This Saturday I was once again given the opportunity to take in some grassroots football and, after browsing through Football Traveller, one particular game caught my eye. A top of the table North Bucks Premier League game between third-placed Wing Village and league leaders MK United. With at least six teams still in with a shout of the title, albeit slim if some cases, the North Bucks Premier is heading for a thrilling run-in. United, three points clear of Padbury Village at the start of play, certainly hold all the aces and, if they were to win four of their five remaining games would definitely be champions. For Wing, who only had three left play including this one and were seven points adrift, this was the last-chance saloon. The chasing pack, even down to Great Horwood in sixth, would also be hoping for a Wing victory. A recent dip in form for the leaders would certainly have given the chasing pack some hope, especially Padbury who had taken 13 points from the last 15 available. MK, meanwhile, had drawn three of their last six, dropping vital points in the run-in. Wing, with just one defeat and four wins in the last six, sat second in the current form table. The home side won Division One last season with a 100% record, scoring 132 goals and only conceding 21. However, this afternoon they would be without current top-scorer Brett Robinson who scored an amazing 51 goals in least season's title winning run. MK, the league's top scorers did, however, have the league's top scorer, 31 goal Luke Little, in their ranks for the game.
The sides have already met twice this season. The league encounter ended 1-1, Luke Little scoring for MK and Ellis Soames-Gould for Wing. There was also a cup meeting at MK that Wing won by 5-2 thanks largely to a Brett Robinson hat-trick.
A big thank you to referee Kieran Fitzpatrick who kindly allowed me to take photos of both team sheets before the game.
The sides have already met twice this season. The league encounter ended 1-1, Luke Little scoring for MK and Ellis Soames-Gould for Wing. There was also a cup meeting at MK that Wing won by 5-2 thanks largely to a Brett Robinson hat-trick.
A big thank you to referee Kieran Fitzpatrick who kindly allowed me to take photos of both team sheets before the game.
MK United attacking the clubhouse end Although we were not to know it, one of the best chances of the game fell to Wing as early as the second minute. Winning the ball back deep in United territory, the ball was crossed in for an unmarked Dan Farmer some eight yards out, but his volley flew over Charlie Wright's crossbar and the chance was gone. That early chance aside, the opening to the game could only be described as scrappy, with neither side managing to string any passages of paly together. The home side were probably edging things in terms of possession but only had an 18th minute Jude Dent strike, that smacked into the gloves of Wright, to show for their efforts. The battle in midfield had progressed from scrappy to frenetic with both teams giving the ball away frequently. It was crying out for someone to put their foot on the ball and take control of proceedings. It had the feel of a cup game rather than a league encounter.
Just past the midway point, Luke Little demonstrated what a little composure could do when his delightfully weighted through ball split the home defence and allowed Shane Lothian to burst through. However, taking the shot early, he found home keeper Kieran Doughty alert to the danger, blocking the shot well with his feet.
Five minutes later the visitors came very close to breaking the deadlock when a ball delivered from the left, deep towards the far post was met by the head of Karl Ainsley. His effort looked to be flying in before Doughty got a hand to it, diverting it up against the bar before the keeper dropped on the ball before it crossed the line.
Jack Noble then got on the end of a nice interchange of passes from Wing, but good defending saw hiem crowded out. We then had a prolonged break in play after a home player went down with an injury. I must admit, I didn't see how it happened or which player had gone down, but there was quite some concern from both sets of players. Eventually, the player was helped from the pitch, with the injury not looking to be as bad as was first feared. Let's hope that was the case.
With the clock winding down towards half-time, Robin Craven worried Wright with a left-footed strike that was only inches past the post and, with almost the last action of the half, more good work on the Wing right saw a cross for Adam Hughes to meet with a header that was off target.
HT Wing Village 0 MK United 0. A half of few clear cut chances. Both sides came close once, but neither goalkeeper had to do too much work.
