Results

March 2021 Following the withdrawal of City Knights FC for this season the League tables for 5-a-side Division 1 are:_

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L			GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Emerald	4	3	1	0			3	10
2	Club Doncaster Titans Yellow	3	1	1	1			0	4
3	Derek Dooley Blue	3	1	0	2			–1	3
4	Spartans FC	2	0	0	2			-2	0
5

And Premier Division: –

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L			GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Fuchsia	4	4	0	0			4	12
2	Wisewood	2	1	1	0			1	4
3	Derek Dooley White	3	0	1	2			–2	1
4	Club Doncaster Titans Blue	3	0	0	3			-3	0
5

An emotional afternoon as the SYACL pays tribute to Ash Prendergast

Cold, wet conditions can’t prevent a thrilling five-a side afternoon.

It was cold and the rain fell virtually all afternoon, apart from an important twenty-minute window part way through the afternoon; but the weather was pretty much forgotten as the tackles and goals flew in during a thrilling afternoon. Matchday Two of the South Yorkshire Ability Counts League didn’t disappoint, with ten fiercely-contested fixtures spanning two and a half hours of top-level Disability Football at Goals Sheffield, writes Margaret Gregory for www.sheffieldabilitycountsleague.com

The afternoon also featured an emotional tribute to the League’s Ash Prendergast, with Ash’s family and coaching colleague John Nugent there to celebrate the life of this much-loved young man.

As always, all participants were given a temperature check and hand sanitiser before competition started, and teams remained in their bubbles in the holding area between matches; and as usual, our outstanding referees, Sean Wright and Tim Savage kept the action going throughout the afternoon.

Bradford City Fuchsia kicked off the action in the Premier Division on pitch seven with two wins over Derek Dooley White to maintain their one hundred per cent record. Dooley’s Claire Whitham and Dawn Wood take up the story: “This was a very wet, cold afternoon and hard for the lads as they have only been back training for a couple of weeks. These were hard fought matches against an exceptionally good Bradford team, who were the better side. Shaun the goalkeeper was kept busy, the busier of the goalkeepers and stopped quite a few shots – but not enough for us to win.” 

Bradford City DFC Fuschias

This was a closer game than the score suggests, but we put our chances away where Derek Dooley didn’t!
The ladies team played really well together with Jemma and Anna scoring their 1st league goals. The game was backwards and forwards up to 4 – 4, the Derek Dooley keeper was making some great saves but Katy got 3 more in the second half to make 7-4.
The ladies only had 5 players all day and had to work hard to remain top of their league.

Star player Katy Greenwood.
Match report Jaimie.

Club Doncaster Titans Blue got their Premier Division afternoon off to a good start with a 2-1 win over City Knights Red. Here’s Darren Warner, “Our first match was a tight affair with City Knights taking an early lead from a good shot; our keeper got a hand to and put it on the post only for it to come back out and hit the keeper on the back to go in the net. We didn’t let this deter us though and kept it tight till half-time to go into the break only a goal down. We made a couple of changes at half-time which turned the tide in our favour with Liam Westmoreland scoring his first goal for the club shortly after the break to bring the scores level. This then spurred us on and with some good defending to limit the opposition to wayward shots, it was Jamie Courts with a screamer from just over the halfway line to catch their keeper napping in the dying seconds of the game for us to run out winners 2-1.”

In their second fixture on Pitch Seven, Titans Blue encountered a Wisewood side in excellent form. It was a cracking game, with Millie and Sam outstanding for Wisewood in a real end-to-end thriller. “We knew our second game was going to be a tough task with Wisewood being a strong team and tipped as one of the favourites to win the league,” Darren told us. “We held our own for a short while and it wasn’t for the lack of effort from everyone; Wisewood were just a little too strong. We did manage to get on the scoresheet though with a great goal from Jamie yet again. This was what we thought was going to be a catalyst of a comeback, but it wasn’t to be with two goals in the second half from Wisewood, which just finished us off. We played well and on any other given day it could have been closer.”

In the final Premier Division match of the afternoon, and with darkness closing in, Wisewood secured a second win of the afternoon, beating City Knights Red to stay just two points behind unbeaten Bradford City Fuchsia who have maximum points from four games. City Knights Red and Doncaster Titans Blue are locked together on three points, with Derek Dooley White two points back.

