Division 2
After a decade in Xpert Eleven, Smallcaps – a.k.a. Wouter D – is very sadly saying goodbye to the game by quitting on his 10th anniversary tomorrow. He will however be bowing out in style with Nieuwegein Kneebiters’ second consecutive divisional title – perhaps surprisingly only their fifth in total across his 43 seasons in charge at Parkhout, but rather neatly completing at the last a set of winners’ medals for each of the current four OTF divisions. Debuting in Division 1 in Season 22, they won it the very next season, then after peaking at 2nd in the top flight in S30 and dipping down again a couple of times they won the second tier again in S39. The elusive league title was finally landed in S55, then after a complete rebuild from youth and a drop to the bottom division the D3 title followed last season and now the D2 one will be added to the collection as they enter the final day of S64 six points clear.
Wouter's bid to go out with 10 straight wins was foiled at the eighth hurdle last Thursday with a surprisingly one-sided 2-1 defeat at Hampshire Deers, but the Kneebiters returned to their previous form with a 14th win from 17 on Monday, 2-1 at Heffron Hendecagon. Winstanley Wijntuin struck twice in the first half, ruining his own bid to finish the season with exactly 4 goals for a fifth(!) time in succession – he has also now overtaken strike partner Enzo Vermant to move out in front as their top scorer this term with 6, and moves up to =11th (with Milton Wheelan and Nat Osborn) on their all-time standings on 26... though he’ll have to go some in their concluding fixture to get into the top 10 as he’s still five goals short of Neo Myhill’s 31. Heffron’s Hugo Rune pulled one back in the 91st minute, but it was too late to spoil Nieuwegein’s day or to preserve the 5th-placed Hendos’ fine 4-match winning run.
The Biters will have a somewhat depleted side for their final outing under Wouter, as defender Bram Smeets’ booking just before Wijntuin’s second goal at Heffron Park ensured he will be suspended and midfielder Rick Frederick suffered a very nasty injury just minutes later to mean his campaign also ends prematurely. Their teammates though will take the pitch for a valedictory home game against Athletico Deva – an appropriate opposition for the occasion as the two clubs’ history against each other goes all the way back to January 2013 when they first clashed in S26, also at Parkhout, with Smallcaps’ men winning 6-1 that day. His club are 17-8-5 up in the head-to-head, having won 2-0 on opening day this term in their first meeting in 16 seasons. What price a repeat performance today to end with a flourish?
It is Hampshire Deers who are now in pole position for 2nd place, following up that win over the Biters a week ago with a 2-0 stroll at pointless teenagers Indigo Plateau on Monday. That propelled them a point ahead of Wednesday de la Zouch, who rescued an 89th-minute 1-1 draw in the near-namesakes derby at Wensleydale Blues three days ago but now face a direct shootout for 3rd place with Azure Dragons when they collide at the Benabau in their closing fixture. The Dragons are two points behind after a 3-1 win at Great Northern Railway, and indeed could yet finish second if they beat Weds and the Deers also lose at home to the Blues.
Wensleydale certainly have it all to play for, as they sit 7th but just a point ahead of GNR and two ahead of Deva. The 9th-placed Deviants’ own survival hopes took a likely fatal blow in their 2-0 loss at home to Littlewoods Legends, four days after they failed to hang onto a lead in their six-pointer at GNR that ended 1-1, and must now spoil the Kneebiters’ party to stand a chance of hauling themselves out of the dropzone at the last. The Railwaymen have a better chance as they finish at home to the 6th-placed Legends, who have nothing to play for after securing their own safety with Monday’s win.
After a decade in Xpert Eleven, Smallcaps – a.k.a. Wouter D – is very sadly saying goodbye to the game by quitting on his 10th anniversary tomorrow. He will however be bowing out in style with Nieuwegein Kneebiters’ second consecutive divisional title – perhaps surprisingly only their fifth in total across his 43 seasons in charge at Parkhout, but rather neatly completing at the last a set of winners’ medals for each of the current four OTF divisions. Debuting in Division 1 in Season 22, they won it the very next season, then after peaking at 2nd in the top flight in S30 and dipping down again a couple of times they won the second tier again in S39. The elusive league title was finally landed in S55, then after a complete rebuild from youth and a drop to the bottom division the D3 title followed last season and now the D2 one will be added to the collection as they enter the final day of S64 six points clear.
Wouter's bid to go out with 10 straight wins was foiled at the eighth hurdle last Thursday with a surprisingly one-sided 2-1 defeat at Hampshire Deers, but the Kneebiters returned to their previous form with a 14th win from 17 on Monday, 2-1 at Heffron Hendecagon. Winstanley Wijntuin struck twice in the first half, ruining his own bid to finish the season with exactly 4 goals for a fifth(!) time in succession – he has also now overtaken strike partner Enzo Vermant to move out in front as their top scorer this term with 6, and moves up to =11th (with Milton Wheelan and Nat Osborn) on their all-time standings on 26... though he’ll have to go some in their concluding fixture to get into the top 10 as he’s still five goals short of Neo Myhill’s 31. Heffron’s Hugo Rune pulled one back in the 91st minute, but it was too late to spoil Nieuwegein’s day or to preserve the 5th-placed Hendos’ fine 4-match winning run.
The Biters will have a somewhat depleted side for their final outing under Wouter, as defender Bram Smeets’ booking just before Wijntuin’s second goal at Heffron Park ensured he will be suspended and midfielder Rick Frederick suffered a very nasty injury just minutes later to mean his campaign also ends prematurely. Their teammates though will take the pitch for a valedictory home game against Athletico Deva – an appropriate opposition for the occasion as the two clubs’ history against each other goes all the way back to January 2013 when they first clashed in S26, also at Parkhout, with Smallcaps’ men winning 6-1 that day. His club are 17-8-5 up in the head-to-head, having won 2-0 on opening day this term in their first meeting in 16 seasons. What price a repeat performance today to end with a flourish?
It is Hampshire Deers who are now in pole position for 2nd place, following up that win over the Biters a week ago with a 2-0 stroll at pointless teenagers Indigo Plateau on Monday. That propelled them a point ahead of Wednesday de la Zouch, who rescued an 89th-minute 1-1 draw in the near-namesakes derby at Wensleydale Blues three days ago but now face a direct shootout for 3rd place with Azure Dragons when they collide at the Benabau in their closing fixture. The Dragons are two points behind after a 3-1 win at Great Northern Railway, and indeed could yet finish second if they beat Weds and the Deers also lose at home to the Blues.
Wensleydale certainly have it all to play for, as they sit 7th but just a point ahead of GNR and two ahead of Deva. The 9th-placed Deviants’ own survival hopes took a likely fatal blow in their 2-0 loss at home to Littlewoods Legends, four days after they failed to hang onto a lead in their six-pointer at GNR that ended 1-1, and must now spoil the Kneebiters’ party to stand a chance of hauling themselves out of the dropzone at the last. The Railwaymen have a better chance as they finish at home to the 6th-placed Legends, who have nothing to play for after securing their own safety with Monday’s win.
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