League News
REGION’S FOOTBALL CLUBS LIMBERING UP FOR INAUGURAL DING DONG DERBY CUP!
FORGET El Classico, AC Milan v Inter or even the Old Firm.
The mother of all derbies is set to be contested on Birmingham’s streets – as local clubs bid to get their hands on the inaugural Ding Dong Derby Cup at the Great Birmingham 10k. All clubs across the region are invited to join Villa, Blues, West Brom, Wolves, Walsall and Coventry in entering teams into the Sunday, May 1 running challenge. From Premier League outfits at the tip of the footballing pyramid down to Sunday League sides at grassroots level, clubs of all sizes can enter. Each team must be at least four-a-side, up to a maximum of eight runners, although there is no limit on how many teams each club can enter. Any club that enters 12 or more runners will receive its own personalised engraved plaque in the name of its fastest runner.
The Ding Dong Derby Cup gets its name from the phrase made famous by Free Radio’s Tom Ross in describing local affairs down the years. Mark Gillett, Albion’s Director of Performance, is captaining a team comprising members of the Baggies’ medical and sports science staff. "Anyone who plays or is involved in sport tends to be ultra competitive and we’re in it to win it," declared Mark, who is also chair of the Premier League Doctors’ Group.
"To compete against teams from all over the region, from all levels of the game, at the Great Birmingham 10k should be great fun and will create plenty of banter. We’ll aim to be as competitive as possible. We want to win that cup!"
Wolves and Coventry have stated their intention to deny Albion the silverware. "We’re delighted to have been asked to take part in the Great Birmingham 10k and look forward to coming up against our counterparts from the other Midlands clubs, and proving again that we are without doubt the fittest backroom staff in the region," said Phil Hayward, head of Wolves’ medical department who will be part of the Molineux team. "I’m sure the staff at Villa, Blues, Albion, Walsall and Coventry will also be relishing the challenge. The race will no doubt be viewed to be very important by all clubs as an opportunity to get on a ‘good run’ towards the end of the season." Jamie Clapham, first-team coach at Coventry and a former Blues and Wolves defender, said: "I've got full confidence in the team we've put together and we're definitely in it to win it. "Having experienced a few big derbies myself, I know how important it is to get the edge over your local rivals and it'll be no different in the Great Birmingham 10k. Our running team will be put through a difficult training course ahead of the 10k to make sure Coventry will be lifting the Ding Dong Derby Cup on Sunday, May 1." The four fastest times posted by each team will be accumulated to determine who is the fittest and fastest club in the region – and secure the ultimate derby bragging rights!
Erdington-based Paget Rangers, of Midland Football League Division Two, are the first non-league club to enter. Midlands football legend Cyrille Regis MBE, who played for Albion, Coventry, Villa and Wolves, will present the Ding Dong Derby Cup to the winning team. Cyrille said: "I played for four of the clubs involved and know how competitive they all are. They’ll be desperate to beat their local rivals and get their hands on the Ding Dong Derby cup!
"But this is a chance for the smaller teams in the region to go head to head with the big boys and pip them to the silverware. May the fittest team win. I’ll look forward to presenting them with the trophy." Tom Ross, who hosts the Goalzone on Free Radio 80s on Mondays and Fridays from 6 pm, said: "Events like the Great Birmingham 10k and the Great Birmingham Run make me even more proud of my city. "I care passionately about local football and the fact teams from all levels of the game are being invited to come together to compete for a trophy named after one of my catchphrases is, on a personal level, really special. "There promises to be one hell of a Ding Dong Derby during the Great Birmingham 10k. Let the fittest club win!"
David Hart, Communications Director at The Great Run Company, said: "The region boasts several huge football clubs but also hundreds at non-league level and thousands more at the very grassroots of the game. "This is a chance for them to come together and compete for silverware on a level playing field, so to speak, at the Great Birmingham 10k. We’ll hopefully see lots of friendly local rivalry and some classic David and Goliath contests." Starting at 11 am, more than 7,000 people are expected to take part in the Great Birmingham 10k which begins and finishes in the city centre.
Ding Dong Derby Cup signs-ups can be made via the Great Birmingham 10k Business Challenge page. The full club name should be typed in the ‘name of company’ box. To enter, visit: https://www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham-10k/business-challenge
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Polymac Packaging League Cup Semi-Final Details
All k.o. 7.45pm
1st Leg: Stourport Swifts or Nuneaton Griff v Hereford...Thursday 21 April
2nd Leg: Hereford v Stourport Swifts or Nuneaton Griff...Thursday 28 April
1st Leg: Lye Town v Walsall Wood...Thursday 14 April
2nd Leg: Walsall Wood v Lye Town...Thursday 28 April
Cup Rule 3 applies...1st Leg 90 minutes
2nd Leg 90 mins, away goals to count double...if level then 2 x 15m extra time, if still level the tie goes to "penalties"
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Smithswood Firs are hosting their third qnnual Charity match this Sunday (20
th
March)
All proceeds go to The Birmingham Children’s Hospital and this will be the third match that Neil Armstrong and Paul Ryder have organised and has seen greats like Dele Adebola, Robert Hopkins, Maik Taylor, Paul Peschisolido, Jeff Kenna and many more play against the teams that have been put together. They have raised just under £9000 so far for the Cancer Ward at the Hospital.
