website updates

 

 

april 27 2011

 

 

april 19 2011

 

 

april 12 2011

Congratulations to this season's league winners Ebenezer All Stars, and with the last game for both teams being the decider, it really was down to the wire for them and Midland Elite FC. Andi Mohr watched the game and here's the report he posted on the SICM Sevens facebook page this morning.

'I went up to watch it - great game as a neutral. All Stars were good value for their one nil lead but couldn't press home their advantage in the first half. Then Midland got exactly what they needed, a quick goal at the restart and they had the momentum. They went 2-1 up and had a golden opportunity for a third - a 3-on-1 breakaway. Unfortunately the pass was overhit and All Stars came back into it, eventually forcing the equaliser.'

The other two games on the night saw Kingsway Lions complete their season as they went down 3-0 to St Matthew's Ravens and AFC Fatherless Barn wrap up theirs with a 4-2 victory over Tipton Family Church FC.

Next season is already taking shape and the deadline date has now passed for current teams to re-enter so it is now on a first-come, first-served basis. If you know of anyone that is possibly interested in entering a team, then tell them to get in touch. We have a limit of 14 for the coming season.

 

 

april 5 2011

Before we look at the latest games, could we have Fair Play Award votes from  teams please? The details are on the officials' forum and we have been asking for a few weeks. Thanks. Next season is already beginning to take shape in terms of teams either putting in their application or 'waiting in the wings'. The committee has decided to limit the number of teams to 14, which if we reach that figure will be one on from what we started this season with.

Now back to this season. It wasn't planned that way, but next week's game between Midland Elite FC and Ebenezer All Stars as well as being the final game for both teams, is also the title decider. The reason being that both collected maximum points this week as Midland beat Crestwood Cobras 5-1, whilst Crestwood Church FC lost to Ebenezer All Stars. Even though they managed to score three times, Ebenezer replied with eight goals. The only hat-trick hero in either game was Elite's Bal Dhaliwal.

Lots of three-goal mentions though in the Brandhall & Quinton FC camp as they crushed Real Sosobad 16-0. Joe Watts, Ben Jones, Steve Hirst and Paul Hewitson all took an equal share of a dozen of their impressive tally. The fixture marks the end of season for both teams, with Brandhall hoping to hold on to third place.

We don't get many 0-0 results in the league, but that's how the Tipton Family Church FC v Kingsway Lions game ended. It's the second 0-0 game that TFC have been involved in over recent weeks, which indicates a strong defensive set-up. Following their dismal opening run of seven defeats, to finish mid-table is quite an achievement.

 

 

march 30 2011

Although there were potential banana skins for the top two on Monday, both Midland Elite FC and Ebenezer All Stars came through with maximum points. While both knew that they had to concentrate on their own tough games, they would also be wishing that other results went their way. As it was, with Midland beating Tipton Family Church FC 5-2 and Ebenezer beating Crestwood Church FC 4-1, it is a case of as you were at the top of the table.

St Matthew's Ravens were far from unlucky as they crushed Real Sosobad 13-0. It's still mathematically possible that they could win the league, but they will be looking at moving into third place from their current fourth as a much more realistic target. And one that they will be confident of if their present form can continue into the final two games. Hat-tricks for Matt Hickman and Liam Watkins are normally enough to claim the spotlight, but these were surpassed by Pete Madge's five.

The final game saw Brandhall & Quinton hold on to third spot in the table as they beat Crestwood Cobras 5-1, who are on a miserable run of form at the moment. This coming Monday sees Cobras, along with Brandhall and Crestwood Church complete their seasons.

We need votes for the Fair Play Award as soon as possible from teams please. Details are on the officials' forum. In addition, the website for the 2011/2012 season is now live and current teams have until April 10 to enter. After that date it is open to all on a first-come, first-served basis. We already have four teams that have shown serious interest and are waiting in the wings.

 

march 22 2011

Last week we were talking about how the balance of power had shifted at the top following Midland Elite FC's draw, and therefore dropping two points in the title race. Well this time round the pendulum swung the other end, as Ebenezer All Stars were the ones taking just a point. Their game with St Matthew's Ravens ended 2-2 and takes them to just one point off the top and a game in hand. Both teams still have their destiny in their own hands though as they are due to play each other in April. What a massive game that is going to be!

In the meantime, perhaps the team that has a greater influence on the title than either of the top two, were also in action on Monday. Crestwood Church FC have yet to play Ebenezer All Stars and they are in hot form at the moment. Following last week's draw with Midland Elite FC, they again shared the points, this time with third placed Brandhall & Quinton FC 3-3.

And the draws continued as we saw Tipton Family Church FC and Ebenezer FC finish 1-1, although TFC will be disappointed as it was the last touch of the game that saw the Ebenezer equaliser. The final game was anything but a draw though as Crestwood Cobras continued their miserable run of form, crashing to AFC Fatherless Barn 7-1. Dan Evans was the only hat-trick hero of the night as he helped the Barn to the three points.

We're now approaching the end of the season. In fact Ebenezer FC have now completed all their fixtures and the other teams will be joining them in the next few weeks. The website for the 2011/2012 campaign will be live very soon. In the meantime, the important date to remember is April 10, as from then applications will be open to any new teams. We've already had some definite interest from potential newcomers so it looks like being a busy and exciting time ahead.

 

march 19 2011

If you want to be up-to-date with the results and site updates then check the 'updates' link on this page. Results are posted on the night and also when the site will be updated so you don't have to keep checking to see if it's been done. And then of course, once it's brought up to date, that's posted as well.

This week's results show how finely balanced everything is, as dropped points for Midland Elite FC combined with a win for Ebenezer All Stars, changes the balance of power at the top. Whereas previously Midland had it all in the palm of their hand, suddenly All Stars can even lose their forthcoming clash and still win the title.

Midland will be smarting at the 5-5 draw with Crestwood Church FC, who have on-form Rhys Harper to thank with his four goals as he puts his recent suspension behind him in style. Mark Robinson also found the net four times, as his goals helped All Stars to their 7-1 win against AFC Fatherless Barn.

Brandhall still hang on to third place as they edged a five-goal contest against Tipton Family Church FC, while the other two matches, while also featuring five goals each, returned 4-1 scorelines. St Matthew's kept up their challenge at the top by beating Crestwood Cobras and Ebenezer FC continued their good form of late as they saw off Kingsway Lions.

 

march 10 2011

Tuesday's solitary game carried a lot of expectations and hopes, as Ebenezer All Stars and Crestwood Church FC went head-to-head to see who would join Midland in the DBMT final. Eight goals were shared between the teams, but with three-quarters of them ending up in the back of the Crestwood net, it was Ebenezer who made their way into the final with a comfortable 6-2 scoreline.

A Mark Robinson hat-trick takes him to 35 for the season. The early days when a player could top a hundred goals in a campaign have long gone, but will he make the half-century? That would be a real achievement.

 

 

march 8 2011

If you want to be up-to-date with the results and site updates then check the 'updates' link on this page. Results are posted on the night and also when the site will be updated so you don't have to keep checking to see if it's been done. And then of course, once it's brought up to date, that's posted as well.

Midland Elite FC became the first team to book their place in the final of the DBMT, as they beat Brandhall & Quinton FC 7-4 on Monday evening. Amo Sandhu's four goals took him to 31 for the season so far, just one off the golden boot position that is currently held by Ebenezer All Stars' Mark Robinson.

In the league, St Matthew's Ravens took advantage of Brandhall not playing to close the gap on third place. With just one point behind and a game in hand, their confidence will be sky-high as they beat Real Sosobad 9-0. Hat-tricks for Pete Madge and Liam Watkins helped them to an almost double figures win, with the former now also on 31 goals for the season.

