Division One Football Round Up

Trinity extend their lead at the top of the table whilst Downing beat Fitz to go second, Homerton win again and Christ’s inflict yet another defeat on Girton.


League leaders Trinity sealed a hard fought victory over Emma with a dramatic injury time winner on Saturday to remain undefeated.

In a crucial game between first and second in the league, Emma started the better. Inside 5 minutes Andy Stothart rose highest at a corner to power in a header that gave the visitors the lead.

Trinity responded well to this nightmare start  though, Ossie Akushie up front held the ball up well and they began to get into their passing football.  Emma continued to look dangerous on the counter attack however and were able to fashion further chances of their own.

Douglas had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside in the 25th minute when a second goal would have been a major blow to the hosts. Trinity continued to push forward, Danny Gammall wasting a glorious opportunity to level things but his volley from six yards looped over the bar with the ‘keeper beaten.

Minutes later, Gammall made amends superbly. The front man flicked a header into the path of strike partner Akushie, who returned the favour with a well weighted ball in behind the Emma defence. Gammall rounded the keeper to slot home the equaliser.

PWC Division One table

A dubiously dissalowed goal prevented Emma going into the break ahead, when the home linesman flagged for handball and it clearly fired them up after the break. Again, the away side dominated the early exchanges and won a penalty when Trinity’s Chris Peacock was adjudged to have handled the ball. There was some debate as to whether he was just outside the area at the time but there was no arguing with Douglas’ finish from the spot, the ball emphatically placed into the top right corner to restore Emma’s lead.

Trinity never stopped showing desire, and a second Gammal strike got them back into the game. The pacy forward worked himself just enough room to get a shot away and square things up with 20 minutes to go.

With stopping time approaching a draw looked likely, but Akushie had other ideas. Starting wide on the right, he beat two defenders before curling his shot brilliantly into the far corner to clinch an impressive victory.

Emma will feel bitterly disappointed not to have come away with a point, as Trinity now move into a commanding position at the top of the league. Home captain Smith was keen to stress they are ‘taking nothing for granted’ but it seems the division is now theirs to lose, as they sit three points clear with just a few games to go.

However, Downing are not going down without a fight, as they showed with a 2-1 win over Fitz. An early penalty put Downing in front, and once they doubled their lead early in the second half, they never looked like giving it up. A solid defensive display, which has become their trademark, was ruined slightly when the hosts pulled one back shortly before time but it was a convincing performance from the current champions, with Dan Selman pulling the strings from midfield to great effect.

Girton’s struggle to avoid relegation took another hit

They now move into second place, ahead of Emma, while after Homerton eased past Caius on Sunday, courtesy of goals from Gregson and  Childs, they are now firmly back in the hunt for third.

Elsewhere Girton’s pointless season continued, although Joshua Falconer-Roberts did manage what was only their second goal of the season in a 2-1 home defeat to Christ’s. The visitors meanwhile move towards saftey as they go level with Fitz on seven points, in an increasingly congested mid-table.

In the weekend’s final game Robert Stevens scored the only goal of a tight contest between Jesus and St Catz, in which both sides played attacking football but found the woodwork more than the net. The win keeps Jesus level on points with Fitz and Christ’s, but defeat means Catz’s game with Caius this weekend gains added significance as a relegation decider.

Photos by Amy Jeffs