters came - Matt got the boys playing well again and a strong end to the season saw a fantastic 3rd place finish.

4.Loyal Rangers (last season 8th) – Andrew Gaudie has been in the Premier League since the Opal started 25 years ago and after his lowest ever finish last season they are back into the top four. It was a strange season though as they picked up 33 points at home but only 12 points away.

5. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 10th) – a very good season for Chris Farmer with a top 6 finish and a Cup Final win against Dell. It was a consistent season for Belmont with no major blips but no big unbeaten runs. Chris will be looking to try and mount a title challenge next season.

6. Cupernham Kings (last season 11th) – there was a surprise as SteveW decided to step down and Baz Panter took them on. An excellent first half of the season saw them up to 3rd but 9 games without a win saw them drop down to the table - their early season form saw them through to a very respectable top 6 finish.

7. FC Abertawe (last season 5th) – a very mixed season for Mike T with very few highlights and a poor end to the season saw them flirt with relegation.

8. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 9th) – it was an average season for CJ with few highlights and a poor end to the season with just 2 wins in the last 9 games saw them with an eye on the teams below them.

9. Mighty Chucks (last season 4th) – a repeat of last season with a terrible start and again only 2 wins from the first 12 games saw them languishing next to bottom. Another second half recovery saw them climb to 9th. Stu will want to avoid a hat-trick of poor starts next season.

10. Salford Saints (last season 6th) – chunky had a reasonable start and was looking to push on but yet again inconsistencies set in and a run of 1 point from 6 games saw them staring at a shock relegation - a good run saw them rally to finish 10th. Chunky will be looking to iron out the defensive frailties next season.

11. Askham Bryan United (last season promoted) – it was always going to be a tough season Steve Readman but after 20 games they were sitting Mid table. Seven games without a win and they were looking at relegation but 7 points from their last 3 games saw them just about kept their heads above water.

12. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 7th) – similar to last season as a poor start with just 1 win in their first 9 games saw them fighting relegation. Razor was still in trouble at the half way point but they slowly picked up points and a draw in their last game saw them secure safety.

13. La Donny Luz (last season 13th) – after 2 seasons of just avoiding relegation it looked like it would be 3rd time unlucky for CJ but a win in their last game saw them stay up. With just 3 wins in the first half of the season they were always in big trouble but winning their last 2 games just kept them up. Could well be another difficult season for CJ coming up.

14. Chorlton Athletic (last season 12th) – a defeat on the last day saw Chorlton relegated after 8 seasons in the big time. After7 consecutive seasons in the bottom half of the table it probably was not a major surprise but chunky will want to prove a point next season.

15. Sylvan Lake (last season promoted) – becoming a yo-yo team for Shep as back down after just 1 season. They had a decent start and were 5th after 9 games but just 2 wins in the second half of the season saw them relegated. They will start as one of the favourites in Division 1 next season.

16. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 2nd) – a major shock as Aberdeen are back to Division 1 after 3 seasons. Aberdeen started poorly but by the half way point had recovered to 10th - just 1 win in the second half of the season saw Rich Dimambro scratching his head in disbelief as they sank like a stone

Division 1

DONCASTER UP IN LAST GASP WIN

A great 4-1 for Doncaster Town at The Survivors and a draw between Istra Pula and Chapel North saw Doncaster leap-frog over Istra to take the last promotion slot.

The team of the week goes to Doncaster Town – away win gives them promotion.

1.Jedi Knights (last season promoted) – another incredible season for Chris Cook as Jedi join the select group of clubs that have gone from Division 3 to the Premier League in 3 seasons. Five wins and a draw in their first six games saw them top and they never looked back – a sequence of 8 consecutive wins also emphasised their domination. It will be the first time that Jedi have been in the Premiership.

2. Stainsacre United (last season promoted) – another of the promoted teams go up to the Premiership as Steve Readman takes Stainsacre back to the Premiership after a gap of 3 seasons. They started without a win in the first 3 games but then won 6 in a row and were always up near the top - with just 1 defeat in their last 18 games they secured a well deserved promotion.

3. Doncaster Town (last season 8th) – after being in the top three for the second half of the season it looked like CJ had blown it when they were replaced by Istra in the top three with a week to go. A fantastic away win in the last game and a draw for Istra saw Doncaster into the Premier League after a gap of 5 seasons.

4. Istra Pula (last season 10th) – MikeT needed a win in the last game to go up but a draw left them in 4th place. To be honest it was a lot higher finish than was expected

5. Chapel North (last season 9th) – they started poorly but they recovered well and by week 12 they were up to 2nd. Chris Farmer could not maintain this form and they hovered in the top 6 – a strong end to the season saw them with a chance of promotion in the last game of the season.

6. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 12th) – after another slow start Gary was in the bottom three at week 9. They were still in trouble at week 17 when they were next to bottom but suddenly they started playing and rapidly climbed the table to finish 6th. The Vipers have never been out of the top 2 divisions and after 9 seasons in Division 1 Gary would love to get them back to the big time.

7. Abysmal Aftermath (last season promoted) – just failed to make it a hat-trick of promoted teams going up – with 5 games to go they were in with a chance but 3 defeats in a row left MikeT in 7th spot.

8. FC Emelec (last season relegated) – it was first full season for Baz and at the half way point everything was looking good as they sat in 2nd spot. They were still going well in week 22 but just 1 win in the remaining games saw them slip down to 8th.

9. Riot City FC (last season 7th) – a third season for CJ in Division 1 – it was a case of win a few and lose a few and they hovered around Mid table all season.

10. St. Mary’s Saint (last season relegated) – a first season back in Division 1 for Shep and after 6 games they were 2nd and looking for a quick return. However two points from the next 7 games mapped out the rest of the season for them and a 10th placed finish.

11. Dell Diamonds (last season 11th) – another poor start for MikeT with 4 defeats but similar to the previous season they slowly improved and looked fairly safe with 10 games to go. However a good cup run interfered with their league form and they needed to win the last 2 games to stay up. Dell reached the final but lost 2-1 to Belmont.

12. Team Punishment (last season 4th) – started as one of the favourites but terrible away form – just 4 points from the last 13 games saw CJ rely on their home form to keep just out of the relegation battle.

13. Phoenix Vikings (last season 5th) – five wins in the first 7 games and Todd was looking at a good season but just 1 win from the next 12 and they were just above the drop zone. Phoenix picked up a little in the later games but finished with 2 defeats and although never in danger of going down Todd will not be happy with their final position.

14. Top Gun (last season 6th) – a major surprise as Alan Buckley left after many seasons and Baz took over with Top Gun firmly rooted on the bottom. They battled for the rest of the season and only just missed out in the end.

15. The Survivors (last season relegated) – a second successive relegation for Stu and a surprising one. With just 1 win in their first 10 games they were established in the bottom three and they only started to show a glimmer of their true abilities in the last few games.

16. Inter Southampton (last season 13th) – last year they just survived – this season Shep was not so lucky as Inter go down. It makes depressing reading for Shep with just 1 home win and without a win in their last 12 games.

Division 2

YORK AND PARKSIDE TAKE FINAL PROMOTION PLACES

York Rovers make a quick return after beating Chester 1-0. Parkside United needed a miracle to go up and they got it – they beat Bush Fair Harriers 4-0 whereas Hundon Harriers and Chester Town both lost so Parkside jumped from 5th to 3rd.

The team of the week goes to Parkside United – what a final week.

1. Priory Athletic (last season 8th) – SteveR’s first season with Priory and what a performance. They were not tipped to go up but Steve weaved his magic and Priory had a very consistent season to eventually take the title by 7 points. Back in Division 1 after 5 seasons and also the joint Golden Boot Winner with Eddie Morrison.

2. York Rovers (last season relegated) – this season was the first time that York have played outside of the top two Divisions and Steve Readman ensured it was a short stay to give him the top two teams in the Division. They were always there or thereabouts for the first two thirds of the season but with just 1 defeat in their last 11 games they were worthy of promotion.

3. Parkside United (last season 12th) – a first full season for Rob (Parkside) and he will not believe that he has managed to get them promoted back to Division 1 after 3 seasons. With 4 games to go Parkside looked certain to go up as they were scoring goals for fun but the nerves set in and 3 defeats in a row left them needing a miracle in the last week – the goals returned as Parkside won and with Hundon and Chester losing they took the 3rd spot. Their 62 goals made them the top scorers in the Opal – they also had the joint Golden Boot winner with Paulo Razcos Rotheiro.

4. Hundon Harriers (last season 5th) – major disappointment for Mark (Goodhead) as he watched in disbelief as Hundon threw away promotion. At week 24 they were top with an 8 point cushion, only 3 defeats and just 17 goals conceded – they then went into self destruct mode with 6 defeats in a row. All was not lost as they won and moved back into the top three and needed a win from the last game against the champions. Hundon were in total control but somehow managed to lose 3-2 and just miss out again. They will start next season as big favourites.

5. Chester Town (last season relegated) – at the half way point they were 10th and didn’t look like promotion candidates but Paul Wilson turned in a great run of 1 defeat in 12 games and only goal difference was keeping them out of the top three. A win in the last game would have seen them promoted but they lost 1-0 to York and missed out by 2 points.

6. Zantox Zity (last season promoted) – five wins from their first six games and Shep was top and looking at a 2nd successive promotion. They could not maintain this form but at week 21 were still hot on the tails of the top three but 4 defeats in 5 games left them with too much to do. A strong finish saw them up to 6th and just 3 points off the pace.

7. Par Athletic (last season 9th) – Steve Readman started unbeaten in the first 12 games and were firmly established in the top three. They were still in the top three after 18 games but just 5 points from the next 6 games saw them 5 points off the pace. With 1 point from their last 3 home games they were down to 7th but still only 4 points behind the top 3.

8. Tigre Victoria (last season 6th) – there were high hopes from the Chris Farmer camp of promotion before the season began. It was, however another inconsistent season and ending the season with 5 wins from 7 games could not mask the frailties of this team.

9. Duffield Dynamoles (last season 4th) – a poor start for Lloydy left DDMoles always chasing the pack. One defeat in the next 9 games and DDMoles were up to 8th and back in the promotion race but they could not maintain this pace and finished 6 points off the pace.

10. Cupernham Rifles (last season relegated) – started off as one of the favourites and with just 1 defeat in their first 12 games Steve Wooldridge was right in the mix. Their home form then went to pot with 1 point from the next 5 home games and 1 point from the last 5 games ended a season that could have been so much better.

11. Torpedo Belper (last season 7th) – taken into Razor’s control and renamed Torpedo Belper. With just 1 win in their first 10 games it looked like being a struggle but Paul managed to get the team playing and with a few additions they could be a team to watch next season.

12. Bush Fair Harriers (last season 11th) – now a vacant team

13. Glebelands Town (last season 13th) – taken over by Shep and he will be looking to add a few players and push for a top half position.

14. Sky United (last season promoted) – now a vacant team.

15. Harlow Town (last season 10th) – now a vacant team.

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season promoted) – it was a surprise last season when the control team was promoted and no surprise they are going back down.

Division 3

TOP THREE ALL DRAW BUT STILL GO UP

Moles Keynes Dons took the title after a 1-1 draw with 2nd placed Southpool. Wigan Wildcats took 3rd place with a 0-0 draw after Riverplate surprisingly lost at home to Fortunes FC. Two of last season’s relegated teams are promoted with the other finishing 5th.

The team of the week is Fortunes FC – surprise win at Riverplate.

1. Moles Keynes Dons (last season relegated) – Lloydy started with 10 games unbeaten and were sitting proudly at the top. Their away form was patchy after this but just 1 home defeat all season (and that came in week 30) saw the Moles to the title and back to Division 2 after just 1 season.

2. Southpool (last season 5th) – a great season for Mark (Goodhead) as he takes Southpool up in his 1st full season. It didn’t look like being a promotion season after they lost their first 3 away games and they were Mid table but an undefeated run of 11 games saw them up to 2nd place. One in the next 5 and things were looking a little shaky but they recovered well and despite failing to win their last 2 games they are back in Division 2 after 6 seasons.

3. Wigan Wildcats (last season relegated) – back into Division 2 after 1 season and what a relief for Woody. It looked like a walk in the park as they won their first 6 games and despite a few minor wobbles they had an 8 point cushion over 4th place at week 22. The nerves then set in with just 5 points from the next 7 games and they were just hanging onto 3rd place – in the end a surprise loss by Riverplate saw Wigan up and Woody will want to make it longer than their last stay of 2 seasons.

4. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 6th) – another good start by Gary saw them in the top three but a poor run saw them drop down to Mid table. An excellent run of 14 points from the last 6 games was just not enough and Kesgrave just miss out again – with a little more consistency they should be pushing for promotion again next season.

5. Riverplate (last season relegated) – after tumbling from the Premiership to Division 3 in just 3 seasons MikeT was looking to make a quick return. After 11 games they were nicely placed in 3rd place but by week 20 they had slipped to 9th place. Seven wins and 2 draws in the next 9 games left them with just needing a win at home to Fortunes in the last game – bearing in mind they had lost their last 7 games it looked a formality but football is a strange game and Fortunes took a 1-0 win.

6. Woolwich Manor (last season 7th) – one place higher for Chris Farmer this season but with only 4 points after 5 games it didn’t look like being a good season. One defeat in the next 13 games saw them up to 5th and looking good – they lost the next 3 and despite an excellent haul of 20 points from the last 9 games they finished 2 points behind the top three.

7. Huntley Fairways (last season 4th) – before the season started they were tipped as one of the favourites to go up but it was always going to be tough for Carl this season with the strength of the relegated teams. They had a decent start with only 2 defeats in the first 12 games but 3 defeats in a row left them in 9th place at the half way point. They seemed to be making a big surge with 4 wins and a draw in the next 5 saw them to within a point of a top 3 place but they could not maintain this form and eventually fell 4 points short.

8. Forest Reds (last season 11th) –Dag Yngve Overli has now left so Forest Reds are looking for a new manager.

9. St Lucia Saints (last season 13th) – 4 places better for Shep – they had a few good runs but could not keep up the momentum for long.

10. AP Wanderers (last season 10th) – taken over by Shep and at week 23 they were in the top three but just 1 more win in their remaining games saw them slip down the table. Could be a good outsider for next season.

11. Hammerton Boyz (last season 16th) – five places better for Colin Hammerton although to be fair I don’t think he has been around that much.

12. Atomic Adulescentia (last season 8th) – taken over by Chris Cook last season and it has been a mixed season for Atomic. Chris will be looking to weave some of the Jedi magic next season.

13. Gigondas (last season 9th) – another disappointing display from Gigondas although not sure if Dan Bell was around that much.

14. Los Gigantes Saints (last season 12th) – last season I wrote “back to square one for Shep as Los Gigantes could never get going” Sums up this season as well.

15. Fortunes FC (last season 15th) – one place better than last season – MikeT has taken them over!!

16. Athletico Liverpool (last season 14th) – with just 5 points from their last 29 away games it is no surprise that they are team 64. MikeT has taken them on to see if he can change their form.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 27 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

WHITBY TAKE THE TITLE AND LOYAL ARE DOWN

A 2-0 win for Whitby Town at Jedi Knights saw Whitby take the title by 3 points. At the other end of the table there was a dramatic end to the season with Loyal Rangers needing a win to stay up but they lost to Belmont and it was Askham Bryan United that survived with a home win against Bentley Vikings.

The team of the week goes to Whitby Town – away win gives them the title.

1.Whitby Town (last season 2nd) – another incredible season for Steve Readman as Whitby are the new Premier League Champions. It is a 2nd Premier Title but the first under Steve after a 3rd place, followed by last year’s 2nd.They started well with just 1 defeat in the first 15 games and had 3 appearances at the top. Week 20 saw them at the top and they never looked back until they lost at week 30 and left a chance for the chasers to move in but a win in the last week saw them take the title by 3 points.

2.FC Abertawe (last season 7th) – top at weeks 1 and 3 – a very good season without going on any massive win sequences. They could have taken the title but only 5 points from their last 4 games saw MikeT fall agonisingly short of a 2nd title.

3.Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – after 3 successive titles Bentley started as favourites but 2 points from the first 6 games saw them next to bottom and nobody would have given them a chance of being a title candidate. Suddenly CJ found the magic ingredient and they hauled them self up the table – in the last 12 home games they picked up 34 points (amazing) and going into the last game they had the chance of a League and Cup double. Week 31 was not kind as they lost in the League and lost 2-1 in the Cup Final.

4.Cupernham Kings (last season 6th) – a fantastic first full season for Baz Panter as he followed up last year’s excellent finish with an even better 4th spot. Their success hinged on some fantastic home performances where they didn’t lose until their last game. A purple spell in the middle of the season saw them top the table from weeks 14-19 but they could not keep up this pace and they were always just off the pace.

5.Chaddesden Celtic (last season 12th) – a 3rd season in the top flight and a best finish yet for Paul Rothon (Razor). They hit 3rd place in Week 22 but 3 defeats in a row left them fighting for a top 6 spot, which they duly achieved. If they can put a few winnings runs together next season they will be one to watch.

6.Jedi Knights (last season promoted) – after 3 successive promotions all eyes were on Chris Cook to see what he could do in Jedi’s first venture into the Premiership. The answer was excellent and with just 1 defeat in their first 10 games saw them top in 6 of the weeks. They could not keep up this blistering pace but 3 wins in the last 4 games saw them through to top 6 finish – it will be tough to recreate this next season but you never know.

7.Salford Lads Club (last season 10th) – chunky had a good start and they were 2nd at week 5 but yet again the inconsistencies from previous seasons continued and they were down to 9th by week 14. They could not get going after that and they hovered around mid-table before finishing 7th – an improvement on last season but since they were champions 7 seasons ago Mid table seems to be the norm!

8.Armthorpe Rovers (last season 8th) – a poor first 11 games saw them in the bottom three and staring at a relegation battle. CJ managed to get them going with 16 points from the next 7 games to accelerate them up to 10th but another bad run with 1 win in 7 left them just above the bottom three. Again they managed to rediscover their form and 4 wins in the last 5 games saw them up to 8th – the same as last season.

9.Doncaster Town (last season promoted) – a first run in the Premier League for 5 seasons for CJ looked as though it would end in tears as just 2 wins in the first 9 games left them in the bottom three. They stayed in the bottom three until week 20 but could not pull away and were still deep in trouble with 7 games to go – a nice run of 3 wins saw them climb the table to finish in a respectable 9th spot.

10. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 5th) – big things were expected from Chris Farmer after an excellent season with Belmont last year. However, just 2 wins in the first 8 games left them 11th – it didn’t improve and at the half way stage only goal difference kept them out of the bottom three. The second half of the season them win a few then lose a few and with 2 games to go they were only 3 points clear of the drop zone but wins in their last 2 games saw them to safety.

11.Cusco (last season 3rd) – after finishing 3rd in their first season it was going to be a difficult task to recreate for Matt (smelly) but with just 2 defeats on their first 13 games they were nicely placed in 6th position. A 6 game run without a win meant they were not going to push for the title but they were still placed for a top half finish – suddenly their home form went to pot and they couldn’t find a win in their last 8 so an 11th place finish. There are some good teams coming up so Matt knows it is essential for another good start.

12.Mighty Chucks (last season 9th) – a repeat of last season with a poor start and three defeats in a row for Stu. They recovered well and by week 17 they were up to 9th. They were hoping for s strong second half of the season but just 2 wins in 13 games saw them only a point clear of the bottom three – a win in the last match saw them survive. Stu will be looking for a much better season.

13.Askham Bryan United (last season 11th) – a second season in the Premier League for Steve Readman and they started very well and were 5th after 10 games and it all looked rosy. Complacency seemed to set in and they could only manage 1 win in the next 12 to leave them just out of the relegation zone with 8 games to go. Two wins in a row and 31 points in the bag they looked safe but 1 point from the next 5 games saw them in the bottom three with 1 game to go. In an amazing last match they pulled out a win over Bentley whilst Loyal lost so they survived by the skin of their teeth. Could be a tough season coming up.

14.Loyal Rangers (last season 4th) – Andrew Gaudie had never been out of the Premier League since the Opal started 27 seasons ago but only one win in the first 8 games saw them bottom of the table and it looked desperate. Their season never really took fire and with 4 games to go they were 5 points adrift but good champions never give up and going into the last game they had recovered to being a point above the bottom three. A win would have seen them safe but a 1-0 home defeat to Belmont saw them down to Division 1. One of the biggest shocks for many seasons – there was some consolation for Andy as the won the SLFA Cup for the 5th time.

15.La Donny Luz (last season 13th) – after 3 seasons of just avoiding the drop there was no big escape for CJ this time. By week 11 they were established in the bottom three and that is where they stayed all season with just 4 wins to show for their efforts – the least wins in their history.

16.Stainsacre United (last season promoted) – two successive promotions for Steve Readman saw Stainsacre back in the Premier League but it didn’t last long as they are relegated with just 13 points. Little else to say really apart from they didn’t manage 1 home win and SteveR will be looking forward to the new season.

Division 1

CHAPEL DOWN AFTER LAST DAY DEFEAT

A 1-0 defeat for Chapel North at home to Istra Pula whilst a 3-1 win for Micklegate Wanderers at home to Chorlton saw Chapel down and Micklegate stay up.

The team of the week goes to Micklegate Wanderers – away win gives them promotion.

1.Aberdeen Terrors (last season relegated) – a quick return for Rich Dimambro as Aberdeen go up as Champions. They had a cracking season and always looked like they were going up and in a ding battle with the Vipers they took the title by 4 points. In the 30 weeks of the season Aberdeen were top for 19 of them! It will be their 22nd season in the Premier League.

2.Kamikaze Vipers (last season 6th) – after 10 seasons in Division 1 Gary Smith takes the Vipers back to the Premier League. Similar to Aberdeen they had an excellent season and were in the top three since Week 5 – they in fact were top for 10 weeks! Gary will be looking forward to next seasons challenge.

3.Sylvan Lake (last season relegated) – a quick return Dave Shepherd – in the last 4 seasons they have gone Premier - Division 1 – Premier – Division 1and now back to the Premier League; Dave will be hoping to stop this yo-yo activity. After 17 weeks they were Mid table and didn’t hit the top three until week 26 but they managed to hang onto this spot and eventually were promoted on goal difference.

4.St. Mary’s Saint (last season 10th) – a good start with only 1 defeat in 8 saw Dave Shepherd sitting nicely in 2nd position. They were still in the top three at the half way point and despite having a decent second half of the season they missed out on promotion by goal difference.

5.Abysmal Aftermath (last season 7th) – at the half way point they were 6th and just 2 points from the top three. The second half of the season saw MikeT’s boys only lose 1 game but too many draws saw them miss out of promotion on goal difference.

6.Phoenix Vikings (last season 13th) – an indifferent start for Todd saw Phoenix with only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three at week 17. It was looking desperate at week 21 when they fell into the bottom three and only a little better at week 25 with a 3 point cushion but suddenly they took off and won 5 in a row to finish in a very respectable 6th place.

7.FC Emelec (last season 8th) – it turned out to be a disappointing season for Baz after a blistering start that saw the top at week 5 (the only time it wasn’t Aberdeen or Kamikaze). They were still in the top three at week 21 and with 4 games to go they were only 3 points off a promotion place but just 1 point from their last 4 games saw them drop to 7th – 1 place better than last season.

8.Dell Diamonds (last season 11th) – three places better than last season but with 7 weeks to go they looked in trouble with just 2 points keeping them out of the bottom three. Three wins in a row took them away from the relegation battle and MikeT will be content with the Mid table finish.

9.Riot City FC (last season 9th) – same place as the previous season. Now un-managed as CJ gave up the reins – just waiting for a new manager.

10.Chorlton Athletic (last season relegated) – chunky was looking for a quick return but a slow start left them in the bottom three at week 4. They slowly improved and at the half way point they were up to 4th and everything looked good. They were briefly in the top three for 3 weeks but their home form evaporated and they were without a win in the last 8 and they finished up in a very disappointing 10th position.

11.Istra Pula (last season 4th) – after last season’s misery on the last day of the season it was going to be interesting to see how MikeT responded. It turned out to be a very strange season with a few wins but dominated by losing sequences – 5 games in a row twice and 6 games without a win going into the last game left them with plenty to do in their last game at Chapel – they turned out one of their best performances to take a 1-0 win and safety.

12.Team Punishment (last season 12th) – exactly the same comments as Riot – same position and now un-managed after the departure of CJ.

13.Micklegate Wanderers (last season promoted) – SteveR kept them up on the last day of the season with a win at home to Chorlton. It was always going to be tough with just 2 points from their first 6 games and they were in the bottom three for the first 20 games. They managed to keep above the drop zone for the next 6 games but when they dropped back into the bottom three they looked doomed but the dramatic win on the last day of the season and Chapel’s defeat saw them survive – just!

14.Chapel North (last season 5th) – after last season’s good performance ChrisF was one of the fancied teams but things did not go as planned. With just 1 win in their first 13 games they were bottom with 7 points. They still looked clear favourites to go down with 4 games left and 6 points adrift but suddenly ChrisF found his magic ‘mojo’ and with 3 wins in a row they went into the last game 2 points clear of the bottom three. In the last game they were at home to Istra Pula, who were on a dismal run so the big escape was on but the nerves played a part and Istra took a win and Chapel were down. It was very disappointing for Chris as this is the first time that Chapel have been out of the top two Divisions since the Opal began.

15.York Rovers (last season promoted) – a quick return to Division 2 for SteveR and it will only be the 2nd time they have played out of the top 2 Divisions. A poor away record saw them struggling to make any advances in the Division and at week 19 they were 9th. The rest of the season deteriorated rapidly with just 1 win in the last 12 games but they could still have stayed up with a win in their last game but they went down to the champions.

16.Parkside United (last season promoted) – the first 5 games were good and Parkside were 5th but then came 9 defeats in a row and they were at the bottom. Rob left and Dorrie made a welcome return to the Opal but it was too late to steady the boat. Rebuilding is in progress for Dorrie and he will be pleased to start a new season.

Division 2

HUNDON TAKE THE TITLE - BUSH ARE UP – DUFFIELD AND INTERS ARE DOWN

Hundon Harriers take the title after a draw with Top Gun and Derby lost to Wigan. Bush Fair Harriers took the final spot with a 3-2 win at Inter Southampton – Inter are down. Chester Town managed to stay up with Duffield Dynamoles going down with both teams winning their last game.

