Saturday Review

Division One

Halesowen Zion 2 Champions Church 5

Champions Church start as they mean to go on, leading the table from the off, although they didn't have it all their own way. Shawn Devonport reports: Well its taken two years but today saw us finally mix it with the big guys and I guess it's only now we can prove ourselves. Today saw the perfect setting, the Lea Castle pitch is like a carpet it's that flat and I think Zion will enjoy playing there but so did we today because we also like to get the ball down on the deck so it made for a good game.

We started well as you would expect a newly promoted team to with a point to prove and we went close twice with Grant in the Zion goal making two good saves from Gouley on both occasions and were on top. But then welcome to Division One: Zion's first attack when we gave the ball away, Cocky won the header and Tom scored with a cracking finish. Then within two minutes disaster struck. The ball rebounded off the referee and we defended it really poorly and gave away a penalty which Dan in goal got booked for. Tom got his second with Dan almost keeping it out. I think at this point playing against a good Zion team after being on top, even I questioned if we would have the character to bounce back. It took about ten minutes to get back into it and after a few neat moves where our final ball let us down, we got one back when Aaron got flattened in the box and Rion scored top corner all though Grant did get a hand to it. That allowed us back into the game and we allmost got level when Grant tipped a Dormer effort onto the bar and we had a chance of the corner but Zion scrambled it away. Zion weren't without their chances, Dan saved well with his feet and they went close off a few corners and long throws but Dan only made the one save.

Second half and as you would expect we went at Zion and they sat back trying to hit us on the break. We had to make two changes which disrupted us a little and to be fair when we equalised on the hour neither team had really had a chance but we got level when Rion whipped in a corner and Gouley glanced in at the near post. Football is as much mental as ability and you just sensed this goal drained the life out of Zion and it was soon 3-2. Dormer turned away from three men and hit a great low shot that I'm sure Grant would have wanted to do better with but it found its way into the bottom corner. It was 3-2 for about ten minutes and there were a few nervy moments with Zion now pressing and getting the ball into the feet of Cocky and Tom but we just about kept them at bay and got the all important next ball. James found space and with two options to his right he opted to shoot and with the Zion keeper maybe expecting a pass he got beaten at his near post. From then on in it was one way traffic really. Rion had an effort blocked, Ralphy blazed way over, Dormer had two chances go agonisingly over and Burford headed wide from a corner. Zion did have a great chance off a corner when the ball was scrambled about and with the Zion player poised to makle it a tense finale he got took out totally by his own man. We got our fifth late on when James squared to two guys with open goals but a deflection off the Zion defender made its way into the far corner of the net for an own goal.

Great game for the neutral, plenty of tackles, five bookings all for challenges but it never once spilled over with both teams just getting on with it. I think we definately deserved the win but I must say the character shown to come from 2-0 down against an established Division One team that finished third last year was very impressive and I'm proud of everyone of the lads who didn't let their heads drop.

Man of the match was Dormer who was immense today and long may that continue. Tom Doran looked very impressive for Zion and I'm sure they will bounce back. We won't get carried away it's one game and every game will be a big challenge this season but hopefully we can show the same determination every week to do well. City Church next week who will be very strong opponents, well played Halesowen Zion and best of luck for the season!

City Church 5 Zion Athletic 2

City join Champions as joint leaders after match day number one. Martin Ogbourn reports: Today's game was a strange affair as the season kicked off in glorious late summer sunshine. City raced into an early three-goal lead with two excellent finishes from Barry Richards and one headed goal from Chris Yeo (who were both superb in their first competitive starts). However, this seemed to spur Zion on rather than City and Zion played some improved passing football when they scored two well-taken goals to leave a comfortable lead a little more precarious for City by half time. A Zion player was unfortunate to be sent off towards the end of the half to add to Zion's woes. (Half time 3-2)

City kept possession much better in the second half and had better team shape. Further goals were well worked and finished by Chris Yeo and an early 'goal of the season contender' from Quaintance who was excellent once again in an unfamiliar role. Overall the game was competitive yet there is certainly more to come from City. The positive thing was that our finishing today was very clinical and Melia and Chattaway also had impressive games. Zion look to have some skillful players and passed the ball well at times. They should do better than last year.

King's AFC 2 Amblecote 0

There were just two sides this week-end to fail to score: All Nations and Amblecote. I think it's also a good sign that no team won by more than three goals and no-one scored more than five. In any type of sport, teams or individuals need to be evenly matched or it's a bit of a waste of time playing.

King's will be pleased with their season opener today. Amblecote have looked impressive at times in pre-season. Richard Ricketts was amongst the scorers today, he top-scored in Division One last year.

 

More to follow...

So it's finally here, the season starts tomorrow. Not everyone's in action this Saturday but we have fifteen games taking place. Loads of people have been asking me when am I putting up my predeictions and where do yo think we will end? I must admit to being a little apprehensive about publishing but it's proven so popular, I had to give it a whirl.

I did put a note out before I went on holiday but I only had two or three responses: Tom Baugh from Wolves and Perton proedicted that I was going to predict that they were going to be relegated. I have to say that I think that Division One is looking strong this year and there is no clear-cut relegation candidate.

David Spencer from Pye Green ventured his opinion: Division 1 - Champions - they're very consistant. Division 2 - MBD United - they don't seem to have lost it as some may have thought they would. Division 3 - Living Hope - they're just so well organised and some how acquired some skillful players late season. Regarding The PG Towers: I'll say an optomistic 8th. Though I could imagine most would place us 11th or 10th just on top of All Nations battling with a space with Beacon, who we have beaten 4-1, 3-1 and 7-1; I didn't report the latter due to knowing too well how bad they felt. But they was before they gained Wayne Taylor off us.

Chris Thomas from MBD says: I think it will be a three-horse race at the top, with Clarendon too strong for St. Mary's and Amblecote. MBD will win Div 2, with Renewal and Junction 10 also gaining promotion. Living Hope will beat Revival Fires to the 3rd Division title.

So what about me? Click here to find out.