Yaxley completed an unlikely double of scoreless draws with two of the top placed UCL clubs this week.

Having ensured their UCL Prem status on Tuesday at local rivals Deeping, it was a trip over to Northamptonshire for the match with Desborough Town.

And despite the home side hitting the crossbar, match reports and people who were at the match say that Yaxley were well in it from first whistle to last.

Well done Clippo and the lads.

“The kids are alright”

If it was a deliberate policy shift by Yaxley FC this season to go for enthusiastic youth over proven experience then it was inspired. If it was as a result of more realistic budgetary needs then it was still inspired!!!

Either way I had more satisfaction and pleasure watching the Young Guns scrapping for a point at reigning league champions Deeping than many a night of my three decades of watching this football club (and I include the not too distant past of steamrollering lesser sides in that).

Something is stirring in this furthest most outcrop of Huntingdonshire, and it is worth watching. As the President mentions in the posting below, football has gone mad and lost its soul, even at this eighth tier, and money and greed has replaced loyalty and cameraderie.

If half of the rumoured salaries and benefits offered to UCL players this season were to be true then we would have a problem. I suspect it could be more, so we have a big problem.

But somehow, amongst the three figured weekly salaries for essentially amateur footballers, Clippo and Seb have been forging a side together full of heart and endeavour. And whilst they have a long way to go in their development, I hope in years to come we can look back on this as a night when they started to come of age.

The good thing is that there is still that smattering of experienced players, who have seen and done it all in the UCL, and I hope that they will stick around to pass on the trade to the new breed.

It is hard to pick out individuals, but fans favourite Anthony “Patrick” Thomas never fails to impress. The little and large front two of Sam Makansi and Josh Crick put an experienced defensive unit to the test, and defensively the Cuckoos were solid.

I came away from Outgang Road with hope for the future. Of course some of the players will be destined to leave us for bigger and better things. So we should enjoy their skills whilst we can and hope that the club stays true to its philosophy of developing local youth and giving them the tools to go a long way in the game. Hopefully with YFC.

United Counties League - Premier Division

Deeping Rangers 0 Yaxley 0

Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Outgoing champions Deepings hopes of a top six finish to the current campaign suffered a major setback and the Cuckoos sealed their Premier Division status thanks to a goalless draw. The Cuckoos put in an excellent team performance that will do much to help restore the support from the local fans. Yaxley started with no fewer than 5 changes to last Saturday’s starting eleven.

Without doubt, man of the match for the Cuckoos was “Pocket Rocket” Sam Makansi whose pace, skill and overall work rate was outstanding and a credit to him. Playing alongside him was fellow U18’s player Josh Crick, whose height, physical presence and determination caused the home defence more than a few problems while Dan Jacobs showed that he is settling in to the Cuckoos line-up, with some excellent link-up play through midfield and penetrating runs down the left side.

Cuckoos’ keeper John Feetham was in confident form as were the back four, marshalled by Matt Parrott. It was refreshing to see Ben Russell, Anthony Thomas an David Blake all putting their foot through the ball and not messing about in front of goal, gifting chances to the opposition.

Skipper Ricky Hailstone returned to duty following suspension and motivated his team throughout the game and Lee Blewett put in another positive performance alongside Teddy Rimmell. Jonathan Griggs came on late in the second half and as gainst Long Buckby last Saturday, showed that he has the makings of a first team player.

The Cuckoos took good advantage of the back wind in the first half, frequently forcing the Rangers defence onto the back foot, and with shots and headers going either just going wide or calling the home ‘keeper into serious action, the Cuckoos could have taken a first half lead.

In the second half, Deeping had the benefit of the wind but only came anywhere close to scoring on a few occasions. At the other end, Yaxley penetrated down the flanks and created several goal scoring opportunities but just couldn’t quite convert them.  At the end of the day, a draw was a fair result and a valuable point to ensure that the Cuckoos need have no relegation concerns.