The team of the week goes to Chester Town – win keeps them up.

1.Hundon Harriers (last season 4th) – if there is such a thing as justice in SS then it would go to Mark (Goodhead) as they are promoted as Champions. In the previous 4 seasons they have finished 6th, 7th, 5th and 4th – last year was particularly upsetting as they blew promotion in the run in. This year was strange with the top four being established at week 8 and apart from 1 week they all stayed there until the end – they had all played so well all season that nothing changed in the last 5 weeks despite the fact that they could only manage 1 win between them. Hundon in fact drew their last 7 games but nothing matters now they are up. It has been 11 seasons since Hundon, were in Division 1 and they have never been into the Premier League so that will be target for Mark.

2.Derby Storm (last season 11th) – a first full season for Razor and what a season it has been. Established as a front runner in the early weeks they went the first 14 weeks without defeat but with the others playing so well they didn’t appear at the top until week 12 but they then had a total of 15 weeks at the top in the remaining weeks but in the last week a 2-0 defeat at home to Wigan allowed Hundon to move above them and Derby finished 2nd. Last year I said they were a team to watch and they didn’t disappoint.

3.Bush Fair Harriers (last season 12th) – what a performance by Ben Dunstan to get Bush promoted after he took them on two thirds of the way through the season. They suffered two lots of culling and produced some very consistent results all season. Ben would have probably been pleased to have stayed in Division 2 for another season but you can’t turn down a chance of playing some of the big clubs in Division 1, in particular they will be able to outwit the most famous team in the Opal, Loyal Rangers.

4.Top Gun (last season relegated) – a first full season for Baz and he came very close to getting them back to Division 1 after just 1 season. Part of the breakaway group of four but suffered a similar fate to the others with a dreadful run-in gaining just 3 points from the last 5 games and eventually 3 points off the pace. A team to watch for next season.

5.Cupernham Rifles (last season 10th) – for the second year running Steve Wooldridge was well backed at the bookies to do well and at the half way point the Rifles were doing well in 5th place. The second half of the season started badly with 3 points from 6 games and they were down to 9th and out of the promotion race. A decent end to the season saw them up to 5th place but 8 points adrift. Steve needs to find some more consistency next season – if he can then promotion could be on the cards.

6.The Survivors (last season relegated) – after two successive relegations Stu was fancied to do well with a very good Survivors outfit. They started well and were top after 3 games but just 1 win in 10 games left them down in 11th place and more chance of relegation than promotion. They then found their true form and only lost 1 of the next 13 games but the damage was already done; one point from the last 3 games saw them finish in 6th and Stu knows they should have done better.

7.Zantox Zity (last season 6th) – one of those seasons Zantox never looked in trouble but never played a part in the promotion race. Shep will be looking to make more of an impact next season.

8.Queensdown FC (last season 13th) – now a vacant team so looking for a new manager.

9.Southpool (last season promoted) – on balance Mark would probably be pleased with the way Southpool have performed and were the highest placed of the promoted teams. They had a slow but steady start and some good away performances saw them up to 6th at the half way point. A few decent home results and they were up to 4th after18 games – this was as good as it got and they could only manage 1 win in the last 9 games to finish 9th. A good start will be essential for Mark next year in what looks like a tough Division.

10.Par Athletic (last season 7th) – for the second season running SteveR had Par playing well early and after 10 games they were 5th and looking good. Then the nightmare began as they only picked up 2 points from the next 10 games and they were firmly in a relegation battle. A run of 4 consecutive wins took away their promotion worries but 3 places worse than last season for SteveR.

11.Wigan Wildcats (last season promoted) – Dave was pleased to be back into Division 2 and he had quite a few punters backing him to do well. A win in the first game and everybody in Wigan was smiling but then it turned horrible with the next 10 games passing without a win and Wigan were down to 13th. Wigan struggled to find any consistency but managed to avoid dropping into the bottom three – with 3 games to go they still were looking over their shoulders but 2 wins and a draw saw them to safety.

12.Tigre Victoria (last season 8th) – ChrisF was well aware of how Tigre have been playing well below the expected level of such a good team but he had obviously forgot to tell the players as for the first 25 games they were poor and were sitting bottom. Relegation was certain or was it.......a win and then another win and then another win and so on to the end of the season with 5 successive wins which shot them up to 12th. So which Tigre will we see next season?

13.Chester Town (last season 5th) – a defeat on the last day last season saw them miss out on promotion – this year a win on the last day kept Paul Wilson up! Twelve defeats in their first 16 games left them bottom of the table – in contrast just 2 defeats in the next 14 games kept them up by 2 points. Paul will be hoping it is the Chester that finished the season will turn up for week 1.

14.Duffield Dynamoles (last season 9th) – 3 points from their first 12 games and with Lloydy leaving it left Duffield in dire straits. John LeGood had been waiting to get his old side back but was not anticipating the plight they were in!!! John rode into Duffield at week 6 and there was high hopes but the team he inherited only had a goalkeeper, 3 defenders and an attacker that were worth a first team start so the rebuilding had to start. The first win took 8 weeks to arrive and then they won 3 home games in a row – the big recovery was on the way. Duffield amazingly picked up 29 points of their total of 32 in the last 19 games but despite winning their last game Chester also won so Duffield were down. A re-brand next season sees the return of the Dynamos.

15.Inter Southampton (last season relegated) – a second successive relegation for Shep and a major surprise. They could never get going and were down at the bottom all season - just 6 wins which was not good enough. Inter are prone to these major slumps – they went from Premier to Division 3 in 3 consecutive seasons (17-19) – it then took them 5 seasons to get back to Division 1 but they are now back at square 1 in the 3rd Division. They will obviously start as big favourites.

16.Moles Keynes Dons (last season promoted) – a quick return to Division 3 for the Moles who suffered a major cull after Lloydy left and Ben took over. There was little he could do as they picked up just 3 points in the last 14 games.

Division 3

ROLL ON NEXT SEASON

Everything was already decided so it was a case of roll on next season.

The team of the week is Death Valley Wanderers – surprise win at Riverplate for the 2nd year running.

1.Woolwich Manor (last season 6th) – Woolwich had spent the last 23 seasons in Division 3 with a highest finish of 4th in Season 6 and a lowest of 15th in Season 20. Chris Farmer took them on several seasons ago and has worked his wonders with the team and last season’s 6th spot was a highest in 9 seasons. Hopes were high before the season started and Woolwich were quickly out of the blocks with 6 wins and a draw in the first 7 games to see them top; at the half way point they were still top and in the second half of the season they have swapped the top position with Riverplate until week 26 when they broke clear of Riverplate. They can’t boast any success in the Cup or the Youth League either so promotion to Division 2 as Champions is their first club success. Take a bow Chris Farmer and you had better go out and buy a trophy cabinet!

2.Riverplate (last season 5th) – after tumbling from the Premiership to Division 3 in just 3 seasons MikeT is on the way back up after 2 seasons in Division 3. It was a very consistent season and they were in the top 3 virtually all year.

3.Los Gigantes Saints (last season 14th) – Los Gigantes started their life in the Opal as Sr Madrid and in their first season finished 15th in Division 2. Season 3 saw them become Stockport and they stayed this way until Season 17 – all of them in Division 3. There were not any highlights to talk about with a 5th place finish in Season 3 their highest – the low point was when they became Team 64 in Season 6 with 17 points.

Season 18 saw a new kid in town as Dave Shepherd took over the reins as they became Solent Saints followed by Paulton’s Park Rangers in Seasons 19-23 and finally today’s name of Los Gigantes Saints. In their first season as Los Gigantes they won their first trophy as Youth Winners but league success continued to elude them and in fact last season they finished 14th.

Hopes were not high in Season 27 and at the half way point they were 7th and looking for a top 6 finish. The 2nd half of the season saw them become more consistent and they hit the top three in week 27 and successive wins sees them promoted to Division 2 with 2 weeks to go.

So after 26 consecutive seasons in Division 3 Los Gigantes are promoted to Division 2 – well done Dave.

4.Hangover 96 (last season relegated) – taken over by CJ and a very respectable finish. It could have been better as they were 3rd at the half way point but 6 games without a win always left them chasing and despite only 1 defeat in the last 9 games they finished 3 points adrift of promotion. Should be in the mix next season.

5.Kesgrave Vespas (last season 4th) – another season where Gary will feel that he should have taken Kesgrave up. At the half way point they were 6th and then an excellent run saw them up to 3rd with 5 weeks to go. Kesgrave seemed to run out of steam and with only 5 points from the last 5 games they fell just short again.

6.Troon Army (last season 12th) – a good season for ChrisC with plenty of plusses. They were 8th at the half way point – in the second half of the season they had 5 away wins but they could not recreate this at home and finished 6th.

7.Huntley Fairways (last season 7th) – Carl started the season as one to do well but an unbelievably bad start of 1 point from 6 games left them treading water. Carl responded by getting rid of most of his team and starting again – by the half way point they had recovered to 11th. Carl continued the improvement in the second half of the season where they picked up 30 points – true promotion form. So it was another 7th placed finish – if Huntley can start well they could be the one to catch.

8.Gigondas (last season 13th) – Dan opened with 4 wins, which set the course for the season with plenty of time spent n the top three. They could not keep the high standards they had set and a poor run in with just 4 points from 7 games saw them finish 8th.

9.St Lucia Saints (last season 9th) – same finish as last season for Shep but this only happened as they won their last 5 games, which took them from 13th.

10.Snowypool (last season 10th) – vacant and looking for a new manager.

11.Hammerton Boyz (last season 11th) – a new manager with Ben taking them over and they turned in some good performances. Ben is currently rebuilding so next season will be his first big test.

12.Sky United (last season relegated) – taken on by Shep and has spent his time in bringing in plenty of younger players from abroad. These players will need time to bed in and it will be a few seasons before we see the best of them.

13.Death Valley Wanderers (last season 15th) – an improvement of 2 places for MikeT.

14.Norfolk FC (last season 16th) – an improvement of 2 places for MikeT – sounds familiar

15.Rion Wanderers (last season 8th) – Wayne left and it was a welcome return for Gav to the Opal and the team will take on the expected FC Coyle name. The team had been severely culled and Gav will need all of his experience to bring in some good players at a bargain price.

16.Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season relegated) – the control team and they were there for the taking with only 2 points all season – can you guess which ones they were. They took the record for lowest points ever in the Opal, most goals conceded with 91and equal with most defeats at 28.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 28 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

CUSCO GO DOWN IN LAST WEEK

Despite Belmont Buccaneers losing yet again Cusco also lost so are relegated.

The team of the week goes to Salford Lads Club – stunning 5-1 win.

1. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 3rd) – a 4th title in the last 5 seasons for CJ and a 7th title in total from the last 12 seasons, where their lowest position has been 6th. Had spells at the top but didn’t really kick into gear until late season where they hit the top at week 28 and that was that. Another tremendous home record with just a loss in their first game and it is difficult to believe but they have only had 2 home defeats in the last 5 seasons. They will start as big favourites again. To rub salt into the wound they also beat FC Abertawe in the Cup Final to make it the first double since Season 5 when Loyal achieved this feat.

2. Cupernham Kings (last season 4th) – another fantastic season for Baz as he followed up last year’s excellent finish with an even better 2ndh spot. They only had 1 week at the top in week 15 but were always near the top – they probably lost the title with an indifferent spell in the middle of the season but ended strongly with just the last week defeat out of the last 9.

3. Doncaster Town (last season 9th) – in their second season back in the Premier League the title looked like a real possibility for CJ when they hit the top at week at week’s 26 and 27 but then 3 defeats in a row ended their chances. A win in the last week gave them a 3rd place and equals their best finish in Season 11. They possess the most expensive team yet in the Opal and could break the £100,000,000 net season.

4. Mighty Chucks (last season 12th) – for the 3rd season running it was a poor start for Stu and at week 8 they were 3rd from bottom. True to form they started to improve and at week 20 only goal difference kept them off the top but like most of the chasing teams their end of season form was erratic but a win in the last game gave them 4th place. Since they were promoted 7 seasons ago they have been in the top 4 five times and are a good bet for next season.

5. Salford Saints (last season 7th) – it was an unusually poor start for chunky and at week 9 they were in the bottom three. Nothing really happened over the next 10 weeks and at week 20 Salford were still down in 12th position. Form started to pick up and they were unbeaten in their last 11 games but far too many draws stopped a realistic title challenge.

6. Kamikaze Vipers (last season promoted) – a first season in the Premier League after a gap of 10 seasons and what a season it was for Gary. They started well and actually topped the table for 11 weeks in total – the last being at week 25 when they looked a good bet for the title but losing their last 4 games at home scuppered their chances.

7. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 8th) – a similar story to last year where a poor first 11 games saw them in the bottom three and a relegation battle ahead. CJ conjured up his magic and they lost just 1 of the next 13 games to leave them only 3 points off the top. They couldn’t keep the run going and lost their last 3 games but still a top half finish.

8. Whitby Town (last season 1st) – after 3 fantastic seasons for SteveR with Whitby it was always going to be tough task to keep them going and a sluggish start didn’t help as they were just above the bottom three at weeks 7 and 13. They seemed to find their rhythm and went on a 9 game unbeaten run to take them up to 5th and only 2 points off the top spot; however with just 2 wins in their last 10 games they slipped down to 8th.

9. Jedi Knights (last season 6th) – a 2nd season in the top flight and at the start of the season it looked a tough ask for Chris Cook to emulate last season’s performance. However, the team seems to suit Chris and they won 4 of their first 5 games to top the League – 2 wins in the next 8 and Jedi were down to 8th. They hovered around Mid table for the rest of the season but without a win in their last 4 it was a 9th place but considering how strong the Division is it has been a good season.

10. FC Abertawe (last season 2nd) – big things were expected from MikeT after the runners up spot last season and they were always up with the chasing back until the last 3rd of the season where they could only win 2 of their last 10 games. The disappointment of the league was tempered by reaching the Cup Final however they lost 2-1 to Bentley in a tight game.

11. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 5th) – after last season’s best Premier finish Paul (Razor) was looking to make a title bid and when they hit the top in week 20 the dream looked a distinct possibility. Suddenly their form disappeared and they lost 7 on the trot and were sinking like a stone – Paul steadied the boat over the last few games but with only 7 points from the last 11 games they could not have expected a better position.

12. Aberdeen Terrors (last season promoted) – it was a 22nd season for Rich Dimambro in the Premier League but they started slowly and were just above the bottom three at week 6. They slowly started to improve and with all teams dropping points they had made it up to 3rd at the half way point. Unfortunately, the 2nd half of the season did not live up to expectations and with just 15 points they finally ended up in 12th spot.

13. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 10th) – exactly the same start as last year for ChrisF with just 2 wins in their first 8 games. At the half way point they were just clear of the drop zone but with 5 weeks to go they had a 6 point cushion and looked relatively safe. However 4 defeats defeats in a row left it all down to the last match, which they lost but escaped as Cusco also lost.

14.Cusco (last season 11th) – it was a 3rd season for Matt (smelly) in the top flight where they had been 3rd followed by last season’s 11th. Matt knew it would be a tough league this year and a good start was essential but with just 2 wins in their first 11 games they were firmly rooted in the bottom three. They won the next 2 and the escape looked on, however although their away form was decent they could only collect 3 points from their last 8 home games; luck was on their side over the last few games as Belmont fell to pieces so it was all down to the last match but with both teams losing they were down.

15. Sylvan Lake (last season promoted) – another quick return Dave Shepherd and they are the typical yo-yo team – in the last 5 seasons they have gone Premier - Division 1 – Premier – Division 1 – Premier and now back to the Division 1. They had only 1 win in their first 22 games and had just 12 points but they showed that they are a decent side with 15 points from their last 8 games. Dave will be hoping the yo-yoing continues for at least 1 season.

16. Askham Bryan United (last season 13th) – relegation after three season in the Premier League for SteveR. Last season they escaped in the final game but there was no reprise this season as despite a decent start by winning 3 of their first 4 games they then only won 1 of the next 23 matches. They gained a little respectability by winning 2 of their last 3 games but still finished up with the wooden spoon.

Division 1

RECORD BREAKERS HUNDON

With all of the promotion and relegation spots decided it was always about another Hundon win to emphasise their dominance in Division 1 this season.

The team of the week goes to Hundon Harriers – record breaking win.

1. Hundon Harriers (last season promoted) – what an incredible season for Mark (Goodhead) after they came up as champions from Division 2. They started like an express train with 10 wins and 2 draws from their first 12 games and already had a 10 point cushion over 4th place. Defeats were few and far between as they conceded very few goals and moved into the record books with only 13 conceded .Their home record was outstanding – being unbeaten with a draw followed by 14 wins. In a stunning season they also had most points with 70, most wins with 22 and the largest goal difference with 41. Their dominance was emphasised as they topped the league from weeks 6 to 31.
It will be a first venture into the Premiership for Hundon and Mark will be looking forward to the challenge.

2. Chorlton Athletic (last season 10th) – Wes (chunky) is back into the Premier League after just 2 seasons. They had a reasonable first 5 games but then lost the next three to be down in 10th spot. Unbeaten in the next 9 and they were up to 4th but a run of 2 points from 5 away games meant they had to rely on their home form, which was excellent with just 1 defeat and 34 points. They hit the top three with 4 games to go and didn’t let it slip.

3. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 4th) – Dave Shepherd is back in the top flight with St Marys after an absence of 3 seasons. Unbeaten in their first 11 games and sitting nicely in 2nd spot they looked on course for promotion but a run of 1 point from 5 home games left them in 6th place and plenty to do. Ten points from the next 5 games and they sealed promotion with a game to spare.

4. La Donny Luz (last season relegated) – CJ started the season as one of the favourites but did not look like promotion candidates in the opening 14 games and were languishing in Mid table. They suddenly hit form with 21 points from the next 9 games and were on the edge of promotion but indifference set in again and they finished close but not close enough.

5. Istra Pula (last season 11th) – another tale of what might have been for MikeT after they topped the league for the first 5 weeks before Hundon took over. They kept this form going and were still in the top 3 with 6 weeks to go but for some reason they fell apart and 4 defeats in 5 games and promotion was off the agenda.

6. Loyal Rangers (last season relegated) – it was a whole new ball game for Andrew Gaudie with his first ever season outside the Premier League. One defeat in the first 8 games and they were only 1 point off the top; still in the top three at week 18, 4th at week 23 but heading the wrong way – only 1 win in the next 7 games and promotion was out. Always tough when you are relegated but if a couple of those defeats had been wins they would have been up – big things are expected next season.

7. East Riding Enterprise (last season promoted) – it was a great achievement by Ben last season to get Riding up with the culling process and you would have to say another great season to take a top half finish. They didn’t suffer a first defeat until week 10 and at the half way point they were 6th with 25 points and only 3 points off a top 3 place. In the second half of the season their away form went to ‘pot’ with 6 defeats and just 1 win but some good home performances kept them going - Ben was particularly pleased with their home win against Hundon with a week to go.

8. Stainsacre United (last season relegated) – back to Division 1 for SteveR and steady is the best way to describe their season. At the halfway point they were 7th with 25 points but like a lot of teams their 2nd half of the season was not as good with 18 points but they still took a top half finish. SteveR will want better next season.

9. Phoenix Vikings (last season 6th) – another frustrating start for Todd with just 1 win in their opening 7 games, 2 wins in a row and maybe on the way up but no as they proceeded to pick up 2 points from the next 7 and at week 17 they were just 1 point above the drop zone. Similar to last season their latter form improved with 17 points from the next 8 games and they were Mid table with 31 points. An indifferent end to the season did not really matter as they finished 9th.

10. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 5th) – after last season’s performance MikeT had high hopes but these disappeared quickly as only 2 wins in the first 10 games left them on 7 points and just out of the bottom three. Their form did not improve and they were in the bottom three several times – the latest being at week 22 before some good wins in the latter half of the season gave them an unexpected decent finish.

11. Dell Diamonds (last season 8th) – more disappointment for MikeT as Dell had to scrap to avoid relegation. With only 1 win in their first 7 games they were just above the bottom three and at the half way point they were 10th with 16 points. Eight games without a win and they were in the bottom three but then out of ‘know where’ they won 3 on the bounce and they were safe for another season.

12. Derby Storm (last season promoted) – a terrible start for Razor with just 3 points from 5 games saw them in the bottom three. Their home form started to pick up but this didn’t help as they only collected 1 point in their first 7 away games but they were still out of the bottom three at the half way point. It was then a case of a few wins then a few defeats to end up in a disappointing 12th place. Paul will be looking for a marked improvement next season.

13. FC Emelec (last season 7th) – it was a poor start for Baz and they were next to bottom at week 7 and a survival battle on their hands. Three home wins in a row and by the half way point they had climbed to 9th; they were also picking up points in the next 5 games and after 20 games looked safe with 26 points. However with just 1 win in the last 10 games they finished just out of the bottom three but Baz never looked in danger of going down but will be demanding a better start from his boys next season.

14. Corinthian Wizards (last season 12th) – added to Gary Smith’s portfolio and was always going to be a difficult 1st season. With just 1 win in their first 13 games they were rock bottom – two home wins in a row and there seemed hope but 3 points from the next 7 games saw them anchored on the bottom. The last 8 games saw them climb off the bottom but they were still 10 points adrift at the end of the season.

15. Tadcaster Albion (last season 13th) – after SteveR kept them up on the last day of last season it was always going to be a tough year and that proved to be true. After winning the opening game they then only collected a further 3 points from the next 9 matches. A couple of home wins left them just out of the bottom three at the half way point and they still continued to pick up the odd win to be just above the drop zone with 9 games to go. This is where the rot started and just 1 point in the next 6 games saw them relegated with 3 weeks to go.

16. Riot City FC (last season 9th) – taken over by Simon Pendle and heavily culled so he knew he was in for a difficult time. He had to wait 12 games for his first Opal win and a win to remember as they won at Loyal; just like waiting for a bus there was another win the following week and another cracking win as they inflicted a first defeat on the champions Hundon. It looked as though the team thought they had done enough as they didn’t win again for 7 weeks – again another good win – this time against Chorlton – a big away win at Emelec the following week and they were only 3 points from safety. Again the self destruct button kicked in as they went 7 games without a win and down to Division 2.

Division 2

SURVIVORS BEAT CHESTER TO TAKE THE TITLE

The big game in Division 2 saw The Survivors beat Chester Town 1-0 to take the title. Zantox Zity take the last promotion slot despite a defeat as Tigre Victoria also lost.

At the bottom Wigan survived with a draw as Top Gun lose and Cupernham Rifles draw.

The team of the week goes to The Survivors – win gives them the title.

1. The Survivors (last season 6th) – after two seasons in Division 1 Stu takes The Survivors back to Division 1. They started the season with 5 away wins which made their 3 losses at home tolerable and they were 2nd at week 10. Strangely there away form disappeared and they dropped to 4th in week 17. Stu got the lads going again and they reeled off 8 wins in a row to be 4 points clear with 6 games to go. They achieved promotion with 3 games to go but a minor blip in form meant that the title was decided on the last day of the season where a goal from Alain Giresse Mid way through the second half against Chester gave them the title.

2.Chester Town (last season 13th) – a win on the last day of last season kept PaulW up and it didn’t look good as they only won 1 of their first 6 games. They then hit a purple patch with 7 wins and 2 draws to be 2nd at the half way point; six home wins in a row compensated for some patchy away form and they topped the league on week 18-20 and were back on top from week 27 to 30 but a last day defeat against The Survivors left them 1 point away from the title - back up after 3 seasons. Their home form was excellent with just 1 defeat all season in week 2. In addition Graham Wallace won the coveted Golden Boot Award and PaulW must be delighted overall.

3. Zantox Zity (last season 7th) – Shep dominated the first half of the season with Zantox holding the top spot for 10 of the first 17 weeks. They kept the momentum going and were looking certain promotion candidates when they held an 8 point gap over 4th place with 6 games to go. However, with just 1 win in the next 5 games it was down to the last match to try and clinch promotion. Despite losing a local derby against Los Gigantes results went with them and they are back to Division 1 after 8 seasons.

4. Tigre Victoria (last season 12th) – ChrisF was looking for a good start and he wasn’t disappointed as they were top in week 4, however just 2 points from the next 6 and they were down to 10th. Three wins in a row was followed by only 1 point in 6 games and at week 20 they were 11th on 22 points and 12 points behind the front runners. A relegation brawl looked more likely than a promotion push but ChrisF suddenly had the Midas touch as they won 8 and drew 2 games to leave them just 2 points behind Zantox and all to play for in the last match. Zantox lost but so did Tigre and it is now 7 seasons in Division 2.

5. Los Gigantes Saints (last season promoted) – after 26 consecutive seasons in Division 3 Los Gigantes were back in Division 2 and it turned out be a good season for Shep. They topped the table in the first 2 weeks but they quickly returned to earth with 2 points from the next 3 games. One defeat in the next 12 games and they were 4th and only a point off the top three; their away form then deserted them with just 2 points from 6 – it was a good job they maintained some good home form with only 1 loss all season. Must be a fancied team for next season.

6. Par Athletic (last season 10th) – five defeats in the first 10 games left SteveR with plenty to think about. They remained unbeaten in the next 5 games so at the half way point they were 10th with 20 points; their away form continued to let Par down and with 9 games to go they were back in 10th place. A good run in with just 1 defeat saw them rise to a very respectable top 6 finish.

7. Leith Athletic (last season relegated) – 2 points from their first 5 games and it looked like being a long season for Dorrie but 5 wins and a draw from their next 6 and they were flying high in 5th place with 18 points. It was then another run of 5 games without a win and all of the hard work had been undone as they dropped to 8th. Their next spell had decent results at home but defeats away and with 6 games to go they were still 8th; the last 6 games saw 4 wins and a decent 7th place.

8. Chapel North (last season relegated) – a first time for ChrisF and Chapel out of the top 2 divisions and he was looking for a quick return. He was not disappointed as the first 10 games saw 6 wins and they were sitting nicely in 3rd. Their form continued and with 19 games played they were just a point off a top 3 spot. The season then fell apart as they won 2 of the last 11 games and finished in a very disappointing 8th place.