The match will be played at the Mackadown Pitch, Mackadown Lane, Tile Cross, Birmingham, B33 0JJ on Sunday 20
th
March 2016 11am Kick-off. Gates open at 0930.
Prices on the gate are £5 adults and £1 Under 12’s
Travels of the Press Officer
Saturday 12
th
March
Bromsgrove Sporting 4 Coventry United 2
Only one place to be as the top two in Division go head to head at The Victoria Ground. The sense of anticipation was very high as I walked towards the ground with supporters from both sides eager to witness what promised to be a classic between two in-form sides. I always enjoy my visits to Bromsgrove and it was a pleasure to talk to officials of both teams prior to kick-off. Both clubs are ambitious and eager to progress and today, while not a decider, could have a big bearing on promotion at the end of the season. The opening ten minutes were somewhat cagey but this all changed in the 11
th
minute. A flick on from Connor Collins sent Sean Brain clear and he finished superbly to put the Rouslers 1-0 up. The lead was doubled three minutes later when the same pair combined this time for Collins to find the bottom corner. Reece Hewitt picked up the ball in midfield, ran forward and hit a screamer into the top corner from the edge of the box. 19 minutes gone and the league leaders 3 goals to the good. It took United some time to recover from this onslaught but recover they did and they gradually started making some inroads into the Bromsgrove defence without causing Chris Jay too many problems. Just before the break, Liam Spink should have made it four but he inexplicably blasted over with the goal at his mercy.
Brain missed another good chance at the start of the second half before United grabbed a foothold, Ross Briscoe finishing well at the far post. Bromsgrove were not done and Richard Morris was forced into a decent save to thwart the ever dangerous Brain. The home side increased their lead in the 63
rd
minute when United failed to clear their lines allowing Aaron Roberts to thump home a volley giving Morris absolutely no chance. At 4-1, the Rouslers were comfortable and try as they might, there was no real way back for United. With two minutes left, Josh O’Grady skipped into the box and was needlessly brought down to give Coventry a penalty. Chris Cox made no mistake but there was little time left and Bromsgrove increased their lead at the top of the table.
A fantastic advert for Division 1 and what a crowd and atmosphere. 924 with a healthy following from Coventry made it into something special. Whoever come out on top in the promotion race, and you must include Nuneaton Griff in this, will thoroughly deserve their place in the Premier Division. Bromsgrove are on a roll and look to be in prime position. How Coventry respond to this defeat will be the key.I’m sure it will go the wire.
Tuesday 15th March
Sporting Khalsa 2 Brocton 2
My work schedule dictates a second Tuesday in succession at the Aspray Arena. This time, it is a league game between Sporting Khalsa and a club I know well, Brocton, having commentated on many of their games. Khalsa still had an outside chance of joining the promotion party while Brocton, after a poor start to the season, were looking comfortable in the middle of the pack. The early stages of the game were competitive without ever really catching fire. A deep cross from Tim Jackson was pushed around the post by Callum Barrett and Barrett also had to react well to stop Craig Bannister after the striker was in on goal. Brocton had a great chance in the 16
th minute. Dave Berks’ corner found the head of the unmarked Ed Booth but his header was off target. Khalsa went close in the22nd minute when an excellent run by Nicky Campbell was played into Bannister but he couldn’t find the target. Bannister was agin off target after a run down the left from Marvin Nisbett. Brocton went close in the 32nd minute, a cross from Berks picked out Dan Lomas but, under pressure from James Pemberton, he could only hook it over the bar. The home side took the lead in the 38th
minute with an absolute purler from Bannister. Some 35 yards from goal, he spotted Barrett off his line and volleyed over him and into the net. The Badgers response was swift and incisive. A poor back pass by Jackson was intercepted by Jack Edwards who calmly rounded Pmeberton and tapped the ball into the net.
