Page 88 - Phonebox Magazine December 2014

Newport Pagnell Town Football Club
Newport Pagnell Town continued to create drama in cup matches in their Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy match away at Holmer Green. After being down to 10 men and losing 3-1 with only nine minutes remaining, Newport
managed to score three late goals and get a 4-3 win to take them into the next round. Ben Shepherd’s goal after 81 minutes gave them some hope and Keith Williams second goal of the match after 88 minutes levelled the scores. Dom Lawless continued his good goalscoring form to complete a remarkable comeback with a winning goal three minutes into added time.
Newport remained in ninth place in the UCL Premier Division after some mixed league results in late October and the first half of November. A 2-0 home win over Harborough Town was followed by a disappointing 4-2 away defeat at Wellingborough. A good Holbeach team that is in second place in the league then won 3-1 at Willen Road. After those two defeats Newport did pick up a point from a 1-1 draw away to Boston Town, which is always a difficult match. A look at the results of Newport’s last few matches shows that they are scoring a lot of goals but are conceding too many – 20 goals scored but 22 conceded in nine league and cup matches from the beginning of October to mid-November. They have scored three goals or more on five occasions, but they have also conceded three goals or more on five occasions. With an average of almost five goals per game being scored in those nine matches supporters can’t complain about the entertainment value, but they will be hoping that Newport can maintain their scoring record but give less away defensively during the rest of the season.
Some bizarre fixture scheduling by the United Counties League sees Newport with only one home match in December. A Tuesday evening match against Cogenhoe United at Willen Road on Tuesday 2nd December (7.45pm) is followed by away matches on all four Saturdays in the month, at Peterborough Northern Star (6th),
Olney Tennis Club
Adult Teams – Sponsored by Stephen Oakley & Co
For the winter season, we have entered a record eight teams which is giving everybody a chance to play team tennis.
A highlight so far has been the Olney B v C team derby. The newly promoted C team played inspired tennis to win 5-3 thanks to Jill Bradford, Lynda Baker, Brian Worsfold and Andrew Barr who won against Beryl Rook, Eleanor Carter, Simon Barter and Chris Wright.
The E also played the F team where the E team won 8-0. The E team were represented by Nick Hardy, Jacqui Thorn, Tim Ball and Liz Brewster and the F by Stefanie Price, Vanessa Drury, Josh Dodd and Ian Brewster.
The D team started their campaign against a very strong Woburn Sands A team, losing 2-6 despite great efforts by Paul Wheeler, 88 Phonebox Magazine
Deeping Rangers (13th), Long Buckby (20th) and Kempston (27th). Unbalanced scheduling of fixtures with several consecutive home or away matches is not new in this league, but Newport’s programme in December is extreme even by UCL standards.
Don’t miss your only chance to see the first team in action at Willen Road in December on Tuesday 2nd (kick-off 7.45pm). If you don’t go to the
Graham Cole, Mandy
Day.
We now have two Bucks Mixed Vets sides and both have kicked off with good wins. Our A Vets carried on from last season in the same manner winning 8-0 v High Wycombe thanks to Phil and Jane Anderson, Stephen Bateson and Gill Hogston.
Then our new B Vets team won 5-3 v
Gerrards Cross Dukes Wood with good performances from Emma Maitland, Nick Hardy, Jacqui Thorn and Steve Fender. Our good start will have been helped by the Mixed Doubles team coaching sessions offered free to D-F and B Vets team players to hone their skills.
Junior Play – Sponsored by Captain Carpet
Well done to Ethan Walker for winning the 12 and under LTA tournament at Halton and also to Lottie Maitland who has earned a place in the County squad.
Suzie Cornwell keeps on performing well and was runner up in her last event.
Coaching
What about giving tennis lessons to someone this Christmas? Or setting
Elliott and Christine