It was a memorable week of action for UCFB’s sports teams; six of the nine UCFB Football teams lie top of the league heading into the Christmas break, whilst UCFB’s Darts team also secured a thrilling victory.

By Sean McIvor, BA (Hons) Football Business & Media student at UCFB Wembley

UCFB Etihad Campus

Football

Men’s Undergraduate Academy 1 - 0 Liverpool John Moores 2nd Team – Northern Tier 2A
It looked as though UCFB’s Men’s Undergraduate Academy were destined to drop their first points of the season this week; however, they managed to find a breakthrough in the 87th minute through a Liverpool John Moores own goal. The result ensured that the Academy’s 100% record in all competitions remains intact. They currently sit top of the League, with two games in hand on second place Chester.

Men’s 2nd Team 2 - 2 Lancaster 2nd Team – Northern Tier 4C
UCFB Etihad’s 2nd team faced league leaders Lancaster in a match that could have seen UCFB leapfrog their opponents. Ethan Heseltine scored twice from a free kick and the penalty spot, only for Lancaster to equalise through a penalty of their own. UCFB head into the winter break second in the table, but with a game in hand over the unmoved Lancaster.

Men’s 3rd Team 8 - 0 Keele 3rd Team – Northern Tier 6A
UCFB Etihad’s 3rd team maintained their 100% league record in style, and earned their most convincing win of the season, after sinking eight past Keele’s 3rd team. An early UCFB breakthrough ultimately caused the floodgates to open, as Dean Janahi helped himself to a hat-trick, and Jacob Makin claimed a deserved brace. They remain top of the league with a game in hand on second place Doncaster.

Men’s 4th Team 3 - 1 Keele 2nd Team – Northern Tier 6C
In what was the second contest between UCFB and Keele contest this week, UCFB Etihad’s 4th team ran out hard-fought winners over a spirited Keele second string. The win moves UCFB up to the table’s summit, though second place UCLAN have played two fewer games than UCFB.

Women’s 1st Team 0 - 3 University of Manchester 1st Team – Northern Tier 2A
Heading into this week’s derby clash with the University of Manchester, UCFB Women sat third in the league after a tough defeat last week. And with a depleted squad of only 11 players this time around, they struggled to get the ball rolling and fell to a 3-nil home defeat. The defeat means Manchester have subsequently overtaken UCFB in the table, but UCFB do have a game in hand which could see them reclaim their place in the top three.

UCFB Wembley

Football

Men’s 1st Team 1 - 1 King’s College 1st Team – South Eastern Tier 3A
UCFB Wembley’s first-team dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with King’s College, missing the chance to go six points clear of their opponents. They sit top of the South Eastern Tier 3A table, three points clear of second place Kent.

Men’s 2nd Team 2 - 1 Brunel 5th Team – South Eastern Tier 6C
It was more of a positive afternoon for the UCFB Wembley Men’s 2nd team though; they extended their lead at the top of the Tier 6C table to seven points after over-turning a one-goal deficit to beat second-placed Brunel. They remain unbeaten this season, and look destined to lift the league title, at this stage.

Men’s 3rd Team 2 - 1 LSBU 1st Team – South Eastern Tier 6D
UCFB headed into this game with a chance to move to within a point of opponents LSBU in the league, and they showed early signs of their intent by opening the scoring inside the opening ten minutes. However, a determined LSBU fought back to equalise moments before half time. Their resurgence was short-lived though, as a revitalised UCFB emerged as the strongest of the two sides in the second half, grabbing themselves a goal that secured the points. A solitary point now separates the sides heading into the winter break.

Women’s 1st Team 3 - 2 Surrey 1st Team – South Eastern Tier 2A
UCFB’s Women’s Undergraduate Academy side remain unbeaten in all competitions; two first-half goals from Charlie Cowper and Anya Kinnane gave the impression that the girls were on course to earn a comfortable three points, but Surrey came out fighting after the break to draw level, scoring two goals in four minutes. Nevertheless, the drama continued to unfold, as substitute Katie Dearling notched a late winner. UCFB are now two points clear of second place Kent at the top of the table, with an extra game in hand.

Darts

UCFB Darts Team 9 - 7 South Harrow Legion – Harrow and District League Division A
Whilst UCFB’s Rugby Union, Netball, Tennis, and Basketball teams weren’t in action this week, UCFB’s Darts Team bounced back from last week’s draw with Bacon Lane in emphatic fashion after beating South Harrow Legion by 9 legs to 7.