Just past the midway point, Luke Little demonstrated what a little composure could do when his delightfully weighted through ball split the home defence and allowed Shane Lothian to burst through. However, taking the shot early, he found home keeper Kieran Doughty alert to the danger, blocking the shot well with his feet.
Five minutes later the visitors came very close to breaking the deadlock when a ball delivered from the left, deep towards the far post was met by the head of Karl Ainsley. His effort looked to be flying in before Doughty got a hand to it, diverting it up against the bar before the keeper dropped on the ball before it crossed the line.
Jack Noble then got on the end of a nice interchange of passes from Wing, but good defending saw hiem crowded out. We then had a prolonged break in play after a home player went down with an injury. I must admit, I didn't see how it happened or which player had gone down, but there was quite some concern from both sets of players. Eventually, the player was helped from the pitch, with the injury not looking to be as bad as was first feared. Let's hope that was the case.
With the clock winding down towards half-time, Robin Craven worried Wright with a left-footed strike that was only inches past the post and, with almost the last action of the half, more good work on the Wing right saw a cross for Adam Hughes to meet with a header that was off target.
HT Wing Village 0 MK United 0. A half of few clear cut chances. Both sides came close once, but neither goalkeeper had to do too much work.
Wing applying pressure The second half continued in the same style as the first. The majority of the play centred and the middle third and with both teams still struggling to put together any prolonged passages of possession. In fact, the first big talking point of the second period came four minutes after the hour when Dan Silver lunged in on Tyler Buckley. The challenge was late and looked nasty from where I was standing. Once again, there was a considerable delay whilst the referee ensured that Buckley was ok before he called over Silver and issued a straight red. Not a big surprise and no real complaint from the visitors.
Oddly, the sending off seemed to reinvigorate United. On 74 minutes Jordan Spruce's looping header had Doughty beaten but drifted narrowly wide of the keeper's left-hand post. a minute later MK came close again, as they managed to push the hosts back, despite being a player light. Credit to United, a player down for 30 minutes and with a draw much more suitable to them than their hosts, they continued to push forward, looking for a winner.
Of course the additional player for Wing did mean that they were able to find a little more space when they did have the ball. With a minute of normal time to go they did just this, winning the ball back deep in their own half before breaking forward quickly to leave themselves with at least one player over against a depleted MK defence. However, the home side still somehow managed to delay the killer pass long enough for one of their players to have strayed offside and the chance was gone. They did have one more half-chance a couple of minutes into added time when full-back Luke Hall ghosted in at the back post but could only lift his effort over the bar.
FT Wing Village 0 MK United 0. I've not seen either of these sides play before but I got the distinct feeling that both of them have much more to offer than they showed today. At no point did either side manage to establish their authority in midfield, possibly because they are two evenly matched teams. Although goalless, the problem was not necessarily with the finishing, the forwards were left feeding on scraps because neither team could find that killer final ball. The result and others across the league means that United remain top of the table, three points clear of Padbury who have played a game more. Wing are now out of the running for top spot but could still take the second promotion spot. With their vastly superior goal difference, two wins from their remaining four games should see MK over the line unless Padbury or Great Linford go goal crazy in their remaining matches.
Wing have to wait until the 13th for their next outing when hey travel to bottom side Olney, who they defeated 3-1 back in August. United are back at home next weekend in a what could well be a season decider, the visit of Padbury who'll not only desperately want three points but will also be looking to avenge their 4-0 home defat earlier in the season.
Wing Village: 1.Doughty, 2.L.Farmer, 3.Hall, 4.Leotta, 5.Buckley, 6.Thiel, 7.Noble, 8.Dent, 9.D.Farmer, 10.Craven, 11. Somes-Gould. Subs: 12.Udofia, 14.Bonsor, 15.Hughes
MK United: 1.Wright, 2.Raynor, 3.Ricci, 17.Ainsley, 16.Sames(c), 18.Daubney, 7.Barker, 12.Lothian, 14.Sprice, 10.Little, 11.Parker. Subs: 8.Silver, 4.Sem, 15.Betchley, 19.Akano, 6.Cardwell
Oddly, the sending off seemed to reinvigorate United. On 74 minutes Jordan Spruce's looping header had Doughty beaten but drifted narrowly wide of the keeper's left-hand post. a minute later MK came close again, as they managed to push the hosts back, despite being a player light. Credit to United, a player down for 30 minutes and with a draw much more suitable to them than their hosts, they continued to push forward, looking for a winner.