9. Riverplate (last season promoted) – MikeT was looking for a 2nd successive promotion but they started terribly with no wins in the first 8 games and they were rooted on the bottom. Their home form continued to be poor and didn’t win until their 10th game – in contrast their away form took off and they went unbeaten in 6 to climb up to 15th at week 20. The next 9 games were out of this world as they picked up 21 points and a 9th spot that looked totally un-achievable earlier in the season.

10. Southpool (last season 9th) – taken over by CJ and despite losing their first 3 home games they were 5th at week 10. At the half way point they had dropped to 9th but they only picked up 2 points away from home until the last match in the second half of the season leaving a nervous last day.

11. York Rovers (last season relegated) – it is only be the 2nd time that York had been out of the top 2 Divisions and SteveR was keen to put this right. After 7 games it was looking good as they topped the table but then 6 straight defeats and they had dropped like a stone to 12th and into a relegation battle. Strangely they then won 5 and drew 1 of the next 6 and they were back up to 5th and a promotion fight. SteveR can’t believe what happened next as they only managed 1 win in the next 9 games. In the end York had 2 promotion opportunities and 1 relegation fight.

12. Woolwich Manor (last season promoted) – a first spell in Division 2 after 23 seasons in Division 3 and it turned out to be a good finish after a difficult start. A win in their first game but then no wins in the next 8 and they were in the bottom three. Confidence was boosted by 4 straight wins and they were suddenly Mid table with 19 point but the old failings returned with just 2 points from the next 6 and they were just a point above the drop zone. Their next 10 games saw a Jekyll and Hyde performance with 5 games unbeaten at home with 13 points but 5 away games without a win and 2 points – in the end this home form saw them to safety by 4 points.

13. Wigan Wildcats (last season 11th) – a 2nd season back for Dave in Division 2 and it was another tough season despite quite a few punters backing him to do well. A patchy start saw them in the bottom three at week 5, up to 9th at week 10, down to 12th at the half way point, 13th at week 20, into the bottom three at week 25 and in a week 29 took them out of the bottom three. A win in week 30 would have kept the safe but they drew dropped back into the bottom three and it was all down to the last match. A nervy 1-1 draw was enough in the end to keep them up on goal difference.

13. Top Gun (last season 4th) – it was not the start Baz wanted with just 1 win in the first 10 games and they were bottom. It was then a spell of 3 good games followed by 3 bad games followed by 3 good games followed by 3 bad games and they were just out of the bottom three. With 2 games to go they were back in the bottom three and we also had a change of manager as Lloydy returned and he sneaked a win setting up for a last week climax but it turned into a flop as they lost 3-0.

15. Cupernham Rifles (last season 5th) – after winning their first 2 away games SteveW watched his side fail to win in the next 12 but some reasonable home performances left them with a chance of saving themselves with an away win in their last game. A decent draw but with Wigan also winning they were down. If Steve can find more time next season they will be up there with the rest.

16. Queensdown FC (last season 8th) – taken over by CJ and had a reasonable start but 8 losses in a row left them at the bottom and they never recovered and went down as the bottom team. CJ decided to let them go and a face well known to the Opal returned as Neil (Bakerboy) took them over. A win to start off with and who knows what next season holds for Bakerboy.

Division 3

KESGRAVE TAKE THE TITLE

The only thing left to decide who went up as Champions and it was Kesgrave Vespas as they beat Huntley to pip Hangover by 3 points.

The team of the week is Kesgrave Vespas – title clinching win.

1.Kesgrave Vespas (last season 5th) – after finishing 6th, 4th and 5th in the previous 3 seasons Gary at last managed to get Kesgrave up and they did it in style. Ten wins in their first 11 games and Kesgrave where 8 points clear at the top. The rest of the season saw 2 different sides – the Kesgrave that could not lose at home and the Kesgrave that could not win away. In their home games they picked up 43 points and out of their total of 62 points. Back in Division 2 after 8 seasons and Gary will not want a repeat of the last time when they only lasted 1 season. Kesgrave topped the table for 24 weeks so a well deserved title.

2. Hangover 96 (last season 4th) – after 2 seasons CJ follows up last year’s 4th with a promotion to back to Division 2 after 2 seasons. A steady start saw them 3rd at week 10 and 4th at the half way point. Their promotion was won by 6 straight wins and they had a chance of the title in the last week – they won but so did Kesgrave. They topped the table once in week 25.

3. Inter Southampton (last season relegated) – after two successive relegations, Shep is on the way back or so he hopes. Top for the first 3 weeks and they never looked back – at week 13 they were battling to keep 3rd place but they ended the season with 9 successive home wins to ease to promotion – if they could have maintained any away form they could easily have taken the title.

4. Norfolk FC (last season 14th) – a major improvement for MikeT and a good second half of the season saw them with an excellent 4th place finish with only 5 defeats. It will be a difficult task to re-create this next season.

5. Duffield Dynamos (last season relegated) – a first full season for John (jelly) and they started unbeaten in 6 but 4 of these were draws, which left them in 4th place and looking forward to the season. Three home wins in a row but a few dodgy away games meant that at the half way point they were 6th but only 4 points off the pace. Three wins in the next 4 and they were just 2 points off the top three but 1 point from the next 3 games left them an uphill struggle. John responded well and gained 13 points from the next 5 games so with 3 games to go they were up to 4th but with the top three all playing well they were still 5 points behind. They lost 2 of these so it was 5th and 8 points off the pace.

6. Huntley Fairways (last season 7th) – Carl was desperate for a good start but it was a similar story with just 1 win in the first 6 games and ground to make up. Carl then went on a 13 game unbeaten run but there were 7 draws and this kept them back in 7th pace and 5 points off the pace. Four wins from the next 6 games and they were up to 5th but 7 points off the pace; a major push was required and despite only losing the last game they drew 4 of the 6. Huntley only lost 4 games (equal best with Hundon) but the 15 draws was a killer.

7. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 13th) – a great improvement for MikeT but it could have been so much better as a cracking start saw them top in weeks 4 and 5. They only lost 1 game in the first half of the season and were looking good in 2nd place with 30 point. They were still ok at week 21 in 2nd place but then the wheels came off as they picked up only 5 points from the next 8 games and the season was over.

8. St Lucia Saints (last season 9th) – three points from the first 6 games and the season was over before it started for Shep. They had a 6 game unbeaten run that took them up to 7th at week 16 and then it was win a few - lose a few to take another Mid table finish.

9. Troon Army (last season 6th) – Wayne returned and has been remoulding the team – one win in the first 8 and it was always going to be a catching up exercise. It will be tough again next season as all teams are improving – a good start is vital.

10. Scrubs (last season 11th) – Ben was hoping to be a lot closer to the top three than their eventual position but still a small improvement on last year. Unbeaten in the first 4 and looking good but then 5 defeats in a row left them down in 12th place and this was the major reason they couldn’t get any higher in what is a tough 3rd Division with all teams managed. In the remainder of the season they did have 2 unbeaten spells of 4 games and one of 6 but the last 4 games saw 4 defeats.

11. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season relegated) – a first full season for Ben and he will be pleased with their performance. At the half way point they were 9th with 21 points and a similar haul of points in the 2nd half of the season gave them a respectable 40 pts.

12. Snowypool (last season 10th) – a rebuilding exercise in process for Matt (Smelly) and he cannot be too disappointed with their overall performance. Defensively they did well with only 10 defeats but they drew a lot of games, which effectively kept them in a lower position.

13. Ritzy Rovers (2015) (last season 12th) – rebranded as Ritzy Rovers by Shep but he left Mid season. David Lloyd returned to the Opal at the end of the season and they will take on a Moles mantle with a new name of Molesley Shoals.

14. Gigondas (last season 8th) – MikeT took them over and a major rebuilding exercise has been ongoing. A couple of decent results near the end of the season against 2 of the top three sides will give the supporters hope.

15. FC Coyle (last season 15th) – a first full season for Gav and they played a lot better than their final position suggested. The team is developing slowly and if Gav gets a bit more spare time next season they should climb the table.

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 16) – the control team and they were there for the taking but they did get 3 more points than last time.

It has to be said that Division 3 will probably be the strongest it ever has been next season and if you get a bad start you will probably be down near the bottom. It doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 29 Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

KINGS RULE THE Opal

I don’t think there has been a last day of a season where the top 4 all lose and Cupernham Kings are champions despite a 4-1 defeat. At the opposite end of the table there were big wins for Chaddesden Celtic and Kamikaze Vipers to secure safety, whilst Armthorpe Rovers and Doncaster Town are relegated.

The team of the week goes to Kamikaze Vipers – away win to secure safety

1. Cupernham Kings (last season 2nd) – yet another fantastic season for Baz as he followed up last year’s excellent finish with an even better Premiership Title. It was an odd season as the Kings had a good spell and then a bad spell but so did most teams this season – they topped the table weeks 18-20 but 4 games without a win and they were 3rd but only 3 points off the top. Three wins in the next five and they were back to the top with 3 games to go, down to 2nd with 2 games to go, back to the top with 1 game to go and then a 4-1 defeat in the last game but with all the others losing the title went to Baz. To show you how strange the season was it was the lowest number of points to take the title with 51 points but this does not take anything away from their achievement.

2. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – after 4 titles in the last 5 seasons CJ started off as favourite again. Their home form was impeccable again with just 1 defeat so that means only 3 home losses in the last 6 seasons. However, they could not get going away with only 1 win in the first 12 away games so it looked as though they were heading for a lowest finish in numerous years. Bentley then hit a purple patch to win the last 4 games and move from 8th to runners up and only 2 points behind the Kings.

3. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 12th) - Rich Dimambro is one of the two original managers in the Opal and they have had 24 seasons in the Premier League. With just 2 wins in their first 12 games they were 12th with 13 points and 12 points from the top; things improved with 8 games unbeaten and they were up to 7th after 20 games. The next 4 games saw 2 wins and 2 defeats and they were 6th but still 7 points off the top. The season then took off with 4 wins in a row and they hit the top with 2 weeks to go – disaster then struck as they lost the last two games and with that the chance of the title.

4. Jedi Knights (last season 9th) – the best season yet for ChrisC in the Premiership and how close they came to the title. With just 2 defeats in the first 11 games Jedi were 2nd and only goal difference kept them off the top; just 1 point from the next 6 and they had to dropped to 8th and a possible title looked to have gone. Six games without defeat and they were back to 2nd but again their form went with 3 losses so with 5 games to go they were 6th and 6 points off the top – guess what it was time to go on a winning run so with just 2 games to go they were 3rd and just 2 points off the top but just 1 point from the last 3 and the title chance was lost. All in all a fantastic season as Jedi do not have the strongest squad on paper.

5. FC Abertawe (last season 10th) – for long periods of the season it looked like MikeT was going to claim his 2nd title as they topped the league in week 5, 7-12 and 21-27 but they couldn’t buy a win over the last few weeks and only picked up 4 points from the last 7 matches. Bearing in mind they only finished up 3 points off the top you would have to say they were the team that threw it away.

6. Altrincham Astros (last season 5th) – a disappointing finish in the end for Wes (chunky) as there were times when it looked as though they could push on for the title. At the half way point with just 1 away defeat they were nicely placed in 4th position; a run of 7 games without defeat and they were still 4th with 7 games to go and only 4 points from the top. Similar to most teams this season they went into self destruct mode and had just 1 win from the last 7 games.

7. St. Mary’s Saint (last season promoted) – it looked as though Dave Shepherd was going to take St Mary’s to a title in their first season since promotion as they lost just 1 of their first 13 games and had topped the table for 6 weeks. It had been their home form that was impressive but their away form continued to be poor and after 19 weeks they had picked up 25 points at home out of a total of 34 points. Strangely their away form kicked into gear with 3 wins but their home form went to pot and then it all went to pot as they lost their last 5 games.

8. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 13th) – exactly the same start as the previous 2 seasons for ChrisF with just 2 wins in their first 8 games. At the half way point they were 12th but 7 points clear of the bottom three; just 2 defeats in the next 9 games and they were Mid table and safe. The last three games saw Belmont play their best football of the season and a top half finish.

9. Mighty Chucks (last season 4th) – a better start to the season than in recent years for Stu with only 1 defeat in the first 7 games. It was then a case of win a few and lose a few but they hovered around 6th spot for most of the season – a poor run in saw them only pick up 1 win in the last 6 games and a 9th place.

10. Whitby Town (last season 8th) – two places worse than last season for SteveR but it looked as though would be doing a lot better with only 1 defeat in the first 9 games and they were 2nd with 18 points. They were still second after 13 games but there season fell apart after this particularly at home where they failed to win again - it was a good job Steve found a few away wins or it could have been far worse.

11. Hundon Harriers (last season promoted) – after an unbelievable promotion season Mark was in for a big shock in his life in the Premiership. With just 2 wins (both at home) in their opening 12 games they were bottom three but 3 wins in a row things were looking up. This was short lived as they lost the next three so only goal difference kept them out of the bottom three. Hundon then discovered their home form and rolled of 6 wins in a row to eventually finish up in a respectable 11th spot. If Mark can continue this into next season they will be a tough team to beat. There was silverware for Mark as Hundon won the SLFA Cup for the first time.

12. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 11th) – Razor was hoping for a better season and it started off well with 3 wins in the first 4 games; 7 games without a win followed but 5 draws and 3 wins moved them to 5th and still a shot at the title. What happened next is difficult to explain as they picked up 2 points from the next 9 games and they were heavily involved in the relegation battle. With 2 games to go it still only goal difference kept Paul out of the bottom three but 2 wins in the last 2 games means they are playing Premiership football again.

13. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 6th) – after last season’s success it was a tough season for Gary as the Vipers had a run of 14 games without a win and after 18 games they were next to bottom. With 8 games to they still looked doomed in bottom stop and 9 points from safety and even the bravest punter would not have bet any money on the Vipers staying up. Suddenly Gary managed 4 straight win to be in with an unlikely chance of staying up but 1 point from the next 2 and they still had it all to do – incredibly they won the last 2 to become the Houdini of the Opal.

14. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 7th) – another poor start but this time no miraculous recovery for CJ as they failed to win in the first 13 away games and their home record wasn’t good enough to save them. Down to Division 1 after 5 seasons.

15. Doncaster Town (last season 3rd) – what a shock as CJ is relegated after 3 seasons. After last year’s tremendous performance great things were expected from the Opal’s most expensive team but a shocking first half of the season, particularly away from home where they only picked up 1 point saw them in the bottom three. With 7 games to they were still in the bottom three but 4 wins in the next 5 games saw CJ with a 3 point cushion and just 2 games today. Safety he thought but keeping up with the topsy-turvy season they picked up just 1 point from these 2 games and relegation.

16. Hale Barns FC (last season promoted) – Wes (chunky) return to the Premier League did not last long as Hale are relegated as the bottom team. Their first win didn’t come until week 15 and they already had 1 foot in Division 1. The second half of the season was better with 4 wins but they were relegated with 24 points.

Division 1

PHOENIX CLINCH PROMOTION

Phoenix Vikings confirmed their promotion with a win in the last game at Askham Bryan United. In contrast the defeat for Askham saw them relegated as Chester Town had a stunning win over the champions.

The team of the week goes to Chester Town – stunning home win to secure safety.

1.Sylvan Lake (last season relegated) – yet another quick return for Dave Shepherd and they are the typical yo-yo team – in the last 6 seasons they have gone Premier - Division 1 – Premier – Division 1 – Premier - Division 1 and now back to the Premier. They started off well and were unbeaten in the first 8 games but just 2 points from the next 5 saw the season threatening to disappoint. They steadied the ship and a 7 game winning run saw them crowned champions at week 29.

2. Loyal Rangers (last season 6th) – it has taken Andrew Gaudie just 2 seasons to get back to the Premier League and the most successful team in the Opal will be looking forward to the renewed challenge. A good steady start saw them hovering around the top 3 and they hit the top at week 14 but too many draws saw them down to 5th at week 20. Andy then managed to get the away form going with 4 wins in a row and a top 3 place was back on the cards. Results went there way and they were promoted with 2 games to go.

3. Phoenix Vikings (last season 9th) – Todd brought Phoenix to the Opal 11 seasons ago in Division 2 and within 2 seasons they were in Division 1. Since then they have threatened to get promotion but fallen away in the end - this changed as they started brilliantly and topped the lead 4 times in the first 6 weeks. Following a minor blip Phoenix started motoring and topped the league between weeks 18 and 25 but 3 defeats in a row left them out of the title race but promotion was still to be theirs.

4. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 10th) – it was a game of 2 halves for MikeT as after the first half of the season they were down in 12th place and more like a relegation battle than a promotion push. However they finished the season unbeaten in 14 games and finished up just short of promotion.

5. Cusco (last season relegated) – Matt (smelly) saw Cusco recover from a poor start to be 6th at the half way point. A steady improvement saw Cusco peak with 6 games to go as they were up to 3rd but then the wheels came off as they picked up just 2 points from 5 games and a 5th placed finish. Matt will know that it was their home form in the last 6 games that stopped them from going up – just 1 win in the last 6 home games!!!

6. Istra Pula (last season 5th) – an indifferent start to the season saw MikeT down in 11th place at week 13 but 4 wins in a row and they were 4th with a good promotion chance. However just 2 wins in the next 10 games and they were down to 8th and planning for next season – a strong finish saw them with an outside promotion push but in the end they fell just short.

7. FC Emelec (last season 13th) – an improvement of 6 places for Baz and he will be pleased with that. A decent start saw them sitting nicely in 5th place after 10 games. Just 1 win in the next 10 games saw them drop to 12th and Baz was looking at the teams below him as opposed to the teams above. Ten points from the next 4 accelerated them into the top half of the table and that is where they remained.

8. La Donny Luz (last season 4th) – CJ started the season as one of the favourites again but a poor start left them always catching up. A 4 game winning run saw them just a point off a top 3 place with 8 games to go but just 2 win in the remaining games saw them fall to 8th spot.

9. Zantox Zity (last season promoted) – a good finish for Shep as Zantox returned to Division 1 after 8 seasons. Seven points from their first 7 games and it looked like it was going to be a tough season but with just 1 defeat in the next 13 games they were up to 4th and only goal difference keeping them from a promotion place. Just 1 point from the next 4 saw their hopes dashed and finally a 9th place finish.

10. Stainsacre United (last season 8th) – a second season in Division 1 for SteveR and their away form let them down. With just 1 away win in their first 7 outings it was a good job their home form was very good – after 16 games they had 24 points but just 6 away from home. A poor run of 2 points from 5 games left SteveR keeping his eye on the teams below him but 11 points from their last 8 games saw them through to 42 points.

11. Dell Diamonds (last season 11th) – another disappointment for MikeT as Dell had to scrap to avoid relegation yet again. As they neared the half way point it wasn’t looking to bad as Dell were in 7th place but with just 2 points from 7 games they tumbled to just above the bottom three. With 7 games to go they dropped into the relegation zone but similar to last season they reeled off 3 home wins in a row for a repeat of last season’s 11th spot.

12. Chester Town (last season promoted) – it was a nightmare start for PaulW as Chester lost their first 4 games and after 8 games they had just 4 points and it was looking bleak. Things improved with 5 games unbeaten but 4 away defeats in a row left them 7 points adrift of safety. Paul then managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat as they reeled off 4 straight wins and with 7 games to go they were out of the bottom three. One win in the next 6 and it was all down to the last match of the season, where they pulled off a great win against the champions to secure safety.

13. The Survivors (last season promoted) – it wasn’t a good return for Stu to Division 1 as they just avoided relegation. After winning their first away game they only collected 2 points from the next 7 away games and at week 14 they were next to bottom. Fourteen points from 7 games seemed to have steadied the ship as they moved 7 points clear of the drop zone but their home form suddenly went to pot with just 2 points from 6 matches and with 2 games to go only goal difference kept them out of the bottom three. Their last 2 games were both draws but luckily Askham lost both!

14. Askham Bryan United (last season relegated) – it looked as though SteveR was targeting a quick return to the Premier League with 9 points from the first 4 games to top the league. They also topped the league at week 13 so it was looking good but they failed to record a win in the next 13 games and with 3 games to go they dropped into the bottom three. A win in the next game saw them out of the bottom three but 2 defeats in a row and it was a second successive relegation for SteveR. The disappointing performance in the league was partly compensated by a Cup Final appearance however they lost 1-0 to Hundon.

15. Steel City Azul (last season 12th) – taken over by CJ and with rebuilding in process it was always going to be difficult. Their home form was good at the start of the season with just 1 defeat in 6 but that was as good as it got as they failed to win at home until the last game of the season; compounded with a poor away record they were down to Division 2.

16. East Riding Enterprise (last season 7th) – after a great achievement for Ben last season this one was a nightmare with just 1 point in the first 16 games. In the second half of the season East Riding picked up some away wins but their home form with just 3 points all season was shocking. Ben will certainly be looking forward to next season as East Riding were not as bad as the table suggested.

Division 2

A SEDATE END TO THE SEASON

The promotion and relegation issues were all decided before kick off so very little to play for apart from pride.

The team of the week goes to Tigre Victoria – champions bow out in style.

1.Tigre Victoria (last season 4th) – after threatening to get promotion for several season ChrisF has finally made it but he made it difficult for himself. They opened up with 17 games unbeaten and were sitting on 43 points and 17 points clear of 4th place – surely it was all over. How things can change though as they could only manage 2 wins in the next 10 games so with 3 games to go they were down to 3rd and only 4 points clear of 4th spot. The magic suddenly returned as ChrisF won the last 3 games to take the title. Back to Division1 after an absence of 8 seasons.

2. York Rovers (last season 11th) – they have only been out of the top two tiers for 2 seasons prior to this so there was pressure on SteveR to get them back to where the supporters wanted to be. The first 11 games saw 6 consecutive home wins but only 4 points away from home – still this left them in 2nd place. They then sorted out the away form and went 13 games unbeaten so with just 6 games to go they were top and a 13 point cushion. Self destruct then set in with 1 point from the next 4 so with 2 games to go they were 3rd with just 4 point lead but they steadied the ship with 4 points and back to Division 1.

3. Tadcaster Albion (last season relegated) – back to Division 1 after just 1 season for SteveR but it didn’t look that way after 5 games only goal difference kept them out of the bottom three. Their home form then become invincible as they won 10 and drew 1 of the next 11, along with some decent away results they hit the top with 3 games to go. Just 1 point from the last 3 games but promotion was still theirs.

4. Hangover 96 (last season promoted) – it was almost a 2nd successive promotion for CJ as they recovered from a poor, opening 8 games to only lose 2 of the next 22 and week by week close the gap on the top three but time ran out in the end as they fell 2 points short.

5. Corinthian Wizards (last season relegated) – a 2nd full season for Gary Smith and he will be pleased in their performance. After losing their opening game they had 10 unbeaten games and were 4th – it would have been better but they drew 6 of these. A dip followed with just 1 win in the next 7 and they had dropped to 8th; next it was back to form with a run of 7 unbeaten games. Nine points from the last 4 games to end the season so a very good 5th spot but if they want promotion next season Gary will need to try and remove some of these dips in form.

6. Riverplate (last season 9th) – two points from the first 4 games and it always going to be an uphill battle for MikeT. Their home form let them down over the rest of the season but with 9 away wins and 4 wins to end the season it was a very respectable 6th place finish.

7. Chapel North (last season 8th) – it was a 2nd season for ChrisF out of the top 2 divisions and after 12 games it looked reasonably promising with just 1 defeat and they were 3rd. From this point onwards their away form was disasterous with just 3 points from 10 games; a 7th place finish was 1 better than last season but certainly not good enough for ChrisF.

8. Riot City FC (last season relegated) – a first full season for Simon Richmond and a good season during the rebuild. It was not looking good after 13 games, on the back of 5 straight defeats, as they were sitting in the bottom three. A five game unbeaten run took them onto 23 points and 9th; although their away form was poor for the rest of the season some good home performances guaranteed a top half finish.

9. Kesgrave Vespas (last season promoted) – a decent first season in Division 2 for Gary but it could have been much better. The opening 10 games saw them unbeaten at home and nicely placed in 4th spot; by the half way point they only had goal difference keeping them out of the top three. The second half of the season was a disappointment as wins proved difficult to find and just 1 point from the last 4 games saw them drop to 9th.

10. Leith Athletic (last season 7th) – three places lower than last season and Dorrie will be disappointed. It was an odd season for Leith as they had 3 bursts of wins – a 2 game, a 3 game and a 5 game intermingled with long runs without wins – the worst being 12 games.

11. Donny Caballeros (last season 10th) – a first full season for CJ and a similar position to last season and was fashioned by the opening 14 games where they were unbeaten at home but did not win away. They were 10th at that position and hovered here until the end.

12. Par Athletic (last season 6th) – a poor start for SteveR with just 1 win in 9 and it was always going to be an uphill battle for Par. Only 1 win in the next 6 so at the halfway point they were next to bottom with just 12 points. SteveR managed to find a bit better form but they were still in the bottom three with 7 games to go and it didn’t look promising but they suddenly went through the gears to pick up 11 points from the next 5 games and safety.

13. Wigan Wildcats (last season 13th) – a 3rd season back for Dave in Division 2 and it was yet another tough season. Despite a good start – they had 10 points in the first 5 games and 5th the usual frailties returned as Wigan only picked up 1 win in the next 12 games and were just above the drop zone. It was mixed form after that so with 5 games to go only goal difference was keeping them out of the bottom three but a couple of wins saw them through to another season in Division 2.

14. Inter Southampton (last season promoted) – it was not the season that Shep expected as he was plotting the rise of Inter back to their former glories. It was a strange set of results as they didn’t lose at home until their 14th home game of the season but there were only 4 wins with 9 draws!! Away from home they were dreadful with just 1 win so it turned out to be a very disappointing season for Dave.

15. Woolwich Manor (last season 12th) – ChrisF only managed to keep Woolwich in Division 2 for 2 seasons so it is back to Division 3, where they had spent the previous 23 seasons. Their fate was effectively sealed after the first 8 games with 7 losses and 1 point; there was a brief recovery with 16 points from the next 6 home games but with only 1 away win all season they were down with 2 games to go.

16. Los Gigantes Saints (last season 5th) – relegated after just 1 season but it was not unexpected as Shep decided to re-vamp the whole team. However, the only highlight was three consecutive home wins near the end of the season; away from home it was just 1 point. Let’s hope Dave’s re-vamping works.

