Co-Ord Round-up Part Two - 9th-12th

9th San Dimas High School (down two)
A dreadful start to the season, a brilliant middle and poor finish for my team meant I didn't build on last year apart from a PCMT runners-up medal. San Dimas had no problem finding the net but had the leakiest defence after losing last season's star player, Neil Taylor, early in the season. The manager could have done something about it though! Romelu Lukaku, Theo Walcott and Rafael are starting to click but additions to the defence should be a priority this summer.
Star Players: Romelu Lukaku (12 goals) and Rafael (four goals, eight cleans)
Big Money Flop: Danny Welbeck (one goal)

10th You Know Your Boston Rock FC (down one)
Another team that didn't really convert performances into results this season. It meant a second straight season out of the top half and without a trophy. Boston Rock started in fine style but fell away dramatically going the best part of four months without a win. During this period the manager reviewed his position and, having fallen out of love with football, decided to step down. There are enough good players in this squad for new boss Kevin to have some fun next season.
Star Players: Glen Johnson (13 cleans) and Frank Lampard (13 goals)
Big Money Flop: Scott Sinclair (one goal)

11th The Dead Parrots (same)
Dean's team were never higher than seventh or lower than 12th and fell at the semi-final hurdle in the FA Cup. Any Parrots successes (which included a first trophy when claiming the Charity Shield) were built on Joe Hart (again) and new signing Rickie Lambert. Robert Snodgrass and Emerson Boyce also chipped in but the likes of Kenwyne Jones and Adel Taarabt didn't provide enough goals and the boss from Down Under may have some tough decisions over the next couple of months.
Star Player: Joe Hart (16 cleans, two saved penalties)
Big Money Flop: Kenwyne Jones (one goal)

12th Mega Buck Bandits (up two)
Dave's team improved on last year's position but had eyes on a top half finish until a late collapse of just three wins in the last 16 matches. Steven Fletcher's injury proved a big dent in Dave's ambitions as Luciano Becchio and the injured Ricardo Vaz Te failed to make the same impact.Mega Bucks had one eye on the future when snapping up the exciting Wilfried Zaha at the February auction and have also signed Philippe Coutinho who looks a real class act.
Star Players: Steven Fletcher (eight goals) and Russell Martin (one goal, seven cleans)
Big Money Flop: The now departed but unlamented Andre Santos (three cleans)

Co-Ord Round-up Part One - 13th-16th

13th YTFIB (up three places on last season)
Yo-yoing YTFIB have spent the last few seasons swapping bottom place one year with a 12th/13th finish and it was the higher place for Julian this time round. It could have been better but the team went six without a win at the end of the season and shows there is still work to do before a Final Fantasy-like attack on the top half can be planned. Julian's successes were built on defensive foundations with Dimitar Berbatov not getting a lot of support up front.
Star player: Joey O'Brien (two goals, 13 cleans)
Big Money Flop: Jay Bothroyd (nothing)

14th The Cheese Makers (down four)
Matthew moved his team from Malaysia to the purpose-built Stade de Fromage in Cornwall but it didn't have the desired effect on results. Injuries to key defenders left him vulnerable at the back while some controversial categorisations meant that Juan Mata had to play in attack and keep other strikers sidelined.  Missed out on signing Rickie Lambert which would have made a big difference although there was a mistifying lack of faith in Kevin Mirallas late in the campaign.
Star Players: Sebastian Bassong (three goals, nine cleans) and Marouane Fellaini (12 goals)
Big Money Flop: Shane Long (three goals)

15th Fred West Landscape Gardening XI (down seven)
Champions two seasons ago, Fred's fall from grace is just about complete. There has been a turnaround in policy though with a bit of a clearout at the start of the season (Evra, Welbeck, Song, van der Vaart, Foster, Aquilani and Berbatov all left for decent money) and younger replacements coming in (Buttner, Azpilicueta, Hazard and Lloris) to form the backbone of future trophy challengers. Still needs a couple of strikers to help take the load off Fernando Torres out.
Star Player: Nemanja Vidic (one goal, eight cleans)
Big Money Flop: Nani (one goal)

16th Nil Satis Nisi Optimum (down four)
Bottom place for the second time in three seasons for Paul. The manager does have curiously 'hands-off' approach to team selection at times, just letting his team get on with it. It meant that  players like Victor Anichebe and John O'Shea were forced to watch from the sidelines while the likes of Jelavic and Heitinga struggled towards the end of the campaign. Good signings like Oscar and Nathaniel Clyne need more support from the boss next season.
Star Players: Seamus Coleman (one goal, eight cleans) and Nikica Jelavic (nine goals)
Big Money Flop: John Heitinga (three cleans)

Week 30 Results and final table

There was one final twist...

Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 2 v 2 The Dead Parrots
Mega Buck Bandits 2 v 3 Trusted By Millions
Real Muppets 1 v 2 The Cheese Makers
San Dimas High School  4v 1 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
The Cow-Faced Juniors 4 v 1 Final Fantasy XI
The Fabulous Artisans 1 v 0 Claymore Athletic FC
You Know Your Boston Rock FC 5 v 1 Aardvark Abacus
YTFIB 2 v 3 Athletico Phoenix

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	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	CC	SP	Pts
1	The Cow-Faced Juniors	30	19	7	4	95	56	39	18	2	64
2	Claymore Athletic FC	30	20	3	7	79	45	34	28	0	63
3	Athletico Phoenix	30	18	4	8	78	48	30	30	0	58
4	Aardvark Abacus	30	17	4	9	66	43	23	25	1	55
5	Final Fantasy XI	30	15	4	11	55	51	4	16	3	49
6	Real Muppets	30	13	7	10	59	60	-1	25	1	46
7	Trusted By Millions	30	13	6	11	71	63	8	26	0	45
8	The Fabulous Artisans	30	13	6	11	54	57	-3	22	0	45
9	San Dimas High School	30	12	2	16	63	71	-8	27	0	38
10	You Know Your Boston Rock FC	30	10	6	14	66	65	1	27	0	36
11	The Dead Parrots	30	9	9	12	43	54	-11	21	1	36
12	Mega Buck Bandits	30	10	5	15	45	47	-2	21	0	35
13	YTFIB	30	7	10	13	36	61	-25	16	0	31
14	The Cheese Makers	30	8	6	16	38	61	-23	28	0	30
15	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	30	6	7	17	35	69	-34	19	0	25
16	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	30	6	2	22	34	66	-32	21	0	20

Twelve months ago Claymore won the title in dramatic fashion at the last possible minute. This year Clive watched the trophy slip away from his grasp and the helicopter head to Drove Stadium and the CFJs.

Chris had to better Clive’s result to take the title so with both games goalless at half-time Claymore were still in the driving seat. That picture had changed within ten minutes. Garath McCleary had scored his first (and possibly last) CFJs goal with the aid of a deflection and Grant Holt doubled the lead a minute later when left unmarked at the far post. The pressure was now firmly on Claymore who were still struggling to break down the Artisans defence.

Back at Drove Stadium the CFJs were in total control over Final Fantasy with Ron Vlaar adding a third and Gareth Bale hitting a last-minute left-foot screamer to round his brilliant season off. The news from the CFJs game seemed to weigh down Claymore further and they created very few chances. Their fate was sealed when Martin Skrtel grabbed a clean for the Artisans and deliver the title to the CFJs for the first time.

Elsewhere in the league, Athletico Phoenix finished third after edging out YTFIB 3-2. Robin van Persie scoring his 26th of the campaign to confirm the Player of the Season award for the second year running. The Aardvarks are fourth but slumped to a last day 5-1 defeat at the departing Boston Rock. Kevin Nolan getting a hat-trick for Sheriff before the fans started ripping up the Whitby Grove Enormodome and taking bits away as souvenirs.

The Muppets claimed sixth place despite a last day defeat to the Cheese Makers. Shinji Kagawa opened the scoring with a header on six minutes with Juan Mata equalising a minute later. Then everybody walked about in the sunshine until Brede Hangeland surprised everyone with a winning clean. Ryan’s defeat means Ceri finishes fifth, Final Fantasy’s best-ever finish. Trusted edged out Mega Bucks 3-2 to hold the Artisans off for seventh place, the retiring Jamie Carragher finishing his career with a clean.

A second-half hat-trick from Romelu Lukaku helped San Dimas to victory over bottom-placed Nil Satis. The Belgian's third goal being one of the lowest, closest-range headers you will ever see. The Freds and the Deads (Parrots) finished the season with a 2-2 draw. Buttner and Torres notching for Fred, Boyce and Lambert for Dean.

Boston Rock bow out

The most successful manager of the last 20-odd years steps down tomorrow. His forthright opinions haven't always gone down well but no one can quibble at his record.

Still, enough about Alex Ferguson - Sheriff is leaving WSFFL. Here are the highlights from his managerial record.

1995/96 - The first title in our second season (as Athletico Sheriff IV) beating Rivermill Bassett by two points.

1997/98 - The first time the You Know Your Boston Rock FC name appeared on the honours board with a third place in the league.

1999/2000 - The start of the real trophy haul, a first FA Cup win, a 5-1 win over Elland Road Big Boys.

2000/01 - The Cup is retained after edging out Trusted 1-0 in a second replay.

2003/04 - The first Paul Cartmell Memorial Trophy win, 5-2 over Final Fantasy.