Cuckoo’s fans will be eager to see if the youngsters that have this season come up through the youth and reserve team squads will be loyal to their club or be lured away by bigger budgets elsewhere. The money flying around the league this season has done little to improve the standard and much to disrupt the continuity and personal commitment of those players who have yet to understand the value of “club loyalty”. Yaxley’s commitment to bringing local youngsters on through the ranks remains a firm policy and trusts that the local players, supporters and sponsors will recognise this as a recipe for success - certainly last nights performance provided the evidence that it can work.

On Saturday, Yaxley travel to 3rd placed Desborough Town who have only been beaten 4 times in the league this season - it’s going to be a tough one but spirits and confidence are up so COME ON YOU CUCKOOS !  The Reserve team entertain Desboroughs’ second string at Leading Drove - 3pm KO.

Yaxley learned their lessons from a recent drubbing by Long Buckby to give the title chasers a scare over the weekend.

The home side finally broke the deadlock after an hour, but the blues levelled instantly through Lee Blewett. It took a goal from Dunkley five minutes from time to seperate the sides.

Yaxley travel across two county borders to get to their local derby at Deeping tomorrow night.

See you there.

Many congratulations to Yaxley FC who have finished runners up in the UCL category of the “Midlands Non-League Football Programme awards”.

 They were beaten in the UCL section by newly promoted Sleaford Town with the overall winners being Conference North side Nuneaton Borough.

The list of winners in full (taken from UCL forum) is…

Midlands Non League Football Programme Awards 2007/08

Overall Winner

Nuneaton Borough

2nd Banbury United
3rd Retford United

Special Edition Winner

Wellington Amateurs
(Friendly v AFC Telford United)

Individual League Winners

Blue Square Premier

Kidderminster Harriers

Blue Square North

1st Nuneaton Borough
2nd Solihull Moors
3rd Tamworth

Unibond Premier

1st Stamford
2nd Leek Town
3rd Lincoln United

Unibond Division One South

1st Retford United
2nd Belper Town
3rd Gresley Rovers

Southern League Premier

1st Banbury United
2nd Corby Town
3rd Halesowen Town

Southern League Midland

1st Chasetown
2nd Rushall Olympic
3rd Leamington

Midland Alliance

1st Coventry Sphinx
2nd Loughborough Dynamo
3rd Studley

United Counties Premier

1st Sleaford Town
2nd Yaxley
3rd Stotfold

United Counties First Division

1st Daventry United
2nd Buckingham Town

Northern Counties East Premier

1st Mickleover Sports
2nd Arnold Town
3rd Glapwell

Northern Counties East Division One

1st Rainworth Miners Welfare
2nd Borrowash Victoria
3rd Dinnington Town

Leicestershire Senior League

1st Barrow Town
2nd Ashby Ivanhoe
3rd Bardon Hill

Central Midlands League – Supreme Division

1st Gedling Miners Welfare
2nd Forest Town
3rd Radford

Central Midlands League – Premier Division

1st Parkhouse
2nd Welbeck Welfare
3rd Sutton Town AFC

West Midlands (Regional) League – Premier Division

1st AFC Wulfrunians
2nd Tividale
3rd Goodrich

West Midlands (Regional) League – Division One

1st Wolverhampton United
2nd Dudley United
3rd Bilbrook

West Midlands (Regional) League – Division Two

1st Wellington Amateurs
2nd Powick

Midland Combination – Premier Division

1st Heather St Johns
2nd Highgate United
3rd Bolehall Swifts

Midland Combination – Division One

1st Droitwich Spa
2nd Earlswood Town
3rd Knowle

Midland Combination – Division Two

Dosthill Colts

Midland Combination – Division Three

Henley Forest

Staffordshire County League

1st Wolstanton United
2nd Hanley Town

Special thanks to all those clubs and individuals who donated programmes for the awards and to Lee Dunkley & Roderick Grubb for help with the judging.

For more information please visit the website.
www.midlandsnonleaguefootball.co.uk

Yaxley’s difficult run of matches against the top UCL sides continued on a stormy Easter Saturday with a trip to this seasons FA Vase heroes, St Ives Town.

And it was the Saints who emerged victorious although the final scoreline of 3-0 was slightly flattering according to Football Mitoo’s match report.