The other games involved teams in the bottom half of the table with Tipton Family Church FC continuing their excellent run of form by beating Kingsway Lions 4-1. Losing their first 7 games, they have now lost just once in 11. That's title-winning form! Ebenezer FC won their game against Crestwood Cobras 6-3 and Matt Taylor's 3 goals puts him on 25 goals - the highest tally for a bottom-half team.

 

 

march 3 2011

 

 

march 1 2011

The league title is looking very much like a two-horse race, and with Ebenezer All Stars beating Crestwood Cobras 7-2, it's really tight at the top. But like most victories, Ebenezer had to work hard. It was a quarter of an hour into the game before they scored, and even then Cobras equalised. No hat-tricks for the all Stars but 3 players on 2 goals each.

There were 2 hat-tricks though in the Tipton Family Church FC v AFC Fatherless Barn game, as TFC took the points courtesy of a 6-4 win. And with the Barn ahead twice until well into the second half, it was only a spell of really good football that gave Tipton a 6-3 lead, with the Barn scoring right on the final whistle. The drum roll for the hat-tricks goes to Craig Donaldson and Rich Nettleton.

In the third game, St Matthew's Ravens strengthened their hold on 4th place as they beat Crestwood Church FC 5-0.

 

february 23 2011

Tuesday's single game confirmed what was in the write-up after Monday's fixtures - that Ebenezer All Stars aren't out of the title race by any stretch of the imagination. In fact they used one of their games in hand to secure a convincing 8-0 victory over Kingsway Lions. The win puts them in second place, which in itself is a psychological boost as they look at the table.

Chris Rhodes found the net 4 times, which takes him to 8 goals in 3 games since he signed for the team. And what about Matt Nicholls. Following his transfer from Hilly House he has scored 2 hat-tricks. The goals put him on 20 for the season so far, along with 5 other players. All Stars are on fire at the moment. And so are Midland Elite FC. And that's what makes it look good for an all-the-way-to-wire finish.

 

february 22 2011

Midland Elite FC smashed the 100 league goals barrier and hit the 50 point mark in the process, as they punished Real Sosobad 16-3. The victory leaves them 10 points clear at the top, although Ebenezer All Stars have games in hand, and looking at the fixture list, they will be confident that they can close the gap as the season wears on. Home page mentions for Midland go to Pritpal Tiwana for a hat-trick, Jeet Bhogal who hit 4 and the main man on the night, Amo Sandhu, who found the net 5 times.

Ebenezer FC swapped places with Crestwood Cobras at the other end of the tale as they edged their game in a 5 goal contest. Matt Taylor's hat-trick takes him to 20 for the season, which puts him with a cluster of players but still some way from Ebenezer All Stars' Mark Robinson who leads the way with 30.

In the final Monday game in the battle of the Churches, Tipton Family drew 0-0 with Crestwood. These games are always close and this is the second contest between them that has ended in a draw. The point for each team sees TFC move into 8th while Crestwood stay in 5th.

 

 

february 17 2011

It's looking good for Midland Elite FC at the top, as they not only extended their lead to seven points, but by beating Crestwood Church FC 5-3, in effect killed off one of their rivals for the title. They remain the league's top scorers, and with their defensive record greatly improved this season, it looks at this stage as if Ebenezer All Stars will be the only team to catch them. But as we often say, still lots of football to play before the end of the season.

In the other Tuesday match, St Matthew's Ravens kept their own outside chance of glory alive as they edged through 3-2 in their game with Kingsway Lions. Ravens were the only movers on the night, leapfrogging Crestwood Church into fourth place. The table columns look a little unbalanced at the moment with the two drop-out teams having affected results. but it will all start to fall into shape again over the next few weeks.

 

february 16 2011

Following Monday's games, although four teams added points to their tally, the table remained as it was. Wins for Brandhall & Quinton FC and Ebenezer All Stars meant that they both closed the gap on leaders Midland Elite FC.

Matt Nicholl's debut for All Stars was love all round as his Valentine's Day hat trick gave them a comfortable 6-2 result against AFC Fatherless Barn. Brandhall's victory was closer though as they came through 4-2 in their clash with Real Sosobad.

In the final game, draw specialists Ebenezer FC shared the spoils with Tipton Family Church FC in a 2-2 draw. It was a very open match and with Tipton coming from behind twice, the final minutes saw both teams attacking with vigour trying to snatch all three points.

 

february 12 2011

Following on the from the news of Wombourne's withdrawal, sadly we have to report that Hilly House have also gone the same way. They have been struggling of late to field a teram and as founder members of the league under the name Highfields Straits, they will be particularly missed. The table has been updated to reflect the 5-0 results, and as always there will be winners and losers. Some teams have gained two extra victories, others none.

 

february 12 2011

Tuesday evening's results saw no change in the table as two teams from the top half beat two from the bottom. The closest result was St Matthew's Ravens' 3-2 win  over Ebenezer FC, and although the former stay in fourth place, they keep their outside title hopes alive by staying in touch with the top three, who seem to be setting the pace of late.

Crestwood Church FC aren't totally out of it either though as they have games in hand. Their emphatic 7-1 defeat of Kingsway Lions will certainly give them a confidence boost as we push on in the second half of the season. And we must mention Josh Owen who scored five of the goals, and it comes as no surprise that he also got man of the match as well.

 

 

february 10 2011

The league table has been updated following the withdrawal of Wombourne FC. When a situation like this happens there will be winners and losers whatever system we employ to deal with it. The rules we have are that all remaining games will be awarded as 5-0 results in the same way that a cancellation is dealt with at present.

Therefor the teams that have benefited have been Kingway Lions (twice), Brandhall & Quinton FC, Tipton Family Church FC, AFC Fatherless Barn, Crestwood Cobras, Ebenezer All Stars, Hilly House and Midland Elite.

 

february 9 2011

As you will see from the results page this week there were two cancelled games, one of which meant that although Tipton Family Church FC recorded a 5-0 win it was just short of what they needed to make the semi-finals of the DBMT. As a result Crestwood Church FC go through. Wombourne FC have decided to call it a day, and it's sad to see them go although not entirely a shock as they have been struggling of late concerning the fulfilment of fixtures. As in accordance with the rules, all their remaining games will be awarded as 5-0 results to the opposition. The table will be updated in due course.

The two games that did take place saw trail-blazers Midland Elite FC continue their fine form, although they only edged it 3-2 in their game with much-improved Real Sosobad. Brandhall & Quinton FC stayed right behind them though, due to their more convincing win, as they defeated AFC Fatherless Barn 7-1. The only hat-trick of the night went to Steve Bounds.

 

 

february 4 2011

Tuesday's games were easy enough to enter into the system as cancellations ensured 5-0 wins for St Matthew's Ravens and AFC Fatherless Barn. As some turned up though we were able to have two hours of friendlies between us, so that was at least football for those who didn't know.

A reminder to Hilly House and Wombourne FC that March fixtures will be published on Tuesday so fines need to be reduced.

 

 

february 1 2011

The top two in the league met on Monday evening, and it wasn't the result that Brandhall & Quinton FC wanted, as they crashed to Midland Elite FC 7-2. Brandhall will feel disappointed though, as losing two players - through injury not cards - meant they ended the game with five. And you can't give Midland that sort of advantage. But well done to them as they extend their lead at the top, helped along by the only hat-trick of the night from Simon Fields.