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Fuchsia	4	4	0	0	4	0	4	12
2	Wisewood	4	3	1	0	4	1	3	10
3	City Knights Red	4	1	0	3	1	3	-2	3
4	Club Doncaster Titans Blue	4	1	0	3	1	3	-2	3
5	Derek Dooley White	4	0	1	3	1	4	–3	1

In Division One, Bradford City Emerald enjoyed back to back wins over Derek Dooley Blue at the top of the afternoon. Claire and Dawn from Dooley had expected a difficult couple of games. “Another hard match for the team who are just trying to get back into playing after the lockdown break,” Claire admitted. “Fallon was the star all over the pitch with some sterling defending by Cody. The whole team tried their best in the bad weather: the highlight was a goal from Shaq, who dreams of scoring a goal, so we can see his goal celebrations!”

Bradford City DFC Emeralds

The Emeralds won 3-1 against top of the table Derek Dooley; they played really well and thanks to the 3 goals from Suhail and despite Derek Dooley getting a goal back, the Emeralds were in control most of the game. 

The second game was another very close game with only 1 goal separating the 2 teams. Suhail scored 2 and an own goal from Cody, gave us a lucky 3-2 win.
Toby Hunter playing in his first ever adult league games made numerous saves in goal to keep us in the game.

Star player Toby Hunter

Well played all the players it rained the whole time we played and was freezing, but they all kept going until the end.
Match report Paul 

City Knights White got their afternoon off to a fine start with a convincing win over Club Doncaster Titans Yellow. “The Titans took an early lead through a goal from Matthew Blackham and then City Knights put the pressure on by stepping up a gear.” The Titans goalkeeper Bradley Hays pulled save after save off to keep the Titans in the game but unfortunately, two minutes before half-time City Knights equalised, through an unlucky own goal by Shaun Woolf. So, the teams went in at the break 1 – 1.”

“The second-half started as the first-half had finished,” Martin told us. “City Knights scored a second goal from a Titans counter-attack. The Titans heads dropped – but they kept on fighting to win a penalty which Matthew Blackham took and scored making it 2 – 2. Then the game stepped up another gear. The Titans players then started struggling to cope with the pressure, so unfortunately City Knights scored another four goals making the final score 6 – 2.” 

Titans second appointment on Pitch Five saw them up against Spartans. “We knew this game was going to be a tough match because Spartans were relegated from the Premiership last season,” Titans Coach Martin Taylor told us. “Spartans took an early two nil lead then the Spartans lent us one of their players to make the numbers up because we were playing with six players. The Titans scored two good goals from set plays by Matthew Blackham making it 2 – 2. Spartans then scored the third goal just before half-time and with that I thought “here we go again!” but the Titans pulled one out of the bag just before the break through a brilliant goal by Barney Ankers. So, at the half time break it was 3 – 3.

“In the second half the Titans stepped up a gear and they scored another a goal straight away from the kick-off by Matt Rowland,” Martin reported. “Then unfortunately the Titans let another goal in making it 4 – 4. After this the Spartans seems to step down a gear and then we scored another four goals making the final score 8-4. The fifth Titans goal was scored by Matthew Blackham – giving him a hat trick today.

The Division One fixtures rounded off with a hard fought draw between Spartans and City Knights White.

As the rain continued to fall, and the teams headed home in the gathering gloom, Bradford City Emerald could enjoy the view from the top of SYACL Division One; their advantage over nearest rivals Derek Dooley Blue is four points, with City Knights White a further point back. Titans Yellow have four points, and Spartans two after two draws in their four matches so far.

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Emerald	4	3	1	0	4	1	3	10
2	Derek Dooley Blue	4	2	0	2	2	2	0	6
3	City Knights White	4	1	2	1	3	3	0	5
4	Club Doncaster Titans Yellow	4	1	1	2	2	3	-1	4
5	Spartans FC	4	0	2	2	2	4	-2	2

 At around 2.30 pm, the rain relented as the players came together to celebrate the short life of Ash Prendergast. Ash – a former coach/teacher at Doncaster Communication College and School for the Deaf – died in April at the age of just 36. League Chairman Mike Stylianou made a moving speech of remembrance before the players joined in two minutes applause in memory of Ash. Mike presented the family -Ash’s partner Rachel, son George, Ash’s Mum, Dad, brother and sister, and nephew – with medals, photographs, gifts and a match ball. Ash’s buddy James Scally gave Ash’s family a coaching whiteboard he and Ash had used. Fellow Doncaster College Coach and colleague John Nugent offered his own heartfelt tribute to Ash, and Mike extended an open invitation to any SYACL matchdays to the Prendergast family.

