Express & Star

Sunday league title race is going down to the wire

The Wolverhampton & District Sunday League title race is going down to the wire – and it could not be closer.

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With two matches to play, Victoria and Codsall Legion Sundats are locked together at the summit on 31 points, with Hawkins Sports six points back, but with two games in hand.

Brad Shinton’s goal was not enough for Codsall in their 1-1 draw with Emerald Athletic, for whom Tom Ray netted.

Codsall did bounce back to beat Down Syndrome Awareness 13-1 and massively improve their goal difference – though it remains eight worse than Victoria.

And Hawkins defeated Warstones Wanderers AFC 2-0 in a double-header with strikes from Matty Bestall and Callum Wood to keep their hopes alive.

In Division Two, Connaught United overcame Tettenhall 4-1 thanks to a brace from Jimmy Hague and single strikes by Shaun Campbell and Dean Phipps. George Maffenden replied with the goal of the game.

AFC KT Rangers’ title hopes were hit by a 3-1 defeat at Belgrade in a double-header – Lee Gray (two) and Andy Turvey on target for Belgrade. They did score a midweek win over Tettenhall, 9-3, while Vybez Warstones Wanderers saw off AFC Perton 6-2.

Division Three champions Ashmore were beaten 2-0 by Balls to Cancer courtesy of goals from Daniel Benbow and Mitch Evans, while Shane Fallington fired Tettenhall Athletic past ECC Sports.

Barnhurst Lane Lions claimed the Division Four crown with a 5-0 victory over Pattingham Panthers, having beaten DY United by the same scoreline in midweek as well. Elsewhere, Warstones Wanderers Wolves Nation defeated Mental Health 10-3 thanks to five strikes from Kyle Matthews, two from Ashley Brown and one each from Nazmul Islam, Hassan Parvej and Asa Mayer. Brandon Jukes (two) and Hudson Arhu got Mental Health’s goals.

Tom Edge’s goal helped Toll House Athletic share the spoils with Walsall Swifts, while Black Country Phoenix won 3-1 at Chase Colts.

Meanwhile, Belgrade will meet Hawkins Sports in the final of the Charity Cup. Belgrade overcame AFC KT Rangers 3-1 thanks to Lee Gray (two) and Andy Turvey, while Hawkins saw off Warstones Wanderers AFC 2-0 courtesy of goals from Matty Bestall and Callum Wood.

And in the final of the CE Yardley Cup, Vybez Warstones Wandrers defeated Belgrade 4-1.

Warstones Wanderers Old Boys beat Diffusion Vets 5-1 to clinch the Beacon Sunday League’s Concentric Property Over-30s Division title.

Nathan Hodge gave Diffusion the lead, but Andre Jones (two), Josh Carvell, Nathan Gray and an own goal fired the Old Boys to the crown.

In the Clinton Cup, sponsored by the Sports Shop, Kingswinford, in-form Sedgley & Gornal United West defeated AFC Goldthorne 3-1 to reach the final.

Ed Tompkins, James Rawlings and Luke Chapman – the latter two from long range – were on target for Sedgley.

In the other Clinton Cup group game, a depleted Brandhall were edged out 2-1 by a well-organised Bloxwich team after goals from Bobby Speed and Kyle Armstrong.

Applications are open for teams to join the league next season. Contact B.Lester@btinternet.com