Another team that will feel disappointed is Tipton Family Church FC, who after such a good run of results recently also shipped goals at they went down 1-6 to Ebenezer All Stars. With the regular keeper out, plus two changes between the sticks because of injury on the night it was always going to be an uphill struggle. And one thing is for sure, if you want to take something from All Stars then you really need to be on top of your game. But you can't take away from their victory as they keep up the pressure at the top. Mark Robinson's brace takes him to thirty goals for the season so far.

The third league game saw vastly improved Real Sosobad draw with Crestwood Cobras 3-3. To hear them say they were disappointed not to win after being 3-1 up shows just how far they have come in the last few months. Just like it's tight at the top, it's also the same at the bottom as well, with four points separating as many teams.

The final game was a DBMT group fixture that saw Crestwood Church FC beat Hilly House 2-1 with Josh Owen grabbing both goals and collecting his fifth man of the match award in the process. Although not mathematically there yet, the win pretty much puts Crestwood into the semi-finals. In the final game next week, TFC need to pile in the goals against Hilly to overturn what seems like a formality. One thing is for sure, they have nothing to lose and will be giving it their best shot no doubt.

 

january 31 2011

Deposed for just a day, Midland Elite FC returned back to the top of the table on Tuesday, following their 5-2 victory over Kingsway Lions. Helped along by an Amo Sandhu hat-trick, which takes him to twenty for the season, Midland make it just two defeats in fourteen league games. They will certainly be quietly confident of a title, but of course there are numerous other teams in the mix that will have something to say about that.

The other game featured draw specialists Ebenezer FC who have clocked up five so far this season, as they shared the points in a six-goal thriller with AFC Fatherless Barn. We've now passed the halfway stage in the league, but no predictions about when the season is going to end. That's in the hands of the weather.

 

 

january 27 2011

There were some surprise results on Monday evening so pick your own game of the week. The two contenders featured matches between teams at both ends of the table. Starting from the bottom, what about Real Sosobad's 11-6 win over Wombourne FC? The latter have been one of the most improved teams of late, so to suffer such a heavy defeat will be a big confidence booster for Real, who are now putting together a decent set of results themselves. Following their opening to the season of numerous straight losses, they have now remained unbeaten in three of the last six. And well done to Chris Stokes and Jack Carter who both scored hat-tricks.

But maybe Brandhall & Quinton's 2-1 victory over Ebenezer All Stars is your preferred tick? It is going to take total concentration to get anything from All Stars, and so a massive well done to Brandhall who become only the second team this season to beat them. The result opens up the title race again, and although Ebenezer will still be favourites, it will certainly encourage the teams in the chasing pack. The win takes Brandhall to the top of the league.

One team which failed to make ground though, and take advantage of Ebenezer's slip, was Crestwood Church FC who lost 1-2 to their bogey team Tipton Family Church FC. But let's not take away from TFC's big improvement. Losing their opening six league games they have now only lost twice in nine, which in itself is title chasing form. Hilly House closed the gap as they did their title aspirations no harm by beating Crestwood Cobras 2-0. Apart from the Real game, all the scores this week were like 'proper' football matches.

 

january 21 2011

Although they dropped to the bottom after Monday's results, twenty-fours later and Real Sosobad climbed a place as they earned a well fought point against Ebenezer FC. After losing their first eight games, they have now avoided defeat in three out the last five, so when you look at it like that it's a massive improvement.

In the other game, AFC Fatherless Barn lost ground on the chasing pack at the top as they went down 4-3 to Kingsway Lions. The win takes Lions up two places and they find themselves only five points off the Barn and with a game in hand. Plenty of table-climbing and swapping to do as we're only just over halfway through the league campaign.

 

january 18 2011

Midland Elite FC become the third team into the semi-finals of the DBMT, but the fourth place is still wide open with three teams all in with a shout. That includes Tipton Family Church FC, who in spite of losing 2-0 to Midland have a chance of snatching the final spot, which will now be against Ebenezer All Stars as Midland go through as group winners.

In the league, the new Wombourne FC signings continue their brilliant revival as they crushed Crestwood Church 11-4. Robin Davies got a hat-trick but that was eclipsed by Ash Price's four goals. Brandhall & Quinton FC also had an impressive win as they beat Hilly House 7-2 to challenge Wombourne to the unofficial 'Result of the week' tag. The win takes Brandhall into second in the league and also climbing, this time into fourth, is St Matthew's Ravens. A 3-1 win against Crestwood Cobras gave them the points. It's tight at the top as the table reveals.

 

january 13 2011

Both games on Tuesday evening ended in draws, with perhaps the Ebenezer FC 1-1 against Brandhall & Quinton FC being the biggest surprise. We have two leagues within a league this season, and it certainly went against the form book as Ebenezer did their confidence no harm by taking a point. Although Brandhall move into third place they will see it as two points dropped rather than one gained.

The most improved team in the league of late has definitely been Tipton Family Church FC and they made it just one defeat in seven as they hit two late goals against Crestwood Church FC to earn a draw in the DBMT. However, Crestwood had a last second opportunity to snatch the game as a slick break ended up in the side netting. The qualifying places in the DBMT are still wide open with four teams chasing two places.

 

january 11 2011

It's good to be back after weeks of hardly any football, courtesy of the Christmas shut-down and the worst weather for a century. At least the forecast is decent for the next few weeks so hopefully no cancellations this side of February at least.

The top two in the league, Midland Elite FC and Ebenezer All Stars, showed no signs of festive hangovers as they both ran out convincing winners in their first games of the New Year. Both were made to work hard though, and at the break Ebenezer were just 2-1 ahead of Real Sosobad, but eventually came through 9-2 victors. Midland also conceded two goals, but hit six in reply to claim the points and keep their lead at the top. Chris Rhodes scored four times for Ebenezer with Midland's Pritpal Tiwana grabbing himself a hat-trick.

The other league game saw Crestwood Cobras climb two places in the table, albeit at the bottom end, as they ran out 5-0 winners over Kingsway Lions. Dan Brown scored his first hat-trick of the season and Cobras will be pleased to start the year with a good win and a clean sheet. The final game was in the DBMT and although Hilly House found the net five times, including three for Ben Jones, they couldn't match Wombourne FC's nine. Wombourne have made three new signings and if they can keep that sort of form going they will definitely be climbing the league table with some upsets along the way

 

december 17 2010

Brandhall & Quinton FC missed the opportunity to go to the top of the table on Tuesday as they lost out to St Matthew's Ravens 3-1. The result means that there are just three points separating the top six teams, which at this stage of the season shows just how close everything is. But up into second place go Ebenezer All Stars who beat Ebenezer FC 5-1. And for the second time in the week we have a five-goal target man, this time it's All Stars' Mark Robinson who takes his total for the season to twenty six.

The February fixtures will be published on January 5th and in order to be included all teams must be below £10 in arrears. At the moment some teams are above that figure, so you need to get that sorted.

 

december 16 2010

Tipton Family Church FC continued their good run at the moment with a solid 4-0 victory over Crestwood Cobras on Monday evening. Losing their opening six league matches and finding themselves rock bottom, they have now put together four wins out of five and are within distance of the chasing pack, albeit the lower end. Hope and encouragement to all of us when we find ourselves going through a tough time. On the football pitch or in life even!

Crestwood Church FC climbed into second place in the table, courtesy of their 7-0 win over Real Sosobad. Man of the Match and deservedly so, even if only for his goals, was Rhys Harper who found the net five times. We get regular hat-tricks, that's the nature of the fast flowing football we have, but to grab five is a real achievement.

In spite of defeat though, Real climb a place as Wombourne FC cancelled their game against Hilly House. The 5-0 victory puts the latter in fourth place, but only three points off the top and with a game in hand. The match between Kingsway Lions and Midland Elite FC was abandoned due to an injury. As it was a neck injury an ambulance was called but thankfully that proved to be nothing more than a precaution.

