Club Notes 30 November 2015

A less than successful week-end for Achilles with the Seniors, at home, exiting the 2nd round of the Suffolk Senior Cup at the hands of Grundisburgh while the Inter As were only able to salvage a single Inter A League point at lowly Old Newton. There's quite a story or two behind both matches.

The Seniors welcomed Grundisburgh for the second time this season to Salmet Close with every intent to avenge the 3-1 defeat our visitors handed out to us in the SIL Senior League game in September. For much of the initial 90 minutes of Saturday's match Achilles were in the lead courtesy of a drive through a gaggle of players by top marksman, Liam Hillyard, and although not playing with the sparkle displayed in recent games, it seemed likely with just 15 minutes remaining that 1-0 might be the final score. A golden chance presented itself to double that lead, but squandered, and almost immediately a fine solo run by our visitors', Trenter, saw him notch a superb equaliser. Almost immediately a further chance presented itself to us to proceed to the next round but passed up and, from thereon, and into the 30 minutes extra time Grundisburgh always appeared "more up for it" and they proceeded, via an ultimate 3-1 margin again, deservedly through to the next round. One Achillian who did "sparkle" was Keiron Donovan who worked so very hard in midfield and he was certainly my "Achilles' man of the match".

Never mind, lads, there's still the League and the Bob Coleman League Cup to go for!

Meanwhile, the Inter As were playing out a 3-3 draw in a game which had a remarkable resemblance to the same fixture last season when Achilles, going for the League title, came unstuck by 4-2 against a lowly Old Newton opposition. This time our performance was not helped by the behaviour of one of our lads who deservely received a red card and our 2-0 lead became a 2-3 reverse with just added time available. Happily, the 10 men made it a draw right at the death with that point, in fact, consolidating our position at the top of the table. Marksmen were Micky Adams and one each for the two McCarthys.

In the evening the Pauls' Race Night was a most enjoyable occasion and a goodly sum accrued to the pitch maintenance account to the undoubted pleasure of award-winning, voluntary groundsman, Darryle Flegg. Finally, a reminder that Xmas Draw tickets are now in full circulation and counterfoils, and prize donations, can be handed in right up to 7 30 pm on Sunday 27 December at HQ, the Pauls' Club.