MBBO Open League Division 1

The Mens 3rds can confirm promotion if they win against local rivals Gerrards Cross AND Banbury fail to gain a point in their home game against Wallingford. However, the big game of the season is likely to be next week when they entertain their rivals for the title High Wycombe.

Promotion: Top two teams
Relegation: Bottom two teams.

If you lost/left a stick at Newlands on Saturday then can you please contact me via email (winter_clare@hotmail.com) or phone (07796 694091). Be prepared to give a description matching the stick that I have.

Tour 17th - 21st April

Tour shirts are being ordered soon, last chance to submit a name for yourself OR someone else !! We also need a team name for the mixed, ladies and non-tubbies side - all suggestions welcome. Due to there only being 10 ladies available we may have to lose the womens XI and only take a mixed side - if you have any objection please let me know - or get some more women involved !!

Total tourists: 45

Contact warren_scott@ntlworld.com

Mens 1st 0-4 Aylesbury

Missing two of their regular centre forwards and with a makeshift defence a depleted A&C side took on Aylesbury at Newlands. Aylesbury meanwhile welcomed back their first choice keeper and some of the victorious Bucks U21 squad. Having racked up six goals against Aylesbury in the previous encounter A&C were hopeful of stopping their recent dip in form.

The game started well for A&C as they dominated the early play. However they were unable to convert their possession into shots and failed to take advantage. Budd, returning early from a bad knee injury, was unlucky not get a goal and was only denied by some strong defending which cut down the space he had available. A quick break down the middle saw the Aylesbury centre forward alone in the D and he was able to deflect the ball past a flat-footed Paine into the goal. Having conceded a goal against the run of play A&C started to show signs of a lack of confidence as a number of A&C errors saw the balance of the game swing to Aylesbury. Despite some good interplay and passing across the middle, A&C were unable to carve out any openings. At the other end Paine was asked to make a couple of fine saves to keep the score down to one. As the halftime whistle drew closer Aylesbury managed to win a short corner. A reverse stick flick caught A&C unawares and an unsighted Paine was only able to flap at the ball as it passed him into the net. Further bad news was to follow as Scott was brought down by a clumsy challenge which earned the defender a yellow card. Scott's knees were in a bad state and it is touch and go as to whether he will be able to recover in time for this Saturday.

A&C stared the second half as they had the first but again failed to produce that telling final ball into the D. They were unlucky not to pull a goal back as Scott was found one on one with the keeper. The keeper did well to force Scott wide who having rounded the keeper pulled the ball back to Stevens who was unable to adjust his run to collect the ball and the chance went begging. This was to prove the last chance A&C were to get as a sublime piece of skill from the Aylesbury centre midfield saw him score two quick reverse stick goals from tight angles to take the score to a flattering 4-0.

A&C will be hoping that their injury list starts to improve. They currently have eight first team squad players unavailable. They will be looking for better things this weekend as they take on OMT away.

Team: Paine, van Duyvenbode, Wardman, Heath, Westerway, Martin, van Eestren, Crossman, Scott, Stevens, Nicklin, Budd

Marlow 4-1 Ladies 1st

A&C ladies in the end went down heavily to top of the table Marlow in their Trysports Three Counties League fixture at Bisham Abbey on Saturday. In a spirited first half performance, A&C were unlucky to concede a short corner from which Marlow scored their first goal. The breaks came for both sides for the rest of the half although Marlow looked the most dangerous. However, despite periods of strong possession and several opportunities to score in both open play and from short corners, A&C were unable to convert any into goals and half way through the second half conceded 2 further open play goals to Marlow. Annie Brothwell then found her straight strike hit the back of the net for A&C however it was too little too late as the A&C defence fell apart and conceded another soft goal to end the game 1-4. This Saturday the 1st XI face Maidenhead at Newlands at 3.30.

Team: Williams, Watts, Spicer, Hagan, Parker, Bullock, Tomkinson, Shaw, Coates, Brothwell, Tomlinson. Subs: Watson, Hewitt.

