The college football leagues are getting into full swing and Worcester are currently unbeaten in the JCR Premier division after having seen off St Hugh’s 5-0 in their 2nd match. Hugh’s got their first win of the season over St Catz with Hugh’s captain Arved Pohlabeln scoring the winning goal as well as assisting the other in a 2-1 win. Hugh’s then capitulated to Balliol this week; timidly losing 3-1. However Balliol’s start has also been patchy and they lost to Exeter the previous week with Blues Vice-Captain Ben May getting on the score sheet for the Turl Street outfit. Wadham were denied a first win of the season by Harry Lighton’s late equaliser for Teddy Hall after Wadham’s Captain Jeremy Stothart earlier scored two towering headers. Wadham’s wait for their first win only went on a few more days as they defeated Catz 2-0 with Stothart scoring again and former captain Josh Vivian also blasting in for Wadham. The JCR Premier Dvision is looking particularly tight this year although Worcester still look favourites.
In the JCR first division Keble continued their good form with a 6-2 win over Brasenose; Hamish Birrell scored two and assisted two for Keble who will be hoping to continue their fine start to the season. Brasenose have looked particularly meagre and also lost 5-1 to New who saw American fresher Michael Feeney bang in four goals! Feeney also scored twice in a 3-2 win over Merton/Mansfield and New will be praying he can continue scoring goals and finally take NCAFC back into the promised land of the JCR Premier Division. Trinity have lost two games in quick succession against Lincoln and Magdalen and it looks as if Trinity may be in a scuffle to avoid relegation. Keble and Lincoln are likely to be battling out for promotion with New in with a shout if they can build on their last two wins.
There’s a three-horse race for the title in the JCR 2nd Division with LMH, St Anne’s and Pembroke all having taken maximum points from their opening three games. LMH have done the double over St Peter’s after having stuck six passed St Peter’s as Kiran Fothergill scored a hat-trick in their 6-2 victory before winning 3-2 against Peters just days later. Pembroke have also played the same opponent twice in quick succession; two 2-1 victories over Queen’s have left Alex Tsaptsinos’s side in a strong position in the 2nd division. St John’s have had a mixed start beating St Peter’s 5-3 but then losing 3-1 to St Anne’s. All John’s footballing attention surely must be focused on their Cuppers match against Exeter on Friday 8th November.
Univ have taken their customary bottom position in the JCR leagues after 8-0 and 3-0 losses to Jesus who have also beaten Christ Church 4-1. It is certainly looking like a tussle between Christ Church and Univ for bottom place with both teams on a -11 goal difference although Christ Church have managed one point more than Univ – gaining one point after a 1-1 draw with Somerville. Corpus/Linacre are gearing up for their Cuppers match against New after collecting one win and two draws from their first three games. Rory Johnson scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory over Oriel after two days previously those two teams drew 1-1. Corpus/Linacre’s 2-2 draw with Hertford will give the team that has forfeited Cuppers before playing a game for the last two years some confidence.
Head down to Marston playing fields this Friday (today) for a 2pm kick off to see Exeter take on St John’s in Cuppers or Cherwell’s other recommendation is Trinity vs. Keble at Trinity’s grounds just off Marston road – also a 2pm kick off in Cuppers.
