UCL Review 2012-13_9a2d718c

RESERVE DIVISION ONE: COGENHOE TAKE THE CROWN

A thrilling end to the Reserve Division One season saw Cogenhoe’s final day comeback secure the title – no mean achievement for a new look side assembled by incoming boss Colin Cooper.

The Cooks were unbeaten in their first fourteen games, a run which only came to an end on 10 th April, but they found worthy rivals in Whitworth, beaten only once in their first thirteen, and Bugbrooke, losers in only one of their opening dozen matches. Three defeats in the space of six days in mid April put the Badgers out of the hunt but they still had a part to play in the title race, winning 3-1 at Compton Park on 24 th April. On the same night Whitworth were being held at Huntingdon. The Flourmen led by eight points with Cogenhoe having two matches in hand. The contenders met at Compton Park three days later and a 3-0 Cooks win with goals from Damon Herbert, Charlie Wixon and Ashley Bradshaw opened up the race again.

Action the following midweek saw Cogenhoe beat Blackstones home and away and Whitworth end their programme with a win over AFC Kempston.

The destiny of the title all depended on the outcome of Cogenhoe’s return game at Bugbrooke, with nothing less than a win enough for the Cooks. They fell two goals behind but turned the contest around with Wixon, Josh Olowoyo and Jack Bowen on target in a 3-2 success. At the foot of the table Woodford mustered only one win, but the second relegation place was wide open with Stewarts & Lloyds, Huntingdon and Thrapston all in danger of the drop. The next to bottom slot was eventually filled by Blackstones who collected just one point from their final six matches, finishing a single point adrift of Thrapston who doubled them in April. Remarkably Stones ended the season with a goal difference of zero!

RESERVE DIVISION TWO: SUCCESS FOR NEWBOYS OADBY

Reserve Division Two newcomers Oadby stormed to an impressive championship success at the first attempt. They sent a warning to the rest of the division on the season’s opening day with a 9-1 success at Olney, and extended their winning run to six games before losing their unbeaten run in a home defeat by nearest challengers Raunds on 15 th December.

That win took the Shopmates level on points with the Poachers at the top but they failed to win in their next three games enabling Oadby to reassert their authority at the top of the table.

Another new side Yaxley came through strongly in the new year, but Oadby were in a class of their own at the top, a twelve match unbeaten run carrying them to the title, with their second defeat of the season only arriving in their final match.

Raunds put one hand on the runners-up medals with an exciting 4-3 win at Yaxley on 20 th April, and another 4- 3 success in their next match against ON Chenecks sealed second place.

The remainder of the division was very well matched with only ten points separating fourth placed Bourne and Rushden & Higham in eleventh and last place.

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