After an early goal for the hosts, the Cuckoos were in the game until goals in the last few minutes killed them off.

No easter Monday fixture for the first team although the second string will look to get back to winning ways in Stamford tomorrow night when they take on Blackstones.

Happy Easter dear readers!

Cycling is done for the day and the weather is shocking so I am taking the opportunity to do some more work on CuckoosComment.

You will notice that there is another new page along the bar above this post. The gallery is some of the photos from the vaults of this site in its various guises over the past few seasons.

For long term supporters the images will evoke some memories, whereas the new supporter can have a look at some of the clubs recent history.

Nice!

Final thing to mention is that I am in a 100km bike event on Sunday. An even which passes through the village at about 55km. So if you are out and about (in the snow!), give me a shout if you see me, or can recognise me under the various layers I am planning on wearing!

United Counties League - Premier Division  - Saturday 15th March 2008
Yaxley (0) - Long Buckby (5)
“There are times when you make excuses and there are times to hold your hands up and admit that you’ve been beaten by a better team - this is one of those times” … that was the post match comment from Cuckoos manager Gary Clipston.

From the start, the depleted Cuckoos (missing Skipper Ricky Hailstone and key defender Matt Parrott) were under the cosh from a slick forward line, assisted by some rather surprising refereeing decisions, all of which seemed to go with the visitors, starting with a mystery penalty that home ‘keeper John Feetham saved superbly.

Although the Cuckoos spent much of the first half on the back foot, they weren’t without at least two good scoring chances that if converted, could perhaps have changed the game before half time.

The Bucks dominated long periods of the game and throughout the entire team, their first touch, composure, flicks, passing, defending (in fact just about every aspect of the game you can think) was excellent and clinical.

The score line of 5-0 suggests a poor game from the home team but that certainly wasn’t the case. As Gary Clipston summarised, there was a lot to be pleased with and keeping in mind the clubs policy to bring the youngsters through, those that played were well and truly blooded and didn’t disgrace themselves with the home crowd applauding both teams at the end of the match.

Without doubt, Long Buckby played the best football seen at Leading Drove this season and ran out deserved winners. They will be fairly confident of taking the points when the Cuckoos play the reverse league fixture at Long Buckby in 2 weeks time.

Elsewhere this weekend, the Reserves shared the points at Woodford and the Under U18’s ran out winners in the PFA Youth Cup semi-final against Netherton

Yaxley travel to St. Ives next Saturday for their league fixture in what will also be a precursor to the Hunts FA Senior Cup Final between the two clubs on Monday 5th May.

The reserves travel to Raunds Town for a mid-week fixture on Tuesday (18th) night.

St. Ives Rangers Colts 1 - (3) Yaxley U15’s
Yaxley U15’s topped off the nights celebrations as they returned to Leading Drove proud victors in the Hunts FA County Youth Cup

Under 15’s manager Glyn Brothwell was delighted with his teams performance, adding the 3-1 victory to their league champions status. The team and their supporters returned from the Huntingdon Town venue to Leading Drove to celebrate their prize and watch the second half of the 1st team cup game. Glyn said that the scoreline flattered St. Ives and the scoreline could have been much bigger but for several missed chances.

The Under 15’s take on Rippingale Rovers in the Youth League Knock-out Cup Final next Sunday (16th March) at Chestnut Ave - 10.30 KO - Come on you young Cuckoos - do the treble!!

Yaxley cruised into the semi finals of the Hunts Premier FA Cup last night with a shock 2-0 victory over UCL rivals and pacesetters Stotfold at Leading Drove.

The Eagles had recently beaten Gary Clipstons side in the league and despite being away from home would have been expected to proceed in this knockout competition.

The gallant Cuckoos didn’t see it that way though and held the visitors at bay in the first half before taking advantage in the second and scoring through new boy Daniel Jacobs and youthful prodigy Sam Makansi.

With a key home fixture to Long Buckby in the league this weekend, this will be a confidence boost going into that match.

Well done to Clippo and the lads  !!