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Carters' demise impacts rivals

George Dodds
1/ 5/2008

CARTERS’ withdrawal from the Middleton Sunday League has had a massive impact on their Premier Division rivals.

The Rhodes’ club was unable to raise a team for Sunday’s scheduled fixture against Langley Rangers, having also scratched the previous week against Cardinal Villa and from their scheduled HPS Challenge Cup tie against Red Barn on Thursday evening.

With their results expunged from the table any outside mathematical chance of Langley Celtic being pipped to the title also disappeared.

Ironically, it also restored Celtic’s 100 per cent record, as the only two points they had dropped this season came in a draw against Carters.

League officials will now decide what to do with regards to relegation, but it could be good news for Cardinal Villa, Langley Rangers and Alliance – the three sides battling to avoid the second bottom spot alongside the already doomed VASA.

If, as seems likely, only one side is relegated, then all three can breathe a sigh of relief as they go into their last few games.

Rangers had beaten VASA 3-1 last Tuesday night despite the absence of manager Chris Roach who had been forced to choose between the Neu Camp and Broadhurst Park, eventually plumping for a Spanish odyssey with Manchester United.

Billy McCartney, Antony Whitehouse and Nick Stowger found the target for Rangers, Leigh Neil replying for the Blackley side.

In Division One, Radclyffe realistically need only a point from their remaining fixture to ensure they pip Woodman to the title.

Even if Woodman win both their last two games, Radclyffe currently enjoy a much better goal difference.

Dunleavy, Munson, Lambert and Terry scored Radclyffe’s goals in their comfortable midweek victory over St Clares.

It has been a disappointing week for Saints whose 2-0 defeat by Old David’s on Sunday dropped them into the second relegation spot. David’s leap-frogged their hosts in the table.

The game showed what a difference a week can make in football. Clares’ Aron Connolly had been the toast of the club the previous Sunday when his penalty was the only goal of their Geoff Allen Memorial Trophy semi-final against Red Barn.

But this week he missed from the spot with what turned out to be the last kick of the game at Plant Hill. In a way it summed up the day for Clares’ who missed a string of chances which must have stretched into double figures.

Sprowson and Donague were far more clinical in front of goal, and their strikes proved decisive for the visitors.

For David’s it meant back to back wins at a crucial time of the season.

Last Tuesday they had taken the points from a five-goal thriller against Old Cock at Cardinal Langley. McLaughlin, Bowlan and Jones were their scorers that night, with Martin Holme and Joe Derrig replying for the visitors.

But Old Cock are another side finding some form at the sharp end of the season and Sunday saw them collect their first win of the campaign, at the expense of Kesteral.

Again the goals poured in, as there never seems to be any lack of goalmouth action when OC are involved.

This time it was ten.

Kesteral's Dove took the individual honours with a hat-trick but still finished on the losing side.

Rob Holden netted twice, Tom Quinn, Joe Derrig, Jake Boutell and Bradley also finding the target for OC.