Saturday January 21st 2006

East Div 3NW

Market Deeping 1st XI (8) v St Ives 2nd XI (2)

Deeping may not win a second promotion from 3NW this season - but this game served to illustrate the gulf between the top of 3NW and the base.

Deeping could afford to leave the East league’s top scorer of 2004-2005 Paul Tancred on the bench to rest a rib injury, but they still steamrollered St. Ives. Henry Winfield-Chislett opened the scoring for the second week running using his pace to score. He then set up Ali Rowledge for an open goal before St Ives benefited from some clumsy defending to break away and score a deflected goal. Deeping immediately replied through Russ Seaton, and after the break added four more through Seaton completing his hat trick, Andy Brassington and Andy Kind. St. Ives converted a penalty corner, before Rowledge smashed home his second from the top of the D.

Deeping will hope for an injury-free run out against Peterborough Atheltic 2nd on Saturday before travelling to Weymouth for their national Vase second round game on Sunday.

East Div 5NW

Alford 1st XI (2) v Market Deeping 2nd XI (5)

Understrength Deeping produced a performance that was never easy on the eye, but was highly effective and full of good individual performances. It’s rare to see a team with eight teenagers or twenty somethings bully an older and wiser side into submission but Deeping’s determination and aggression was the key to victory.

They scored very early on, entirely with the run of play, as Muddy Waters was able to dig the ball out from under the keeper and net from close range. Minutes later a gently hit Jeremy Phipps short corner was somehow deflected by the Alford keeper into the middle of the goal. Alford came back strongly and crunched their own short corner home. Deeping didn’t panic and took the game to Alford. When their patient build up play on the right hand side – Pete Smith and Mike Gregson were prominent – didn’t produce, they rattled Alford with an old-fashioned tactic. Phil Tokens’ route one long balls (the famous Deeping Wellie) kept finding the lurking forwards. Eventually Magnus Windsor picked up a loose ball on the top of the D. As he set himself for a reverse sweep shot the keeper charged out, and his clean shot hit the centre of the backboard.

At 3-1 at half time Deeping knew that another goal should clinch it. Unfortunately it came from an Alford corner, meaning that all three penalty corners awarded were converted. Deeping then went up a gear, and centre back Phipps joined an attack. His stick was hooked as he went to shoot from close range and Tokens bravely volunteered to take his first ever stroke for Deeping. It was a beauty, and the game was effectively over. Shortly afterwards Deeping’s best move of the game found Windsor in space at the top of the D and he punched home his second goal through a crowd of players and legs. Only a good save denied him a hat trick as Deeping turned the screw. Waters’ clever deflections kept testing the keeper and Mike Allam, excellent in defence, drove up the right to support the attackers. Three goals up, Deeping closed out the game with hounding aggressive tackling. Alford’s midfielders and defence even had to beat Deeping’s forward line before they could create anything and Deeping were cruising at the whistle.