Sat XI Review
It was Stuart Robinson’s fifth season in charge and when possible (due to work commitments) Nigel Beck was his ‘assistant’. Lost from last seasons’ squad was Pokin Cheung and Matt Purbrick. Coming in on a regular basis were Ben Machin and later in the season Ted shores. Last season the side was viewed as very young with an average age of the squad being 21.4. Believe it or not the average age for this season was again 21.4 with 30 players used this season compared to 32 in 2009-10. Of the 30 players used no one was ever present with Ben Deakin, Mark Jordan and Ben Machin only missing two each. Of 25 games played only 9 played 18 or more while a further 9 played in 3 or less. On a discipline front cautions went down from 19 to 13 and red cards from one to nil. The team failed to score on 5 occasions compared to 3 last season. Similar to last season two clean sheets were recorded. The biggest win was a 7-4 victory over Horncastle while the worst defeat was to lose 7-3 at home to RM Imp. The worst run was losing the last five games and failing to win in the last ten. The best run was winning three during January. Two doubles were recorded against Fulbeck and Horncastle with five conceded. For a second season in a row the club went out in the first round of the three major cup competitions. Ben Deakin was the top scorer with 9 goals with Mark Jordan the only player to score a hat-trick (last season 8 were scored). 45 goals were scored in the 25 games played at an average of 1.76 per game (last season we scored 82 in the same number of games (av. 3.28). On goals conceded there were 67 at an average of 2.68. (last season it was 65 – av 2.60). Three players played their 150th club game, Billy Fox, Guy Goodwin and Ash Woodhall with Matt Robinson making his 100th sat XI appearance.
Sept.
The season got off to a great start with a 2-0 victory over Waddington but the rest of the month saw exit from three cup competitions. First a long trip to Immingham Bluestone saw a 7-3 defeat in the Junior Cup. Then Fulbeck were to end any progress in the Amateur Cup before Cherry Knights (who would drop out of the league) ended in David Cooper Cup hopes. League position 6/12
Oct
October opened with an unlucky 2-1 home defeat against Nettleham and then some how RM Imp got a 1-1 draw on their ground. The month ended winless with Cherry Knight’s once again ending progress I the Village Trophy - league position 7/12
Nov
November produced a 5-2 home win over Middle Rasen with five different players scoring but the only other game saw Nettleham, narrowly, complete a league double with another 2-1 win. league position 7/12
Dec
The whole of December was lost to the weather
Jan
The new year saw the start of the sides best run with a first away win of the season secured with a 4-2 win at Fulbeck. Middle Rasen were then beat 3-0 in the Richardson Trophy and Horncastle were beaten 7-4 with Mark Jordan getting the only hat-trick of the season. The three match winning run ended with Washingborough becoming another side to narrowly win, 2-1 at the end of the month League position 6/12
Feb
Any further progress in the Richardson Trophy ended in with another defeat by the odd goal with Nettleham winning 4-3. The side then picked up a first league double with a 3-1 win over Fulbeck. This proved to be the last ‘win’ of the season but once again the month closed with a 2-0 defeat at Mkt Rasen. League position 6/12
March
March opened with a heavy 5-0 defeat at champions elect Ivy Tavern before Market Rasen completed their league double with a 3-0 victory. This was the third game in a row the side had failed to score. The club was then awarded the points for Horncastle failing to fulfil (thus giving Metheringham a second league double) but for yet another month, it closed in defeat with Ivy Tavern completing double with a 5-1 victory. League position 7/12
April
The final month, the busiest of the season with five games, started with a goalless draw at a boring Middle Rasen who played with ten men behind the ball at home. A trip to Wahsingborough ended with a 4-2 defeat and then a home ‘night’ game against Rustons ended with a disappointing 2-1 defeat. This was followed with an inept performance against RM Imp who inflicted a heavy 7-3 home defeat before Waddington reaped revenge for the early season defeat with a 3-1 win. The season closed disappointing with a fifth straight defeat as Rustons became the fifth side to complete a double. Final position 7/12