30 September 2016

 

Both the first and the second team got their season underway in September with the first team competing in four games and the second team opening their GFSN League campaign.

 

The 2016-2017 season sees the first team enter a Saturday league for the first time in their history. The move to the Lancashire & Cheshire League requires a lot more organisation and it is a credit to the management and committee that all games, and the administration around them, have passed without incident.  

 

On the pitch the team have taken to the new standard of the league very admirably. The campaign kicked off in atrocious weather at Flixton Park with Old Stretfordians 2 the opposition. Village started the game well and should have been in front within the first few minutes as Nunes broke clear. Unfortunately his effort was straight at the keeper who rebounded the ball to safety. Against the run of play Old Stretfordians broke away and scored the opening goal to go into the break 1-0 up. In the second half Village put in lots of effort but the opposition chose their attacking forays smartly and scored two more to give the score line a slightly unflattering 3-0 look.

 

Next up was Chorltonians Villa at Hough End and again Village went into the break 1-0 down. However in the second half they were able to convert a couple of the numerous chances they were creating as Nunes and Thomas earned Village their first points of the season.

 

The team was able to immediately double their points tally courtesy of another 2-1 victory – this time against Hillgate at the University pitches in Wythenshawe. As is seemingly customary, Village went into the break a goal down but a spirited second half saw Thomas grab another goal and Wilson nod home a lovely header.

 

The final game of the month was at Glossopdale Community College in Hadfield as the team faced Tintwistle Athletic 3. The game was played on a 3G pitch in very windy conditions and a keenly contested game ended all square with both team unable to find the back of the net.

 

The second team had one game in September and this was in Division One of the GFSN League following their promotion last season.

 

The sun was beating down on the pitch at Middleton Leisure Centre in Leeds as the team took on Yorkshire Terriers.

 

The second team included seven new players making their debut for the club and it took a little while for the players to gel. The game was effectively ended as a contest within the first 30 minutes as the ‘referee’ astonishingly awarded the home team three penalties – all of which they duly dispatched. 

 

Feeling aggrieved Village composed themselves at half time and came out in the second half all guns blazing. There was much better interplay and the smart movement was rewarded as Kurucz expertly found the back of the net at the back post. 

 

Any hope of a comeback was swiftly ended with another questionable refereeing decision allowing Yorkshire to score when their attacker looked well offside. With Village chasing the game and trying to claw back the deficit, Yorkshire took advantage and bagged themselves three more goals.

 

Both clubs have a busy schedule to look forward to in October with games coming thick and fast. 

 

See more of our Etihad photoshoot pictures here.

 

Words: Rob McPherson

Photos: Steve Joyce