Of course the additional player for Wing did mean that they were able to find a little more space when they did have the ball. With a minute of normal time to go they did just this, winning the ball back deep in their own half before breaking forward quickly to leave themselves with at least one player over against a depleted MK defence. However, the home side still somehow managed to delay the killer pass long enough for one of their players to have strayed offside and the chance was gone. They did have one more half-chance a couple of minutes into added time when full-back Luke Hall ghosted in at the back post but could only lift his effort over the bar.
FT Wing Village 0 MK United 0. I've not seen either of these sides play before but I got the distinct feeling that both of them have much more to offer than they showed today. At no point did either side manage to establish their authority in midfield, possibly because they are two evenly matched teams. Although goalless, the problem was not necessarily with the finishing, the forwards were left feeding on scraps because neither team could find that killer final ball. The result and others across the league means that United remain top of the table, three points clear of Padbury who have played a game more. Wing are now out of the running for top spot but could still take the second promotion spot. With their vastly superior goal difference, two wins from their remaining four games should see MK over the line unless Padbury or Great Linford go goal crazy in their remaining matches.
Wing have to wait until the 13th for their next outing when hey travel to bottom side Olney, who they defeated 3-1 back in August. United are back at home next weekend in a what could well be a season decider, the visit of Padbury who'll not only desperately want three points but will also be looking to avenge their 4-0 home defat earlier in the season.
Wing Village: 1.Doughty, 2.L.Farmer, 3.Hall, 4.Leotta, 5.Buckley, 6.Thiel, 7.Noble, 8.Dent, 9.D.Farmer, 10.Craven, 11. Somes-Gould. Subs: 12.Udofia, 14.Bonsor, 15.Hughes
MK United: 1.Wright, 2.Raynor, 3.Ricci, 17.Ainsley, 16.Sames(c), 18.Daubney, 7.Barker, 12.Lothian, 14.Sprice, 10.Little, 11.Parker. Subs: 8.Silver, 4.Sem, 15.Betchley, 19.Akano, 6.Cardwell
Barker goes for goal
The Ground
Wing Sports & Social Club is situated just to the South-East of Wing village centre. There's a reasonably large car park outside the club building. The football pitch is just a short walk past the bowling green and tennis courts, past a small brick building that serves as a players & officials changing room. The playing surface, which is pretty much flat, runs parallel to the A418 Leighton Road that bypasses the village. There are no covered spectator areas or dugouts. However, there are quite a few benches and even a circular, wooden summer-house style building at the far end of the pitch. It's the first time I have seen a pitch at this level have respect barriers on all four sides. A nice touch that gives a professional feel to the set-up. Given the recent downpours, the pitch looked to be in remarkably good condition. It clearly drains very well. On a bright Spring day like Saturday, it's a very pleasant place to watch a game of football.
Ground Number: 402
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Wing Sports & Social Club is situated just to the South-East of Wing village centre. There's a reasonably large car park outside the club building. The football pitch is just a short walk past the bowling green and tennis courts, past a small brick building that serves as a players & officials changing room. The playing surface, which is pretty much flat, runs parallel to the A418 Leighton Road that bypasses the village. There are no covered spectator areas or dugouts. However, there are quite a few benches and even a circular, wooden summer-house style building at the far end of the pitch. It's the first time I have seen a pitch at this level have respect barriers on all four sides. A nice touch that gives a professional feel to the set-up. Given the recent downpours, the pitch looked to be in remarkably good condition. It clearly drains very well. On a bright Spring day like Saturday, it's a very pleasant place to watch a game of football.
Ground Number: 402
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
The game was centred around a midfield battle
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