Week 17 Results - Claymore stretch the lead to five

Aardvark Abacus 1 v 1 Wheel Madrid
Cheese Makers 3 v 0 Real Muppets
Markian United 0 v 2 Mega Buck Bandits
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 0 v 4 Claymore Athletic FC
Stanley Athletic FC 4 v 3 The Cow-Faced Juniors
The Fabulous Artisans 1 v 2 San Dimas High School
Trusted By Millions 3 v 1 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
YTFIB 2 v 3 The Wateringhole Society


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	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
1	Claymore Athletic FC	17	12	3	2	54	23	31	39
2	San Dimas High School	17	11	1	5	30	23	7	34
3	The Fabulous Artisans	17	10	3	4	38	22	16	33
4	Trusted By Millions	17	9	4	4	40	33	7	31
5	Wheel Madrid	17	8	4	5	47	27	20	28
6	Mega Buck Bandits	17	8	3	6	32	28	4	27
7	Stanley Athletic FC	17	8	2	7	40	37	3	26
8	The Wateringhole Society	17	6	7	4	30	30	0	25
9	Aardvark Abacus	17	7	3	7	26	27	-1	24
10	Cheese Makers	17	7	3	7	32	36	-4	24
11	YTFIB	17	6	4	7	22	20	2	22
12	The Cow-Faced Juniors	17	7	1	9	21	33	-12	22
13	Real Muppets	17	5	4	8	36	37	-1	19
14	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	17	4	2	11	20	42	-22	14
15	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	17	4	0	13	20	42	-22	12
16	Markian United	17	1	2	14	13	41	-28	5

It’s ten wins in a row for Claymore in all competitions after a 4-0 win over Nil Satis. It’s Paul S’s 11th straight defeat. Sergio Aguero was Clive’s hero, again, with his 12th WSFFL hat-trick. The only surprise is it’s his first treble of the season. Abdoulaye Doucoure got the other for the leaders. Claymore’s lead is five points after second and third swapped places with San Dimas winning at the Artisans. Two Riyad Mahrez goals in the first 25 minutes gave me the advantage, Roberto Firmino pulled one back for Ben before the break but he couldn’t find an equaliser.

Trusted are only three points off second after continuing their good run of form with a 3-1 in over Fred. Richarlison curled in from 10 yards seven minutes before half-time to put Beef one up and Gabriel Jesus side footed in at the back post to double the lead in first half stoppage time. Mason Greenwood, one bright spot for Fred in a disappointing title defence, pulled one back but December’s Player of the Month Trent Alexander-Arnold got the clean to make it three. Wheels lost ground with a 1-1 draw at the Aardvarks. Jorginho scored a penalty to put Paul W ahead on 27 minutes but he couldn’t finish the game off and Dean Henderson got a clean for Ady.

Mega Bucks are a point behind Wheels after beating Markian 2-0. P-E Aubameyang took a through ball in his stride to open the scoring after 12 minutes but his dismissal in the second half slowed Dave’s progress until George Baldock clinched the win with a clean sheet. Stanley Athletic needed clean sheets to get home after a tight game with the CFJs. Chris was two up in this one (goal machine Miguel Almiron on target again) before two goals in a minute from Anthony Martial (good header that, all about the neck muscles) and Jordan Ayew (massive deflection) levelled things. Roberto Pereyra looked to have notched an injury time winner for the Cows but Virgil van Dijk and Victor Lindelof got the cleans to deliver Aaron a second win.

TWS got the better of YTFIB 3-2. Callum Hudson-Odoi slid in for Kiran in between two Marcus Rashford goals to have the mighty Society cruising at 3-0. Oli McBurnie hit back for Julian but YTFIB ultimately needed more than Joe Gomez’s clean to get anything from the game. Buoyed from their Cup replay victory, Cheese Makers saw off the Muppets 3-0. A fit-again Troy Deeney has added some urgency to the Cheese front-line and his goal, along with one more from Danny Ings and Amr El Ghazi’s penalty, rounded out a comfortable win for Matthew.

FA Cup 1st Round - comfortable win for holders

Aardvark Abacus 0 v 2 YTFIB
Claymore Athletic FC 3 v 1 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Markian United 0 v 2 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
Stanley Athletic FC 3 v 1 Real Muppets
The Cow-Faced Juniors 2 v 1 Mega Buck Bandits
The Fabulous Artisans 1 v 1 Cheese Makers
The Wateringhole Society 4 v 0 San Dimas High School
Trusted By Millions 1 v 4 Wheel Madrid

Replay

Cheese Makers 3 v 2 The Fabulous Artisans

Claymore took the first step towards retaining the trophy with a 3-1 win over Nil Satis. First half goals from Onel Hernandez, Ross Barkley and Sergio Aguero giving Clive a comfortable lead that Paul S couldn’t really make a dent in. The CFJs were last year’s beaten finalists (for a fifth time in fact) and they’re on the way again after beating Mega Bucks 2-1. Miguel Almiron scored (again!) and Roberto Pereyra added the second before the break before seeing red late on.

