Division 3NW
Market Deeping 1st XI (5) vs Cambs South 1st XI (2)
Deeping have a slip date game left to play but this smooth and well-drilled victory just served to remind them what might have been this season if they hadn’t lost five games on the trot before Christmas. It featured Henry Winfield-Chislett’s first hat trick for Deeping and two goals for Paul Tancred as they eased past a useful Cambs South team.
Deeping look likely to finish fourth in Div 3NW.
Division 4NW
City of Peterborough 5th XI (5) vs Market Deeping 2nd XI (0)
Deeping didn’t take this game too seriously – perhaps they should have as they will finish just outside of the relegation zone in 4NW on goal difference. Occasionally extra teams are relegated. Deeping will have to hope that this season isn’t one of those.
Division 6NW
Market Deeping 3rd XI (2) vs Rutland 2nd XI (1)
Own goals in hockey are about as rare as false teeth for hens so it was an odd twist that Deeping’s whole season came down to a first half own goal in their must-win final game.
Deeping had a very strong side out with full availability but found themselves facing a Rutland squad that belied their lowly position in the league. Despite this, Deeping were quite dominant for the first ten minutes before Rutland scored from their first short corner. Things were more even after that but Rutland looked the more likely to score and it was against the run of play when Russ Seton reverse-sticked home the rebound from his son Jack’s shot. Ironically both are recruits from Rutland.
Just a few minutes later a firm hit into the D was touched on by Ben Dalgleish and a Rutland defender who must have been momentarily disorientated pushed the ball into his own net. Deeping barely deserved their lead at this stage.
It would not have been out of place if Deeping had subbed on Michael Caine and Stanley Baker for the second half as Rutland threw everything at them and the Deeping D looked like a blood-free Rorke’s Drift. If only they had defended like this all season it would not have come down to this final game. Deeping’s oldest active player Ray Isaacs in goal had his best game of the year while the backs – acting skipper Simon Taylor, young Tom Richardson, Kevin Richardson and Andy Gregson were utterly defiant in the defence. In midfield Anthony Barnes buzzed like a fly around the Rutland playmakers stifling their game. Ten Rutland men besieged the Deeping half while Deeping’s few loyal spectators and their substitutes applauded every desperate tackle as the last two minutes rolled down.
On the whistle Deeping’s lads and dads had finished in their second promotion position in two years moving from 7NW as Champions, and as 6NW runners-up to 5NW next year.
The full squad was skipper Steve and Tom Allam, Jack and Russ Seton, Kevin and Tom Richardson, acting captain Simon Taylor, Andrew Gregson, Anthony Barnes, Matt Brown, Ben Dalgliesh, Ray Isaacs, Phil Arnold, vice skipper Steve Windsor, Alex Gale, Andy Brown, Paul Van Den Bent and after Christmas Joe Wray and Magnus Windsor
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