O-LEAGUE : SEASON XI - PART ONE
Finally, domestic football is back to the somewhat divided United Provinces, and it's time for the eleventh season of the O-League. With Mercia and Ousevale now off to the MPL, Avidia United have been installed as the big favourites. Can Casuals, Stanton, or the Emberton clubs overhaul the Eagles? It is, at last, time to find out.
GAME ON!
MATCHDAY 1
We'll give Caledon Simpson their dues. It's been a long time coming, and they gave it their all, putting three past favourites Avidia. Sadly for them, though, the Eagles managed six of their own to down the men in navy blue. It's Casuals who top the table, though, as they put four past sorry Aigburth.
Elsewhere, two-nil home wins were the order of the day as no less than five teams recorded the score in their opening matches.
Results:
Avidia United 6-3 Caledon Simpson
Casuals Osteria 4-0 Aigburth Athletic
Stanton Town 2-0 Neathill
Emberton Reds 2-0 Beckton Supermarine
AFC Linford 2-0 Kallia United
Royal Emberton 2-0 Thackworth Rovers
New Cefn Albion 2-0 Avidia City
Bradwell Saints 2-1 Caversham
MATCHDAY 2
The runners and riders are beginning to jostle for position, and it's somewhat less than surprising that United and Osteria are pushing at the top. They're not the only ones though. Stanton, Bradwell, and surprise package Linford have both made it two out of two.
Results:
Aigburth Athletic 0-2 Avidia United
Neathill 1-1 Caledon Simpson
Beckton Supermarine 1-3 Casuals Osteria
Kallia United 0-2 Stanton Town
Thackworth Rovers 1-1 Emberton Reds
Avidia City 0-2 AFC Linford
Caversham 1-1 Royal Emberton
Bradwell Saints 2-0 New Cefn Albion
MATCHDAY 3
Five become four as Linford come a cropper against Bradwell, who rise to third. Casuals' close-fought victory over Thackworth, meanwhile, is enough to keep them top on goal difference.
Results:
Avidia United 2-1 Neathill
Aigburth Athletic 0-0 Beckton Supermarine
Caledon Simpson 0-3 Kallia United
Casuals Osteria 2-1 Thackworth Rovers
Stanton Town 1-0 Avidia City
Emberton Reds 2-3 Caversham
AFC Linford 1-3 Bradwell Saints
Royal Emberton 1-0 New Cefn Albion
MATCHDAY 4
United lose their 100% record, but gain the love of neutrals, after an entertaining three-all draw in Beckton; it's music to the ears of both Bradwell and Casuals, who both make it four out of four.
Results:
Beckton Supermarine 3-3 Avidia United
Kallia United 0-1 Neathill
Thackworth Rovers 1-0 Aigburth Athletic
Avidia City 3-2 Caledon Simpson
Caversham 0-3 Casuals Osteria
Bradwell Saints 2-1 Stanton Town
New Cefn Albion 1-1 Emberton Reds
Royal Emberton 2-1 AFC Linford
MATCHDAY 5
There are ways and ways to lose a 100% record. You can do what Casuals did, and just not quite manage to finish off your opponents (like Casuals, who could only draw at home to New Cefn), or you could go down the route that Bradwell went down.
The Saints travelled to Simpson, and came away with their collective tails between their legs as the Caleys stormed to their first win of the season - four to nothing, no less.
Results:
Avidia United 4-1 Kallia United
Beckton Supermarine 1-2 Thackworth Rovers
Neathill 0-3 Avidia City
Aigburth Athletic 1-1 Caversham
Caledon Simpson 4-0 Bradwell Saints
Casuals Osteria 3-3 New Cefn Albion
Stanton Town 1-1 Royal Emberton
Emberton Reds 0-1 AFC Linford
Table after MD5:
Pos Team P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
1 Casuals Osteria 5 4 1 0 15 5 +10 13
2 Avidia United 5 4 1 0 17 8 +9 13
3 Bradwell Saints 5 4 0 1 9 7 +2 12
4 Royal Emberton 5 3 2 0 7 3 +4 11
5 Stanton Town 5 3 1 1 7 3 +4 10
6 AFC Linford 5 3 0 2 7 5 +2 9
7 Thackworth Rovers 5 2 1 2 5 6 -1 7
8 Avidia City 5 2 0 3 6 7 -1 6
9 Emberton Reds 5 1 2 2 6 6 +0 5
10 New Cefn Albion 5 1 2 2 6 7 -1 5
11 Caversham 5 1 2 2 6 9 -3 5
12 Caledon Simpson 5 1 1 3 10 13 -3 4
13 Neathill 5 1 1 3 3 8 -5 4
14 Kallia United 5 1 0 4 4 9 -5 3
15 Beckton Supermarine 5 0 2 3 5 10 -5 2
16 Aigburth Athletic 5 0 2 3 1 8 -7 2