Division 3

DUFFIELD SNATCH TITLE FROM QUEENSDOWN

The only thing left to decide was who went up as Champions and it was Duffield Dynamos as they thrashed Bayern to overtake Queensdown, who could only draw. to pip Hangover by 3 points.

The team of the week is Duffield Dynamos – 4-0 win to take the title.

1. Duffield Dynamos (last season 5th) – back to Division 2 for John (jelly) after 2 seasons. It was an excellent season where they where were very consistent – they actually topped the table for 22 weeks. Duffield were particularly good in the first 16 weeks where they had rattled up 37 points and a 7 point cushion over 4th place. Just 1 win in the next 7 games saw the pack close in and they slipped to 2nd but 4 wins in a row and they were up. A victory in the last game saw John take the title.

2.Queensdown FC (last season relegated) – a first full season for Neil (Bakerboy) and what a season – something he only dreamed about. The first 14 weeks were reasonable (top in weeks 1, 2 and 12) as unbeaten at home but a bit hit and miss away and they were sitting in 6th place. What happened then was unbelievable as they went on a 17 game unbeaten run with one spell of 7 consecutive wins. They were also unbeaten at home all season. Big wins against Huntley and Duffield near the end saw them hit the top at week 29 but 2 draws in the last 2 games saw them pipped for the title. Back to Division 2 after 1 season.

3. Scrubs (last season 10th) – a fantastic season for Ben as he takes Scrubs to Division 3 after 6 seasons. The first 10 games saw them win 6 and lose 4 – although only 7th they were only 1 point behind the top three. An unbeaten run of 8 saw Ben take Scrubs up to 3rd and it was looking good, however 1 win in the next 5 and they were down to 6th and 4 points behind a promotion place. Wins are important at any time but they couldn’t have come at a better time for Scrubs as they reeled off 6 wins to clinch promotion.

4. Huntley Fairways (last season 6th) – it was surely going to be Carl’s season and with 5 wins in the first 6 games it looked that way. They topped the table after 9 games and at the half way point they were 2nd, back on top in week 24 and still looking good for promotion. Then disaster struck as they picked up 2 points from 4 games to drop out of the top three and 4 points adrift. Even winning the last 3 games could not get them back into the top 3 and eventually they were 2 points short.

5. Top Gun (last season relegated) – a first full season for David Lloyd and an excellent season it was as they fell just short of promotion. Unbeaten at home in the first half of the season saw them 6th with 26 points and just 3 points behind 3rd spot. A scintillating run of 4 away wins and they were 3rd on goal difference; this where the season petered out with 1 win in next 5 so onto next season.

6. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 7th) – an improvement of 1 place for MikeT and he will be very satisfied with the progress to date. There was a hint of disappointment as they got off to a cracking start with just 1 defeat in their first 13 games to be 3rd and thoughts of promotion were on the terraces. The rest of the season did not live up to this early promise and poor away form saw them finish 6th.

7. Great Yarmouth Town (last season 9th) – taken over by Brian Mann near the end of the season and they turned in some good performances considering it was a new team. The squad has a good look to it and if Brian can strengthen the midfield they should be ok next season.

8. Molesley Shoals (last season 13th) – a first full season for David Lloyd with the revamped Moles and a better position than a lot of the pundits expected. They lost the first three games but quickly recovered and at the half way point they were 9th; the second half of the season saw them virtually unbeatable at home but their away form was patchy – a top half finish will please Dave.

9. St Lucia Saints (last season 8th) – Mid table finish like last season for Shep. They were 10th at the half way point and despite struggling at home in the second half of the season their away form more than compensated.

10. Cupernham Rifles (last season relegated) – SteveW has struggled to give the team as much attention as he would have wished. Only 1 win at home in the first 9 home games meant that they were always going to struggle to be in the top half – a big bonus was that they only lost 3 away games all season. The big question is can SteveW find enough time to get them promoted.

11. Norfolk FC (last season 4th) – after last season’s excellent performance by MikeT it was a disappointing 11th pace finish. They were 11th at the Mid way stage so a fairly average season in all.

12. Bayern FC (last season 14th) – after an influx of new players and a decision by MikeT to only have wild players in the squad he will be relatively placed with a slight improvement on last season.

13. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 11th) – Ben is building a youthful team and although he would have hoped to have improved he can’t be too disappointed as it is a strong division and they can only get better.

14. Blackmore Knights (last season 12th) – taken over by SteveR and then later in the season a new manager in Rob Thompson. He will be looking forward to adding to a reasonable squad left behind and the challenge of a new season.

15. FC Coyle (last season 15th) – the new control team and will probably be T64 next season.

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 16) – taken over by Bakerboy and what a challenge he has taken on. He took a big decision to build a young team and resist the temptation to buy older players. They occupied most of the worst records when he took over and he has removed most – just needs to win away. I will eat my hat if they finish bottom.

All teams are taken and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is the strongest in SS and if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

[bSeason 30 – End of Term Report.[/b]

Premier League

KINGS GO DOWN ON THE LAST DAY

Last year I said “I don’t think there has been a last day of a season where the top 4 all lose and Cupernham Kings are champions despite a 4-1 defeat”. Well I can say it again but this time all 4 lose but this time the Kings are relegated – probably the biggest shock in the history of the Opal!!!! Jedi stay up with their win.

Chaddesden Celtic take 2nd place.

The team of the week goes to Jedi Knights – big win to secure safety

1.Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 2nd) – a 5th title in 6 seasons for CJ and an 8th in total so only 1 behind Loyal now. They hit the top at week 4 and remained there all season – the success didn’t stop there as they reached the SLFA Cup final and a win over Duffield gave them a 2nd double in 3 seasons. They also won the Joosters and topped the appearance money on TV......The question is who can stop them?

2. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 11th) – a highest ever finish for Razor and he will be delighted. Their home form was indifferent at the start of the season with just 1 win in the first six but this was compensated by some great away performances. Midway through their home form improved and with away form still good they were 2nd at Week 20 and only 3 points behind Bentley. However, only 1 win in the next 7 and it was always going to be a battle to get 2nd spot but a couple of wins in the last 4 gave them the runners up spot. Chadd also won the Youth League for the 2nd season running.

3. Cheshire Royals (last season 6th) – an improvement of 3 places for Wes (chunky). Their away form was iffy in the early part of the season and at Week 9 they were down in 10th place. Their away form suddenly picked up and at the half way point they were 2nd and a 2nd title was a possibility. They only lost 2 in the 2nd half of the season but 9 draws left them 11 points off the pace. If Wes can change draws into wins next season they will be a force to reckon with.

4. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 3rd) - Rich Dimambro is one of the two original managers in the Opal and they have had 25 seasons in the Premier League. At the half way point they were 4th and then 6 wins in a row took them to within a point of Bentley but their form suddenly disappeared with just 2 points from the last games.

5. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 7th) – a top 6 finish for Dave Shepherd. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance in the first half of the season – 16 points at home but only 5 points away – and they were 6th. Their home and away form then turned erratic and with 6 games to go they were in danger of being dragged into the relegation fight but 5 wins and 1 draw saw them end the year as the form team.

6. Loyal Rangers (last season promoted) – it took Andrew Gaudie just 2 seasons to get back to the Premier League and the most successful team in the Opal were looking forward to the renewed challenge. Two wins in their first 10 matches and they were in the bottom three and it wasn’t looking good for Andy but even though their home form wasn’t brilliant their away form was and with 7 wins from their next 9 away games a top 6 position was guaranteed.

7. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 13th) – a poor start for Gary with just 2 points in the first 4 games looked to have set the trend for the season. After 16 games with just 3 wins they were in the bottom three and it looked as though last season’s miracle to stay up would be to no avail. Their home form improved and with 13 points from the last 6 and winning the lat 2 away games gave them a very respectable 7th spot.

8. Sylvan Lake (last season promoted) – it was a relief for Shep to keep Sylvan in the Premier League as they had become the typical yo-yo team – in the previous 6 seasons they have gone Premier - Division 1 – Premier – Division 1 – Premier - Division 1 and then back to the Premier. They had an average start but suddenly went into top gear at week 12 with 4 wins in a row and at the half way point they were 3rd and only 2 points off the top spot. That was as good as good as it got and 1 point from the last 3 games saw them drop to 8th.

9. FC Abertawe (last season 5th) – after last season’s titanic slump over the end of last season this one started off in the same vein for MikeT with just 3 points from the first 6 games and after 10 games they were next to bottom. Three wins in a row seemed to be the sign of better things to come but after that wins proved hard to come by and it was a tense relegation battle; this continued until they won the last three games to on paper a good finish.

10. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 8th) – a better start for ChrisF for a change with 4 wins in the first 7 games but 2 points from the next 7 games they were next to bottom after 14 games. With just 1 defeat in the next 10 games ChrisF looked fairly safe in 7th place with 31 points but in a strange season another slump saw them 13th and just 3 points above the drop zone with 2 games to go. At long last Belmont turned in a good performance to guarantee safety with 1 game to go.

11. Mighty Chucks (last season 9th) – with 3 opening wins Stu thought it was going to be a cracking season but they only managed just 1 win in the next 12 and at the half way point they were in the bottom three. A couple of wins helped but at Week 23 they were still only just out of the bottom three. Four wins in the next 5 and they were safe – a good job as the last 3 games only yielded 1 point.

12. Jedi Knights (last season 4th) – last season was the best season yet for ChrisC in the Premiership and they came close to the title. This season started off brilliantly and only goal difference kept them off the top spot after 7 games and 10 games they were still 2nd. Then they went into freefall with just 3 points from the next 8 games – surprisingly they were still 6th but only 4 points above the bottom three. Their form continued to be poor and with just 2 home wins they slipped into the bottom three with just 1 game to play but ChrisC pulled a rabbit out of the back with an excellent win on the last day of the season.

13. Whitby Town (last season 10th) – a squeaky bum end to the season for SteveR but early season form saw them 3rd after 8 games and hopes were high but 1 point from the next 6 and saw just goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three. Their home form in the second half of the season was dire (last 7 games and only 1 point) but luckily they were performing well on the road until losing the last 2 and stayed up with 1 point to spare.

14. Phoenix Vikings (last season promoted) – a quick return to Division 1 for Todd with Phoenix and there is one major reason – their home form – with 1 game to go they had not managed a home win and had only picked up 5 points – the last game obviously yielded a win!! Thanks to their great away form they were always in with a chance of survival and to be relegated by just 1 point will be hard to take for Todd.

15. Cupernham Kings (last season 1st) – after two fantastic seasons for Baz with a 2nd and then a Premier Title last season nobody could have predicted their fall from grace. Unbeaten in the first 5 games gave no hints on how the season would pan out and although they were not playing as well as usual they were 7th after 17 games. What happened next was extraordinary as Baz could only muster 6 points from the next 11 games to leave them in the bottom three and 3 points from safety with 2 games to go. A win in this game and they were out of the bottom three but a heavy defeat in their last game saw them relegated. It has to be the biggest surprise ever in the 30 year history of the Opal.

16. Hundon Harriers (last season 11th) – Mark is relegated after 2 seasons and last season’s heroics to move out of the bottom three to safety was not to be repeated. A dreadful start of 1 point from 8 games and their destiny was already decided! There was a little hope as they only lost 1 of the next 8 and after 16 games they were still bottom but only 4 points adrift. Now at the end of last season it was their fantastic home form that kept them up – this year it was the opposite as they lost 6 of their last 7 home games.

Division 1

CJ DOMINATES DIVISION 1

With none of the top 7 winning CJ keeps his 3 teams in the top three so La Donny, Doncaster and Armthorpe go up. Tigre and Taddy go down in the last week.

The team of the week goes to Dell Diamonds – excellent home win but to no avail as they go down.

It was a season where none of the teams could sustain any long periods of good form and the eventual winning points total of 48 points is the lowest ever to win Division 1 since the Opal started 30 seasons ago (53 was the previous lowest in Seasons 7 and 20). In keeping with this there were 7 teams that topped the table.

1.La Donny Luz (last season 8th) – CJ has been favourite to take La Donny back to the Premier League since they were relegated 2 years ago. It looked plain sailing for promotion with just 1 defeat in the first 11 games and top. It was still looking good after 20 games with them in 2nd spot. The draw syndrome then set in with 6 in the next 8 games but a win and a draw saw them up. They topped the league 10 times.

2. Doncaster Town (last season relegated) – a quick return for CJ as he looks to take over the Premier League. Their success was based on their form over the last 12 games with a haul of 23 points – after 18 games they were 11th with 23 points and it looked more like a relegation battle than. Doncaster topped the league just once at week 28.

3. Armthorpe Rovers (last season relegated) – another quick return for CJ and their success was based on their away performances with just 1 defeat in the first week of the season. The total of 45 points was 30 away and 15 at home!!!! They were top twice in weeks 6 and 29.

4. Istra Pula (last season 6th) – a disappointing season in the end for MikeT as Istra looked a good bet to go up for the first two thirds of the season and they topped the Division from weeks 18 to 24. With just 3 points from 7 games they were down to 5th and 3 points off the pace with 2 games to go; a win in the next to last game and another win would see them up but sadly it was a draw and they miss out on goal difference.

5. Stainsacre United (last season 10th) – there was just 2 defeats for SteveR in the first half of the season but 8 draws so they were 5th but only 3 points off the top. SteveR struggled to find any home form but 5 away wins in 6 games meant that with 2 week to go they were 4th and only a point behind the three top teams. A draw and defeat saw them finish just a point outside the promotion zone.

6. York Rovers (last season promoted) – a good first season back in Division 1 for SteveR and with their first 3 games being wins optimism was high. However, 3 points from the next 6 and they were brought back to reality. After 17 games York were 10th with 23 points and a Mid table finish looked on the cards but SteveR put a run together of just 1 defeat in the last 13 games but with 8 of these draws they couldn’t make up the difference.

7. Cusco (last season 5th) – another season of ‘what might have been’ for Matt (smelly) with Cusco. A decent start this season saw them top the Division in weeks 14 and 15. Four away defeats in a row coupled with home draws saw smelly down to 7th at week 20 and 6 points behind the top three. A mini boost in form and with 5 games to go they were only a point off 3rd place but with just 5 points from the last 5 games they were 3 points off the pace.

8. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 4th) – MikeT had high hopes of taking Abysmal to the promised, land after last season’s form. However, this was not to be as they only won 1 of the first 10 and were next to bottom – undefeated in the next 7 took them to 7th but pathetic home performances left them still having to look over their shoulders. A strong finish saw them surge to 8th and on paper a decent finish.

9. Cheshire Lions (last season relegated) – Wes (chunky) was looking for a quick return to the Premier League but after a decent start they slumped to 13th with only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three at week 13. Seven wins in the next 10 and chunky had moved them up to 4th and realistic promotion hopes but as seems to be the norm this season their form went to pot with just 5 points from the last 7 games.

10. Zantox Zity (last season 9th) – a similar finish for Shep with Zantox in their 2nd season back in Division 1. An excellent first half of the season saw them top in weeks 13 and 17. The latter half of the season was littered with defeats and 9 losses in 11 games left them into a last game win to being sure of safety.

11. Chester Town (last season 12th) – another terrible start for PaulW left him with it all to do again. After 10 games they had 1 win and 8 points; unbeaten in the next 5 games and at the halfway point they had advanced to 11th. However, PaulW likes to make it difficult for himself and with just 3 points in the next 7 Chester were back into the bottom three. Three wins in the next 4 and safety was almost there and the last 4 were draws to put them 2 points above the bottom three.

12. The Survivors (last season 13th) – a 2nd season for Stu in Division 1 and an improvement of just 1 place. Another slow start for Stu as they only won 2 of their first 11 games and were in the bottom three! Four away wins in a row rocketed them up to 8th after 18 games but the rest of the season disappointed, particularly their home form where they only won 2 all season.

13. FC Chezz (last season 7th) – with just one win in their first 12 games they were next to bottom and a tough season lay in front of Baz. It looked a lot brighter by week 22 as Chezz had put together a few wins and they were 4 points clear of the bottom three but another slump in form left them next to bottom with 2 games to go. A great home win against Tigre took them out of the bottom three so it was all down to the last week and a draw kept them up.

14 .Tigre Victoria (last season promoted) – a first season for ChrisF after an absence of 8 seasons and it turned out to be a short stay. Their home form at the start of the season gave them 5th spot after 1 games but 2 points from the next 5 and they were down to 11th; a few wins meant that with 8 games to go Tigre were 10th and 7 points clear of the drop zone. Just 1 win in the next left 7 left ChrisF in the bottom three with 1 game to play and a draw in the last game was not enough.

15. Tadcaster Albion (last season promoted) – back to Division 2 after just 1 season for SteveR. With just 2 away wins in the first half of the season Taddy were next to bottom; their first home win at week 20 sparked a shot of recovery and with just 1 defeat in 10 it all went down to the last game but a defeat saw them down.

16. Dell Diamonds (last season 11th) – after battling against relegation for the last few seasons there was no escape for MikeT this year. With just 1 win in the first 10 their destiny was already mapped out and a bottom finish was only what they deserved. They are back into Division 2 after 12 seasons.

Division 2

KESGRAVE UP – WIGAN and DONNY C DOWN

Kesgrave Vespas are up to Division for the first time in their history after a win in their last game; it was a win they needed as Duffield also won to finish 2 points from promotion.

At the bottom it was scintillating stuff as two of the three teams in the bottom three before kick off (Corinthian Wizards and Steel City) both recorded magnificent wins to send Donny Caballeros and Wigan Wildcats down.

The teams of the week go to Corinthian Wizards and Steel City - unbelievable wins to stay up.

1. East Riding Enterprise (last season relegated) – a fantastic season for Ben after last year’s horror show. With 1 defeat in their first 9 games they were sitting 2nd; 1 point from the next 3 and Ben had a few worries but he had no need to worry as they won the next 9 games and were flying high. Their run in was just as impressive with just 2 defeats and they were worthy champions. Ben saw East Riding top the tale from week 16 to the end.

2. Leith Athletic (last season 10th) – promotion back to Division 1 for Dorrie after 3 seasons. Their form at the start of the season was electric with 23 points from the first 9 games and a top spot – they led the table for 12 weeks in the first 14 games. The second half of the season was not as impressive, particularly at home where they went 6 games without a win but Dorrie held it together to gain promotion.

3. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 9th) – a 2nd full season for Gary and promotion is the reward. It will be the first time that the Vespas have been higher than Division 2 so an excellent achievement for Gary. Their season changed after week 13 when they were sitting nicely placed in 5th position – 7 wins in 9 games and Kesgrave were 2nd and 6 points clear of 4th spot. Complacency set in with 4 defeats and they knew they were in a promotion fight –a couple of wins settled the nerves but it still went to the last game where a win took them up.

4. Duffield Dynamos (last season promoted) – an very good season for John (jelly) and very nearly a 2nd successive promotions. After 10 games they were 3rd; at the half way point they were 4th; after 20 games they were still 4th; with 5 games to go they were still 4th and only goal difference keeping them out of the top three. John was also masterminding a fantastic Cup run and as a semi final appearance drew close their league form suffered; a penalty shoot out victory sent them through to a Cup Final against the mighty Bentley but they still needed a win in the last game and Kesgrave to lose – they managed the but so did their rivals. They lost the Cup Final so it was all so close for John.

5. Par Athletic (last season 12th) – a decent start for SteveR in the first 4 games but after 10 games they had dropped to 11th with 12 points. Six wins and 2 draws in their next 8 games and Par had climbed to 5th, however with only 1 point from the next 4 games they were still 5th but now 7 points behind 3rd spot. With 3 games to go SteveR had closed the gap to 4 points but that was as close as they got.

6. Scrubs (last season promoted) – Ben’s 2nd team in Division 2 and a very good finish after last season’s promotion. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance with their home games bringing them 29 points but away from home it was a different matter as they only mustered 14 points. They only lost 2 at home which was the same as champions East Riding. If Ben can sort out their away performances they will be one to watch next season.

7. Askham Bryan United (last season relegated) – after two successive relegations SteveR was targeting a quick return to former glories. All hopes of a decent season were in tatters after just 1 win in the opening 10 games and they were looking at yet another relegation. By week 20 they had discovered how to win and climbed to 9th with 26 points; 11 points from the next 5 games and SteveR had moved up to 6th and an outside chance of promotion but with just 1 win in the next 6 games (and that was the last match) a mid-table finish was the reward.

8. Hangover 96 (last season 4th) – after last season’s showing CJ was looking to be pushing for promotion again but after a reasonable start they were dreadful until week 23, when they were 3rd from bottom. The penny then suddenly dropped that they could be heading back to Division 3 and in the last 9 games they collected 20 points to finish a lot higher than CJ thought at one time.

9. Queensdown FC (last season promoted) – after getting them promoted they lost Neil (Bakerboy) and Richard Woolford (St Albans) took them over. The season was a tale of home performances and away performances – at home there were 9 wins and most managers would be happy with those statistics; away was a different matter as after winning the first they then had 11 games without a win. This changed with 3 away games to go as Richard won two of these to finish up in a very respectable 9th place.

10. Chapel North (last season 7th) – it was a 3rd season for ChrisF out of the top 2 divisions and at the half way point it looked promising as they were 5th and only 2 points off a top 3 spot. The second half of the season turned out to be a damp squib as they failed to win an away game and with their home form also suffering they dropped to a disappointing 10th.

11. Riverplate (last season 6th) – the season started with 3 home wins but 3 away wins but with their home form letting them down over the rest of the season it always going to be an uphill battle for MikeT. All in all a disappointing season.

12. Corinthian Wizards (last season 5th) – taken over by Rob Page and after culling it was always going to be a tough ask. Their home performances were good enough to be pushing for promotion but with only 1 away win all season they went into the last game in the bottom three and needing to beat the champions, whilst praying other teams lost – Rob’s prayers were answered and an excellent achievement to stay in Division 2.

13. Steel City Azul (last season relegated) – taken over by Dave Shepherd and with rebuilding a priority it was always going to be a difficult season. It was a compliment to Shep that they were still in with a chance of staying up in the last week of the season but they had to beat Wigan and hope other results went their way - Shep’s hopes were justified as they turned in an excellent performance and DonnyC lost to give him the safety he had been wishing for.

14. Donny Caballeros (last season 11th) – taken into the ‘Pageside’ portfolio and with new players coming into the team it was always going to be a battle to stay up. A run of 5 consecutive home defeats in the second half of the season they looked doomed but 3 wins and a draw left them 5 points above the drop zone with 4 games to go – disaster then struck as they lost the last 4 to go down on goal difference.

15. Wigan Wildcats (last season 13th) – a 4th season back in Division 2 for Dave and it was yet another tough season for woody! Another dreadful start for Wigan with just 1 win in 10 left them next to bottom; at week 20 they were still next to bottom; Dave managed to go 7 games unbeaten but 5 of these were draws and with 3 games to go they were still in the bottom three. A win in the next to last game saw them out of the bottom three on goal difference and then the last game was a massive away game at the team just above them Steel City. Wigan dominated with 62% possession and bossed all of the other stats but Steel City scored 3 goals from their 4 attempts and woody was down!!!!!!!!!!

16. Riot City FC (last season 8th) – down to Division 3 for Simon Richmond (simopendle). The most pleasing part of the season was their last 2 away games, where after only picking up 1 point in 13 they won both of these to install some much needed confidence for next season.

Division 3

BAYERN SNATCH TITLE FROM WOOLWICH

In an amazing end to the season Bayern clinched the title on goal difference from Woolwich. Top Gun take 3rd spot.

The team of the week is Death Valley – stunning 4-2 win at Woolwich.

1.Bayern FC (last season 12th) – an unexpected promotion for MikeT after last season’s showing and an unbelievable title. The squad still only had wild players but they seemed to gel and they were unbeaten at home all season. With 4 games to go they were 9 points behind Woolwich and a far inferior goal difference – what happened next is difficult to explain as Woolwich drew 1 and lost 3, whilst Bayern won 3 and drew 1 to take the title by 1 goal on goal difference.

2.Woolwich Manor (last season relegated) – a quick return for ChrisF and it looked a certainty for most of the season that they would be champions. They started off like an express train and were unbeatable as they rattled up 12 straight wins; 2 defeats turned out to be a minor wobble as ChrisF then went 13 games without defeat so with 3 games to go they held a 7 point lead but losing these last 3 gave Bayern an opening, which they took with relish. It was so close that Woolwich were still champions with 7 minutes to go but that late goal took the title away from them. Woolwich had topped the table for 25 weeks from week 5!!!

3. Top Gun (last season 5th) – after going close last season Lloydy went one better as Top Gun are back into Division 2 after just 2 seasons. With 1 only 1 defeat in the first 9 games Top Gun were 3rd and looking good; three defeats in a row asked a few questions but these were answered as they won 6 and drew 1 of their next 7 to be sitting nicely in 4th position. Their away form deteriorated in the run in but their home form compensated as they won their last 3 at home to take 3rd spot. Another bonus for Lloydy was the Golden Boot Award for Fred Terry with 16 goals.

4. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 6th) – another improvement of 2 places for MikeT and he will be very satisfied with the progress to date. There was a hint of disappointment as they got off to a cracking start with 4 wins and after 12 games they were 3rd. Another 4 wins in a row, after a few iffy home performances and with 6 games to go only goal difference was keeping them from 3rd spot. Four games without a win and the season was finished in terms of promotion but wins in the last 2 games gave them 4th place – the last one at Woolwich was particularly good.

5. Inter Southampton (last season relegated) – there was a lot of pressure on Shep to get Inter back to Division 2 and they almost made it. It looked like it was being to be a piece of cake as they won their first 3 and after 10 games they still there in 4th spot. By the 20th game Inter had slipped to 6th and it needed some strong words from Dave to get things going – with 5 games to go only goal difference was keeping them out of the top three. A shock in the next game as they lost 5-0 at home and then in the next home game they lost to promotion rivals, Death Valley and that was that. Shep will have high hopes for next season.

