Storm Darragh did its very best to ruin the fixture calendar in the West London Vets’ League (WLVFL) on 6/7 December. But, six games did take place as a number of sides braved the storm to get their cup ties on. Respect due to all of them.
Cup games go to form
Sixteen teams from the top two divisions were scheduled to start out on their League Cup journeys last weekend. Eight did, meaning four – plus Wandsworth Borough (who couldn’t raise a side to play Ascot’s first XI) – had to ultimately take their leave from the competition.
Latimer Road, Civil Service and Ascot United’s second string were the only three Division One sides in action and all three can, as the saying goes, now move on from the cup and concentrate on the league.
Civil Service went down 5-0 at an in form Claygate Royals Hares. John Smalls bagged a brace for the Hares, Mike Baldwin, Warren Coborne and Gareth lazell got the other three between them. Latimer Road faired little better against Chelsea; they lost 6-1. Tough gigs for both of the Division 1 sides there.
Ascot United IIs also had a challenging draw; they travelled to Whippet Wanderers. The Whippets ultimately won 4-1, but Ascot were probably worth a bit more than the single Alex Markarian goal that they managed. That goal nonetheless came with the Whippets already four goals to the good; Jamie Grainger bagged a header with just three minutes on the clock, a Shaun Lydon penalty doubled the lead before Lydon scored another and Ascot conceded an own goal.
The last game in the League Cup on Saturday saw Croxley Green host Kew Park Rangers (KPR). The game went to form; fourth placed Croxley came through 4-2.
There were supposed to be a host of Vase (the competition for sides in Division Two and Three) games taking place, but none of them managed to actually see the light of day. A number were postponed because of the weather, but two sides – Clapham Old Xaverians and Double H – were awarded walkovers.
All of the remaining ties will hopefully be played on one of the two Saturdays between now and Christmas.
Ascot riding high in the Supervets’ competition
Two Supervets’ games also managed to beat the weather.
The Claygate Royals’ Strollers won a tight one against Croxley Green. That game ended 2-1. The win sees the Strollers move level on points with Croxley and indeed Nottsborough. All three are now on 10.
The one side ahead of them is Ascot United. They had to make do without their goal machine, Chris Ferdinand, but that didn’t prevent them winning 4-1. Dave Thompson led the line admirably and notched the all-important first goal, Dan Hough then chipped in with the next three. The win sees the Yellas move five points clear of the pack.
Looking ahead
It’s quite hard to know exactly which fixtures are going to be played on 14 December. A full round of league fixtures is planned, but a number of those games will no doubt be postponed. Why? So that missed League Cup and Vase fixtures from 7 December can be played.
Given that most Premier Division sides did manage to get their cup fixtures in, that’s the division where there is most likely to be league action this week. Ascot United have a week off, and that means that if Chelsea can beat KPR then they’ll go top of the league. Third placed WLR are scheduled to go to Bank of England, fourth placed Croxley host the Whippets. Wandsworth v Claygate should also be able to go ahead (as neither has to re-schedule cup fixtures).
Elsewhere the picture becomes murkier. The one definite in Division One is that Ascot United IIs are travelling to Latimer Road; both lost in the cup on 7 December, so both can now get back to the nuts and bolts of league football.
It may well be that no league games take place in Division 2, but – in theory at least – AFC Hampton should be able to host Double H in Division 3. A win there for Double H would send them second, whilst a win for Hampton would put them on level terms with three other sides in what’s a pretty congested mid-table.
Supervets in cup action
One competition where it’s much clearer who will be playing whom this week is the Supervets’ cup. Three games are scheduled there.
Bottom of the table Old Lyonians will be hoping for some respite when they travel to third placed Claygate Strollers. The Strollers have won three of their first five contests and so go into the game as firm favourites.
Chelsea are also on the road; they travel to Cheam. The final game scheduled for this weekend sees a repeat of a league fixture that took place last week. The only change this time is that Nottsborough will be the hosts as they welcome Ascot United.
Go well everyone!