2004/05 - The PCMT stays in the trophy cabinet with a 3-0 victory over San Dimas. There's a third place finish in the league too, two points behind the title-winners

2005/06 - It's a league and Cup double, Sheriff running away with the title by 11 points  and beating the missus' team Prettier Than You 4-0 in the Cup.

2007/08 - The PCMT is back at the Enormodome with a 3-1 win over Claymore but there's a Cup Final defeat, 5-1 at the hands of the Muppets.

2008/09 - Another PCMT victory with a 3-2 win over ancient rivals Aardvark Abacus. The FA Cup is also on the mantelpiece thanks to a 2-0 win over the CFJs but Sheriff is runner by five points to the Aardvarks.

2009/10 - A third PCMT in a row, the Aardvarks are victims again, by a solitary goal. The CFJs are beaten in the FA Cup again too, this time by 5-1. Boston Rock complete the first ever WSFFL treble by winning the league by three points from the Aardvarks.

2010/11 - The last trophy win, a sixth PCMT (a fourth in a row) with another victory over the Aardvarks. There's also a runners-up trophy in the league too, failing to catch Fred by three points.

2011/12 - The last time Boston Rock's name appears on the trophy, as runner up in the FA Cup by 5-3 to Claymore Athletic.

Week 29 Results

Advantage Claymore as we head into the last game.

Claymore Athletic FC 5 v 1 Athletico Phoenix
Final Fantasy XI 2 v 1 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 3 v 3 You Know Your Boston Rock FC
Real Muppets 3 v 2 San Dimas High School
The Cheese Makers 0 v 3 Aardvark Abacus
The Dead Parrots 2 v 1 YTFIB
The Cow-Faced Juniors 2 v 2 Mega Buck Bandits
Trusted By Millions 1 v 2 The Fabulous Artisans

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	CC	SP	Pts
1	Claymore Athletic FC	29	20	3	6	75	44	31	27	0	63
2	The Cow-Faced Juniors	29	18	7	4	91	55	36	17	2	61
3	Athletico Phoenix	29	17	4	8	75	46	29	29	0	55
4	Aardvark Abacus	29	17	4	8	65	38	27	25	1	55
5	Final Fantasy XI	29	15	4	10	54	47	7	15	3	49
6	Real Muppets	29	13	7	9	58	58	0	24	1	46
7	Trusted By Millions	29	12	6	11	68	61	7	26	0	42
8	The Fabulous Artisans	29	12	6	11	53	57	-4	21	0	42
9	Mega Buck Bandits	29	10	5	14	43	44	-1	21	0	35
10	San Dimas High School	29	11	2	16	59	70	-11	27	0	35
11	The Dead Parrots	29	9	8	12	41	52	-11	20	1	35
12	You Know Your Boston Rock FC	29	9	6	14	61	64	-3	27	0	33
13	YTFIB	29	7	10	12	34	58	-24	15	0	31
14	The Cheese Makers	29	7	6	16	36	60	-24	27	0	27
15	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	29	6	6	17	33	67	-34	18	0	24
16	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	29	6	2	21	33	62	-29	21	0	20

Has the title race taken its final twist or is there one more left? After nine weeks as leaders the CFJs have fallen two points behind Claymore with just one game to play.

All was looking well for Chris after an hour as he was two up against Mega Bucks through Clint Dempsey (after a weak clearance) and Grant Holt (after a comical goalkeeping blunder). The CFJs had keeper Rob Elliott dismissed for two yellows with ten minutes left and Dave's team proved strong at the death with cleans from Russell Martin and Maicon. Clive then took over top spot and finished Brian's outside hopes at the same time. Yoan Gouffran and Sergio Aguero had Clive two up but the Phoenix pulled one back through Shaun Maloney's free-kick in first half added time. Clive's defence has been in top form in recent weeks and three cleans made this look a one-sided contest.

The Aardvarks are still in good form and brushed aside the Cheese Makers this week with a brace from Lukas Podolski and one from the languid Emmanuel Adebayor. Ady's team level on points with the Phoenix now. Final Fantasy needed clean sheets to beat Fred after Gareth McAuley opened the scoring at the wrong end. Javier Garrido and Jose Enrique turned things in Ceri's favour and she looks set for fifth.

Danny Sturridge's hat-trick helped the Muppets past San Dimas. I'd led through Hatem Ben Arfa's penalty and made it 2-2 thanks to Theo Walcott but Sturridge assured himself of the match ball and his boss of all the points five minutes from time. Trusted appear to have got their flip-flops on ready for the holidays as they lost 2-1 to the Artisans. Loic Remy's penalty had Ben ahead early on but Chicarito levelled before the interval. The game was decided by Leighton Baines' clean and the two teams will fight over 7th and 8th place.