6. Mann City (last season 7th) – taken over by Brian Mann near the end of the season and an excellent top 6 finish considering their appalling start – one point from the first 4 games and with just 2 points from away games City were 4th from bottom after 12 games. The team suddenly grasped Brian’s new approach and won the next 5 games to move rapidly up to 7th. Another 6 game unbeaten run near the end of the season kept the momentum going and they ended with 4 straight home wins..Brian will be thinking what would have happened with a better start.

7. Cupernham Rifles (last season 10th) – SteveW will be puzzled on his teams performances – the first 20 games were strange as at home they lost the first three and then it was 6 wins and a draw; away it was 4 wins to start with and then just 1 defeat – so after 20 games the Rifles were 4th with 38 points and promotion a distinct possibility. What happened next was a nightmare as Steve only managed 1 win in the remaining 10 games and they slowly dropped to 7th.

8. Huntley Fairways (last season 4th) – before the season started Huntley were big favourites to go up but pre-season turned into shambles as Carl’s efforts to get a bigger and stronger squad fell apart and he started with a shortage of first teamers. A poor start and then some good wins were countered by some disappointing defeats so at the half way point Huntley were 9th and the season was over. Erratic performances continued but with a good end to the season and just 2 defeat next season looks more promising for Carl.

9. Blackmore Knights (last season 14th) – a first full season for Rob Thompson and he will be pleased with the Mid table finish after their disasterous start. Five games played and just 1 point; by the half way point they were picking up a few wins but were still down in 13th place. Three losses in the next 4 games and down to 14th but then the season took off for Rob with 4 wins in a row and only 1 defeat in the last 11 games saw them to a very respectable finish.

10. St Lucia Saints (last season 10th) – Mid table finish like the last 2 seasons for Shep. They were 8th at the half way point and it didn’t improve in the 2nd half of the season. They had a strange away pattern with the first two won and then no wins in 10 followed by 3 away wins to end the season.

11. Molesley Shoals (last season 8th) – last season Lloydy ended with some excellent home performances but alas they didn’t continue this forward and lost their opening 4 games but a 6 game unbeaten run saw them 12th at the half way point. Nothing really improved in the second half of the season. A breakdown of points showed 17 at home and 21 away so definitely need to improve their home performances next season.

12. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 13th) – Ben is building a youthful team and although he would have hoped to have improved more he can’t be too disappointed as it is a strong division and they can only get better. At the half way point they were 14th mainly because they only picked up 3 points away from home. The second half of the season saw them pick up more points away than at home so plenty to ponder for Ben.

13. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 16) – after Bakerboy left Lloydy took over the challenge of rebuilding Loko and a 13th placed finish is a good effort. With 21 points at home and 15 away they were decent stats all round..Breaking news is that the Scottish Laird has returned to the Opal as Dave Curtis has bought out David Lloyd.

14. Los Gigantes Saints (last season relegated) – the rebuilding process continued after Shep had decided to re-vamp the whole team towards the end of last season. After 16 weeks Shep would have been fairly happy as Gigantes sat in 7th place but they then went into freefall and only picked up 9 points from the remaining 14 games..

15. Norfolk FC (last season 11th) – the last 2 seasons has seen a downward trend for MikeT and with 17 defeats it has been a mystery to the manager as to why they have been so poor.

16. FC Coyle (last season 15th) – the new control team and they lost every game with only 1 goal scored and that was in their first game against St Lucia. (Shame on you Dave).

All teams are taken and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is the strongest in SS and if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 31 - End of Term Report

Premier League

1. Jedi Knights (last season 12th) – last season ChrisC rescued Jedi from relegation on the last day of the season. It was a different story this year as they took the Premier League Title for the first time in their history - 9 seasons ago they had just finished T64 for the 3rd consecutive season. A good opening 10 games saw them nicely placed in 4th spot and an 8 game unbeaten run saw Jedi top of the table at week 19. There was a 5 week spell where they were 2nd on gd to Chaddesden but week 26 saw them lead the table and with 2 games to go they looked like champions as they held a 4 point lead but they lost a 4-3 thriller at home to Abertawe so it was all down to the last game where ChricC kept his nerve to take the title. Jedi also reached the semi final of the SLFA Cup.

2. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season Champions) – the champions lost their first 5 away games but their home form was as impeccable as ever so after 10 games they were 10th. Their away form continued to be patchy but bolstered by their home form they were 7th at the half way point and only 3 points off the top. Their only home defeat came at after 22 games so with 8 games to go they were 4th and 7 points off the top. CJ them moved into top gear with 6 wins and 2 draws to end the season but not enough to catch Jedi. They won the Cup Final for the 3rd time in 4 years.

3. Mighty Chucks (last season 11th) – a 10th consecutive season for Stu in the Premier League and their best finish in the last 8. It was a slow start with 2 wins in the first 8 and down in 13th place but 6 wins in the next 7 left them 4th at the half way point and only 1 point behind the leader. The second half of the season was a case of 'what might have been' as they only lost 1 from 15 games but with 10 draws it meant they were never really in the title race.

4. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 2nd) – after their best ever finish last season Razor started well with 7 games unbeaten and 3rd spot. Three games without a win and a few nerves set in but 7 games without defeat and Chadd were top after 18 games. They were top again between weeks 21 and 25 and it looked like a two horse race with Jedi for the title but disaster struck as their form disintegrated with just 2 point from the last 7 games. Paul won the Golden Boot Award with Adrian Gonzalez with 17 goals.

5. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 4th) - a 3rd successive top 6 finish Rich Dimambro but it didn't look that way with just 1 win in the first 5 - they won 4 of the next 5 so after 10 games they were 6th. At the halfway point they were 5th and just 1 point off the pace - with 10 games to go they were 3rd and only gd keeping off the top spot but just 3 wins in the remaining games saw them slip to 5th.

6. Loyal Rangers (last season 6th) – a 2nd season back in the Premier for Andrew Gaudie and a second top 6 finish but it could have been so much better as they topped the table from weeks 3 to 8, 11 to 12 and from 14-16. The 2nd half of the season saw them go to pot and win just 1 home game and 3 away games. In fact after winning their first 5 home games the next 9 only yielded 3 points until a win on the last day. Their point collection was 27 pts in the first half but just 17pts in the second half of the season.

7. Doncaster Town (last season promoted) – a first season back for CJ after their shock relegation last season and it looked as though they were going for the title in the first half of the season as they lead the table twice. The 2nd half of the season was a shambles with 10 defeats and 5 wins, with 2 of these in the last 2 games - relegation form but luckily they were saved by the first half of the season.

8. Sylvan Lake (last season 8th) – a 2nd season back in the Premier and it was a relief for Shep to keep Sylvan in the Premier League as they had become the typical yo-yo team – in the previous 7 seasons they have gone Premier - Division 1 – Premier – Division 1 – Premier - Division 1 - Premier!!! It didn't look good after 5 games with just 3 points but they battled back to be 9th at the half way point. The 2nd half of the season followed a pattern of lose at home but win away and then lose away but win at home so a decent Mid table finish.

9. FC Abertawe (last season 9th) – the highlight of the season for MikeT came at week 1 when they topped the table - after that it was a similar story to last season with the team under-performing. At week 10 they were 13th, at the half way point they still 13th, week 20 and they were into the bottom three - a 3 match winning spell saw them recover a little but with 3 games to go they were back in the bottom three and all to do. In an identical finish to last season they won the last 3 and again finished in an unlikely 9th spot. They reached the Cup Final but for the 2nd time in 4 years they lost to Bentley.

10. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 5th) – the Saints have id Opal 64, which means they were the last team in the Opal that Glynn created in Feb 1999 (scarily nearly 19 years ago) and Shep took them on in Season 10 and renamed them from Ritzy Rovers, when they were T64. It has been a meteoric rise to hit the Premier League in Season 18 - they have relegated and promoted twice since then but this their 3rd season back with previous finishes of 7th and 5th so another decent finish. At the half way point they were 8th so it has been a good, solid season for Shep.

11. Armthorpe Rovers (last season promoted) – a first season back for CJ and it looked as though it was going to be a quick return with just 5 points after 9 games - they had a mini revival but after 18 games Armthorpe were bottom with 15 points. They were still bottom with 6 games to go but suddenly CJ found his mo-jo and they won 4 and drew 2 of their last 6 games.

12. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 10th) – ChrisF had spent the last 19 seasons with Belmont in the Premier League and even though they almost lost this record. There was not any sign of danger for Chris after 10 games with Belmont 3rd on 18 points but then inexplicably they went on a stinker of a run with just 4 points from 12 games to drop to 15th!!!! It didn't really improve much with 1 win the next 5 and with 3 games to go Belmont were 3 points adrift with 3 to play - the penny seemed to drop about relegation and they won all 3 to finish safe.

13. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 7th) – a dreadful start for Gary, as computer problems meant his team was on auto pilot and the Vipers only had 2 points after 11 games - it would have been a brave man to say that they had a chance of survival. Maybe miracles do happen as they won 6 of the next 8 to climb out of the bottom three; 3 defeats in a row brought them down to earth with a bump and back to bottom spot. Gary never gave up and 3 wins in the next 4 meant they were out of the bottom three with 4 games to go but 3 draws in a row left it down to the last game. In a massive relegation battle they won at the Royals to secure a position of safety that

14. Cheshire Royals (last season 3rd) – Wes (chunky) imported the Royals into the Opal at the start of Season 18 named as Mexicana Wave and they have been in top flight ever since with one title in Season 20. They have had 5 name changes under Wes with Cheshire Royals being the latest. Their lowest ever finish was 10th and it was a major surprise to see them relegated. It was a very poor first half of the season with just 2 wins and they were in the bottom three for 10 of these weeks. It didn't improve and Wes found him at the bottom of the table after 19 games - a 'kick up the backside' helped with 3 wins in a row and with 4 games to go they looked almost safe but 3 defeats in a row left it down to the last game against the Vipers and they lost this one as well. They will be a tough team to face in Division 1.

15. Whitby Town (last season 13th) – after last season's close shave there was no happy ending this year for SteveR as Whitby are relegated after 10 seasons and title winners only 5 seasons ago. It was a similar story to last season with good early season form - 7th after 10 games and 10th at the half way point, with a respectable 20 points. With 10 games to go Whitby were still ok with 27 points and 8th spot but that was as good as it got with no wins in the next 10.

16. La Donny Luz (last season promoted) – a quick return for CJ to Division 1. With 10 games played they were 12th with 12 points and at the half way point 12th with 16 points. The season then started to drift away from CJ as they failed to win in the next 6 games and although they sneaked a couple of wins, 4 defeats in a row saw them relegated with 2 games to go.

Division 1

1. Cusco (last season 7th) – Matt (smelly) takes Cusco back to the Premier League after just 2 seasons and as Champions. Ten games in and Cusco were nicely placed in 6th position and by the half way point they hit the top three. With 10 games remaining they were 2nd but they had an iffy three games, which saw them down to 4th. Matt then went into overdrive as Cusco won the next 6 and the title was sealed with a game to go.

2. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 8th) – MikeT takes Abysmal into the Premier League for the first time in their history. They started well with 7 games unbeaten and 2nd spot - at the half way they were 4th and a point off a top 3 place. Abysmal only lost 1 of the last 19 games but with 10 draws they didn't pull away from the pack until 1 game to go when they sealed promotion. With only 4 defeats all season this was the best record in the Opal.

3. Chester Town (last season 11th) – after 2 seasons of battling against relegation it was a fantastic year for PaulW as they are promoted back to the Premier League for the first time in 25 seasons. Chester started well and were unbeaten in 6 and top in weeks 1 and 2. At the half way point they were second and it was still looking good with 10 games to go and 3rd spot. There was tense battle for the promotion slots but with 3 weeks to go they were still hanging in there in 2nd place. A defeat against rivals Abysmal left it down to the last game and a win, combined with only a draw for East Riding saw them jump into 3rd place.

4. East Riding Enterprise (last season promoted) – the season started as last season finished for Ben with East Riding in scintillating form - 9 wins in a row and 10 points clear at the top. A couple of defeats in the next 6 games but at the half way point they were on 35 points and 9 points clear of 4th place. Surely promotion was in the bag and despite some patchy form they still had an 8 point cushion with 10 games to go. Then things started going drastically wrong with just 1 win in the next 7 and with 3 games to go they dropped out of the top three for the first time - a win in the next moved them back to 2nd and a win would see them up but it was a draw and they missed out on goal difference. East Riding spent 23 consecutive weeks at the top and Ben will be very disappointed not to see them go up.

5. The Survivors (last season 12th) – a 3rd season for Stu in Division 1 and a big improvement. They lost the first 2 games but then won 6 of the next 8 to move up to 3rd. The next 13 games were strange with just 1 win but 9 draws so Stu dropped to 7th spot and 8 points off a promotion place. Suddenly the form flooded back and they were unbeaten in the last 8, including 4 straight wins but they finished up 2 points out of the promotion places.

6. Istra Pula (last season 4th) – a very odd season for MikeT but a significantly, better finish than he would have thought at the half way point. It all started to plan with 2 wins but this was followed with just 1 win in the next 15 games and they were only 1 point above the drop zone. Istra then remembered how to win with 10 victories in the last 13 games, including winning the last 4 to end up just a point off promotion.

7. Phoenix Vikings (last season relegated) – there was not a quick return for Todd although he will probably feel they could have made a bigger push. A slow start with plenty of draws saw Phoenix in 11th place after 12 games - they then took off with 6 straight wins to zoom up to 5th with 31 points and just 1 off a promotion place. Mediocre then set in with just 2 wins in the last 12 games and a Mid table finish.

8. Cheshire Saints (last season 9th) – Wes (chunky) finished up in a similar position to last year. With just 1 win in the first 7 it was looking bleak for the Saints but a 4 game winning run lifted them to 7th. Another blip with 1 point from 4 games was followed by 5 wins in a row - Wes was up to 5th with hopes of promotion. Their unpredictability returned with just 2 wins in the last 9 games (5 points from the last 7 games last season).

9. York Rovers (last season 6th) – a 2nd season back in Division 1 for SteveR and the story of the season was draws with 15 games. In fact they only lost 6 games and only 2 away from home so a good season overall. SteveR will want to change some of these draws into wins next season.

10. Southamton Sity (last season 10th) – three seasons back for Shep in Division 1, with newly named Southamton Sity and finishes of 9th, 10th and now 10th again. With just 1 home win in their first 9 home games they were in the bottom three and they looked to be heading back to Division 2. Suddenly Shep found the magic potion and they went 10 games unbeaten to move up to 7th and an outside of a promotion place with 3 games to go. However 2 defeats and a draw left them with the same finish as last year

11. FC Chezz (last season 13th) – last season they only won 1 of their first 12 games - this year it was marginally better with 1 win in 11 for Baz so it was the same uphill battle for survival. A slight improvement with 7 points from the next 5 games but they were still in the bottom three. The big factor in favour of Baz was that they were scoring goals - five wins from the next 7 and they were up to 9th with 30 points. One point from the next 4 and they had nearly undone all of the hard work but with the bottom three struggling they had enough points in the bag. Talking of goals Chezz hit 49 goals - the most in the Division 1.

12. Hundon Harriers (last season relegated) – Mark was looking for a quick return to the Premier League and it looked good after 9 games as they sat 3rd with 17 points. What happened after that even Mark could not explain as they didn't win again for 13 games and by then Hundon were dragged into the relegation brawl. A mini revival saw 7 points from 3 games and they were virtually safe; 1 win in the last 6 saw Mark finishing 5 points above the bottom three.

13. Kesgrave Vespas (last season promoted) – it was a first season for Kesgrave above the bottom two divisions after Gary had taken them up. It was a similar to Kamikaze, where major computer problems left them running on auto pilot. At week 10 it was not too bad as they were 7th but with just 2 wins in the next 18 it was still a surprise that they had a chance of staying up. Cue week 30 with Kesgrave 2 points behind the Kings and guess what - it was Kesgrave at home to the Kings - a Kesgrave win and they were out of the bottom three and to make sure of safety they won their last game.

14. Cupernham Kings (last season relegated) – after last season's shock relegation there was another major shock as the Kings parted company with Baz and was later replaced by a blast from the past in Wayne Smith - making a welcome return. It was always going to be an uphill battle for Wayne to keep the Kings up and with 2 games to go it was a 2-way battle with Kesgrave to stay up. A defeat against Kesgrave condemned the Kings to Division 3 for the first time since they joined the Opal 10 seasons ago.

15. Leith Athletic (last season promoted) – a quick return for Dorrie after just 1 season. They were always in the bottom three and there not any highlights. They were particularly bad away from home with 12 defeats and 3 draws.

16. Stainsacre United (last season 5th) – a very disappointing season for SteveR after last year's excellent showing. They won their 2nd game but had to wait a further 22 games for their next win! SteveR will be demanding a big improvement from the players next season. Back after 6 seasons in Division 1.

Division 2

Division 2 turned out to be a tremendous battle with the leader changing 12 times!! All of the top three had 53 points with Top Gun the unlucky team in 4th and 52 points.

1. Askham Bryan United (last season 7th) – back to Division 1 for SteveR after 2 seasons. The season opened with 3 wins and 3 draws; they then moved up to top gear with 6 wins in a row and were top of the table at the half way point. It was looking good for SteveR with an 8 point cushion over 4th place but then disaster struck and they went 7 games without a win and they were down to 3rd with only gd keeping them in the top three. The recovery came with 10 points from 4 games and they were back on top but 2 defeats saw them down to 4th with 2 games to - both of these were home wins and they took the title on gd. Askham also reached the Semi Final of the Cup.

2. Tigre Victoria (last season relegated) – ChrisF was looking for a quick return and he wasn't disappointed. It was a quick start with 2 wins and they played consistently all season without any major blips - they were never lower than 7th and topped the Division after 23 and 24 matches. A big win in the next to last game against Riverplate saw them top and despite losing the last game they were up.

3. Duffield Dynamos (last season 4th) – after a very impressive season last time out for John (jelly), they started off as one of the favourites to go up and they didn't disappoint as they are up after an absence of 8 seasons. It looked as though the bookies were spot on as Duffield topped the table for the first 8 weeks but complacency set in and they had to wait 7 weeks for another win, by which time they had dropped to 5th place and 8 points behind the top team. Time to go on a run for John with 6 games unbeaten and back into the top three. Another iffy spell threatened to curtail their season but 3 home wins in a row left it all down to the last game, which they won and with Top Gun losing they jumped into 3rd place.

4. Top Gun (last season promoted) – what a performance by Lloydy as he comes so close to getting a 2nd successive promotion! Unbeaten in their first 5 games but 4 draws; a home defeat but then 8 wins in 9 games and Top Gun were top with a 7 point cushion. They were still clear with 10 games to go but then the nerves set in with just 2 points from 5 matches - just hanging onto 3rd spot. Lloydy read the riot act and his boys responded with 3 wins and a draw to go into the last game needing just a win to go up but it wasn't to be. Top Gun topped the table in 7 weeks

5. Riverplate (last season 11th) – almost back to Division 1 for MikeT after seasons and it was a battling performance. A steady first 10 games saw them in 7th place, up to 4th by the half way point and they never dropped below 5th for the remainder of the season. Riverplate hit 3rd spot with 2 games to go but lost the last 2 to finish 5 points off the pace.

6. Bayern FC (last season promoted) – another unexpected great season for MikeT and they started off like an express train with 7 wins from 9 games and the top slot. Then, the slump and without a win in 8 games they dropped to 7th. Bolstered by some good home performances a top 6 finish was achieved and MikeT will be delighted to achieve this next season.

7. Scrubs (last season 6th) – another strong showing from Ben and a similar finish to last season. A steady start saw them 8th after 10 games and 6th at the half way point - just 2 points behind the top three. Unbeaten in 5 but with 4 draws left them 7th after 20 games and up to 6th with 4 games remaining and still an outside of promotion but 3 defeats in a row saw the season peter out.

8. Corinthian Wizards (last season 12th) – a first full season for Rob Page and he will be happy with a top half finish. It turned out to be a tale of 2 halves as in the first half of the season their home form was poor and their away form good - in the 2nd half it was the complete opposite with good home form and poor away form. The puzzle for Rob is to get some consistency next season.

9. Chapel North (last season 10th) – it was another disappointing for ChrisF with Chapel and in the 4 seasons since they dropped out of Division 1 their best finish was 7th. A mixed first half of the season saw them in 8th spot with 22 points; a run of 13 points from 5 games saw them threaten to push for promotion but just 2 wins in the last 8 saw the season fade away.

10. Dell Diamonds (last season relegated) – after a surprise relegation last season MikeT was looking for a quick return but it was almost the opposite as they looked to be heading for a 2nd successive relegation after 7 defeats in a row left them bottom after 9 games with 4 points. It was then all about battling back up the table - by the half way point they were out of the bottom three on gd. Their plight was helped by a burst of 4 wins in a row and a finish that was considerably higher than expected earlier in the season.

11. Tadcaster Albion (last season relegated) – the first 6 home games for SteveR were a nightmare, yielding just 6 points - luckily they were better away from home with 5 away wins from 7 games so a Mid table position. Just when their home form picked up their away form deserted them and they failed to win on the remainder of the season on their travels until the last game of the season.

12. Woolwich Manor (last season promoted) - an excellent first 10 games for ChrisF and Woolwich were 3rd with 20 points. This was the highlight and the rest of the season was a nightmare with only 3 wins in the next 21 games - luckily their start kept them safe to fight another year!

13. Par Athletic (last season 5th) – almost a major disappointment after SteveR's excellent performance with Par last season. The first 6 games produced 11 points and they were sitting 4th with the fans all looking forward to another promotion push. What happened then was impossible to have predicted as they only won 1 of the next 18 games - yes 18 games leaving them next to bottom with only 21 points. The players then rolled their sleeves up and started to play like they did in the early part of the season and in a massive penultimate game they sneaked a win by 3-2 against Wealdstone to climb out of the relegation zone. Despite a defeat in the last game they survived.

14. Waterside FC (last season 13th) – a first full season for Shep and with rebuilding in process safety was always going to be their priority. The first half of the season was an uphill struggle and they were 15th with just 11 points so it was going to be tough battle. Shep found the magic touch at home with 7 games unbeaten but he couldn't reproduce this away with just 1 win With 2 games to go they were just out of the bottom three but a defeat and draw left them 1 point adrift.

15. Wealdstone FC (last season 9th) – a first full season for Richard Woolford (St Albans) and like most new teams it was a rebuilding exercise. The first half of the season saw some promising performances but they were in the bottom three with 14 points. The second half of the season followed a similar format and it was all down to the last two games but both of these were lost and so was the season.

16. Hangover 96 (last season 8th) – after last season’s showing CJ was looking to be pushing for promotion again but with just 1 win in 12 games the board decided a new manager was required and in came Richard Woolford to take his 2nd team in the Opal. It was time for rebuilding and the rest of the season was as expected as they finished bottom.

Division 3

1. Norfolk FC (last season 15th) – what a surprise for MikeT as he takes Norfolk up to Division 2 for the first time in 9 seasons and as Champions. After finishing next to bottom last year this season's improvement was astounding. It started slowly with Norfolk 7th at week 10 and 6th at the half way point. The wins then started coming 'thick and fast' and with 9 wins in 12 games they hit the top and were promoted with 2 games remaining. They were the Opal's top scorers with 62 goals

2. St Lucia Saints (last season 10th) a great season for Shep as he takes St Lucia to Division 2 after an absence of 21 seasons. They were the most consistent team in Division 3 and topped the tabled in 22 weeks - their only blip came at the end of the season with 2 defeats and a 2 draws which allowed Norfolk to take the title.

3. Wigan Wildcats (last season relegated) – Woody was looking for another quick return to Division 2 and he did it in the final game of the season. Their away form at the start of the season was abysmal - luckily for Dave they were playing well at home so after 10 games they were Mid table with 11 points and 9 off the pace. They needed a big improvement or the season was going to fade away and the players responded with 5 wins and a draw in the next 6 games - the deficit had gone and Wigan were 3rd. All Dave needed was consistency for the remainder of the season - did he get it - well no. It was a case of winning at home but losing away followed by winning away and losing at home, however he was still in with a chance of promotion in the last game knowing a win against Death Valley would take them up. Dave kept his nerve as Wigan won 2-0.

4. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 4th) – 7th, 6th, 4th and now 4th again for MikeT. They started the season in cracking form with 5 wins and 2 draws to top the Division and also topped after 12 and 13 weeks. One point from the next 4 games caused a few nerves but they were still in the top three followed by 6 games without defeat and promotion was looking promising. The last game saw them away to Wigan knowing as long as they didn't lose they would go up but a defeat it was heartbreak in what was a very consistent season as they never dropped out of the top 4.

5. Inter Southampton (last season 5th) – after going close last season it was heartbreak again for Shep as they fell just short again. A slow start didn't help Dave, with only 6 points from the first 5 games; 4 wins in the next 5 and at week 10 they had moved to 5th; more improvement followed so by the half way point Inter were 3rd and looking good. The 2nd half of the season was frustrating as they played well but could not put together a blistering run - with 8 games to go they were still in the hunt just a point off the pace but 2 wins in 7 games saw them finish up 2 points off the pace. Inter won the Youth League so there should be some good youngsters coming through for Dave.

6. Molesley Shoals (last season 11th) – so close for Lloydy with the Moles as they eventually finished up 4 points from the top 3. A good opening 10 games saw them nicely placed in 4th spot and still 4th at the half way point. The next 11 games saw a 'Jekyll and Hyde' performance with 14 points at home but no wins and only 2 points away so with 5 games to go they were down to 6th and 5 points off the pace. A 'kick up the backside' from Lloydy and his players responded with 3 wins in a row but they could not make up the ground and a top 6 finish.

7. Los Gigantes Saints (last season 14th) – the rebuilding process by Shep looks to have paid dividends with an improvement of 7 places. The opening 10 games were good with 6th spot; at the half way point they were 8th with a respectable 23 points. A mixed start to the 2nd half of the season saw Dave in 7th place with 7 games to go and 10 points off the pace. Three wins in a row and they had closed the gap to just 3 points with 4 games to go but they couldn't keep this up and eventually a very respectable 7th place.

8. Cupernham Rifles (last season 7th) – another season of 'what might have been' for SteveW as they were unbeaten in the first ten games (4 wins and a draw away as well) and riding high in 2nd place. Their away form then destroyed them with 3 points from the next 8 - this was compensated by not losing at home but Mid table it was again.