The Aardvarks and San Dimas have both won this three times but won’t be adding to that total this year. Ady went down 2-0 to an improving YTFIB. Dominic Solanke scored for Julian with eight minutes left and James Justin’s clean doubled the score. My team crashed out 4-0 to the Wateringhole Society. A sixth minute goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi put Kiran ahead and three clean sheets by the mighty Society sent San Dimas home with their tails between their legs.

Fred is another three-time winner and he is into the last eight after beating Markian 2-0. Lucas Moura headed the Gardeners ahead just after the hour and Angus Gunn got a clean. Trusted and Wheels are going well in the league and the expected good game between the sides went 4-1 in Paul W’s favour. Zinchenko made it 1-0 on 19 minutes and then two in the second half, from Callum Wilson and Pablo Zabaleta, took the game away from Beef before Pablo Formals pulled one back.

Aaron opened the new Girdlestone Bridge stadium before his game with the Muppets and the excitement carried his team to a 3-1 win. Philip Billing was the surprise star for Stanley Athletic with a goal in each half. The Artisans and Cheese Makers played out a 1-1 draw. Reiss Nelson bundled in to give Ben the lead, Amr El Ghazi got Matthew’s equaliser eight minutes later.

Replay

Three second-half goals from the home side took the game away from the Charity Shield winners. Danny Ings continued his personal goal rush but Matthew needed an injury time penalty from Amr El Ghazi to hold off an Artisans fightback.

Week 16 Results - Claymore open a gap

Claymore Athletic FC 4 v 0 Markian United
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 2 v 3 Athletico Phoenix
Mega Buck Bandits 3 v 2 The Fabulous Artisans
Real Muppets 3 v 4 Trusted By Millions
San Dimas High School 0 v 1 YTFIB
The Cow-Faced Juniors 3 v 0 Aardvark Abacus
The Wateringhole Society 1 v 1 Cheese Makers
Wheel Madrid 4 v 0 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum


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	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Diff	Pts
1	Claymore Athletic FC	16	11	3	2	50	23	27	36
2	The Fabulous Artisans	16	10	3	3	37	20	17	33
3	San Dimas High School	16	10	1	5	28	22	6	31
4	Trusted By Millions	16	8	4	4	37	32	5	28
5	Wheel Madrid	16	8	3	5	46	26	20	27
6	Mega Buck Bandits	16	7	3	6	30	28	2	24
7	Stanley Athletic FC	16	7	2	7	36	34	2	23
8	Aardvark Abacus	16	7	2	7	25	26	-1	23
9	YTFIB	16	6	4	6	20	17	3	22
10	The Wateringhole Society	16	5	7	4	27	28	-1	22
11	The Cow-Faced Juniors	16	7	1	8	18	29	-11	22
12	Cheese Makers	16	6	3	7	29	36	-7	21
13	Real Muppets	16	5	4	7	36	34	2	19
14	Fred West Landscape Gardening XI	16	4	2	10	19	39	-20	14
15	Nil Satis Nisi Optimum	16	4	0	12	20	38	-18	12
16	Markian United	16	1	2	13	13	39	-26	5

Claymore have pulled clear at the top after being the only team in the top three to score points this week. Clive’s team saw off Markian 4-0, Abdoulaye Doucoure’s excellent strike and three cleans getting the job done and injury was added to insult for the bottom club when Harry Kane limped off with a hamstring and might be out for eight weeks. Ben lost ground after the Artisans lost 3-2 at Mega Bucks, Mark Noble scoring two equalisers for Dave before Caglar Soyuncu got the winning clean for the Bandits.

San Dimas went down one nil to YTFIB, Joe Gomez’s clean the only score and I’m now looking over my shoulder at the chasing pack. That’s led by Trusted who edged a seven goal thriller at the Muppets. Ryan’s team had been two up but after the break Gabriel Jesus scored twice and Richarlison got the equaliser before Beef clinched the win thanks to a clean from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Wheel Madrid are a point behind Trusted in fifth. Paul W might have lost John McGinn to injury but he still has James Maddison and Jack Grealish who both scored in a 4-0 win over Nil Satis. Aaron was sat in the stands to see his new team come from two down to beat Fred. Pepe and Azpilicueta scored for the Gardeners in the first ten minutes but Chris Wood headed one back with ten minutes to go and van Dijk and Chilwell completed the turnaround.

The Aardvarks haven’t shaken off their PCMT Final defeat by the look of it as they lost 3-0 to the CFJs. Filipe Anderson got his first of the season and then Ali Jahanbaksh scored a superb overhead kick for his first WSFFL goal. Wateringhole and Cheese Makers played out a 1-1 draw. Danny Ings continued his great run of form when putting Matthew ahead but Pedro Neto got a first goal via a deflection to give Kiran the equaliser.