The Parrots are in a clutch of teams on 35 points after beating YTFIB. Robert Snodgrass and Dimitar Berbatov (what a signing he's been for Julian) got the goals that made it look like the points were being shared but Kolo Toure got the winning clean for Dean. Nil Satis twice took the lead against Boston Rock but had to be happy with a point in the end. Paul had twice led (through Steven N'Zonzi and Aaron Ramsey's first strikes of the season) but needed a Seamus Coleman clean to make it 3-3 after Frank Lampard, with two more for his Boston Rock total, and Rio Ferdinand advertised their clams for a contract when Kevin takes over.

Week 28 Results

Victories for the top five so Chris still leads the way.

Aardvark Abacus 6 v 2 San Dimas High School
Athletico Phoenix 3 v 0 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
Claymore Athletic FC 4 v 0 Mega Buck Bandits
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 1 Real Muppets
The Dead Parrots 0 v 3 The Cow-Faced Juniors
Trusted By Millions 1 v 2 Final Fantasy XI
You Know Your Boston Rock FC 1 v 0 The Cheese Makers
YTFIB 0 v 0 The Fabulous Artisans

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	CC	SP	Pts
1	The Cow-Faced Juniors	28	18	6	4	89	53	36	17	2	60
2	Claymore Athletic FC	28	19	3	6	74	43	31	27	0	60
3	Athletico Phoenix	28	17	4	7	74	41	33	29	0	55
4	Aardvark Abacus	28	16	4	8	62	38	24	24	1	52
5	Final Fantasy XI	28	14	4	10	52	46	6	15	3	46
6	Real Muppets	28	12	7	9	55	56	-1	23	1	43
7	Trusted By Millions	28	12	6	10	67	59	8	26	0	42
8	The Fabulous Artisans	28	11	6	11	51	56	-5	21	0	39
9	San Dimas High School	28	11	2	15	57	67	-10	26	0	35
10	Mega Buck Bandits	28	10	4	14	41	42	-1	21	0	34
11	You Know Your Boston Rock FC	28	9	5	14	58	61	-3	27	0	32
12	The Dead Parrots	28	8	8	12	39	51	-12	20	1	32
13	YTFIB	28	7	10	11	33	56	-23	15	0	31
14	The Cheese Makers	28	7	6	15	36	57	-21	26	0	27
15	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	28	6	6	16	32	65	-33	18	0	24
16	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	28	6	1	21	30	59	-29	21	0	19

One way or another the title race will go to the last day.

The CFJs stay top after Holt and Bale grab late goals to beat the Parrots. Claymore see off the Bandits with two from Robson-Kanu and trim the goal difference deficit to five in case it comes to that.

The Phoenix cling to their outside chance with a 3-0 win over Fred. Callum McManaman opening his account for the club. The Aardvarks came from two down in the first 10 minutes to swamp San Dimas. Bryan Ruiz bagging a brace for Ady in the romp.

Final Fantasy confirm their top-half finish by edging out Trusted. Phil Jones' og proving too much for Beef to come back from. Ryan has re-taken sixth after edging Nil Satis 1-0 thanks to a Danny Agger clean.

The Artisans look like bagging the last top-half spot despite being held 0-0 by YTFIB. Boston Rock jump two places to 11th after a Glen Johnson clean beats the Cheese Makers.

FA Cup Final Replay Result

Claymore Athletic FC who have retained the trophy with a hard-fought win over the CFJs.

Claymore Athletic FC 3
Robson-Kanu 12p, 62
Clichy [c]

v

The Cow-Faced Juniors 2
Holt 72p
Bale 86

(two cancelled cleans)

Claymore Athletic FC
Howard; Sagna, Evans, Clichy, Olsson; Osman, Robson-Kanu, Cleverley, Gomez; Aguero, Rooney
Subs: Mucha; Luiz; Kightly; Gouffran

The Cow-Faced Juniors
Mannone; Scharner, Riether, Sama, Vlaar; Bale, Dempsey, Michu, Lennon; Holt, Graham
Subs: Elliott; Coloccini; Sigurdsson; McCleary

At Wembley Stadium. Att: 90,000

Match Report

Hal Robson-Kanu was the unlikely Man of the Match as Claymore put their name on the famous old cup for the third time. The Welsh midfielder had only scored once this season but his double put Clive's team in command. Robson-Kanu's first came from the penalty spot on 12 minutes after he was fouled just inside the box. His second came just after the hour through an excellent curling effort.

The CFJs had been subdued and Chris feared the worst when Michu departed with a sore hamstring but that was the queue for the fightback.  Grant Holt pulled one back with a spot-kick and then four minutes from the end Gareth Bale produced one of his specials from outside the area to take his tally for the season to 20. Chris must have thought that he'd earned another replay but the effort in getting back in the game proved too much and Gael Clichy notched the deciding clean sheet which keeps his team in with a shout of back-to-back League and Cup doubles.