 

 

november 25 2010

Group B in the DBMT is now done and dusted as the final game was played on Tuesday. Although the qualifiers were known, their ranking in the semi-finals wasn't; but following a convincing win, the order is that Ebenezer All Stars go through as group winners and Brandhall & Quinton FC as runners-up. However, although All Stars beat St Matthew's Ravens 8-2, it was tight at 3-2 until the former started to find the net. And with hat-tricks for the Robinson brothers, Dave and Mark certainly contributed in no small way to the cause.

The other game was in the league and featured two teams in the bottom half. With ten goals scored, it was a case of shared spoils as Wombourne FC and Ebenezer FC took a point each. Ebenezer's Matthew Taylor was the third player on the evening to grab a trio of goals.

 

november 23 2010

Tipton Family Church FC were the biggest movers in the league table following Monday's games as they leapfrogged three teams to go into eighth place. Following a start of six straight defeats they have now definitely turned it around as they have won four out of five in all competitions. This week they beat Real Sosobad 3-0 in a very open and entertaining game. Even though Real are bottom of the league they are no walkovers and any team that beats them will have to work hard. There are no easy games this season, that's for sure.

At the other end of the table, Brandhall & Quinton FC edged into second place as they extended a narrow lead at the break into a convincing 6-1 victory against Crestwood Cobras. Helped along by a hat-trick from Steve Hirst, he is now on ten for the season. Into fourth place go Crestwood Church FC as they beat AFC Fatherless Barn by the narrowest of margins in a five-goal thriller. Sean Tobin's motm award takes him to five for the season so far.

The final game was a DBMT fixture, and 3-0 up at the break you'd expect league leaders Midland Elite FC to cruise it, but you can never write Hilly House off and they battled back to earn a 5-5 draw. Midland will be disappointed but Amo Sandhu will be pleased with his three goals. He is now on sixteen for the campaign and well in sight of the golden boot title. Group A in the DBMT is still wide open and although Midland's seven points from three games puts them in the driving seat, nothing is guaranteed yet. On the other hand, Group B will be done and dusted after Tuesday's final game.

 

november 18 2010

The two Tuesday matches were both in group B of the DBMT, and at the end of the evening both semi-finalists were known as Brandhall & Quinton FC and Ebenezer All Stars made it through to the last four. Going through 3-0 against their namesakes, Ebenezer FC, the All Stars' result was more straightforward, but the Brandhall fixture had more twists and turns than an ancient oak. Behind 1-3 to St Matthew's Ravens, their hopes of qualifying to the knock out stages looked to be in the balance. Helped along by a Paul Hewitson hat-trick though, they came back to win 4-3. The only consolation for the Ravens is that Peter Madge's brace takes him to 20 for the season so far and the top of the goalscorers' tree.

 

 

november 16 2010

With just two league games on Monday, the only movers in the table were Hilly House who are up to fifth, but more importantly, with two games in hand have the ability to go to the very top. That's just how close the league is this season as we approach the end-of-year break. Although Kingsway Lions came off the pitch to a 1-6 defeat they will still feel annoyed with themselves, as well into the last quarter it was 1-1. The other league game saw Crestwood Cobras and AFC Fatherless Barn share the spoils in an eight goal thriller. With both teams dropping points recently, they will be at least be happy to chalk something up on the board.

The remaining games were in the DBMT and Tipton Family Church opened their group stage with a win, beating Wombourne FC 4-2. Great sportsmanship from Robin Davies, who in spite of Wombourne now being out of the competition praised the opposition. 'Great match, Tipton were quality all round and deserved the win! Well done.' The final game saw Midland Elite FC put one foot in the semi-final as they came out 7-2 winners against Crestwood Church FC.

Top marksman of the night was Hilly House's Matt Nicholls who scored four, with hat-tricks credited to Amo Sandhu and Jeet Bhogal of Midland and the Barn's goal machine, Dave Wall.

 

 

november 12 2010

Tuesday evening saw both fixtures being played in the DBMT competition. Due to a bigger league and the possibility of cancelled games because of the weather, teams only play each other once this season. Therefore every win is vital for qualifying for the semi-finals, not to mention goal difference. Crestwood Church FC got off to a flying start on both counts as they trounced Wombourne FC 12-3. The defeat leaves the latter with a mountain to climb but the former will be quietly confident after such a great start. And well done to Rhys Harper and Josh Owen who scored five and four times respectively.

The other game was another upset, although not meritorious enough to challenge Real Sosobad for the result of the week, as Ebenezer FC defeated St Matthew's Ravens 3-1. At this moment in time no team is mathematically out of the semi-finals, although with four DBMT matches coming up this week, that may not be the case afterwards. But for now, everyone has a glimmer of hope at least.

 

november 9 2010

Monday's result of the night must surely go to Real Sosobad, who collected their first points of the season. After losing every game and conceding heavily in the process, they finally got their season underway with a resounding 5-1 victory. In fact it was only in yesterday's update we were saying it would come sooner rather than later. No-one wants to be the team to concede to anyone in their first win but someone has to and in this case it was Kingsway Lions.

Midland Elite FC now have a five-point lead at the top of the table courtesy of their 4-1 win over AFC Fatherless Barn. Yet so tight is the league that although the Barn are in seventh, with three games in hand they can actually go to within two points of Elite.

Hilly House kept up their challenge for the title as they defeated Tipton Family Church FC 3-0. With both goalkeepers getting man of the match awards, it reflects that there were plenty of chances at both ends.

The final game on Monday was, in the words of Jon Nott, a 'fantastic game in a great spirit'. A DBMT match, Ebenezer All Stars edged it 4-3 over Brandhall & Quinton FC. With just one more game to go in the group stage, Brandhall can qualify next week if they beat St Matthew's Ravens, otherwise they will be sweating on other results.

The groups will completed in early January and then the semi-finals will take place as soon as we can fit them into the fixtures. The idea with the cup competitions is to get them completed before the league so that we can avoid the trophy order jam that we usually have at the end of the season. And finally, well done to Dave Robinson and Jeetinder Bhogal who both scored hat-tricks on Monday evening.

 

 

november 8 2010

Last Tuesday's games saw the victors both take the points with six goals to their credit. In the first match St Matthew's Ravens inflicted only the third defeat of the season on AFC Fatherless barn, but they did it in style 6-1. In the other game, which was in the DBMT, the scores were much closer as Midland Elite FC edged an 11-goal thriller in their fixture against Wombourne FC. Surprisingly, with the net bulging so many times on the night, there were no hat-trick players. But seven of them did score braces: so close but not quite. The Raven's win sees them move into third place, just two points behind the leaders while the Barn lose ground, although they do have games in hand

 

november 8 2010

The start of November signalled the opening game of The David Bloor Memorial Trophy. Both groups are going to be tough ones and every point will be precious, hence Brandhall & Quinton FC's 5-0 first game win against Ebenezer FC will be a big confidence booster for them. Goals for Steve Hirst (2) and Paul Hewitson put them both on ten for the season so far. Ahead of them both though is Christian Jones. Crestwood Church FC's man of the match grabbed four for himself in the 5-2 derby win against Crestwood Cobras. The points see Crestwood move into fourth, but more importantly within striking distance of the leaders.

If it's tight at the top then the same is equally so at the other end of the table. A win for Kingsway Lions saw them leapfrog three teams as they climbed to the top of the pile of the bottom end. The 7-3 victory over Real Sosobad leaves the latter stranded at the foot of the table with no points to date. But they have been showing some real promise and that will no doubt be translated into a victory sooner rather than later. Unfortunately the final game between Hilly House and Ebenezer All Stars was abandoned. The committee is looking into this at the moment and a verdict will be announced as soon as possible.