9. Blackmore Knights (last season 9th) – a second successive 9th place finish for Rob Thompson. A good start soon deteriorated and by week 12 they were 10th with 11 points. Rob then conjured up a run of 8 games without defeat so at 20 weeks they were 9th but with a healthy haul of 27 points. They continued to hover around this position and eventually finished with 39 pts (42 pts last season).

10. Parkside United (last season relegated) – taken over by Chris Cook early in the season and he has started to bring in a few players. His style stared to pay off as they went on a 6 game unbeaten run yielding 16 points which saw them move from 15th to 10th and that is where they eventually finished.

11. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 13th) - after Dave Curtis had to leave the Opal Loko are now the control team.

12. Mann City (last season 6th) – after an excellent finish last season for Brian Mann this year was tough. It was a decent start with 7 points from 5 games and 8th spot but that was the highlight - at home they had a decent haul of 20 points but away they only managed 13. The away form is a good area for Brian to look at for next season.

13. Huntley Fairways (last season 8th) – it was another case of pre-season preparation turning into shambles for Carl and resulted in them losing their first 4 and after 7 games had just 2 points!!!!!! They looked as they had turned things round with a 9 game unbeaten run taking them up to 8th and maybe the season still had something to offer. Sadly this was not the case for Carl as they went on another horrendous run of 8 games with 6 losses and just 2 points!! The end of the season could not come quick enough and hopefully Carl will be better prepared for next season.

14. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 12th) – Ben has built a 'cracking' young team with the oldest player being only 23 so he should not be too disheartened by his teams finish. He is well aware that as the team matures the performance of the team will improve. One area to look at is their away performances, where they only picked up 8 points.

15. Riot City FC (last season relegated) – taken over by Wayne Smith during the season and with rebuilding in process this was the best position he could achieve.

16. FC Coyle (last season 16th) – taken over by Gary Smith near the end of the season and his priority next season will to finish higher than 15th - a feat they haven't accomplished in the last 5 seasons. An away win in their last game was the first in 50 away games - a 5-0 win at Loko on 23 November 2015!!!! They now only occupy one place in the worst records, which is 87 games since they scored 3 or more goals.

All the teams are taken and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is very strong and if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Season 32 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

In a nail biting finish Chaddesden Celtic claim their first Premiership title and they are the 4th different winner in the last 4 seasons. We also have the same 6 teams occupying the top 6 places!!!!

1. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 4th) – after finishing 2nd and 4th in the last two seasons Razor gets his first Premiership title. It was a two horse race with Jedi for the prize. They were unbeaten in the first 6 but with 4 draws and a home defeat in the next game they were in 8th spot. Razor put together an excellent run of 6 wins and 2 draws and hit the top at week 15, where they stayed for the next 13 weeks. Their form had started to dip with just 1 win in 5 and with 3 weeks to go they slipped to 2nd on goal difference to Jedi - the game of the season beckoned at home to Jedi - a draw so all to play for. It all hinged on the last game and with a win and Jedi drawing the title was theirs.

2. Jedi Knights (last season 1st) – another fantastic season for ChrisC as Jedi almost took a 2nd successive title. In the early part of the season it was their home form that kept them with the leaders and they topped the table from weeks 7-14, winning 6 home games in a row. A minor blip saw them off the table from weeks 15-27 but 2nd or 3rd throughout this spell. Jedi's away form picked up and they went top on goal difference from Chadd with 3 weeks to go. The season looked to hinge on their next match - away to their rivals Chadd but this finished all square so it went down to the last game where they were held to a draw by Abysmal.

3. Loyal Rangers (last season 6th) – a 3rd season back in the Premier for Andrew Gaudie and after two 6th place finishes they improve to 3rd. However, similar to last season it could have been so much better. A great start saw them top after 6 weeks and their home record was going well - no defeats in the first 9 but their away form was not quite so hot which meant they were 3rd in weeks 18 and 19. This was the top of the mountain for Andy as the remainder of the season was a bit hit and miss but a good run in with only one defeat in the last 7 took them back to 3rd.

4. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (2nd) – it was a strangely quietish season for CJ, compared to previous ones. Unbeaten in the first 4 games was a decent start but their 3rd position at this time turned out to be their highest. They were7th after 10 games, 3rd at the half-way point, 4th after 20 games and still 4th at the end of the season - incredibly this is their lowest finish in 9 seasons!! Sill it would not be Bentley without a cup run and they reached the semi final but lost out to Ruislip.

5. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 5th) - a 4th successive top 6 finish Rich Dimambro but with a great start Rich would probably have expected a bit better. Unbeaten in their first 11 games, but the 7 draws restricted them to 2nd place. Five defeats in the next 6 and all title hops had vanished with them down in 10th place. Three wins in a row and they were up to 6th but 2 points from the next 4 left Aberdeen in the bottom half of the table. They finished the season unbeaten at home in 7 with 4 home wins in a row but their away form let them down with 2 points from the last 5.

6. Mighty Chucks (last season 3rd) – an 11th consecutive season for Stu in the Premier League and after two 3rd place finishes they drop to 6th.The season started with 2 wins and they topped the League for 2 weeks but only 2 more wins in the next 11 games saw the Chucks down in 12th place and an unlikely title contender. Stu had other ideas and a purple patch of 7 wins in a row, which took the Chucks to 2nd and 3 points off the pace. As quick as they found form it disappeared and with just 2 wins in the next 11 and 1 point from the last 5 games their title hopes evaporated.

7. Doncaster Town (last season 7th) – a 2nd season back for CJ and a 2nd 7th place finish. Fairly consistent all season - 6th after 10 games, 10th at the half-way point, 10th after 20 games and unbeaten in the next 9 moved them up to good finish.

8. Cusco (last season promoted as champions) - a first full season for Matt (smelly) with Cusco back in the Premier League and he will be pleased with the Mid table finish. Matt was worried with just a point from the first 3 games but 4 wins in a row and they were flying high in 3rd spot. Their home form was threatening to ruin their season with just 1 win in the next 9 home games - luckily for Matt their away form baled them out. Cusco were 8th at the half-way point, 7th after 20 games and 9th after 25 games. Without a win in 4 the teams below them were gaining but points gained earlier in the season meant they were never in doubt of going down and they rallied with 3 wins to finish with 44 points.

9. FC Abertawe (last season 9th) – another mediocre season for MikeT, with most of it spent recovering from a dreadful start of 1 win in 7, which left them down near the bottom of the table. A run of 7 games without defeat and they had crept up to 9th. So far it had been their away form that was keeping them out of a relegation battle and that continued all season - a run of 10 unbeaten away games in a row. They finished strongly with just 2 defeat in the last 11 games to finish in the same position as last season.

10. Sylvan Lake (last season 8th) – a 3rd season back in the Premier and after finishing 8th in the last 2 seasons it was a downward trend for Shep. A win in their opening game was followed by just 2 points in the next 6 and they were next to bottom. Two wins in the next 4 helped to get them out of the bottom three and then Shep turned up the throttle with just 1 defeat in the next 9 and 18 points to shoot up to 8th and looking safe. How things can change and just 4 points in the next 7 saw them dragged into the relegation battle with 3 games remaining. A big win against Bentley and they were safe. Their average, league form was balanced out by good form in the cup where they reached the Final against South Ruislip and won 2-0.

11. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 13th) – a 5th consecutive season in the Premier and Gary (Smiffy) was looking to avoid last season's dreadful start and having to win on the last day of the season to stay up. It was not as bad as last season but only slightly better with 2 wins and 7 points after 10 games; by the half way point they had moved onto 14 points but still 5 adrift of safety. Five games without defeat and after 20 games they were 4 points clear of the drop zone. With 6 games to go Gary looked safe on 32 points and an 8 point cushion but 3 defeats in a row and the safety margin was only 3 points with 2 games to go. An excellent away win at the Chucks and they were safe.

12. Chester Town (last season promoted) – it was a first year back in the Premier League for PaulW after a 25 season absence and it was almost a short stay. They started well and after 7 games were 4th with 13 points, however 1 point from the next 6 hurt as they plummeted down to 13th spot and PaulW knew he was in for a fight. They won the next two so at the half way point Chester had a very reasonable 20 points. Another big slump of 4 defeats and only goal difference kept them out of the bottom three; 1 point from the next four games and they went into the last 2 games in a relegation spot but all to play for. A win against Belmont moved them out of the bottom three and they also won their last match to secure safety.

13. Abysmal Aftermath (last season promoted) – it was a first season MikeT with Abysmal in the Premier League and he couldn't have had a worse start with losing the first 6 games. After 10 games they were still rock bottom with just 4 points and at the half way point a couple of wins had moved them to 12 points and next to bottom. Just 1 win in the next 7 games and they were back on the bottom and with 8 games to go needed a miracle. What happened next is as close to a miracle you could get - bearing in mind Abysmal had only won 4 games in 22 they proceeded to win 5 in a row to shoot up to 10th with 3 games remaining. Two away defeats left it all down to the last game at the leaders Jedi - a draw was obtained and they stay up on goal difference.

14. St. Mary’s Saint (last season 10th) – Dave Shepherd had taken them on 22 seasons ago and renamed them from Ritzy Rovers, when they were T64. It has been a meteoric rise to the Premier League, with their highest position being runners up in Season 23. It has been a crazy ride for Shep with St Marys and it was a hard decision to let them go but like Arsene he decided it was the right time. Shep will always be a legend with the Mary's fans but it is time to move forward and in stepped the Scottish Laird aka Dave Curtis to take on the reigns. It was a tough time for Dave to get them with only 4 weeks to go and with a weakened team it proved just that but in the last game they showed their potential by beating Bentley and were only relegated on goal difference. Relegated after 4 seasons.

15. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 11th) – relegated back to Division 1 for CJ after just 2 seasons back in the Premier League. They battled successfully against relegation last season but to no avail this year. With just 2 wins in the first half of the season their fate was sealed. A mini revival of 3 wins and a draw only masked the failings and 4 defeats in a row left them doomed.

16. Belmont Buccaneers (last season 12th) – ChrisF had spent the last 15 seasons with Belmont and all of them in the Premier League but personal problems meant that Chris was not able to manage his team and they floundered. Chris had to leave SS and he will be sadly missed so Gary Dowson stepped in for his first spell in the Opal. Needless to say with the culling/loss of form Belmont struggled and with two weeks to go Gary was replaced by Rob (Parkside). Belmont are relegated after 18 consecutive seasons in the Premier League and Gary is keeping the historical name and hoping to restore some pride.

Division 1

Promotion places are taken by two relegated teams and a promoted team.

1. Whitby Town (last season relegated) – a quick return for SteveR with Whitby as Champions and a very impressive season. They hit the top at week 2 and remained there all season - probably one of the most dominant performances in recent years. With only 3 defeats in the first 29 matches there were not any bad runs - which is unusual as most teams have a dip in form. Little more to say apart from they have been brilliant.

2. Duffield Dynamos (last season promoted) – a second successive promotion for John (jelly) and they did it in style. They proved a very difficult team to beat with only 2 defeats all season (the best in Division 1 since the Opal began) and were unbeaten in their last 15 games. They did draw 13 matches, which is probably why they finished up 2nd but a very consistent season where they were always hovering around the top 3. Duffield return to the Premier League after an absence of 10 seasons.

3. Funkademia FC (last season relegated) – another quick return as Wes(chunky) went for another name change - his 6th and this one worked. It was a major surprise when they were relegated last season and they wanted a quick start - an away defeat in the first game could have caused heads to fall but no they responded well and were in the top three after 4 games. Their home form was majestic with 10 wins and a draw in their first 11 home games - Funk were surprisingly poor away with defeats in the first 9 away games which meant after 17 games they were 4th. Chunky sorted out the away form and the next 7 games yielded 19 points and promotion was in the bag.

4. Istra Pula (last season 5th) – a 5th consecutive top 6 finish for MikeT. A reasonable first 10 games saw them 5th but the top three were already flying. Five defeats in the next 7 saw Istra sink to 11th and being dragged into a relegation battle. Similar to last year they had a strong second half of the season with just 1 defeat in the last 13 games.

5. Xbana FC (last season 11th) – a change of name to Xbana FC for Baz and you would call it a very strange season. A fantastic first half of the season with only 1 defeat and second place - promotion a distinct possibility. What happened next is hard to explain but a run of 8 game without a win and 6 consecutive defeats and they slowly moved down to Mid table - three wins in the last 4 gave them a respectable finish.

6. Askham Bryan United (promoted as champions) – an excellent return to Division 1 for SteveR after 2 seasons with a splendid 6th place. It looked like Steve was heading for a quick return with just 1 win their first 11 games and they were next to bottom with 8 points. A sudden change if form happened and 7 games without defeat and they were up to 8th; an away defeat was a minor blip as they didn't lose in the final 9 games (including winning 5 in a row).

7. Hundon Harriers (last season 12th) – a second season back in Division 1 for Mark and he was looking for a big improvement on last season's disappointing position. After 10 games they were 8th and looking for a big push but Hundon suddenly didn't like travelling and they failed to win away in 6 games, with only 1 point; their home form just about kept them going so with 8 games to go they were 12th and only 1 point above the drop zone. Mark cracked the whip and Hundon started to play, like the Hundon we know - 5 wins and 3 draws (with 4 away wins on the bounce) and they were not only safe but up to 7th.

8. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 13) – it was a 2nd season for Kesgrave in Division 1 and Gary took them to their highest ever finish in their history. A poor beginning left them in the bottom three after 5 games, they had recovered to 10th after 10 games and 7th at the half way point. They had some excellent performance' particularly at home with 8 home wins in a row but their away form was appalling with the last 10 games yielding just 4 points. Kesgrave had Rodrigo Rotundo to thank with his 22 goals and the Golden Boot Winner - only the 4th player to score more than 20 in the 31 seasons the Opal has been going.

9. York Rovers (last season 9th) – a 3rd season back in Division 1 for SteveR and similar to last season the story of the season was draws with 14. I may as well have copied last year's report as they didn't lost many either - 7 this season (6 last)!!! Consistently not bad or good so an easy Mid table finish.

10. East Riding Enterprise (last season 4th) – after last season's major, disappointment of not getting promoted it was always going to be tough for Ben. Take their start - in the previous season they won the first 8 - this year just 1 win and 7 points and 15th spot - how do these things happen??? Enterprise seemed to remember about winning with 4 wins and a draw and would you believe it they were 5th! The remainder of the season was a tale of being at home or away - home good but away dreadful with 6 defeats in the last 8 so a 10th place finish.

11. The Survivors (last season 5th) – a 4th season for Stu in Division 1 and after last season this was a big disappointment. After 10 games they were 7th and at the half way point down to 10th. A run of 8 games without a win saw Stu next to bottom and a in a big relegation fight; cue the improvement with 3 wins in a row and with 3 games to go The Survivors were up to 11th and safe.

12. Southamton Sity (last season 10th) – four seasons back for Shep in Division 1, with and finishes of 9th, 10th, 10th and this season just avoiding the drop. Shep was 13th at week 5, 12th at week 10 and at the half way point in deep trouble in 15th place. They started off the second well with 5 wins in 7 games and plenty of goals - up to 11th and heading in the right direction or so they thought!! Just 4 points from the next 7 games left them 13th with 2 games to go and only a point clear of the bottom three. A win in the last game secure safety.

13. La Donny Luz (last season relegated) – CJ was looking for a speedy return to the big time but it was almost a double relegation, predominantly down to their rubbish away form. They started off with 3 home wins and were 3rd after 6 games. Their home form joined their poor away form and a run of 10 games, with just 3 points saw CJ next to bottom. They then turned into either a win or lose team, with 5 wins and 5 defeats so with 1 game to go they could still go down and it was another defeat and they needed Northern to fail to win - it was a draw so La Donny survive by the skin of their teeth.

14. Northern Soul (last season 8th) – Wes (chunky) change the name to Northern Soul but it didn't help as they were relegated after 15 seasons! You usually get one surprise relegation and this was it. Northern were a Jekyll and Hyde team - the first 17 games saw them collect 19 points at home but only 3 away - 8th position but only because of their home form. They then just turned into Hyde, going the next 11 games without a win and just 5 points leaving them 15th with 2 games to go. The surprising thing was they were still in with a chance of staying up - the trouble was their last 2 games were away and they hadn't won away all season. An injury time winner sent their fate to the last game where a win would keep them safe but they could only manage a draw. They will be a tough team to play in Division 2.

15. Tigre Victoria (last season promoted) – with ChrisF having to leave SS Tigre were unmanaged until Dave Curtis took them into his portfolio with just a few games to - major culling left them facing an uphill battle and the inevitable relegation happened.

16. Wight Wanderers (last season 7th) – Todd left SS and in stepped Shep but major culling, and when I say major I mean major!!!!!. Shep was left to concentrate on rebuilding and forget about the impending relegation.

Division 2

The top three sides were all managed by MikeT, with one promoted team.

1. Dell Diamonds (last season 10th) – MikeT takes Dell back to Division 1 after just 2 seasons as Champions. They opened up with 4 wins and were early pace setters but they couldn't keep this up and slipped out of the top 3 in week 10. From about the half way point they hit top form and only lost 2 of the next 14 games and were promoted - their away form was particularly good and ending with with 8 consecutive away wins. Dell broke the Division 2 scoring record with 67 goals.

2. Norfolk FC (last season promoted as champions) – another surprising but excellent season for MikeT with a second consecutive promotion for Norfolk. It will be a return to Division 1 football for the first time in 17 seasons but it remains to be seen if the squad is good enough. The promotion was helped by a fantastic start with 6 wins from their opening 7 games - they topped the table for 16 weeks and their home form continued from last season, with just 1 defeat in week 29.

3. Bayern FC (last season 6th) – after last season's surprise 6th place finish they out did all expectations with promotion for MikeT; up to Division 1 for the first time in 15 seasons. Four wins in the first 5 and they were 3rd; a run of 7 games without defeat saw Bayern 2nd at the half way point; they were 3rd after 20 weeks but their form deserted them and they were slowly overtaken by the chasing teams but a two wins in a row and it was all down to the last day of the season - a great away win but they still needed The Islanders to slip up and they did.

4. The Islanders (last season promoted) another great season for Shep but he will be disappointed that they didn't get a second consecutive promotion. A good start saw them 3rd after 10 weeks and 4th at the half way point; similar form saw them still in 4th place with 5 games to go - they were not on top form but the teams around them were all a bit 'hit and miss' as well so with 1 game to go they were 3rd but only a point clear of Bayern; a 2-1 defeat at Stainsacre and they needed Bayern to lose but they did not oblige.

5. Leith Athletic (last season relegated) – Dorrie had Leith performing well and they were pushing for a quick return to Division 1, but circumstances meant that Dorrie left and the Scottish Laird returned with four games in charge and still with an outside chance of promotion. Bearing in mind the culling Dave did well with 3 draws and 1 win to finish just 2 points off the top three.

6. Top Gun (last season 4th) – another good finish as Lloydy comes close again to promotion. The best description of the season was play badly, play well, play badly etc - just 2 points from the first 5 games and next to bottom; 5 wins and a draw in the next 6 and up to 4th; 4 defeats in a row and down to 11th at the half way point. And so it continued - 5 wins and a draw in the next 6 and up to 6th, with promotion beckoning. Wait just 3 points from the next 4 but with the others struggling still with a chance but defeat at Bayern ended their season.

7. Scrubs (last season 7th) – a 3rd season for Ben in Division 2 with finishes of 6th and 7th so another consistent finish. It was a strange season for Ben - in the first 15 games Scrubs failed to win away but didn't lose at home, however with 5 of these draws they found themselves in the bottom three! In the second half the season Ben was unbeaten in the first 6 away game and 4 wins in a row; the home form could have been better, with 3 defeats but they slowly climbed the table and peaked in 7th position.

8. Riverplate (last season 5th) – a disappointing season for MikeT after going so close last season. After 10 games they were 11th with 11 points and at the half way point 10th with 18 points - a big push and who knows? The big push didn't come, in fact the opposite as with just 1 win in the next 7 they were next to bottom. Their season was saved in the next 4 games as they won them all and a reasonable finish gave them a top half spot.

9. Tadcaster Albion (last season 11th) – a 2nd season in Division 2 for SteveR and a slight improvement on last season. The first half of the season was one to forget as they failed to win away and were next to bottom. The 2nd half of the season started better with 1 defeat in 6 and Taddy had climbed just out of the bottom three. They still had plenty to do but a change of fortune away - after going 11 without a win they reeled off 4 straight away wins and were safe.

10. Corinthian Wizards (last season 8th) – a second full season for Rob Page and he would have hoped for a better finish. It was a season where there were not any really bad spells or any good runs - I suppose a bit hit and miss. The highlight for Rob was the first week where they won 5-0 and topped the table - it was then all about mid-table. After 5 games they were 8th; after 10 games they were 8th; at the halfway point they were 8th; after 20 games they were 8th and after 25 games up one to 7th but just 1 point from their final 5 games saw them slip to 10th.

11. Stainsacre United (last season relegated) – almost a second successive relegation for SteveR. The season started badly with 3 defeats but by the half way point had steadily improved to 7th with 22 points. Five defeats in the next 6 and Mid table respectability had changed to looking over the shoulder at the teams just below them. Four games without defeat and they looked fairly safe with 31 points and 5 games to go but the teams around them were also picking up points. Three defeats and a win left them with only gd keeping them out of the bottom three with 1 game to go and they faced promotion contenders The Islanders - Steve pulled out his best performance of the season with a 2-1 win to keep them safe. It was Stainsacre's lowest ever league finish.

12. Wigan Wildcats (last season promoted) – almost a quick return for Dave (woody) in what would have been a 3rd relegation to Division 3 in 8 seasons. A poor start meant it was always going to be an uphill battle - 1 win in 7 and 15th with just 5 points. An unbeaten run of 5 games moved them to the heady heights of 10th and lifted the mood at the Bull Hey but not for long as the next 5 games only yielded 1 point and they were back in the bottom three! Four games without defeat and they had crept up to 11th but only a point clear of the drop zone. They were back in the bottom three with 7 games to go and still in the bottom three with 1 game left - a win was required at Par and Dave pulled it off to leave Par worrying about other results.

13. Par Athletic (last season 13th) – it was a 12th consecutive season in Division 2 for SteveR with Par and similar to last season just escaping relegation. It looked like Par were going on a promotion push with 6 wins in the first 9 games and sitting proudly at the top. You can't explain what happened next - how can form just evaporate - 9 games without a win and just 4 points - down to 9th. In the remaining games they couldn't win at home but their away form was keeping the afloat. Two defeats in the last 2 games meant they were kept safe courtesy of Chapel's defeat.

14. Chapel North (last season 9th) – with the loss of ChrisF it was left to Mark (Ayrhead) to step in and try to keep Chapel from dropping into Division 3 for the first time in their history. It was looking tough with 5 games to and next to bottom but two great away wins - the 2nd a stunning 4-0 win at promoted Norfolk lifted them out of the bottom three with 2 games remaining - a good home win kept them out of the bottom three but all down to the last game; it was tough ask at champions Dell and despite losing gave a good performance.

15. Pickering Town (last season relegated) – Wayne had taken over control of Pickering last season but with a weakened team they struggled all season and with 2 weeks to go CJ stepped in as manager. He immediately entered the transfer market and with a flourish of signings CJ was already planning for next season. Pickering become only the 3rd team to be relegated from the Premier Division to Division 3 in 3 consecutive seasons. The other two are Woolwich Manor in Seasons 3,4 and 5 and Inter Southampton in Seasons 17,18 and 19.

16. Woolwich Manor (last season 12th) - with the loss of ChrisF, Rob (Parkside) stepped in. With major re-building required there was little Rob could do to stop them dropping into Division 3 after 2 seasons.

Division 3

1. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 4th) – a well deserved promotion for MikeT after finishes of 7th, 6th, 4th and 4th in the last 4 seasons. Similar to previous seasons a great start - unbeaten in 12 and already an 8 point lead over 4th place. Their form continued and they topped the division from weeks 11 -29 (apart from 1 week); They surprisingly lost 2 in a row, which threatened them taking the title but a good away win saw them crowned as champions. Up to Division 2 for the first time in 17 seasons.

2. South Ruislip (last season relegated) – what a season for Richard (St Albans) as he is promoted straight back to Division 2 and also becomes the first team from Division 3 to reach the SLFA Cup Final. They started as they meant to go on with 4 wins and topped the table; three away defeats in a row but there home form was still good so after 10 games they were doing well in 4th place; the next 5 games only produced 1 win but they were still hanging in there in 4th spot. It was the 2nd half of the season where they really hit form and 4 wins in the next 5 pushed them into the top three but the other teams were all playing well so with 7 games to go they were down to 4th. It is from this point of the season where Richard suddenly fired Ruislip and 5 wins in a row took them to promotion.

3. Cunnack Allstars (last season 10th) – taken over by Chris Cook last season he has worked wonders with the team as he takes them up after just 1 season in Division 3.It was a great start with no defeats in the first 10 but with 5 draws they were pegged in 3rd spot. They lost the next two but then went 11 games without defeat - again lots of draws restricted them to 5th spot. With just 1 point from the next two it looked as though Chris might have blown it but 4 wins in a row and they were promoted with a game to go.

4. Huntley Fairways (last season 13th) – the scene was set for Carl to get Huntley promoted after 28 consecutive seasons in Division 3. Pre-season preparation was good for a change and an excellent start - undefeated in the first 6 games saw them 4th but the wheels came of as they lost 5 of the next 7 to sink to 6th. Carl responded well and Huntley hit a purple patch of 11 games without defeat and 7 consecutive wins to be in 2nd place with 6 games to go and looking set for promotion. Unfortunately Huntley had to look after themselves for a couple of weeks and 1 point from the next 5 saw the certain, promotion taken away from them. In the end Carl missed out by just 1 point and he will be kicking himself'

5. Inter Southampton (last season 5th) – after going close last season it was heartbreak again for Shep as they fell just short again and a 3rd consecutive 5th place finish. This season they can't blame their start as after a draw in the first game they won 7 in a row to top the table - a slight stutter with 6 points from the next 4 games saw them down to 2nd but only by gd. A really bad spell followed with 3 defeats in the next 4 and Inter were down to 5th; Shep responded well and went on an 11 game unbeaten run to see them 3rd with 3 games to go but they were all against the promotion candidates - they lost the first two and that was the end of the dream for another season and they missed out by just 1 point.