Paul Cartmell Memorial Trophy Final

Aardvark Abacus 0


v

Claymore Athletic FC 1
Aguero 52

(one cancelled clean)

At Wembley. Attendance: 90,000

Teams

Abacus: D.Henderson; Dunk, Emerson, Stephens, Aarons; D.Jota, Torreira, J.Henderson, Ndombele; Lacazette, Batshuayi
Subs: Pickford; Mepham; Rice; Tosun

Claymore: Schmeichel; Willems, Cresswell, M.Kelly, Evans; Barkley, Hourihane, Tielemans, Hernandez; Pukki, Aguero
Subs: Dubravka; Cathcart; Doucoure; Joelinton

Report

Two of the most successful WSFFL teams clashed in the final of a competition that has eluded both of them for more than a decade. Ady was without Son Heung-Min, banned after being sent off in the week 15 league clash between the sides that Claymore won 2-1. Sergio Aguero was fit to lead the line for Clive’s team.

But this was a game about defences and chances were few and far between. It took half an hour before there was any sign of a breakthrough, Teemu Pukki chested down a superb long pass and raced through to tuck home what everyone thought was the opener. Everyone except the VAR operator who drew some lines and decided that Pukki’s armpit was offside.

The sense of injustice fuelled Claymore and they took the lead seven minutes after half-time. Aguero finally lost his marker just enough to find the room to fire in at the near post from 12 yards.  It was the Argentinian’s seventh Cup Final goal. With the Aardvark forward line blunted Claymore saw the game out relatively easily and delivered Clive’s first PCMT since 1997/98. Ady’s PCMT jinx continues, he’s now been beaten in the final eight times.

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How they got there:

Semi-finals

Real Muppets 1 v 4 Claymore Athletic
Wheel Madrid 3 v 4 Aardvark Abacus (after 2-2 draw)

Quarter-finals

Aardvark Abacus 2 v 1 The Cow-Faced Juniors
Claymore Athletic FC 3 v 0 Mega Buck Bandits
Fred West Landscape Gardening XI 1 v 5 Wheel Madrid
Real Muppets 2 v 1 Cheese Makers

First round

Cheese Makers 3 v 2 The Fabulous Artisans
Claymore Athletic FC 2 v 1 San Dimas High School
Markian United 1 v 4 Real Muppets
Mega Buck Bandits 2 v 1 Athletico Phoenix
The Cow-Faced Juniors 4 v 2 Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Trusted By Millions 1 v 2 Fred West Landscape Gardening XI
Wheel Madrid 2 v 1 The Wateringhole Society
YTFIB 0 v 2 Aardvark Abacus

Charity Shield Final

Congratulations to the Artisans.

Athletic Phoenix 2
Redmond 73
Ayew 90

v

The Fabulous Artisans 3
Firmino 31, 74
Digne [c]

(one cancelled clean)

At Old Trafford. Attendance: 73,206

Teams

Athletico: Krul; Van Dijk, Chilwell, Tomkins, Maguire; Fred, Ward-Prowse, Sissoko, Redmond; Woodburn, Wood
Subs: Jakupovic; Vertonghen; Billing; Ayew

Artisans: Ramsdale; van Aanholt, Fernandez, Digne, Walker; Lingard, James, Wijnaldum, Cantwell; Firmino, Nelson
Subs: Fabianski; Femenia; Mount; Deulofeu

Report

Both these teams renewed their rivalry with an inexperienced frontman in their line-up. Reiss Nelson was given the nod by the Artisans and Ben Woodburn got a rare outing for the Phoenix, although he was replaced very early on. Woodburn’s replacement, Jordan Ayew, had the first decent chance of the game but slid just wide from close range on 31 minutes. The Artisans benefited from that escape immediately. Roberto Firmino leapt highest to head in a superb curling cross to give his team the lead and that was the only score in the first half.

Ayew and Nathan Redmond had been busy for Athletico and it was little surprise when an equaliser came after 73 minutes. Redmond dinked over the keeper to cap off a fantastic team move. There’s an old cliche about it being a dangerous time just after a team has scored. So it proved a minute later as Firmino had time to take a touch ten yards out and find the top corner to restore the Artisans lead. As the clock ran down towards injury time Ayew produced some magic to make it 2-2. He shimmied and pirouetted away from five defenders and sent a delicate chip over the onrushing Artisans keeper.

Had Athletico forced a replay? It wasn’t to be. Lucas Digne kept the clean sheet that sees the Artisans become the seventh different Charity Shield winners.

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How they got there:

Semi-finals

Athletico Phoenix 2 v 0 San Dimas High School (after 1-1 draw)
The Wateringhole Society 3 v 6 The Fabulous Artisans

Quarter-finals

Athletico Phoenix 6 v 1 YTFIB
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum 1 v 5 The Wateringhole Society
San Dimas High School 3 v 1 Markian United
The Fabulous Artisans 3 v 1 Trusted By Millions (after 1-1 draw)