 

october 27 2010

Tuesday's two fixtures saw a total of 22 goals. Top scorers on the night were Wombourne FC who reached double figures as they beat Real Sosobad 10-3, with Ash Price finding the net three times. The night's top marksman though was Adam Lawler of Brandhall & Quinton FC who scored four, one ahead of another hat-trick hero, Steve Hirst. Their goals contributed to Brandhall's 9-0 victory over Ebenezer FC.

If you run a team then you need to check the officials' forum regarding games this coming Monday and Tuesday. And for those teams who are in arrears, make sure you keep below the £10 mark as the next fixtures are about to be published.

 

october 27 2010

The league's last unbeaten record went on Monday evening when Tipton Family Church FC turned the form book upside down by beating Hilly House 2-0. As expected it was a very close game that could have gone either way, until a wonder volley from Jez Jeavons in the second half put the game beyond Hilly's reach. It was a competitive match but played in a good spirt and the three yellow cards are evidence that statistics in themselves don't mean anything, as it wasn't that sort of game. But well done to TFC who after losing their opening six fixtures have now won two on the bounce.

Following their 6-1 demolition of Kingsway Lions, Midland Elite FC now have a four-point lead at the top. Balwant Dhaliwal's brace takes him to twelve for the season. Into second place though go Ebenezer All Stars who came through 4-1 against Crestwood Cobras. Dan Henson grabbed three of the goals as Ebenezer keep up the pressure at the top, and with games in hand they do have the potential to open up a gap themselves.

Another 4-1 result saw St Matthew's Ravens move into fourth as they saw off rivals Crestwood Church. Pete Madge was the other hat-trick hero of the night and that takes him to 12 goals for the season, the same as Bal Dhaliwal

 

october 21 2010

Brandhall & Quinton FC lost the chance to open up a healthy lead at the top as they lost to Midland Elite FC 1-5 on Tuesday evening. Helped along by an Amo Sandhu hat-trick, the win now means that Midland take pole position. A look at the table shows that not only is it so tight at the top but also that we have two leagues within a league. And this was emphasised in the other game as Crestwood Church FC helped themselves to the points as they racked up a 5-1 victory. The defeat keeps Ebenezer FC in the lower group, but at least Matt Taylor has something to draw from it as he scored again to take himself to 8 for the season now.

If you want to know the results before the table is published then I do tweet them on the night and they also appear on my new facebook page, which you can find by clicking here.

 

october 19 2010

The Summer Cup has finally concluded as Ebenezer All Stars beat Hilly House 4-2 in the final replay. Well done to the former and commiserations to the latter; it was always going to be close as to who would finally lift the first silverware of the season. Dave Robinson summed it up as follows: 'Thanks to Hilly for being part of a great final and for giving us a good game, played in the right spirit. I'm incredibly proud of my players and would like to dedicate the win to Sam Robinson. Well done lads.'

Following their excellent win last week over Crestwood Church FC, AFC Fatherless Barn went to pieces this time round as they crashed to St Matthew's Ravens 12-2. The win sees them climb three teams as they go into fourth place. Their goals were shared out between three players as Pete Madge grabbed five, Will Smith a hat-trick and Matt Hickman opened his account for the season in style by finding the net four times.

The bottom three shuffled around a little as Tipton Family Church FC picked up their first points of the season by beating Real Sosobad 2-1. Jon Doman-Lees in the Real goal pulled off some classic saves to keep the score to 2-0, and while they hit back with a very late goal it proved to be no more than a consolation in the end. Wombourne FC also put points on the board as they beat Crestwood Cobras 5-3. Ash Price scored a hat-trick for Wombourne and he now enters the leading scorers table on seven for the season to date. All Stars' Mark Robinson still leads the way on eighteen.

 

october 14 2010

The tightness of the league was demonstrated on Tuesday when a 6-0 victory for Brandhall & Quinton took them into the bossing position, which indicates just how well they have been playing lately. The table currently demonstrates two leagues within a league and the loss keeps Kingsway Lions in the second tier. Even with the heavy defeat this week, their goals against looks good, although as we know it's what we put in the opposition net that really counts.

After suffering their first defeat last week, this time round was going to be a real test for AFC Fatherless Barn. They came through it with flying colours though as they hit five past Crestwood Church FC, who in return scored just the one consolation goal. Even though the team lost, Sean Tobin will have something to draw from the match as he collected his fourth motm of the season to date. Jim Moore from Hilly House leads the way on five nominations.

This coming Monday will hopefully see a winner in The Summer Cup as Hilly and Ebenezer All Stars take to the field again following a draw in the first game of the final. It would take a brave man to stick his neck out on this and as far as the neutral is concerned we hope that it is a good game and the best team wins!

 

october 12 2010

On Monday evening the top two in the league went head-to-head and shared the points in a 1-1 draw. The result means that Midland Elite FC still head the table, with Ebenezer All Stars tucked in behind them in second place. Mark Robinson scored for Ebenezer, a goal that takes him to 17 for the season, three ahead of Hilly House's Ben Jones. Their game was also a 1-1 as they battled it out with St Matthew's Ravens. It is all very tight at the top with seven teams separated by just five points. And with the season being a quarter of the way through already for most teams, it shows how close it promises to be again this campaign.

While Hilly House remain the only team not to have lost this time round, Tipton Family Church FC have tasted defeat in all their games to date. It was much closer though than in some of their recent matches, as they went down 4-3 to Crestwood Cobras. Another team struggling at the moment is Wombourne FC, who also lost by the odd goal as they lost out in a 9-goal thriller with Ebenezer FC.

 

october 7 2010

If Monday's games were mostly about the top of the table, it was the opposite end that featured in the matches the following evening. And Tipton Family Church FC climbed another place, and again without even taking to the field. This was due to Wombourne FC's 0-5 verdict at cancelling a game and of course the five-point deduction as a result. The real winners from Wombourne throwing the game though were St Matthew's Ravens, who gladly accepted the points which halted a very poor run of results for them and keeps them in touch with the pack.

The game that did go ahead was, in the words of Jon Nott the official, 'Fantastic game to referee. Played in a fantastic spirit'. The teams concerned were Ebenezer FC and Kingsway Lions who shared the spoils in a ten-goal thriller. Well done to both teams on upholding the ethos of the league

 

october 5 2010

In the tightest of games last night, Hilly House and Ebenezer All Stars battled it out for a 2-2 draw in the final of The Summer Cup. There won't be many teams that come from behind against Ebenezer this season but that's exactly what Hilly did twice. It was a very close game, highly competitive but played out in an overall good spirit. It's going to be a brave man who bets against either of this teams winning the league.

But if there was going to be another team in the equation, then on current form it would be hard not to nominate Midland Elite FC. Following their 7-1 demolition of Crestwood Cobras they now move to the summit of the table, although they have played more games than teams below them. Bal Dhaliwal is currently very much in form and he helped himself to another hat-trick to put him on 11 for the season so far.

Another team firing on all cylinders at the moment is Brandhall & Quinton FC, who following their 4-1 victory over AFC Fatherless Barn, move into second place behind Elite. Talk about teams taking advantage of their rivals not playing, Hilly and Ebenezer are now in third and fourth. The Barn are mid-table following their first defeat of the season, and to highlight just how tight things are, they would have been in second had they won.

