Saturday March 18th 2006

East Div 3NW

Market Deeping 1st XI (4) v Spalding 2nd XI (2)

Deeping started the game full of confidence after their stylish victory the previous week against Peterborough Athletic. They threw men forward in abundance and very nearly paid the price for this by conceding on the break. Spalding’s visits into the Deeping D were few but dangerous, and Jason Purllant produced a few sharp saves to keep them at bay. Deeping opened the scoring with a quality goal from Pete Jeffery and by half time Andy Kind added another good strike.

The second half started in the same fashion – Deeping pressed forward but Spalding defended well. Then Spalding broke out against the run of play and scored from a well-worked short corner. The ball was saved but Spalding picked up the kick and drag flicked it into the net. Worse was to come for Deeping as another well-worked goal from equaled the scores. Deeping the regained the initiative, then bounced back with a good goal from Andy Brassington before Chris Mann put the issue beyond doubt with a fourth.

In the end Deeping were relieved to win despite not playing very well. They will finish the season next week a minimum of 10 points clear in third place in 3NW, but Peterborough Town’s surprise defeat of unbeaten Cambs City means that they now need a miracle for the automatic promotion that they deserve.

East Div 5NW

Horncastle 2nd XI (1) v Market Deeping 2nd XI (4)

There were huge celebrations as Deeping finally clinched promotion to 4NW in some style. Despite losing last week, Deeping were delighted to see that closest rivals St Ives had drawn and that they needed only a point to clinch promotion. Three points at Horncastle made it more than certain, as St Ives drew again.

Deeping were determined to put the previous week’s dire performance behind them. They welcomed back Stewart Dacre, who had not played for the club for eleven years (or men’s hockey for a long time).  Midfield hard man Pete Smith played with two cracked ribs, following a shoulder barge received in the game the previous week. The first half started well, with Deeping applying all the pressure, but once again it was the opposition who scored first against the run of play.  Deeping's heads didn't go down and again they had most of the possession and continued to apply pressure.  After good work down the right from Anthony Barnes, Mike Gregson hit the post, but with half-time approaching Steve Waters scored with a trademark first time sweep to bring Deeping level at the break.

Deeping pressure continued in the second half and it was not long before they went ahead.  Yet another good ball was driven into the area from Pete Smith. It broke to Magnus Windsor who smashed the ball into the goal at the near post.  Deeping continued to push forward. Dacre forced a mistake in defence and it was the usual suspects as the ball came to Windsor, and his goal-bound shot was deflected in by Steve Waters for his 36th of the season. With ten minutes remaining Graham Barnes came on – his first game since an injury last Christmas – and added some much needed energy. 
Fittingly perhaps influential skipper Gregson scored the team’s fourth after more good pressure from the forwards.  The ball broke loose in the middle of the area and was lifted over the keeper into the far corner of the net.

For the second week running fullbacks Mike Allam and Will Winfield-Chislett were outstanding as they supported the wingers with Phil Tokens and Jez Phipps breaking forward at every opportunity. 

The final whistle saw Deeping crack open a couple of bottles of champagne then settle down to plan the defeat of champions Peterborough Town next week - and equally as important, the boozy spending of the fines tin.

East Div 7NW

Market Deeping 3rd XI (5) v March 5th XI (2)

Deeping’s promoted third team went back to the top of 7NW and need just a single point from their last game at Cambridge South to clinch the championship. Full marks to skipper Ben Walden for even getting a team out this week. Stripped of all their youngsters except Tommo Allam, Deeping played a rather more cerebral game than usual. They again reshaped their line-up, with Steve Windsor lurking in the opposition D and laying the ball off to the incoming midfielders, while Allam made well timed runs from wide left. They needed to keep their heads, after instantly going a goal down, but Kevin Baker and Ed Saunders were outstanding in midfield and Walden quickly equalised. Minutes later Walden turned in Windsor’s attempted shot for his second. Saunders blasted a short corner strike in off a defender’s stick, before Trewlawny Wiley stormed through to take Windsor’s wall pass and score.  Simon Taylor made it five with a hotly disputed short corner.

The second half was closer, despite the arrival of the pacy Matt Brown, and some outstanding March goal keeping denied Deeping. With Deeping’s old legs tiring against March’s young, fit and large squad, March nicked a late goal. The rock-like Steve Allam and Taylor had locked up the back, aided by the determined Paul Van Den Bent. The return of fit-again Andy Gregson has made a huge difference down Deeping’s left, but if they had played with this calm control and intelligence all season, they would have clinched the league already.