The opening night of the new Spalding and South Holland Voice 6-a-side League season had it all at Surfleet’s Glen Park.
Ambulances, unbeaten runs ending with a bang, surprise results and goals galore were the order of the night on Monday as the league returned with a real bang.
A nasty ankle break to Mail Carter’s Joe Lewsey overshadowed an otherwise fiery and exciting night, which saw defending Division One champions Polishborough beaten for the first time in 30 matches.
New team The Squad got the top tier under way – and will be delighted with the performance they offered against last season’s third-placed side Univeg Team.
The Squad were organised, prepared and above all talented, despite going down 1-0 to the boys in blue.
Juan Carlos Escobar walked away with the first man-of-the-match (MOTM) award of the campaign.
Game two saw Division Two champions Simple FC suffer a crushing defeat in their first fixture back in the top tier.
Last season’s runners-up and surprise outfit Pro Ballers strolled to a comfortable 4-1 win in that one, with Declan Earth named MOTM.
Tekkers, meanwhile, secured a big 2-0 win against You’ve Got No Fans as they hit the ground running in the new season.
Their early-season form was their downfall last campaign and they’ll be keen to rectify that this time around.
Despite the result, Charlie Eccott picked up MOTM for the losing side.
New side East Europa then introduced themselves to the league with a 9-1 thumping of relegation-favourites Old Boy Coaches.
A streamline, lethal and overruling performance from the Baltics saw them take the biggest victory of the night. Michal Soltysik was MOTM.
After securing promotion with almost the last kick of the game, Evolution won their first game in the top tier 2-0 against Mirror Signal Malouda, who narrowly avoided the drop themselves last time.
Macauley Grimwood was named MOTM in that clash.
Then came the shock of the night as Polishborough, who managed to complete all of last season unbeaten, were beaten 1-0 by Notinmymums Forest.
The Poles were left frustrated and cursing their lack of firepower as they failed to break down the solid wall of Forest, including that MOTM James Kingston.
Division Two got under way with Dynamo Kiev succumbing to a surprising 2-1 defeat against an overjoyed Mail Carters side.
Reece Harker secured MOTM for Carters as they left buzzing with this win.
Then came a default 5-0 win for Tekkerslovakia as Hardly Athletic failed to turn up for their clash. As a result, they’ve been removed from the league and will be replaced.
Worse was to follow, as Mail Carters and Tekkerslovakia squared off in a friendly, during which Lewsey – who had just scored the winner in the previous game – suffered a broken and dislocated ankle. Thanks go to to the ambulance crew who attended.
Back on the pitch, a professional showing from Sarah’s Boys saw them turn over The TBME 3-0.
Cameron Walker made the difference with his MOTM showing.
Meanwhile, relegated Bowlcut Wanderers started their campaign with a defeat, going down 5-1 to BK’s Athletic. The game wasn’t as one-sided as the scoreline suggests and it was very even up to the final five minutes. Liam Ford was MOTM.
Goaldiggers then beat Balotellitubbies 4-1 in a resounding performance, with Dan Woods the MOTM.
The final game saw Posh Old Boys determined to put last season behind them – and did so in fantastic style, beating Nibblesborough FC (formerly Le Saux Solid Crew) 8-4. Posh had Matthew Black to thank as he put on a MOTM display.
Monday’s fixtures
D1: 7pm – Polishborough v Univeg; 7.40pm – East Europa v YGNF; MSM v N Forest; 8.20pm – Tekkers v The Squad; 9pm – Pro Ballers v Evolution; Simple FC v B Coaches
D2: 7pm – Mail Carters v T’vakia; Bowlcut Wdrs v Dynamo Kiev; 7.40pm – B’tubbies v The TBME; 8.20pm – N’boro FC v BK’s Ath; Sarah’s Boys v TBC; 9pm – Posh OB v Goaldiggers.