At the other end, Real Sosobad drop back to the basement position as they lost out 3-0 to Crestwood Church FC. They have been in a yo-yo game with Tipton Family Church FC for several weeks now. Real lose on a Monday and go bottom on goal difference, TFC lose the next day and they replace them. But with no game this week, Tipton move up a place without even kicking a ball

 

 

october 2 2010

Hilly House's hold on second place didn't last long - just 24 hours in fact - as Midland Elite FC stepped ahead of them courtesy of a 4-0 victory against St Matthew's Ravens. Bal Dhaliwal scored all four of the goals and that takes him to eight for the season so far. Spare a thought though for the Ravens, following a solid four-game unbeaten start to the season, three straight defeats sees them drop into mid-table.

But if our thoughts are to be with anyone, then surely Tipton Family Church FC will be the top of the list. After a creditable third-place in the table last time round plus the lifting of The Summer Cup, they find themselves rock bottom after losing all of their league games so far. But their demise cannot take the shine off Brandhall & Quinton FC, who put some good football together to earn their 8-2 victory.

This coming Monday will see (assuming we don't get a draw!) the first trophy of the season claimed as Hilly House and Ebenezer All Stars battle it out in the final of aforementioned The Summer Cup. Here's hoping for a good game and may the best team win. It's going to be a close call.

 

 

september 30 2010

Three out of four games on Monday evening were very close run affairs indeed, but the one that wasn't saw AFC Fatherless Barn continue their impressive start to the season. Helped along by a Dave Wall hat-trick they beat Real Sosobad 6-0, a defeat which sees the latter fall to basement position in the league. It's often said 'it's early days yet' but the Barn would sooner have the points on the board than not, and with 12 to their credit they move into third place in the table.

The big game on the night though was the top of the table clash between Ebenezer All Stars and Hilly House. It's far too early to start talking about winners but if the former had won this then even at this stage they would be firm favourites to lift the trophy next spring. However, reigning champions Hilly House put in a good solid performance to edge the game 4-2. And it really was edged as there wasn't much between the teams at all.

The final two matches were all decided by the odd goal as Crestwood Church FC beat Ebenezer FC 3-2 and Kingsway Lions beat Crestwood Cobras 2-1. Crestwood move into fifth place in the table, five points off the top but with a game in hand. Another close season ahead we think.

 

 

september 23 2010

Tuesday saw not only the Ebenezer All Stars' top start to the season continue but also the dismal Tipton Family Church FC campaign to date. Whilst the former made it five out of five wins, the latter were in the opposite camp as they lost their fourth in four outings. Going down to two sloppy goals right at the start didn't help and although that was the score until the break, you can't give a team like Ebenezer that sort of start. The second half saw them add more goals and run out 6-1 winners.

The other game on the evening saw Brandhall & Quinton FC climb above St Matthew's Ravens courtesy of their 4-2 victory. It was a hard fought game, very close but edged in the end. Both teams are in the chasing pack of six with just three points between them. This is how the league was last year, and with nothing to choose between most teams it will probably be more of the same this time round. Put together three wins on the bounce and you will be right in there, lose three and you'll be in the basement group.

 

september 21 2010

AFC Fatherless Barn's impressive start to the season continues as they won 2-0 in their game with Kingsway Lions. It is their best start ever and the win puts them in fourth place, but more crucially with games in hand, the ability to go right to the top. They certainly won't be counting their chickens before they have hatched, but nevertheless it's better to be at the top than the bottom at any stage of the season. And it's there that Real Sosobad find themselves as a heavy 8-2 loss in their encounter with Hilly House sees them drop one place on goal difference. The latter move onto double figure points for the season - and well done to Tom Adams and Ben Jones who both found the net four times each.

The third team to break out of single figures is Midland Elite, who actually go into second place on goal difference above Hilly House. Their big 9-1 win over Wombourne FC puts them on 25 goals for the season so far, although they have played more games than most other teams at this stage. Robin Davies of Wombourne summed up the game in a few relevant words 'They played us off the park'. The final game of Monday evening saw the first Crestwood derby of the season. With the Cobras leading at the break it was a tough challenge ahead for the Church. It was one they rose to however, and eventually ran out 6-2 winners. Sean Tobin grabbed a brace of goals and also his third man of the match of the season.

 

september 18 2010

You wouldn't have thought we would be describing Tipton Family Church FC as the basement team, but that's exactly where they are following Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of Midland Elite. With the game at 2-1 though, TFC had a string of chances that amazingly all missed the net. From a shot that hit the post moving along the goal-line passing the other post, brilliant saves by the keeper and blocks on the line, it just wasn't their night. But well done to Midland who weathered the storm to get the third goal and move into fourth place in the table.

Also climbers were AFC Fatherless Barn as they slotted into fifth - and after only two games played as well. After so many years of struggling at the wrong end of the table, will this be the turning point season for the Barn? They certainly deserve it, and if they do establish themselves at the right half of the table then it will be down in no small part to David Wall, who scored a hat-trick as they defeated Ebenezer FC 5-3.

 

september 14 2010

There were some closely fought games last night that went right to the wire. Taking advantage of their top of the table clash, Ebenezer All Stars have now opened up a four-point lead at the top courtesy of their 3-1 victory against St Matthew's Ravens. Mark Robinson becomes the first player to find the net beyond single figures as his goal puts him on ten. The Ravens remain in second place, but breathing down their neck is Hilly House who edged it against Brandhall & Quinton FC 2-1.

Crestwood Cobras opened their season by defeating new-boys (and there's only so long you can keep saying that, so for now we will milk it) Real Sosobad by the narrowest of margins in a seven-goal thriller. Danny Knight kicked off his season in style as he was the night's top scorer with the only hat-trick. Goal difference means Real now slip to the bottom of the table.

The final game saw the points shared as Kingsway Lions and Crestwood Church FC divided the six goals between them. A goal for Chris Jones puts him on eight for the season so far. All teams have now played at least one game and we have four unbeaten and two yet to pick up their first points of the campaign.

 

september 8 2010

On Tuesday we took on two slots for the first time with Tipton Family Church FC wishing they had not been so helpful, as they allowed Wombourne FC the chance to play a game that the latter had cancelled during the day. The result of 6-3 saw Wombourne collect their first points of the season whilst Tipton dropped to basement position in the league.

The second game saw new boys Real Sosobad take on founder members of the league AFC Fatherless Barn in what was a curtain opener for both teams. There was some flowing football from both sides, but the Barn secured an 8-4 win that puts them in fifth place in the table. And in spite of finding the net so many times they failed to provide a hat-trick hero, as four players all scored twice!

 

september 7 2010

Although none of the games ended up that way, it was 1-0 across the half-time board on Monday evening as the teams turned round. The result of the night must surely go to Ebenezer FC who clinched a 3-2 win in their game with Midland Elite, and they now move out of the bottom two and into 7th position. Brandhall & Quinton FC continued their climb in the placings as they stormed into third place courtesy of an 8-1 win over Crestwood Church FC, who were actually ahead at the break. The second half onslaught was led by Paul Hewitson, who was this week's top marksman with four goals.

Kingsway Lions opened their season with a creditable performance, although they eventually went down 0-2 to Ebenezer All Stars. The latter now leapfrog St Matthew's Ravens to take pole position in the table. Ravens were held to a 1-1 draw in their game with Hilly House, a point that no doubt both teams would have settled for before the game. Hilly House are now in fourth place and are amongst the six teams yet to taste defeat this season in the league.

 

september 1 2010

With the Bank Holiday Monday there is just the one game to report. What we lacked in quantity though we more than made up for with importance, as the final game of The Summer Cup group stage determined who would meet in the final. With Ebenezer All Stars already assured of their place it was between Tipton Family Church FC and Hilly House as to who joined them. The latter had the decision out of their hands but the former had to first of all overcome unbeaten Ebenezer.

