Week 18 Results - As you were for top three

Aardvark Abacus 2 v 2 Real Muppets

Claymore Athletic FC 1 v 1 The Wateringhole Society

Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 1 v 1 The Cow-Faced Juniors

Markian United 4 v 0 YTFIB

San Dimas High School 0 v 3 Trusted By Millions

Stanley and Gracie United 0 v 3 Mega Buck Bandits

Wheel Madrid 5 v 0 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

The Fabulous Artisans 1 v 3 Cheese Makers

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
1	The Cow-Faced Juniors	18	13	3	2	59	29	30	42
2	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	18	11	5	2	43	20	23	38
3	The Wateringhole Society	18	10	6	2	57	32	25	36
4	Markian United	18	9	2	7	39	28	11	29
5	The Fabulous Artisans	18	9	0	9	40	34	6	27
6	Wheel Madrid	18	8	3	7	25	31	-6	27
7	Aardvark Abacus	18	8	2	8	28	32	-4	26
8	Stanley and Gracie United	18	8	1	9	35	39	-4	25
9	Trusted By Millions	18	7	3	8	35	35	0	24
10	San Dimas High School	18	6	4	8	25	35	-10	22
11	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	18	7	1	10	24	34	-10	22
12	Real Muppets	18	6	3	9	43	41	2	21
13	YTFIB	18	5	5	8	18	34	-16	20
14	Claymore Athletic FC	18	5	3	10	27	40	-13	18
15	Cheese Makers	18	4	4	10	18	34	-16	16
16	Mega Buck Bandits	18	5	1	12	22	40	-18	16

The top two clash ended in a 1-1 draw to keep the CFJs four points ahead of Fred. Pablo Sarabia’s measured half-volley put the Cows ahead after 23 minutes and Fred’s equaliser came straight after the break through Gabriel Martinelli. The Wateringhole Society couldn’t take advantage though after being held 1-1 by Claymore. Marcus Rashford’s heavily-deflected effort had Kiran leading for 50 minutes plus but Matty Cash earned Clive a point with a clean.

A new team in fourth this week with Markian occupying that spot following a 4-0 win against YTFIB. Julian held out until 82nd minute when Harry Kane lost his marker from a corner and steered in at the far post. That was soon followed by cleans from Vicente Guaita, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Luke Shaw. The Artisans dropped a place after going down 3-1 at home to Cheese Makers. Casemiro headed in a free-kick to give Matthew’s team the lead at the break and two close range Danny Ings goals in a three minute spell around 70 minutes made it 3-0. Ben’s late reply was a Marc Guehi clean.

Wheel Madrid join the Artisans on 27 points after thumping Nil Satis 5-0. An injured Thiago Silva’s early clean gave Paul W the lead on 19 minutes and there were for more cleans at the end courtesy of Ilian Meslier, Rafa Varane, Joel Matip and Ryan Fredericks. The Aardvarks are a point back after a 2-2 draw with the Muppets. Ryan was two up at the break, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden on target, but Ady hit back for the draw in the second period with an Ollie Watkins penalty and a Declan Rice curler.

Mega Bucks made it successive wins for the first time this season with a 3-0 victory at Stanley and Gracie. The action came late, Michail Antonio breaking the deadlock five minutes from time with a towering back-post header. That was followed by cleans from Alex Moreno and Luke Ayling. Trusted leapfrogged San Dimas with a 3-0 win at those opponents. It was late action here too. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s clean on 71 minutes for Beef opened the scoring and that was followed by Emi Buendia smashing in at the near post and a Robin Koch clean.

FA Cup Quarter-final results - Holders go out

Aardvark Abacus 2 v 1 YTFIB 

Markian United 2 v 0 The Cow-Faced Juniors 

Real Muppets 0 v 1 The Fabulous Artisans

Trusted By Millions 5 v 1 Stanley and Gracie United

Aaron’s hold on the cup ends after a 5-1 defeat at Trusted. Honours were even at the break with Bernardo Silva smashing in from the edge of the D four minutes before the interval only for James Ward-Prowse to level with a trademark free-kick in injury time. Beef’s team edged ahead on 73 minutes with an early clean from Adam Webster then the floodgates opened with cleans from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady off the bench and Gavin Bazunu.

