West London Vets’ League Round Up
2 November 2022
The West London Vets’ League (WLVFL) moves into November and slowly but surely patterns are developing across all four divisions. That hasn’t, however, meant that everything is neatly predictable; far from it, as the most recent round of matches over the Halloween weekend illustrated.
One win, one defeat for the Yellamen
Both Ascot United Vets’ sides were in action, although one team will be decidedly happier than the other with how things panned out.
The ones welcomed Kew Park Rangers (KPR) to the Racecourse Ground on Friday night and for much of the game the visitors gave every bit as good as they got. Indeed, at one stage KPR were 2-1 to the good and looking good value for it as Ascot keeper Rich Harrison found himself with plenty to do.
As the game moved into the second half the Yellaman did nonetheless manage to wrestle back a modicum of control. Rob Saunders was in the goals as were Tim Standing and Adam Moroney. It was also good to see Sam McIntyre back to somewhere near his menacing best down the left. 6-2 it ended.
The twos, meanwhile, had a day to forget. They ran Croxley’s 1st XI mighty close in the League Cup the other week, so logic would say that they’d back themselves against Croxley’s 2ndXI. Logic and football, however, don’t always go hand-in-hand.
Croxley’s 2nds ultimately came out 2-1 winners as Ascot’s 2s really struggled to get going. No complaints, the better side came through and won on the day.
Around the League
Only one other game took place in the Prem on 29 October. That game involved second placed Sporting Kitz and fourth placed Croxley 1s.
Given Croxley’s above-mentioned traumas against Ascot’s 2nds in the League Cup, most of the smart money would have been on Kitz coming away with the three points. That smart money, however, would have been lost; the game ended 2-2.
That draw sees Chelsea Vets remain top of the table with nine points from three games. Kitz are still in second (seven points from three) although on goal difference from the now-third Croxley. Ascot move up to fourth (six points from three games), ahead of West London Rams on goal difference.
This coming weekend sees Ascot and WLR go head-to-head. With Chelsea having a weekend off (they were scheduled to play the now defunct Spartans) Kitz have the chance to take over the lead when they meet KPR. Croxley are again on their travels; they are off to face Poly. The final game of the round sees Nottsborough and Bank of England – two sides yet to get off the mark points-wise – lock horns.
Claygate move top of Div1
There are new leaders of Division One this week, Claygate Royals’ Hares winning the battle of the top two against West Kensington Kings (WKK).
With both sides unbeaten the game was a predictably close affair. Ultimately, it was Claygate who came out on top, 3-2. That win means they are played three, won three. WKK now slip to third on account of Actonians’ 7-0 drubbing of Old Tiffs. Actonians have quietly moved to seven points from three games and are clearly adjusting to life in Division 1 pretty well.
Elsewhere, Wandsworth Borough broke the drawing habit that they were developing with an emphatic 6-1 triumph against bottom of the table Civil Service. They now have six points from three games and are nestling in nicely behind the leaders.
The final game of the weekend saw Whippet Wanderers move out of the bottom two thanks to a 6-1 thumping of JamrockSteppa. That shoots them up into mid-table, whilst Steppanow sit dangerously close to the relegation zone.
The stand out fixture this week sees Claygate make the journey to Old Actonians. So, the top two met last week and the new top two meet this week (on 5 November). Should be very interesting. At the bottom, well, Civil Service welcome Old Tiffs. Both sides really could do with the points there.
BoE IIs up and running
Information on events in Division Two last week is scant. One thing is nonetheless clear; Bank of England’s second string are well and truly up and running in their new division, picking up their first three point haul against a struggling Old Meadonians side.
That win will lift BoE II off the bottom and above Meadonians on goal difference. Meads, meanwhile, have now lost three out of four and will be keeping their respective fingers crossed that better times lie ahead. Things are nonetheless not immediately getting any easier; they travel to promotion-chasing Hillingdon Abbots on Saturday.
MMB, meanwhile, played out a humdinger of a 3-3 draw against Old Lyonians. The Marketing Board were 3-1 with ten minutes ago but a rousing final ten minutes from Lyonianssaw them snatch a point at the death.
MMB will be looking to build on that this coming weekend when they host BoE IIs in Sunbury. Old Lyonians will also be looking to carry that rousing finishing into their home encounter with Double H. The final game of the weekend in this division see Old Tens welcome Molesey Lighthouse.
Hersham Southside march on
Hersham Southside continue to set the pace in Division Three. They are now played four, won four and they are looking good.
Their latest win came against Clapham Old Xaverians. Clapham battled gamely and certainly showed enough to be optimistic about the rest of their campaign, but on the day Hersham ended up simply being too strong. Steve Reading continued his prolific early season form – helping himself to six of the seven goals Hersham scored in what was ultimately a convincing 7-1 win.
With Ascot United IIs slipping up, five (!) teams are now tied in second on six points. The Yellamen are top of that little pile thanks to a plus 8 goal difference. Latimer Road Vets are just behind them following an 8-3 victory against Claygate IIs whilst Old Tiffs IIs are now fourth. They beat AFC Hampton 2-0, Pete Bishop and Dean Corte bagging the goals. Croxley are the final team in that little posse, although their -9 goaldifference means they are theoretically fifth and in the bottom half of the table!
This weekend’s fixtures in Division 3 subsequently kick off with a really interesting one; on Friday night Ascot host Clapham Old Xaverians. Hersham are in action a day later; they travel to Old Tiffs 2nds. Latimer Road, the fourth of the sides currently on six points, will be looking to make progress against AFC Hampton. The final game of the round sees Croxley IIs travel to Claygate Royals’ Hounds.
Go well one and all this weekend