When All Stars took a 4-0 lead even an honest Pakistani cricketer wouldn't have gambled on any other result than a straight win. Whilst he may have won his bet, he'd certainly have been sweating though as TFC edged themselves back into the game, finishing strongly. It was a case though of too much to do, and not enough time to do it in, as the game finished 4-3.

This coming week sees a number of teams playing their first games of the season. Don't forget you will need to sign all players prior to the games starting and you will need to print sheets for that as well as your match sheet. If you need help on filling in forms etc on the night just ask, Stewart and Debby will be around to help you. And of course it goes without saying, keep checking the site and the officials' forum and have a great season.

 

august 24 2010

Week three of the league fixtures and we have yet another team at the top of the table as St Matthew's Ravens moved up a place to sit at the summit. They did it the hard way though, and there won't be many teams 3-0 down to Midland Elite that will come back to take a point. But that's what they did in a ten-goal thriller. The latter will see it as points dropped though and although they moved into third in the table could well be at the peak themselves. But well done to Deej Duggal who hit a hat-trick.

In the other league game Brandhall & Quinton FC picked up their first points of the season as they beat Wombourne FC 5-3. The win lifts them into sixth place but Wombourne drop to basement position courtesy of goal difference.

The Summer Cup is going right to the wire as Tipton Family Church FC beat Crestwood Church FC 4-1. The win puts TFC in the position of having their destiny in their own hands, albeit in a tough contest with Ebenezer All Stars next week. They themselves qualified for the final though by the narrowest of victories as they beat Hilly House 1-0. Hilly will be sweating over the result next Tuesday to see whether they will be joining Ebenezer in the final showdown. Or will it be TFC as reigning champions? It's going to be a close call but Ebenezer will go into the tie as strong favourites.

 

august 17 2010

Early days yet of course but week two of the league campaign sees anotherteam at the top. This time round it's a team more than familiar with that position, as two-times league winners Ebenezer All Stars climb a place in the table courtesy of a close-run affair with their namesake Ebenezer FC. But even if it's just 3-2, as it was in this instance, it was enough to give them the points.

In what was always going to be a tight game, St Matthew's Ravens beat Tipton Family Church FC 1-0 in the Tipton derby. And although they have won both their games so far by the tightest of margins, the win was enough to see them snapping away at Ebenezer as the table was re-drawn following the games.

In what was expected to be another tight match, Hilly House eventually ran out 5-2 victors against Midland Elite, who started the night as table toppers. The strike-force of Matt Nicholls and Ben Jones collected a brace of goals a-piece. But the night's top marksman was Crestwood Church FC's Chris Jones who found the net four times. His double brace helped them to get off to a winning start in the league as they beat new boys Wombourne FC 5-2.

 

august 10 2010

The league campaign got underway this week accompanied by torrential rain, as six teams took to the field for the opening batch of fixtures. There were three winners and as each scored four goals a-piece, it is courtesy of the defences as to who occupies which position in the table at this moment in time.

Well, it's early days yet but Midland Elite are top of the pile as they beat Ebenezer FC without reply. And although their back line must take credit, we have to mention Pritpal Tiwana's hat-trick.

The other Ebenezer - All Stars - are in second spot as Brandhall & Quinton FC managed a late consolation goal in their league opener. And as if to underline their depth of firepower, they registered four different scorers. It was always going to be a tough opening game for Brandhall though, and once they get back into the swing of things it would be a massive surprise if last season's runners-up continue to occupy bottom-but-one in the league.

The final league match saw new boys Wombourne FC go close as they lost 3-4 to St Matthew's Ravens. And if Peter Madge's hat-trick is anything to go by, then the Ravens will be looking forward to a good season. Like so many other teams, on their day they are excellent and if they can produce consistent form will be eyeing up the title come spring.

The fourth fixture was in The Summer Cup as Tipton Family Church FC and Hilly House took to the park. On current form it looked to be a formality and when the latter went 1-0 up through a deflection well into the second half, the places in the final looked secure for Hilly House and Ebenezer All Stars. But TFC are a battling team and they came back to not only equalise but to score the winner with seconds remaining.

The 2-1 win leaves The Summer Cup wide open again. If Ebenezer beat Hilly House and TFC beat Ebenezer and Crestwood, we will have an All Stars v Tipton final. But if Hilly House win it will be them v TFC. On the other hand, if Tipton fail in their quest it will Ebenezer v Hilly House. Confusing? Maybe, but at least it's exciting when things go to the wire!

And finally we have managed to secure a fifth slot during the week. There were only two available times on a Tuesday (no-one wants to be playing until 11.00pm on a Monday) so after a quick chat with as many as possible who were still around after the games, we are taking the 8.00pm option on a Tuesday from September. This means out of thirteen teams, twelve will be playing every week instead of ten. Ultimately we all want to play as much football as we can, we're not like the professionals who get tired and need a rest!

 

august 9 2010

The two games in The Summer Cup this last week saw both Ebenezer All Stars and Hilly House more or less book their places in the final. It's not all over mathematically yet though and Tipton Family Church FC still have that outside hope of upsetting the apple cart. They weren't helped though with having to make four new signings in their game with Ebenezer. And going 3-0 down in minutes is always going to be an uphill struggle, as the final score of 6-1 reflects. Mark Robinson moved to the top of the goal tree as he hit a hat-trick, taking him to seven for the season so far.

In the other game, Crestwood Church FC gave Hilly House a run for their money but lost to the narrowest of margins, going down 2-1. They now only have pride to play for, but the run out in The Summer Cup will certainly be of benefit as they begin their league campaign in a fortnight. The league itself starts tonight as six teams get their season underway. Early days of course but someone is going to be the league leader come 10.00pm this evening.

 

july 28 2010

The Summer Cup is now two from three as far as the final is concerned, as Hilly House's 3-1 victory over Crestwood Church FC means that the latter cannot now progress from the group stage. It's looking good for Hilly and Ebenezer All Stars at the moment, but the holders Tipton Family Church FC are still in there and won't be throwing the towel in just yet.

As we enter August not only do we wrap up TSC games but we also begin the league fixtures. On paper at least, it looks like being the closest season ever, and after the tight campaign we had last time round, that is really making a statement. One thing is for sure though, whoever wins it will have thoroughly deserved the title come next spring.

We hope that you like the photographs at the top of the home page. They were taken by the WBA official photographer and historian Laurie Rampling, and of course the common denominator is the legendary Tony 'Bomber' Brown. A great night was had by one and all, including our guests who have since been in touch to say how much they enjoyed the evening. As well as the photographs that have been showing on facebook since, there are also three videos that you can access on the SICM Sevens playlist on YouTube. Enjoy!

 

july 20 2010

No games this Monday as we had last season's presentation (the harsh winter has caused the overlap). And what a night it was as the trophies were presented by WBA legend Tony 'Bomber' Brown. Accompanied by the club photographer and historian Laurie Rampling, we were certainly blessed to have them both with us. We appreciate them both very much and thank them for being with us, and also Paul Debney who set that up.

It's nice to see photographs appearing on facebook with people tagging one another. I added about 40 photographs and you can see them on my facebook page (Stewart Bloor). In addition there is a video out at the moment on YouTube of Bomber talking about the 1968 FA Cup Final so check that out. And there are two more to come during the next week so look for those too.

Back to the Sevens football, and Tuesday's game was 0-0 right until the end when the Ebenezer All Stars goal machine started to turn. It was tough on Crestwood Church FC who felt that it wasn't a 4-1 defeat, but that's football for you sometimes. They will be able to take heart from the performance though, even if the result wasn't what they wanted.