The game was pretty even with Brocton a threat on the break. This was to prove the case in the 55
th
minute when the visitors took the lead. A quick break from the back sent Edwards clear down the right and his cross was hit first time with the outside of his left boot by Berks, the ball flying into the net. Khalsa continued to have the majority of the play without threatening Barrett. A cross from Bannister flew across the box with no-one getting a touch while at the other end a free-kick from Gary Fife was headed goalwards by Lomas but Pemberton was in the perfect position to make a comfortable catch. Brocton were playing some nice football and a classy move with Sean Kinsella heavily involved saw the final cross drift past the far post. Khalsa were now applying pressure and Bannister forced a fabulous save from Barrett with the ball arrowing towards the top corner. Substitute Simeon Townsend also found Barrett in inspired form as his shot on the turn was well saved by the Badgers’ keeper. Two minutes into stoppage, Khalsa grabbed their equaliser. Carlo Franco had a header cleared off the line but David Meese was on hand to fire home through the massed penalty area.
A fair result on the night with both sides feeling that they could have taken all three points. The two finishes from Bannister and Berks will stay with me for some time.
Review
FA Vase
Hereford
hold the upper hand into the second leg of their FA Vase semi-final against
Salisbury
. A headed goal just after half-time from Mustapha Bundu was all that separates the two sides as they go again at the RayMac. It could have been so much better as the Bulls hit the woodwork four times, however, a save late on by Martin Horsell may be the biggest factor over the two legs.
Premier Division
It was all change at the top of the Premier Division as
Alvechurch reached the summit with a 2-1 win over Walsall Wood. They needed a Nick Wright free-kick in the last 5 minutes to take all 3 points and are now two points clear of Hereford having played the same number of games. Sporting Khalsa are still on the heels of the leaders and with both Alvechurch (twice) and Herford to play, they could have a big say on the destination of the title. They maintained third position with a 2-0 at Bardon Hill (played at The Aspray Arena). A Liam Read double saw Shepshed Dynamo beat Long Eaton United 2-0 at the Dovecote and they stay 4th. Big winners of the day were Westfields who put 7 past bottom club Continental Star at Dales Lane, skipper Jamie Cuss with a hat-trick. There was a huge win at the bottom for Coventry Sphinx who beat fellow relegation threatened Dunkirk 2-1 at Sphinx drive. Quorn did their survival prospects the world of good with a 3-0 win at Stourport Swifts. A stoppage time winner by Ben Wilkins gave Lye Town a 2-1 victory over Heanor Town whose title tilt now looks to be over. The Staffordshire derby at Hillsfield between Rocester and Brocton ended in a 2-2 draw, Ed Booth with a late equaliser for the Badgers. There was another late goal at Pack Meadow as Josh Quaynor’s effort 4 minutes into added time gave Coleshill Town all 3 points against AFC Wulfrunians. Highgate United moved into the top 6 with a 2-0 win at Boldmere St Michaels
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On Tuesday, Alvechurch had the opportunity to move 5 points clear but they went down to a Roland Agbor goal at Boldmere St Michaels. The Church had keeper Matt Sergeant sent off early on but the numbers were evened up when Joseph Lyng saw red for The Mikes. Nick Wright missed a penalty for Church when the scores were level – that’s two missed spot-kicks in recent weeks. It was a good night for Hereford with 3rd placed Sporting Khalsa being held 2-2 by Brocton. Khalsa needed a stoppage time equaliser from David Meese to pick up the point. Shepshed Dynamo move into 3rd place, 9 points behind Alvechurch, with a 3-2 win over Bardon Hill who drop into the bottom three. Quorn now look much safer, a 3-1 win over Long Eaton United moving them 11 points clear of the drop zone. Westfields picked up their second away win in four days with a 2-0 triumph at Highgate United. Walsall Wood suffered their second defeat in 4 days with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Stourport Swifts. Ben Wilkins grabbed another late goal for Lye Town to give them a 2-1 win at Rocester. Coventry Sphinx slipped back into the relegation zone on goal difference following a heavy 4-1 defeat at Heanor Town. Kieran Debrouwer was on target twice for the Lions who stay 5th. 1 |
Alvechurch
|
30
|
22
|
5
|
3
|
73
|
21
|
52
|
71
|
19
|
Bardon Hill
|
26
|
6
|
5
|
15
|
37
|
65
|
-28
|
23
|
|
2
|
Hereford
|
29
|
22
|
3
|
4
|
90
|
26
|
64
|
69
|
20
|
Coventry Sphinx
|
28
|
7
|
2
|
19
|
39
|
70
|
-31
|
23
|
|
3
|
Shepshed Dynamo
|
30
|
20
|
2
|
8
|
61
|
35
|
26
|
62
|
21
|
Dunkirk
|
29
|
4
|
3
|
22
|
32
|
99
|
-67
|
15
|
|
4
|
Sporting Khalsa
|
28
|
19
|
3
|
6
|
69
|
36
|
33
|
60
|
22
|
Continental Star
|
30
|
2
|
2
|
26
|
20
|
94
|
-74
|
8
|