6. Kiloparsec Villa (last season 16th) – taken over by Gary Smith (Smiffy) near the end of last season and he would never have anticipated this season in his wildest dreams. An opening defeat could have affected them but they followed this with 5 games unbeaten and sitting nicely in 5th place; 7 points from the next 5 and they were still 5th. The best part of the season for Gary next as they won 5 on the bounce to be top with 33 points. Surely this couldn't continue and sadly the answer was no and they managed only 2 win in the last 14 games. Before the season started Gary would have taken a Mid table position but 6th was a real present.

7. Molesley Shoals (last season 6th) – last season Lloydy was close to promotion - this season a good finish again but never really in the race. A slow start with just 2 points from four was followed by an unbeaten run of 7 games and Moles were 8th. A good run of 6 unbeaten games early in the second half of the season and they were 7th after 20 games. A disappointing last 11 games only yielded only 12 points and 7th they remained.

8. Blackmore Knights (last season 9th) – after finishing 8th in the last 2 seasons a slight improvement for Rob Thompson. A reasonable start soon deteriorated and by the half way point Rob was down in 12th position; the second half was helped by 4 consecutive home wins and Mid table with 43 points (39 last season). Their home and away form were polar opposites - at home they were unbeatable with just 1 defeat and 30 points; away only 3 wins and just 13 points. It is clear where Rob needs to concentrate.

9. Mann City (last season 12th) – back into Mid table for Brian Mann but it was a tough battle after a poor start with 3 points from 6 games. They recovered well with 5 wins in the next 7 and up to 7th. The second half of the season was mixed with lots of draws; at home they had 22 points (2 more than last season) and away 19 points (6 more than last season) so a good improvement on last season. Only 3 defeats at home all season.

10. Cupernham Rifles (last season 8th) – the season was over after only 5 games with just 1 point and it was always about catch up for SteveW. A better run of 1 defeat in the next 9 improved their position to 8th but then it was a good run followed by a bad run followed by a good run but unfortunately the bad runs were better than the good ones. SteveW will be looking for a good start next season and a possible promotion push.

11. Wealdstone FC (last season relegated) – a second season for Richard Woolford (St Albans) and like most new teams it has been a rebuilding exercise. 24 points at home - 15 away so Richard knows where he needs to improve. They may have been down in 11th place but goals were not a problem as they scored 46 goals but their defence did not help by conceding 41!

12. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 14th) – a slight improvement for Ben with his young team and last season I said an area for improvement would be their way form, where last season it only yielded 8 points - they did with 14 points but with only 3 wins Ben will want better next season.

13. Southern Vipers (last season 7th) – after last season's excellent finish Shep was expecting a lot better from the Vipers. An opening win was followed by 4 points from the next 11 games and that was the season over; another run followed of just 3 points from 9 games and with 6 games to go they had just 20 points. Shep managed to give the supporters hope as they won the last 6 games and this is what Dave will demand next season.

14. Waterside FC (last season relegated) – Shep departed Mid season it was a big welcome to newcomer Gareth Shore. With rebuilding required Waterside slipped to 14th position and Gareth will be looking forward to next season, with newly named Shorebridge Rovers.

15. Millmoor Rovers (last season relegated) – Wayne departed and the breaking news is that the new manager is CJ. Great news for all of the supporters

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 13th) - the control team and just 3 points all season.

All the teams are taken and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is very strong and if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

SEASON 33

Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

The story of the Premier League was the teams pushing for the title all having inconsistent 2nd halves of the season.

1. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (4th) – a 9th title for Bentley and they move level with Loyal Rangers. It was ominous for the rest of the managers as CJ won 9 of the first 11 games and Bentley lead by 5 points; at the half way point they had 34 points and still lead by 5 points. They won the next game but then they could only muster 1 win in the next 9 games so with 5 games to go they had dropped to 2nd. CJ found the magic dust and they reeled off 4 wins to become Champions with a week to go.

2. Jedi Knights (last season 2nd) – another fantastic season for ChrisC as Jedi followed up their 1st and 2nd with another 2nd place. A strange start with 3 wins followed by 3 losses; it was then a case of very good at home - undefeated in 9 but just ok away with 9 points from 9 games. With Bentley's indifferent form they found themselves top with 5 games to go but 2 home defeats in a row gave the title to Bentley.

3. FC Abertawe (last season 9th) – a much better season for MikeT considering yet another bad start of 4 points from 5 games! A stunning 24 points from the next 9 games and they were up to 2nd and maybe a title! However, although their home form remained very good, Abertawe struggled on their travels. A best finish in 6 seasons.

4. Funkademia FC (last season promoted) – back in the Premier League for Wes(chunky) after just 1 season and they were determined to push for the title with an opening of 4 wins and a draw and top spot. Indifferent home form meant that they were 2nd at the half way point and 5 points off the pace but with the top teams all struggling to put runs together they had climbed to joint top with 8 games to go, despite only winning 3 in 7. The wheels really came off then and just 3 points from the next 6 and it was a case of what might have been.

5. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 11th) – a 6th consecutive season in the Premier for Gary (Smiffy) and a best finish so far. This looked to be impossible as they lost their first 4 games and after 10 games they were in the bottom three with just 10 points. Gary then went on a 13 game unbeaten run to take them up to 4th and only 2 points off the top, but the Premiership curse struck with 3 defeats in a row to dash their title hopes.

6. Loyal Rangers (last season 3rd) – after last season's finish, Andrew Gaudie was hoping the Opal's most successful team could get a first Premier title in 10 seasons and it looked good with 4 wins in the first 5 games. The rest of the season was a series of highs and lows - 4 defeats, 3wins, 2 defeats etc so with 7 games to go they were languishing in Mid table; but then 3 wins in a row and they were up to 4th and 4 points off the top - you guessed it 3 games without a win and the season was over.

7. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 5th) - after 4 successive top 6 finishes Rich Dimambro was looking for more of the same. They didn't get off to the start they wanted with only 7 points from the first seven games but a few good performances took them up to 9th at the half way point with 20 points. Rich started the 2nd half of the season well and had climbed to 5th when their form went to 'pot with just 2 points from 5 games to leave them back in 9th spot. Aberdeen finished the season strongly at home for a decent finish.

8. Chaddesden Celtic (last season Champions) – after last season's dramatic title win on the last day of the season this year did not live up to expectations for Razor. After a poor start Chadd started to look more like themselves and were 5th after 10 games and 7th at the half way point. Just 3 points from the next 7 and Paul was looking nervously at the teams below them as they were only 2 points clear of the drop zone. Three wins in a row left them safe and able to concentrate on the Cup, where they beat Armthorpe 2-1.

9. Cusco (last season 8th) - a second season for Matt (smelly) with Cusco back in the Premier League and a second Mid table finish. It was a strange season where they were brilliant or dross in equal measures!! After a decent start it was a run of losses or a run of wins - the worst was a spell of 2 points from 7 games to leave them 12th and only 2 points off the drop zone but then the brilliance returned with 5 wins on the bounce to leave them safe in Mid table. Foot off the pedal again with 5 losses in the last 7! Matt will want to see more consistency next season.

10. Whitby Town (last season promoted as Champions) – SteveR will be pleased with Whitby as they settled back into the big time. The first half of the season saw them struggle at home with a run of 4 defeats, which left them in the bottom three but with 16 points it was not too bad. The second half of the season saw their form improve considerably with just 1 defeat in their last 9 games.

11. Duffield Dynamos (last season promoted) – after two successive promotions for John (jelly) he will be pleased with the first season back in the Premier League. The easiest way to describe their season was erratic - three wins in the first five games and hopes were high but 2 points from the next 6 and only gd kept them out of the bottom three. John lost only 2 of the next 10 and looked safe but too much confidence crept in and two points from the next 5 left them perilously close to the bottom. A decent end to the season saw them safe with 38 points.

12. Mighty Chucks (last season 6th) – after 12 seasons in the Premier League for Stu their fate relied on the results of the last game of the season.Their season looked in tatters after only 1 point from the first 5 games but 3 wind in a row gave the supporters hope and by the half way point they had just climbed out of the bottom three. Their fortunes looked even brighter with 2 wins in a row but then the self destruct button was hit and no wins in 9 games left them planning for life in Division 1. However, anything is possible in football and as they won their last 2 games and Sylvan lost their 2 games so the Chucks made a miraculous recovery

13. Doncaster Town (last season 7th) – a 3rd season back for CJ and after two 7th place finishes it looked like it was going to be a very successful season with 6 wins in the first 7 games and top of the table. The next 7 games were not quite as good with 10 points but they were still sitting happily in 3rd place with 28 points. What happened next is unbelievable as they didn't win another game and only took 8 points from 16 games., but thanks to their excellent start they stay in the Premier League.

14. Sylvan Lake (last season 10th) – a 4th season back in the Premier League for Shep, with previous finishes of 8th, 8th and 10th but a dreadful end to the season saw them relegated. After their usual win on week 1 the season deteriorated from that point and at the half way point only gd kept Dave out of the bottom three. It was even worse by week 20 as they were in the bottom three and 2 points adrift!! The reality of their plight seemed to register with the players as Sylvan went on an 8 game unbeaten run to look safe with 3 games to go but they lost all three and were pipped to safety by the Chucks in the last game.

15. Abysmal Aftermath (last season 13th) – a 2nd season for MikeT in the Premier League and it was like a repeat of last season apart from the ending. Last season they avoided relegation on goal difference - this season there was no dramatic escape. Just 1 win in their first 14 games left them a mountain to climb; 21 points from the next 14 and a glimmer of hope but it was too little too late.

16. Chester Town (last season 12th) – back to Division 1 for PaulW after 2 seasons. A win in their first game of the season and it all looked rosy but only 1 win in the next 13 games and the season was over. The season did not improve so bottom place it was.

Division 1

1. Hundon Harriers (last season 7th) – after 3 seasons in Division 1 Mark is back to the Premier League. Only 1 defeat in the first 10 games but 6 draws left them in 8th place but it was a competitive league this year so only 3 points separated the top 9 teams. Promotion was then won in the next 7 games with 6 wins and a draw to roar to the top of the table. In the remaining games Hundon did not maintain this height of performance but never dropped out of the top three; they topped the table for the last 9 weeks and were worthy Champions.

2. The Survivors (last season 11th) – back to their best for Stu and a very consistent season, that ended with a surprise promotion. An excellent start and they hit the top after 9 games and 3rd at the halfway point. Their home form looked as though it would ruin their season with just 2 points from 5 games and with 4 games to go they had slipped to 6th and 4 points off the pace. A good rollicking from Stu and they reeled 4 wins off in a row and promotion. The Survivors have only previosly spent 1 season in the Premiership and that was 8 seasons ago.

3. Xbana FC (last season 5th) – very similar to last season but this time with a happy ending for Baz, as they clinched promotion on the last day of the season to end 8 seasons in Division 1. Just 1 defeat in first 10 and 3rd place, 5th at the halfway point, 2nd after 20 games, 3rd after 25 games and going into the last game knowing a win would take them up. They could only manage a draw but with Dell losing they were up

4. Dell Diamonds (last promoted as Champions) – it should have been a second successive promotion for MikeT but a defeat in the last game saw them lose out. A good start with 2 defeats in their first 13 games saw them top the table for 5 weeks; they were back on top after 20 and 21 games but their form was patchy over the remaining games just 1 win in their last 4 saw them fall at the last hurdle.

5. Istra Pula (last season 4th) – a 6th consecutive top 6 finish for MikeT and it should have been promotion . A good first half of the season saw them top after 13 weeks and with 7 weeks to go sitting 2nd promotion looked to be on. Some dubious team selections saw them only win one of the next 6 and the season was over.

6. Southamton Sity (last season 12th) – five seasons back for Shep in Division 1, with and finishes of 9th, 10th, 10th and 12th this was a nice improvement. It turned out to be a tale of 2 halves - the first half of the season was poor with 8 defeats and just clear of the drop zone. The second half of the season couldn't have started any better with 22 points out of 24 and they were up to 5th with promotion the talk of the supporters but their early season form returned with just 1 win in the next 6.

7. Armthorpe Rovers (last season relegated) – a surprise relegation last season and CJ was looking for a quick return. Despite losing their first 3 away games Armthorpe were 4th after 11 games but they slipped to 6th at the half way point. The next 10 games defined their season and surprisingly by their home form - 1 point out of 15 at home compared to 12 points from 15 away; a few more points at home and it would have been so different for Chris.

8. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 8th) – a 3rd season for Kesgrave in Division 1 and Gary equalled their highest ever finish in their history. In a change from last season they were on form in the first 5 games but poor in the remainder of the first half of the season to be 12th with 17 points. Gary demanded more from his players and they responded by just 1 defeat in the next 10 games to climb to 5th and only 4 points off the promotion places but Kesgrave couldn't keep this form going and the season petered out. Last season's Golden Boot winner, Rodrigo Rotundo, was on form with another good haul of 16 goals.

9. Bayern FC (last season promoted) – after last season's surprise promotion MikeT had a better season than most people had thought. It looked ominous after 4 games when they were bottom but by the half way point they had climbed to 7th with 23 points. The second half of the season saw them struggle in quite a few games but Mike will be pleased with 41 points total.

10. La Donny Luz (last season 13th) – another indifferent season for CJ as La Donny struggled to find any consistency. 12th after 5 games, 6th after 10 games, 10th at the half way point, 9th after 20 games, 10th after 25 games and ending the season 10th. Chris will be looking for a big improvement next season.

11. York Rovers (last season 9th) – a 4th season back in Division 1 for SteveR and a strange season it turned out to be as they had the best defence in the Division with only 25 conceded, in fact only Inter Southampton conceded less. The downside was they were the joint lowest scorers in the Opal (barring Loko) with only 20 goals - safe to say that most of their 9 wins were 1-0!!

12. Askham Bryan United (last season 6th) – a 2nd season for SteveR in Division 1 and they were battling against relegation for most of it. In a repeat of last season they had a dreadful start with just 1 win in 10 games and they were bottom with 6 points. In the next 5 games it looked like a different Askham with 4 wins and a draw and up to 11th by the half way point; this didn't last as 7 games without a win and they were next to bottom with 8 games to go. Steve found the Midas touch again as they picked up 9 points from 4 games to reach safety.

13. East Riding Enterprise (last season 10th) - a 3rd season in Division 1 for Ben and almost their last as they pulled off an escape that Houdini would have been proud off. Their destiny looked to be mapped out in the first 13 games with just 7 points and rooted at the bottom; a sudden return to form and 11 points from 5 games gave them hope. Ben started to grind out draws and with 5 weeks to go they climbed out of the bottom three for the first time in 16 weeks but this only lasted for one week. With Norfolk playing just as badly it all came down to the last week but they needed to beat promotion candidates Dell to stay up - Ben kept his nerve and they gave a perfect performance to take a deserved 1-0 win.

14. Norfolk FC (last season promoted) – a first time in 17 seasons in Division 1 for Norfolk and MikeT and it was a quick return. In the first half of the season they looked comfortable and were 9th with 21 points. The second half of the season was a disaster with only 10 points but they could still have saved themselves with a win at Southampton but...........

15. Belmont Buccaneers (last season relegated) – a first full season for Rob (Parkside) and rebuilding was the main target this season. There was a slight improvement over the course of the season with 12 points in the first half and 16 in the second half. Relegation was probably inevitable but Rob is building a decent team and will need to as Division 2 looks to be strong again next season.

16. Kirrie Thistle (last season relegated) – taken over by Dave Curtis but sadly he had to let them go near the end of the season. Rob stepped in to add them to the 'Parkside' portfolio.

Division 2

1. Scrubs (last season 7th) – a 3rd season for Ben in Division 2 with previous finishes of 6th, 7th and 7th; and what a season as he promotes as Champions. They started off in great form, particularly away where they won the first 6 but with Northern Soul also in great form Scrubs didn't top the Division until week 9. They had to wait until 20 games had been played to regain the top spot again but they didn't let go as they kept their cool. A fantastic season for Ben and Scrubs are promoted to Division 1 for the first time in 21 seasons.

2. Top Gun (last season 6th) – after last season's finish good things were expected of Lloydy and he didn't disappoint as he takes Top Gun up as Runners Up - back to Division 1 after an absence of 7 seasons. It started off badly with 3 defeats; 7 games without defeat were counteracted by just 1 win in 8 so with 18 games played they were 8th with 23 points and 10 points away from the top three! You could have got 10,000-1 from the bookies for them to go up but Dave had other ideas, and inspired by Rick McDonagh's goals they won 10 and drew 1 of the next 11 to seal promotion. Just one word springs to mind and that is UNBELIEVABLE. McDonagh was joint Golden Boot winner with 17 goals.

3. Northern Soul (last season relegated) – Wes (chunky), stuck to the name of Northern Soul after their very, surprising relegation last season. In last year's report I wrote ' They will be a tough team to play in Division 2' and it looked as though I was spot on as they topped the table for 17 of the first 19 weeks and had an 8 point cushion over 4th place. What looked like a stroll to relegation suddenly turned rocky as they won just 1 from 7 games and with 7 games to go they slipped out of the top three. Wes got them back into 3rd place so going into the last game he knew a win would take them up and they duly obliged.

4. Riverplate (last season 8th) – it turned out to be a season where MikeT will look back on as an opportunity missed as they lost the least games in the Division - only 5 but drew 12 games!!!! The number of draws meant they were always on the periphery of the promotion race without really having a chance until the last game of the season which they won but unfortunately Northern also won.

5. South Ruislip (last season promoted) – another good season for Richard (St Albans) as he takes a top 6 finish. They took a while to settle after their promotion and didn't win until week 6 and their form was patchy until week 11, when although they were 10th they were only 2 points above the drop zone. Richard suddenly found the right style and only lost 1 of the next 16 games, including an unbeaten run of 10 games and they climbed the table to finish only 3 points off a promotion place. Could be one to watch next season.

6. Par Athletic (last season 13th) – it was a 13th consecutive season in Division 2 for SteveR with Par and it looked for a while that it would be their last. After 17 games they were sitting comfortably in 5th place but 8 points off the pace and not a thought about promotion. Strange how things can change - six games later and 16 points better off Steve was in the top three!!! I am not sure how these things happen but from being unbeatable suddenly Par forgot how to win and the next 5 games only yielded one point and back to Mid table. They won their last to get a top 6 finish.

7. The Islanders (last season 4th) - it turned out to be a disappointing season for Shep with The Islanders falling away dramatically at the end. Promotion had looked on the cards all season and with 10 games to go they were 2nd with a 7 point cushion over 4th spot. Three games later the cushion was only 2 points and with 5 games to go they were out of the top 3 and that was that. Dave will be cursing himself.

8. Cunnack Allstars (last season promoted) – a second full season for Chris Cook and a good finish considering their start. After 8 games they were next to bottom with just 4 points and at the half way point they had just climbed out of the bottom three. The second half of the season was much better with a good splattering of wins. Chris will be looking for a better start next year.

9. Wigan Wildcats (last season 12th) – an oddity for Dave (woody) as Wigan were never in danger of relegation and for a short while maybe promotion. Wigan have never been higher than Division 2 but with a cracking start, including 16 points from 6 games and 2nd place in the table, maybe this was going to be the year. Patchy form over the remaining games in the first half of the season saw them slip to 4th; the second half of the season was one to forget for Dave with just 12 points collected It was a case of wondering 'what did I do in that 6 game, hot streak?'. The rumours are that Dave took an extended holiday and his dog chose the team!!!!!

10. Corinthian Wizards (last season 10th) – a season where Rob flirted with relegation at various times in the season and he will be relieved to start a new campaign. Despite a poor start of 5 points from the first 7 games they always managed to keep above the drop zone all season A spurt of 9 points from 4 games Mid season was enough to enable Rob to pick up the odd win in the remaining games to maintain their Division 2 status.

11. Stainsacre United (last season 11th) – last season SteveR avoided relegation on the last day of the season - this time they did it with 2 games to go! The season started brightly with 12 points from the first 7 games and 5th spot but this was the high point of the season. Two points from the next 7 games and only gd was keeping them out of the bottom three but a mini revival of 5 games without defeat gave them breathing space. The odd win in the remaining games kept them out of trouble just! It was Stainsacre's joint-lowest ever league finish.

12. Death Valley Wanderers (last season promoted as Champions) - a tough season for MikeT with only one good spell of 13 points from 5 games, which hauled them out of the bottom three to Mid table at the half way point. Their home performances in the second half of the season threatened to plunge them into the relegation battle but some good away performances kept them safe.

13. Wight Wanderers (last season relegated) – a first full season for Shep and with the re-building required he did an excellent job to keep them up. It looked bleak at the half way point with just 14 points and even bleaker with 20 games played and 7 points adrift. Just when Dave needed a miracle it arrived as Wight went an unbeaten run of 6 games, which took them to safety. Wight only won 1 home game all season and a repeat of this will surely see them relegated next season.

14. Abertay (last season 5th) – a major rebuilding exercise for the Scottish Laird meant that relegation was almost inevitable for Dave. The one highlight of the season was 3 consecutive wins, which took Abertay out of the bottom three after 18 weeks but there were not any more wins after that.

15. Tadcaster Albion (last season 9th) – a big shock for the supporters as SteveR and Taddy face life in the bottom tier after 28 seasons. The season was mapped out from the start with only 1 win in the first 13 games; 2 wins and hopes of survival but soon dashed as the losses piled up and just 2 wins in 14 games saw Steve relegated with a two games to go.

16. Tigre Victoria (last season relegated) – a first full season for DaveC and similar to Abertay major culling left them facing an uphill battle and the inevitable relegation happened. They had some good results near the end of the season and could fare well in Division 3.

Division 3

The battle for the title between Huntley Fairways and Inter Southampton turned into an epic battle as they destroyed all teams in their path There was only 7 defeats between them all season and 18 points clear of 4th place. Seasons like this do not come along very often and Carl and Dave will saviour their performances for a long time to come.

1. Huntley Fairways (last season 4th) – after last season's catastrophic implosion there were not any mistakes for Carl this season as he takes them up after 29 consecutive seasons in Division 3. Their first defeat didn't come until week 13 and by that time they already had 32 points; another perfect run of 11 games without defeat with one spell of 6 consecutive wins they were already promoted. Incredibly Inter S had kept pace with them so it was just a question of who would take the title and with both teams winning the last game Huntley won by just 1 point. Huntley were top for 27 of the 30 weeks.

2. Inter Southampton (last season 5th) – after 3 consecutive 5th place finishes there were not any mistakes this season for Shep as they are back to Division 2. In a truly memorable title race Inter pushed Huntley all of the way and were undefeated in their first 23 games. Dave's pursuit of Carl looked in vain until 2 weeks to go when they moved top but a defeat against Chapel saw Hundon back on top. Another incredible statistic is that Inter went all season without an away defeat and won their last 8!

3. Southern Vipers (last season 13th) – a fantastic promotion for Shep and one nobody would have put any money on with 9 games to go. The Vipers were 10th with 27 points and 11 points behind 3rd place. Now last season they won the last 6 games but that paled into insignificance compared to this season as they reeled off 9 consecutive wins to gain promotion with a game to go. Dave takes the Vipers back to Division 2 after 4 seasons.

4. Wealdstone FC (last season 11th) – a third season for Richard Woolford (St Albans) and by far his beat to date, although sitting in 3rd spot after 17 games Richard may feel they ought to have been going up. In the second half of the season wins were hard to come by but an excellent finish. Goals were not a problem last year with 46 for and 41 against and the same this year with 48 for and 39 against.

5. Mann City (last season 9th) – a best finish for Brian since he took them on 4 seasons ago. It was a strange and erratic season where playing away suited them better than being at home with 19 points at home and 29 away. A run of 7 away wins in 8 games, with 6 on the bounce had taken them into the top three with 3 games to go but only 2 points gained so it's time to plan for next season.

6. Tamriel FC (last season relegated) - with a new name of Tamriel FC, Rob (Parkside) set about getting them back to Division 2 and he made a pretty good go of it. They had been hovering around the top 6 for most of the season before they strung together 5 wins in 6 games and with 5 games to they were 3rd but a couple of draws saw them fall out of the race. They could be one to watch for next season.

7. Molesley Shoals (last season 7th) – a 2nd Mid season finish in a row for Lloydy but Dave will be thinking they should have been in the promotion race after hovering around 3rd place up until week 21. They then hit a disastrous run of 4 points from 8 games and the season was over.

8. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 12th) – a good improvement for Ben and also another improvement in their away form, which has been a problem in the past - 2 seasons ago 8 points, last season 14 points and this year 19. At the halfway point they were 10th with 20 points but the second half of the season started poorly until they strung 4 wins in a row together to stabilise in Mid table. Next season promises to be a good one.

9. Chapel North (last season relegated) - a first full season for Mark (Ayrhead) and what a good job he did. With rebuilding in process it wasn't surprising to see them struggle in the first half of the season with just 3 wins and down in 13th place. Mark had a secret weapon though in Christian Eriksen, who scored goals for fun and he finished up as joint Golden Boot winner with 17 goals. His goals helped Chapel to win the last 5 home games and if they can continue this into next season a promotion push could be on the cards.

10. Whitewell Town (last season relegated) – a first full season with CJ in control and he will be fairly happy with the Mid table finish. Chris will have been encouraged by a 6 game unbeaten run at home in the 2nd half of the season as he searches for consistency.

11. Cupernham Rifles (last season 10th) – another tough season for SteveW but the positive was their home form, where they accumulated 23 points. The problem was away from home, where they only gained 13 points - in fact they lost the last 7.

12. Kiloparsec Villa (last season 6th) – after last season's fantastic achievement by Gary Smith (Smiffy) to take one of the worst teams in the history of the Opal to a top 6 finish this year was always going to be difficult to follow. It was all going to plan in the first half of the season as Gary had them sitting nicely in 6th place but the second half of the season was a nightmare with 8 consecutive defeats; they recovered near the end but the damage was already done.

13. Millmoor Rovers (last season 15th) – a first full season with CJ at the helm and with rebuilding in process the low finish could be expected.