So, that does it for competitive action in the SYACL for 2020 – a strange, sad, and forgettable year.  Seven-a-side and five-a-side action is due to resume in January 2021, again without spectators, and ONLY if we can ensure the safety of all of our participants.

In the meantime, www.southyorkshireabilitycountsleague.com and the SYACL Committee wishes everyone a Happy Christmas and a much, much better 2021!

Sunday 18th October 2020 – 5-a-side – Matchday 1

Division One table 5-a-side after Matchday 1 [Sunday 18th October 2020]: –  

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Derek Dooley Blue	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	6
2	Bradford City Emerald	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	4
3	City Knights White	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
4	Club Doncaster Titans Yellow	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
5	Spartans FC	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1

Premier Division table 5-a-side after Matchday 1 [Sunday 18th October 2020]: –  

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Fuchsia	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	6
2	Wisewood	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	4
3	City Knights Red	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	3
4	Derek Dooley White	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
5	Club Doncaster Titans Blue	2	0	0	2	0	2	-2	0

Sunday 11th October 2020 – 7-a-side

– Match day 2

Premier table 7-a-side after Matchday Two [Sunday 11th October 2020]:-

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	City Knights Black	4	3	1	0	4	1	3	10
2	Sheffield Black	4	2	1	1	3	2	1	7
3	Club Doncaster Titans White	4	1	2	1	3	3	0	5
4	D.Dooley Sheffield United Kicks	4	0	2	2	2	4	-2	2
5	Sheffield Red	4	0	2	2	2	4	-2	2

Championship table 7-a-side after Matchday 2 [Sunday 11th October 2020]:–

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Aston Swallownest Red	4	3	0	1	3	1	2	9
2	Bradford City Amber	4	3	0	1	3	1	2	9
3	Derek Dooley Orange	4	1	2	1	3	3	0	5
4	Brunsmeer Awareness	4	1	1	2	2	3	-1	4
5	Wheatley Wanderers	4	0	1	3	1	4	-3	1

Division One table 7-a-side after Matchday 2 [Sunday 11th October 2020]:–

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Blue	4	4	0	0	4	0	4	12
2	City Knights Blue	5	1	3	1	3	3	0	6
3	Club Doncaster Titans Red	5	1	2	2	2	3	-1	5
4	Sheffield White	4	0	4	0	2	2	0	4
5	Bradford City Claret	4	0	3	1	3	4	-1	3
6	Aston Swallownest Blue	4	1	0	3	1	3	-2	3

Sunday 27th September 2020 – 7-a-side

– Match day 1

The wait to resume after Covid-19 is over, although without spectators.

There were goals, thrills, great saves and crunching tackles on all three pitches as the players got back to business for the first time since the start of the year.

Premier table 7-a-side after Matchday One [Sunday 27th September 2020]

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	City Knights Black	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	4
2	Club Doncaster Titans White	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
3	D.Dooley Academy Sheffield United Kicks	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
4	Sheffield Red	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
5	Sheffield Black	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1

Championship table 7-a-side after Matchday One [Sunday 27th September 2020]

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Aston Swallownest Red	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	6
2	Bradford City Amber	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	6
3	Brunsmeer Awareness	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
4	Derek Dooley Orange	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
5	Wheatley Wanderers	2	0	0	2	0	2	-2	0

Division One table 7-a-side after Matchday One [Sunday 27th September 2020]

POS	TEAM	PLD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bradford City Blue	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	6
2	Club Doncaster Titans Red	2	1	1	0	2	1	1	4
3	City Knights Blue	2	0	2	0	2	2	0	2
4	Bradford City DFC Claret	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
5	Sheffield White	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Aston Swallownest Blue	2	0	0	2	0	2	-2	0

Saturday 1st August 2020