Mens Vets 8-0 Southgate Magnums

Ten man Amersham and Chalfont Veterans overwhelmed a weakened opposition from former European champions Southgate on Saturday. Trevor Wood opened the scoring after five minutes, shortly followed by a lobbed goal from Martin Lamborn. Lamborn lobbed the keeper again five minutes later to extend the A & C lead and was then outshone by Tony Fermor. Fermor picked the ball up on the 25 yard line and dribbled past four defenders before beating the keeper. The Newland Park side went in 4-0 up at half time and continued in similar fashion in the second half. Lamborn soon achieved his hat trick and was then matched by Wood, who scored the next two goals. Sean Cremin added a further goal to leave the final score 8-0.

Amersham & Chalfont: Carter (GK), Coleman / Johnstone, Warren, Baker, Crossman, Fermor, Richman, Lamborn, Cremin, Wood (Capt). Umpire: Coleman / Johnstone.

Rover Oxford 0-4 Ladies 3rd

Can I begin by saying we won again... or is that being boring. But yippee 'cos we did. 4-0!

After a brief warm up, change of socks and shirts, borrowing of more socks, (strict old women umpires!) AC was ready to take on the opposition and hopefully another triumph. To start, we noticed that it was a strange pitch which took a while to get used to and certainly put a spring in our step as the ball bounced everywhere! Jess Wardle had some cracking runs along the wing, which gave us a few chances at goal and also a couple of short corners. Unfortunately to no success. The game soon settled into a to-ing and fro-ing battle with the opposition. Half time score 0-0.

In the second half both teams picked up the pace, but we had the edge, all the forwards working hard, with an early goal from Katy Jennison. Then we were flying! Second goal from Charlotte Brand, third from Erin.., which was a right ole mish mash and a battle against the goalie but we don't care how it happened, it rolled over the line! Fourth and final goal, can I just say, what a brilliant fourth goal... from the one and only Nicky Smith. A beautiful pass from Erin and then a straight whack into the goal. (If you write the match report, you can big up yourself!)

A great game yet again, and as it was my last for the team I was very pleased I went out on a win and a goal! Keep up the good work girls and fingers crossed for future wins.

Mens 3rd 3-0 Eastcote 5th

After the excellent win the week before against Staines, AC were out to prove this was not a one-off performance and that the team were capable of much more, aiming to win the MBBO Division One.

Eastcote turned out a strong team with attack in mind. For the first ten minutes AC remained in their own half, defending a relentless Eastcote assault but with another solid defensive display AC began to find their feet and worked their way into the game counter-attacking with some success. One attack on the left wing saw a cross from Huw lifted across the goal by an Eastcote stick, Doug running in from the opposite side hit the ball mid-air reverse-side only to be denied by the Eastcote keeper. In the last ten minutes AC ventured into the Eastcote 'D' more until five minutes from the end of the half. Russell made use of the confusion in the Eastcote 'D' slipping the ball though a crowd of players who impaired the keepers view allowing the ball into the AC goal untouched.

Straight back into the action for the 2nd half and AC continued to dominate the game. Eastcote's only counter-attacking being foiled most often by Drew, running in the wrong direction or his kneecaps going faster than expected. The AC forwards, backed up by a supporting midfield, picked apart the Eastcote defence with effective passing and movement off the ball. The persistent hard work paid off with a great counter-attack, starting with Huw passing the ball from the AC 25 to Ian. He surged forward and sent a long ball down the left touchline towards the Eastcote baseline, Russell chased across and latched onto the pass stretching their defence. Meanwhile Huw had taken up a position at the top of the 'D' and picking up a super return from Russell he finished with quality, slipping the ball under the keeper. At 2-0 AC had control of the game but Eastcote continued to attack winning a number of slick short corners that were well defended denying them several times. The final goal started as a short corner that was stopped on the line once and repelled a few more times before a strike from Peter with a possible deflection charged over the Eastcote goal line to seal the outcome of the game.

Another solid workout for AC 3rd XI against a tough Eastcote team that came to win by attacking only to go home with their tails between their legs. Gerrards Cross next week at Beaconsfield 1.30pm push-back.

Team: Ian (C), Huw, Doug, Russell, Nick, Goochie, Peter, Drew, Mark, Henri, Daffy, Keoghon