The Aardvarks last won the cup in 2017/18 and booked a place in the semis with victory over YTFIB. It took just five minutes for Ady’s team to take the lead, Olly Watkins firing in from an angle, but Julian’s problems really started on 22 minutes when Nick Pope saw red for handball. Marcus Tavernier thighed in four minutes after half-time to double the Aardvark lead and though Joe Gomez found a late clean in reply it finished 2-1.

No team have been beaten in the final more than the CFJs but they won’t have the chance to repeat that this year after going down 2-0 to Markian. Ian’s team took the lead after 10 minutes through Darwin Nunez who controlled and thumped in after being picked out by a good through-ball. Oleksandr Zinchenko clinched the win just after the hour drilling in low from the edge of the area.

The Artisans are the last team in the final four after edging the Muppets 1-0. The only goal of the game came on 56 minutes in the unlikely shape of Emerson Royal who found space to guide in first time from 15 yards.

Week 17 Results - Champions close on the top two

Cheese Makers 1 v 0 Stanley and Gracie United

Mega Buck Bandits 1 v 0 Claymore Athletic FC

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 2 San Dimas High School

Real Muppets 1 v 2 Wheel Madrid

The Cow-Faced Juniors 2 v 6 The Wateringhole Society

The Fabulous Artisans 1 v 2 Markian United 

Trusted By Millions 2 v 0 Aardvark Abacus 

YTFIB 2 v 2 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
1	The Cow-Faced Juniors	17	13	2	2	58	28	30	41
2	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	17	11	4	2	42	19	23	37
3	The Wateringhole Society	17	10	5	2	56	31	25	35
4	The Fabulous Artisans	17	9	0	8	39	31	8	27
5	Markian United	17	8	2	7	35	28	7	26
6	Stanley and Gracie United	17	8	1	8	35	36	-1	25
7	Aardvark Abacus	17	8	1	8	26	30	-4	25
8	Wheel Madrid	17	7	3	7	20	31	-11	24
9	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	17	7	1	9	24	29	-5	22
10	San Dimas High School	17	6	4	7	25	32	-7	22
11	Trusted By Millions	17	6	3	8	32	35	-3	21
12	Real Muppets	17	6	2	9	41	39	2	20
13	YTFIB	17	5	5	7	18	30	-12	20
14	Claymore Athletic FC	17	5	2	10	26	39	-13	17
15	Cheese Makers	17	3	4	10	15	33	-18	13
16	Mega Buck Bandits	17	4	1	12	19	40	-21	13

The Wateringhole Society had been 12 points behind the CFJs after week 11 but that gap is now six after Kiran’s team took down the Cows 6-2. Chris and Co raced into a 2-0 lead through Rodrigo Bentancur and Miguel Almiron before the Society struck back with early cleans from Ruben Dias and Marc Cucurella off the bench. Three goals in eight minutes won it for Kiran. Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford with headers and Harvey Barnes firing home from the D. Bernd Leno (I always want to call him Jay!) made it six with a clean. The Gardeners are still in the middle of those two sides but were held to a 2-2 draw by YTFIB. Mo Salah put Fred ahead after a lightning counter-attack but that lasted just three minutes before Ilkay Gundogan arrived at the back post to level. Solly March repeated the feat to put Julian ahead after 63 minutes but Fred rescued a point with Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s clean.

Markian closed to within a point and a place of the Artisans after beating those opponents 2-1. Rodri’s early near-post header put Ian in front but it took until the 85th minute for another score, Alejandro Garnacho doubling the lead after outpacing Ben’s defence. Kenny Tete’s clean sheet reply was only a consolation. Stanley and Gracie are a point further back after going down 1-0 to Cheese Makers. Andy Robertson’s clean was the only score.

The Aardvarks are also on 25 points but slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Trusted. Joao Felix scored a cushioned volley on debut to put Beef ahead on 16 minutes and Leandro Trossard added the second goal at the back post mid-way through the second half. Wheel Madrid continue to bounce around in mid-table and picked up a good 2-1 win at the Muppets. James Maddison slid his shot under the keeper to put Paul W ahead after 25 minutes but Ryan’s team levelled just before the break through Kelechi Iheanacho. Joel Matip’s clean gave the Wheelmen the victory.

Nil Satis are joined on 22 points by San Dimas who beat them 2-0 this week. Riyad Mahrez scored a penalty to put me ahead in first half injury time and Hugo Bueno added a second half clean sheet. Mega Bucks 1-0 win over Claymore has dragged Clive’s team into the battle at the bottom. A clean sheet by Tim Ream was enough to give Dave all the points.