Saturday March 29th, 2008

EAST 3NW

Market Deeping 1st XI (4) vs City of Peterborough 4th XI (4)

Deeping are champions of NW3, but as Paul Tancred’s short corner smashed into the post with seconds to go in the match, and the umpire reversed his decision to award another corner, Deeping might have been forgiven for thinking that they would never get the single point still required for the championship.
But later that evening the news trickled through of Cambridge University’s narrow defeat, and Deeping’s triumph was confirmed.
They would have liked to get there in better style than this toughed-out draw, but with several absentees for the final game next week, the relief is palpable.
It all began badly for Deeping with a controversially awarded short corner giving Peterborough an early lead. Deeping instantly went straight back up the pitch and Chris Mann equalised.
Peterborough still looked more likely to score but a spontaneously varied short corner routine saw Andy Brassington score for Deeping.
Peterborough pressure yielded a short corner equaliser, before a Peterbrough forward was allowed to waltz unmarked into the D and pick up a through-ball to score. Things got worse when an incomprehensible bit of umpiring saw a penalty flick awarded and a Deeping player rightly carded for his protests. Pete Jeffery now stepped up to the mark and defended superbly and while down to 10 men Deeping made it 3-4 with an accurately struck Paul Tancred goal.
The second half was much better with Deeping ripping into City initially, then patiently building and applying pressure while Peterborough marked and defended tenaciously. For the home supporters it was fascinating but frustrating to watch.
However another less than perfect decision saw skipper Richard Woods score from a short corner that did not appear to leave the D and which then took a huge deflection over the keeper. That evened things up in every way, and as the game ended Deeping looked far the more likely to score.

Div 4NW

Market Deeping 2nd XI (3) vs St Ives 3rd XI (3)

Deeping have had a nice safe season which sometimes promised success but never looked like ending disastrously and some experimental sides have been seeing out the season. St Ives on the other hand look like possible relegation candidates and this draw won’t have helped them. Deeping twice showed the character needed to come from behind to take a deserved draw.
Deeping started brightly but it was down to Deeping keeper Joe Wray to make the first meaningful save, an amazing diving stick save high to his right to touch the ball over the bar.
Deeping continued to press, but when Andy Gregson was adjudged to have blocked a shot on the line with his foot James Cahill stepped up to put the flick home.
After scoring his first goal for the club in the last game, skipper Graham Brewer then made it two in two, running with the ball from deep and fending off a defender before striking low into the bottom left corner.
Deeping then had to defend hard, a Deeping player twice blocking goal bound shots with his foot, then with a more sensitive part of his anatomy. Deeping saw off the resulting short corners and when another run and low flick from Brewer looked to be heading straight into the ‘keeper’s pads, Phil Arnold got the most delicate of touches to re-direct the ball past a stranded ‘keeper.
After half time Deeping pushed the ever dribbling Henry Winfield-Chislett further forward and Dan Medd moved in to bolster the central midfield area.
St Ives kept fighting and James Cahill provided a cool finish after they had passed their way through the Deeping back line. To make matters worse Deeping old boy Phil Yetzes scored from close range to give St Ives a 3-2 lead.
Deeping again squandered chances but Phil Tokens had the wit to make a tactical change to the usual short corner routine and Phil Arnold produced a sublime drag-flick high into the top left corner to give Deeping a share of the spoils. Arnold really should do this more often and it was great to see him among the goals.
There was still time for some late drama, as Winfield-Chislett was unceremoniously upended in the D, but as St Ives held their breath, the umpire simply awarded a short corner.

EAST Div 5NW

Market Deeping 3rd XI (1) vs Horncastle 1st XI (7)

Horncastle were already champions of 5NW and Deeping found out why they have been so successful as their powerful finishing stunned them with a late flurry of goals. Deeping slide into the relegation slots as a result, but can count themselves more unlucky than the score suggests. They had seven or eight short corner chances in the first half and couldn’t convert. Horncastle had none until late into the second half and it was only 2-0 at halftime. It had been genuinely close.
Then at 3-0 Kevin Baker’s well taken rebound from yet another short corner somehow seemed to open the floodgates.
Deeping must beat relegated Nomads next week and hope that their old enemies Bourne (still in with a chance of promotion) can see off St Ives.