Time moves on and we will be publishing the September fixtures in due course. At the moment four teams are still not eligible for inclusion. The details are on the officials' forum so can be viewed there.

 

july 13 2010

Just one week into the season and we have had our first clash of the titans as Hilly House and Ebenezer All Stars took to the pitch. It may only be The Summer cup, which is probably our equivalent of the League Cup, but unlike the professionals we take every game seriously and want to win. Although we don't get many draws or low scoring games either, the 1-1 doesn't come as a surprise really. It puts both teams on four points in the group stage of the competition.

Just behind them lurk Tipton Family Church FC, who won their tough game against Crestwood Church FC. Although the latter scored first and last, the three in between for TFC meant that they ran out 3-2 winners in the end. We're a third of the way through the competition group stage now and it's still there for the taking, but Crestwood will need to open their account if they are to force their way into the final.

The presentation from last season is fast approaching and that's why there are no games this coming Monday. You can check out the details by clicking here and hopefully we will see you there. The August fixtures are now on-line as we complete The Summer Cup and begin the league. And don't forget to join the facebook page, the link is on this home page. We're always putting out information which is vital if the Sevens is to be well run. But is even more crucial is that people read it!

 

july 6 2010

The new season kicked off yesterday with all four teams entered in The Summer Cup battling it out. The reigning champions Tipton Family Church FC had a game on their hands before a ball was kicked. Their opponents Hilly House are not only in top form of late, they haven't actually had a break, as the 2009/2010 season only ended for them last week. And their match fitness gave them the edge as they ran out 3-0 winners. But it was a close enough affair and thanks to some excellent defending they kept a clean sheet.

The other game saw Ebenezer All Stars announce their return to the fold with a convincing 7-1 demolition of Crestwood Church FC. And with the latter being no pushovers themselves, it will no doubt leave the rest of the league knowing exactly what they will be up against this coming season.

One battle that is inevitable over the coming year is the chase for the golden boot between Hilly House's Tom Adams and Ebenezer's Mark Robinson. And both declared their intentions as they grabbed a brace each. But at this moment in time they're chasing Dan Henson who scored the first hat-trick of the new season.

The August fixtures will be published in the next week. Although we've been putting out the information for a couple of months, the following teams are not eligible for inclusion as things stand at this moment in time due to either both officials not posted on the new forum or outstanding fines from last season - or in the case of one team, both. AFC Fatherless Barn, Crestwood Cobras, Kingsway Lions, Real Sosobad, St Matthew's Ravens. Any team not in the August list will have to miss the DBMT. Hopefully that will be a wake-up call because if you aren't in the September fixtures, albeit league only, it will be too much to claw back.

 

july 1 2010

There is now a thirteenth and final team. Real Sosobad look like being a headline writer's dream, although being a new team with no form, there's no telling whether that will be the case. Their coming on board means that we have not had to turn anyone away this season, and have been able to extend the number of teams in the process.

It does mean that we need to get cracking with the fixtures though, and this coming Monday sees The Summer Cup kick off. Then the league itself will begin in August, with a reminder to all teams that to be eligible for inclusion you must have cleared all fines from last season and had both team representatives register and post on the officials' forum. At the present moment several fail to meet the criteria.

Also a reminder for team officials that you need to provide your own money bags this season and you nominate your own motm, not the opposition. Refresh yourself with the general rules, particularly if you are a new team and keep checking the officials' forum. Can't stress that enough.

Have a great season everyone and here's to a good start on Monday evening, where all four of The Summer Cup entries will be in action.

june 9 2010

We are now up to twelve teams entered for the season and they can be viewed via the 'teams' link. Ten out of the eleven from last time round entered plus two new additions. And although we were sorry to see Stour Valley Rovers go, many of the players are staying around and joining other teams. It's nice to see such a continuity in the SICM Sevens and that is a credit to all of us that are involved. It's something that people enjoy and want to be part of.

The Summer Cup kicks off on July 5 and the entries are coming in for that via the team officials' forum. In order to enter, both officials need to be registered on the forum and any outstanding fines must be cleared from last season. This applies to when we start the league campaign as well, which will begin in August. Teams that have yet to get activated fully need to move quickly otherwise you will get left behind.

We give out lots of information; as well as this website which is updated regularly and the forum for those running teams, there is a facebook page open to all. In addition I also tweet/facebook information and updates including results on the night as they happen so you don't even have to wait for the website to be updated.In other words - no excuses. Stewart Bloor

 

june 1 2010

And then there were ten. We welcome Ebenezer All Stars back in to the fold after an absence of two seasons. With most of the players the ones who were in previously, not only will there be lots of familiar faces around but the competition value of the league will definitely be intensified.

We have a new team that has a deadline of tomorrow to apply and then St Matthew's Ravens have until Friday to complete their application. Hopefully we will hear from both teams and we can actually look at extending the numbers on board. There is also another new potential waiting in the wings.

Both officials from teams that have been accepted will by now have received an e-mail to join the new forum for those running teams. It's vital that both people are on there, and only when they have posted to confirm that will the team be 'activated' and ready for action.

may 30 2010

Crestwood Cobras are the ninth team to apply and be accepted for the season. A team that had yesterday as a deadline failed to make contact so their reserved place (pending committee approval) has now been lost.

There is currently an application in and two teams on deadlines, so as soon as decisions are made etc, then announcements will be made. News items are also posted on the facebook page so if you're on the social networking site, then join, or like, as it is now called. That way you will be right up-to-date with everything.

may 23 2010

Since the last update, we have had two teams contact us to say that they want to enter for next season. These are Crestwood Cobras and a brand new team. Both have been given until Saturday May 29 to get their entry forms in. Assuming that they do and are accepted by the committee, then that leaves just one more place available to complete the pack for the 2010/2011 season. So if you are interested then get in touch as soon as possible on admin@sicm.org.

 

may 19 2010

The deadline for entries from last season's teams has passed and we have had 8 from the 11 coming back again for another campaign. You can view who is in via the 'teams' link. That leaves 3 places available and they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact us at admin@sicm.org.

The next step is for a teams officials' forum to be set up for the season and invites to join will be sent out when that's done. Then details will be announced for The Summer Cup for those teams that wish to get involved in the pre-league season tournament. Updates will be posted on the facebook page so keep checking that.

 

may 17 2010

There are still a few hours to go before the deadline, and crucially, a batch of fixtures tonight where teams will no doubt be submitting information. But to date we have had four applications received and confirmed for this season. The teams concerned are: Crestwood Church FC, Hilly House, Kingsway Lions and Tipton Family Church FC.

All other teams have the rest of today to apply and then any remaining places will be made available to newcomers. There will be the same number of teams - 11- during the coming season and so continue to watch this space for more information or better still check out our facebook page which can be found in the tool bar.

 

april 22 2010

It's that time of year again where the season's overlap, and particularly so this time round, as we are a month behind due to the bad winter we have experienced. So whilst we are still playing out the final games of 2009/2010 we have to start preparing for 2010/2011.

We will be starting The Summer Cup (for those that want to enter) in July, but announcements on that will be made in due course once we have teams registered. We want to keep the competition to its name this season and so intend to finish it within a couple of months. The league itself will kick off at the start of August, with the DBMT starting in autumn. All of this will help us cope better with fixtures and trophy orders at the end of the season should we encounter another harsh winter.

All current teams have until May 17 to apply and then it will be open to any new applications. Entry forms can be found via the link at the top of the page. If you are a new team and would like to join the waiting list then contact us as soon as possible. The e-mail address is in the general information section. And finally, for all, read the rules and guidelines so that you know what you are entering!