14. Blackmore Knights (last season 8th) – after finishing 8th in the last 3 seasons this one was a disappointment for Rob Thompson. Last season Blackmore were virtually unbeatable at home but poor away; this season their away form was even worse with just 1 win and just 7 points. Rob did manage to recover the home form in the 2nd part of the season with 16 points from the last 17 games. Just need to sort out that away form Rob.

15. Shorebridge Rovers (last season 14th) – with Gareth departing Mid season it was time for Craig Maloney to join the Opal. He faces a tough task but he has the ability to mould this team over the space of a few seasons.

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 16th) - the control team and amazingly they managed 9 points with 2 wins as well.

All the teams are taken and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is very strong and if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

http://www.opal-league.webs.com

Week 31 – End of Term Report.

Premier League

The top spot in the Premier League was dominated by Jedi Knights and Bentley Vikings Old Boys. Jedi held it for 18 weeks and Bentley 12 weeks.

The three promoted teams were relegated.

1. Jedi Knights (last season 2nd) – yet another fantastic season for ChrisC as Jedi followed up their 1st, 2nd and 2nd place with another title and a Cup win as well. They started as they meant to go on with 6 straight home wins and remained unbeaten at home all season. They were still proving difficult to beat but five draws in 7 games let Aberdeen close in and with 1 games to go they only lead by 1 point; a win in the last game and the title was theirs. In the top two all season and inspired yet again by Eunan O'Kane with 18 goals (62 in the last 4 seasons) ChrisC certainly proved they were worthy champions. To make it even better Jedi made it a League and Cup Double with a victory over Loyal - a 2nd cup win with the other in Season 4 (18 years ago) where they beat Scrubs 2-0.

2. Aberdeen Terrors (last season 7th) - after hitting the top 7 in the last 5 seasons Rich Dimambro was looking for more of the same; he probably wasn't expecting them to be this good. They started off well with 11 games unbeaten and under normal circumstances could well have been in the top two; their home form never faltered but a run of 7 away games without a win saw them fall to 9 points behind the top two. Rich cracked the whip with 7 wins and two draws saw them fall just 1 point off Jedi. Aberdeen only lost 2 all season and with only 18 goals conceded it was the best in all 4 divisions. Up front Graeme excelled with 13 goals.

3. Bentley Vikings Old Boys (last season 1st) – CJ was looking for a 10th title for Bentley and for most of the season they were battling with Jedi for the honour. However, and it's not something you would normally say about Bentley in the run in, they lost their way with a run of only 4 points from the last 9 games and a 3rd place finish it was. In the last 20 seasons Bentley have never been lower than 6th with 17 top 3 finishes.

4. Chaddesden Celtic (last season 8th) – after winning the title 2 seasons ago last season did not live up to expectations and Paul (Razor) demanded more from his players. It started well with 3 wins and a draw but with only 2 wins in the next 13 games Mid table looked to be the best they could achieve. They were not losing many but wins were hard to come by; suddenly it all came together with just 1 defeat in the last 14 games and they finished a creditable 4th.Last season's golden boot Adrian Gonzalez only found his form towards the end of the season to finish with 14. In the Youth League they were undefeated and 2nd place.

5. Mexicana Wave (last season 4th) – back to their original name and it certainly suited Wes (chunky) as they looked to better last season's high finish. Their attacking style certainly produced goals but their vulnerabilities at the back saw them also concede plenty. With 66 scored (beating the previous Premier record of 63 by Kamikaze Vipers in Season 6 and only 3 off the all time record of 69 by Jedi Knights (Division 3) in Season 7) it was the most in all 4 divisions but with 47 conceded only the bottom club conceded more. Wes was always on the periphery of the title race but if you had to pick one moment when they lost it you would have to say it was the 3 consecutive away defeats between weeks 18 and 22. Ricardo Stromboli hit 15 goals but has now departed - Wes will be hoping that Jed Wallace can step up.

6. Loyal Rangers (last season 6th) – it was an unusually poor start for Andrew (Steve Davis) with just 2 wins in the first 9. It was the a case of Jekyll and Hyde over the next 15 games - 23 pts from 9 games and up to 5th with 32 points but just 1 point from the next 6 and they were down to 8th. Andy finished strongly with 5 wins and a draw. Another plus was the form of their strikers with Guadinio and Archie Cloughton in the top goal-scorers list. Loyal also made it to the Cup Final for a 6th time - they had won the previous 5 but they were not so lucky this time as they lost to Jedi.

7. FC Abertawe (last season 3rd) – another good season for MikeT after a difficult start with just 8 points from 7 games, including 5 draws. They looked to settling for Mid table with 11 games to go but 6 wins and a 1 draw in the next 7 games saw them up to 5th with 5 games to go; but that was as good as it got. The young Wayne Ruffer shoed the more experienced players how to do it as he top scored with 11.

8. Cusco (last season 9th) - a third season for Matt (smelly) with Cusco back in the Premier League and a third Mid table finish. A poor start with just 5 points from 6 games always left them in 'catch up' mode and similar to last season just when they got an unbeaten run going it fell apart. Draws were not entertained - just wins or defeats, which boosted their points tally to 45 (last season 42). Talking of draws or should I say lack of draws - seems to be a Cusco trait - 5 two seasons ago, 3 last season and 6 this season.

9. Mighty Chucks (last season 12th) – after last season's miraculous recovery Stu didn't have the worries last season as they made it 13 consecutive seasons in the Premier League. The Chucks collected most of their points in the first 17 games - 28pts and 6th place. It then appeared that the players thought 'that's it we are safe' and they couldn't buy another win as they collected just 3 points from the next 8 games; they never looked in danger of being caught and a win the next game was enough. Harry Van Stack had a good season with 11 goals.

10. Duffield Dynamos (last season 11th) – 2nd season for John (jelly) and it turned out to be a tough battle against relegation until the last few weeks. Two wins in the first 4 games looked promising but the next win didn't arrive for 16 games!! The only saving grace for John was that they drew 7 consecutive home games whereas their away form was appalling. So with 19 games played they were bottom but with all of the bottom 6 playing badly they were not out of it. Out of the blue came 2 wins and with it hope; their away form suddenly picked up and with winning their last 3 games they actually improved on last year's finish! One area John needs to improve on is scoring goals - only 23 this season.

11. Kamikaze Vipers (last season 5th) – a 7th consecutive season in the Premier for Gary (Smiffy) and after last season's best finish it was always going to be a difficult one to follow. With just 2 points from their first 7 home games it was a good job they were played well on their travels and at the half way point they were 10th. They then remained 9th or 10th for the remainder of the season so the word is consistent.

12. Doncaster Town (last season 13th) – CJ just survived last season and it was more of the same this season but they did just enough to make it 5 seasons in the Premier League.They looked down after 14 games with just 7 points; 4 wins in the next 6 games gave them hope as they accelerated up to 12th but three losses in a row and they were back into the bottom three with 7 games to go. Doncaster had a great win at Mexicana to move out of the bottom three with 2 games to go and just hung on.

13. Whitby Town (last season 10th) – a 2nd season for SteveR and it turned out to be a tough one. A disastrous start with 5 defeats in the first 6 games saw them rock bottom; six games later and they had clawed themselves up to 10th and the recovery looked to be on the way. Another poor run saw Whitby fail to win in 8 games and they were only 1 point above the drop zone. Two precious away wins seemed to have given them a safety net but their continuous poor home form saw them drop into the bottom three with 2 games to go; a rare home win and they were safe.

14. Xbana FC (last season promoted) – a tough return to the Premier League for Baz after 8 seasons away. A dreadful home record was their downfall with their only win coming on the last day of the season and only 7 points in total; this was in contrast to very good away record of 20 points.

15. The Survivors (last season promoted) – Stu was well aware that The Survivors had only previously spent 1 season in the Premiership 9 seasons ago, which ended in relegation and it was the same this time as well. The main reason for their plight was their home record with 3 wins and 12 losses and in any other season they would probably have been down with 4 weeks to go but as the other teams around them were performing in a similar fashion their inevitable fate was delayed until the last game. Goals were a problem with only 22 scored

16. Hundon Harriers (last season promoted) – an ok start in the first half of the season and they were just above the drop zone. A few weeks later there was a major shock as Mark left SS and Gary added them to his portfolio - with rebuilding planned it was inevitable that Hundon were relegated.

Division 1

Division 1 belongs to Ben as he takes the top two spots.

La Donny Luz relegated from the top two tiers for the first time in their history.

1. East Riding Enterprise (last season 13th) - after escaping relegation on the last day of the season there were not any problems for Ben this year as he gains promotion as Champions. They are up after 4 seasons in Div 1 and it is the first time in 21 seasons that they will be playing Premier football. Ben set the team to concede few and take their opportunities - 37 scored and only 20 against. In a very consistent season East Riding spent the vast majority of the time in the top 4 and topped the table on 6 occasions.

2. Scrubs (last season promoted) – after finishing champions last season and back in Division 1 after 22 seasons, it was difficult to know what to expect but Ben proved the pundits wrong with a fantastic promotion. They are back in the Premier League after a gap of 25 seasons. A good start is imperative and that is just what Ben got with 10 points from 5 games and 2nd place but 4 defeats in a row brought them down to earth. Did the defeats affect them - certainly not as they proceeded to lose only 1 of the next 16 games and topped the table on 6 occasions. Their success was not based on goals but on keeping games tight - their top goal scorers were Bogdan Desislav and Bill Greals with 6 apiece.The nerves showed in the last few games so with a game to go they face a 'Cup Final' against Southampton Sity, which they won 1-0 to go up.

3. Istra Pula (last season 5th) – after 6 consecutive top 6 finishes for MikeT they are back in the Premier League after an absence of 10 seasons. It was a topsy-turvy season with big wins and big defeats seeming par for the course - they only drew 4 all season. They shared 111 goals 62-49 and topped the Division 1 top goal-scorers chart with Victor Tymoshenko on 15 and Zhoa Junzhe on 14.

4. Sylvan Lake (last season relegated) – almost a quick return for Shep in a barn-storming finish. Excellent home performances in the first half of the season saw them well placed in 4th position but with just 1 win in the next 7 they seemed to be out of contention in 8th place and 6 points adrift. Shep read the riot act to the players and they responded with 4 straight wins to be 3rd with 4 games to go; however their form suddenly evaporated and they fell 3 points short.

5. Northern Soul (last season promoted) – Wes (chunky) was looking for a double promotion and when they topped the table after 16, 17, and 19 weeks it all looked to be going according to plan. When you say 'the wheels then came off' sometimes it is an exaggeration but not in this case as Northern only picked up 4pts from the next 8 games and the season was over.

6. Southamton Sity (last season 6th) – a 6th season for Shep in Division 1 and after last season's excellent finish hopes were high. It did not look promising as they spent most of the first 20 weeks in the bottom three and a promotion push looked as unexpected as a big lottery win but 7 wins and 3 draws in the next 10 pushed them up to 4th and a final game against 2nd placed Scrubs. A 1-0 defeat left Dave wishing they had picked up a few more points earlier in the season. A strange fact is that after not winning in their first 10 away games and only gaining 3 points, they won the last 5!!

7. Abysmal Aftermath (last season relegated) – close but not close enough and MikeT will reflect on some of his team selections in their away games, particularly in the second half of the season. It appeared as though they just tried to score more than the opposition as opposed to being a bit more 'savvy' in defence. One bright note was that they had Obafemi Martins, Ike Shorunum and Sunday Eboh in the top goal scorers chart.

8. Chester Town (last season relegated) – PaulW was looking for a quick return and it looked very likely in the opening 11 matches as they were top with a 5 point advantage. Things suddenly went wrong and 5 games later they were down to 6th and 4 points off the pace!!!! Paul briefly threaten to get them back into the top three but their home form deserted them and they had to settle for a Mid table finish.

9. York Rovers (last season 11th) – a 5th season back in Division 1 for SteveR and it was a battle against relegation until the last few games, where they won 3 home games in a row to finish Mid table. They started off poorly with only 4 points from 7 games but battled back strongly. Steve's problems were similar to last season with one of the best defensive records in the division but on the downside they only scored 25 goals (and 9 of those came in 2 games).

10. Kesgrave Vespas (last season 8th) – a 4th season for Kesgrave in Division 1 for Gary. It turned to be a puzzling season for Gary as they topped the league after 6 games but that didn't last long- down to 7th after 10 games, 8th after 15 games, 8th after 20 games, 8th after 25 games - consistently Mid table. It was a season where the star man Roger Rotundo could not get going - after scoring 22 and 16 in his previous 2 seasons he could only manage 7 this year. They were the Youth League winners and undefeated with a mammoth 344 goals scored and 0 conceded.

11. Armthorpe Rovers (last season 7th) – it was almost a major surprise for CJ as Armthorpe have never been out of the top two tiers in their history!! They struggled for the first half of the season but then a purple spell of 4 wins in 5 games seemed to have given them a Mid table finish. Eight games later with 2 points and 6 consecutive defeats they were in the bottom three; their plight seemed to dawn on CJ and they won the last 3 games to finish 4 points above the drop zone.

12. Askham Bryan United (last season 12th) – a 3rd season for SteveR in Division 1 and a good team to watch for the neutral as there were goals at both ends - 43 for 46 against. A good first half of the season saw them 9th with 20 points and it looked as though fighting relegation would not be on the cards this season but they started to slip down the table and with 7 weeks to go only gd was keeping them out of the bottom three. Two home wins on the bounce and they were safe. The player of the season was d**k Stowell, who scored 12 goals.

13. Top Gun (last season promoted) – Dave (Lloydy) will be delighted with the return to Division 1 and a decent finish in a tough division. At the half way point they had 19 points but only 4 points from the next 6 and it was looking dodgy for Dave as they dropped to 15th. Dave, though, was not concerned and Top Gun won the next 4 to ensure they will be playing Division 1 football next season. Dave has now departed from Top Gun so a new manager is required. (VACANT)

14. La Donny Luz (last season 10th) – yet another disappointing season for CJ as they are relegated and are out of the top two tiers for the first time in their history. It was a major surprise as they had an excellent start with just 1 defeat in 9, 20 points and top of the table. It is difficult to explain what came next as CJ didn't win again for 12 games and they had dropped to 12th. The win didn't spark a massive improvement and thye lost their last 3 games.

15. Dell Diamonds (last season 4th) – a dreadful season for MikeT, who are relegated after just 1 season. To be honest they didn't play badly but they drew 14 games and only lost 10. After missing out on promotion on the last day of last season this was a major surprise and they didn't find any form until the end of the season and then it was too late.

16. Bayern FC (last season 9th) – relegated after 2 seasons and a wretched season it was for MikeT. They scored only 3 goals in the first 11 games and never recovered.

Division 2

A 2nd consecutive promotion for Inter Southampton.

Wigan Wildcats survive with a goal in the final minute to relegate Wight Wanderers.

1. Riverplate (last season 4th) – after missing out on the last day of last season MikeT takes them up, as Champions, to Division 1 after 10 seasons. They topped the table after 11 weeks and were consistently in the top three; MikeT put them into overdrive with 5 wins in a row and they were promoted with 2 games to go. They were inspired by Johann Hummel with 11 goals and Chukwuma Oghife with 10 goals

2. Cunnack Allstars (last season 8th) – just 2 seasons in Division 2 and ChrisC gets Cunnack back to Division 1 after an absence of 19 seasons. Cunnack were the most consistent side for the first 26 weeks and topped the table on 22 occasions but a poor finish almost saw them blow it, as they were without a win in 7, but Chris sneaked a win and they were up.

3. Inter Southampton (last season promoted) – two successive promotions for Shep and Inter are back in Division 1 after 8 seasons. With only 1 defeat in the first 13 games they were sitting nicely in 2nd place but a dip in form saw only 4 points from the next 5 games and they slipped out of the top three. Just 1 defeat in the next 7 and promotion was getting closer and they won the big game against Huntley to ensure promotion.Perry Pahars and Nastro Azzurro both made the top scorers chart. In the Youth League they were undefeated and 3rd place.

4. Huntley Fairways (last season promoted) – it was almost a 2nd successive promotion for Carl but they fell at the last hurdle. Huntley were off to a cracking start with 23 points from 11 games and they were 2nd, just a point off the top. Mid season and their form turned patchy, seeing them drop to 5th with 10 games to go. On the run in Huntley's form returned and they slowly caught up their rivals and with 3 wins in a row they hit 3rd spot with 3 games to go. The next game was massive as they faced promotion rivals Inters but lost 2-1 and their season was over. There were big positives as Maximiliano Sepulveda and Victor Ezeji both made the top scorers chart. This was a highest ever finish for Huntley but next season Carl will be desperate to take Huntley into Division 1 for the first time in their history

5. South Ruislip (last season 5th) – another good season for Richard (St Albans) as he takes another top 6 finish. Last season I wrote ' Could be one to watch next season' and this surely applies again to the coming season. It was a very consistent season with 27pts at home and 20pts away; they never dipped below 7th spot but could not find the extra momentum to get into the top three.

6. Belmont Buccaneers (last season relegated) – after 2 successive relegations Rob was looking to settle the boat and he looked in control of the situation. Unfortunately Rob as left and a new manager is required. (VACANT)

7. Stainsacre United (last season 11th) – SteveR had finished 11th the last 2 seasons, flirting with relegation on both times. Steve probably had the strangest season of all the teams as they failed to win a home game until the last one of the season and had just 8 points - in contrast their away form was phenomenal with 10 victories and 32 points - the most in the Opal this season. Steve will probably be baffled with his 7th place finish.

8. Southern Vipers (last season promoted) – a good season for newly promoted Vipers and Shep. The Vipers were off to a good start with 13 points from 7 games and 3rd place but by the half way point they had slipped to 9th. The second half of the season saw some excellent home form but poor away form as they slowly climbed to 7th. Roland Janssen finished the top goal scorer in the Division with 14 goals.

9. Death Valley Wanderers (last season 12th) - two seasons in Division 2 and 2 tough seasons for MikeT. It started off well and they topped the Division after 4 weeks. They slowly slipped down the table and with 28 pts after 21 games they looked safe but the next 6 games only yielded 4 points. A win and they were safe for another year.

10. Valenwood (last season relegated) – after 2 successive relegations Rob was looking to settle the boat and he looked in control of the situation. Unfortunately Rob as left and a new manager is required. (VACANT).

11. Corinthian Wizards (last season 10th) –Rob had the Wizards playing well but his departure leaves them looking for a new manager. (VACANT)

12. Par Athletic (last season 6th) – SteveR made it 15 consecutive season in Division 2 but it was a close thing.Their downfall was their away form, where they failed to win in the first 14; luckily their home form was excellent. Undefeated in the first 7 home games with 17 pts kept them in Mid table at the half way point. Par couldn't keep up the home form and they slowly slid down the table and hit the bottom 3 with 4 games to go. Out of the blue came an away win and with Wight losing the last game they were safe.

13. Wigan Wildcats (last season 9th) – a 3rd season for Dave (woody) and he escapes with the last kick of their game at Par - a defeat and they were down but up popped Rod Jones to become the Wigan hero.They were consistently just above the relegation zone and with 7 games to go they looked safe with 29 points, however you can never guarantee anything with woody and he proceeded to only collect 2 points from the next 6, leaving it all down to the last game....If you had to pinpoint their troubles this season it would be their home form, with just 11 points!!

14. Wight Wanderers (last season 13th) – a second full season for Shep and after just keeping them up last season Dave knew that with re-building in progress it was going to be another tough season. He was not wrong as in the first half of the season they didn't win, only had 5pts, only scored 5 goals and 11 points from safety. What happened next defies belief as they only lost 2 of the next 15 to move onto 33 points and it was all down to the last game, where a win would keep them up but they failed at the last hurdle. Should be a team to watch next season.

15. Norfolk FC (last season relegated) – it has been a strange few seasons for MikeT as Norfolk managed two consecutive promotions and now 2 consecutive relegations. With just 9 points from the first 14 games relegation looked inevitable but they scrapped and kept picking up a few points. A 9 game unbeaten run saw them with a definite chance of survival but they could not keep this going. MikeT's down fall was the 14 draws and only 5 wins, with only Loko worse.

16. The Islanders (last season 7th) - after going close to promotion in the last 2 seasons it was a major surprise to see Shep struggle with The Islanders. Their away form was dreadful with just 1 win in the first 13 games and just 7 points; their home form was reasonable so although they spent a lot of time in the bottom three they were always in with a chance of staying up but a poor run in saw them relegated after 2 seasons.

Division 3

Moles up as champions.

Ripley up with a fantastic end to the season.

1. Molesley Shoals (last season 7th) – after 3 Mid season finishes in a row Lloydy moves up a gear as he takes the Moles up to Division 2, as champions, after 8 seasons in Division 3. Goals were a feature of their game with Jozwiak, Cook and Mason all making the top goal scorers chart. They were unbeaten from week 11 to 23, taking 29 points from 13 games and never looked back - they topped the Division on 7 occasions. Dave will be looking forward to his first spell in Division 2 with the Moles.

2. Ripley Knights (last season 14th) – Paul (razor) took over the helm and the supporters were delighted. There was plenty of work to be done after the culling and it looked as though Razor would be planning for the following season but they suddenly hit a purple patch, particularly away from home. Ripley took 28pts from the last 10 games 99 wins and a draw) and they moved from 9th (11pts off the pace) to 2nd. Rhys Greenwood was a revelation with 15 goals.

3. Tamriel FC (last season 6th) - after an excellent showing last season they were certainly a team to watch and they didn't disappoint, even without Rob's guidance. They are now T64 so it will be a slow decline for the next few seasons.

4. Chapel North (last season 9th) - it looked as though Mark's hard work was paying off as Chapel topped the league for 6 weeks but in a major surprise Mark left SS. Chapel still managed to grind out results but just missed out on promotion. There was good news from the supporters as it was announced that Wayne Smith was back in the Opal. The hard work starts!!

5. Worksop Tigers (last season 13th) – a second full season with CJ at the helm and with a new name they finished a creditable 5th. Unbeaten in the first 9 and sitting at the top of the table a surprise promotion was on the cards but they could not maintain this form and they slipped down the table. A few wins at home near the end of the season took them to a top 6 finish.

6. Yorkshire’s Finest (last season 8th) – after being a perennial bottom half side for the last few seasons Ben has found the missing ingredient for the Finest as he takes them to his highest finish. The performance in the first half of the season seemed to be indicating another average season as they sat in 12th place and 13 points off the pace. Suddenly Ben found the winning mentality and they reeled off 8 wins and a draw in the next 9 to zoom up the table to 4th. Their home form was scintillating and they won 7 in a row, however towards the end of the season their away form dipped and they finished 6 points off the pace. One to watch again next season is Ben James, who scored 11 for the 2nd season running.

7. Whitewell Town (last season 10th) – a second full season with CJ in control and a Mid table finish. They topped the division for 5 weeks in the first half of the season but Chris could not maintain the consistency in the 2nd half of the season and just 2 wins the last 9 saw them fade away.

8. Mann City (last season 5th) – an intriguing season for Brian with only 6 defeats but the 14 draws kept them from challenging again. In contrast to last season it was their home form that was impressive with only 2 defeats al year.

9. Wealdstone FC (last season 4th) – after last season's excellent finish Richard Woolford (St Albans) will be disappointed. Goals at both ends have always been a feature at Wealdstone games; in the last 3 seasons goals for and against have been 46-41, followed by 48-39 and this season continued in that vein with 45-43. (So in total it is 87, 87, 88).

10. Tadcaster Albion (last season relegated) – a big shock last season for SteveR and Taddy as they dropped to the bottom tier after 28 seasons. They started off well and were 4th after 7 games but the next 10 games did not yield one win! They had a spell of 4 consecutive wins but that was the only bright spot of the season.

11. Radford Semele (last season 15th) – with Craig taking over there was a feeling of optimism in the Warwickshire village and they were not disappointed as Gareth took them to 11th spot. It could have been a higher finish as after 19 games they were sitting 4th and only 3 points behind 3rd spot but 5 defeats in a row took the wind out of their sails.

12. Kiloparsec Villa (last season 12th) – a similar finish for Gary (Smiffy). It was a tale of two different teams - at home they only managed 15 points, whereas away they took 23. Something to work on for Garry.

13 Mearns Citi (last season relegated) – renamed Mearns Citi, and taken over by ChrisC when DaveC left. Towards the end of the season Chris was starting to see some rewards as they were unbeaten in 6 matches. Still plenty of re-building to do for Chris but he is certainly the man for the job and next season they will be going under the name of Phantom Lords - a real blast from the past!

14. Stonehaven (last season relegated) – with DaveC leaving the newly named Stonehaven it meant that they had been culled twice in just over a season and were in need of stability. The Opal welcomed Dave Legg for the first time and he started the re-building exercise and if his success in other Leagues are anything to go by it won't be long before we see them move up the table. Re-named Boscombe Athletic for next season.

15. Manics (last season 10th) – SteveW left SS and in stepped Matt (smelly) to try and weave some magic as he has with his Premier outfit Cusco. Plenty of work to do with the team but there were the signs near the end of the season that things were moving in the right way.

16. Lokomotiv Dinamo (last season 16th) - the control team with 2 points when taken over by SteveR with 4 games left of the season. It's fair to say this is a massive task as their most expensive player was £888,000 and they had not scored a goal when Steve took them on. Next season they will become Fishburn Park and his task will be to score a goal - their last one came on 31st December 2018!!

There are just 4 teams vacant and each year the Divisions get stronger – Division 3 is fully managed and very competitive so if you finish lower than you wanted it doesn’t mean you are a bad side it just emphasises the quality of most teams.

Vacant Teams

Division 1

Top Gun

Divison 2 -
Belmont Buccaneers
Corinthian Wizards
Valenwood

_________________
Long Eaton Archers WPL 7 Shaolin WPL 39
Istra Pula Opal 46 Abysmal Aftermath Opal 50
FC Abertawe Opal 1 Riverplate Opal 36
Dell Diamonds Opal 54 Norfolk FC Opal 37
Death Valley Wanderers Opal 35 Bayern FC Opal 45
Black Sabbath RH33 Steppenwolf (RH46) Multinationale RH63
Moles Rangers NSA30 Lakeland Jags NSA38
Celyn Coyotes WS 35 White Zombies WS4 FC Storm Chasers WS54
Romford Dogs MOA25 Lochar Thistle MOA 32

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