NCP MANCHESTER FC NEWS

NCP Manchester 0-0 Fiveways FC

The Bee's had Gary Kerrigan and Phil Davis to thank as they gained a valuable point against top of the table Fiveways last night.

NCP were, yet again, missing Sam Simpson and Luke Moriarty and drafted in Barry Noble and Neil Pugh. "Neil has fitted in perfectly to be fair, he's big, solid, reliable and strong we've alot to thank him for this season because when he's been needed he's been there and done well." Said player/manager Kerrigan who continues to defy critics and time as he turned back the clock to put in a man-of-the-match performance against the leagues best. Kerrigan blocked six or seven fierce drives from Fiveways top marksmen Ray Brookes and Paul Kappa, NCP 'keeper Phil Davis had his best game of the season so far as he too stopped several great chances to frustrate the league-leaders.

Referee Jeff Jefferson was at the centre of controversy as he denied Fiveways not once, not twice but three times a penalty shout. Davis looked ominously close to the edge of his area in making a one-on-one save from Kappa but the man in the black was deaf to spot-kick claims.

Niyongabo, Kerrigan and Pugh held the Fiveways attacks at bay and the game fizzled out to a draw. NCP remain seventh but content with the point, Neil Pugh spoke to 'furious-pigeon' about the game: "Well, there a good side, very slick and organised but we managed to stave them off, it's a good point, I'm well happy"

1:Davis 2:Kerrigan 24:Pugh 4:Niyongabo 15:Noble(sub:5:Polhill) 25:Guest

STOCKPORT PREMIERSHIP ROUNDUP

Despite only drawing with NCP, Fiveways are still top of the league, one point ahead of Jolly Sailors who beat PSV Hangover by a goal to nil. Next week the Sailors face Reform Club who are hot on their heels, it should be a cracker.

Gala FC are still in fourth place following their 2-0 win over struggling side Swollen Goolies FC, Dan Wheeler was the difference as he scored both goals, Swollen Goolies remain bottom.

Unreal Madrid beat the Mavericks 2-1 to keep up the pace near the top, they are fifth but it could all change on sunday as NCP Manchester face Luke Warburton and Real Reform, there is just a point separating the two sides, so it should be one to watch.

FRIENDLY: Six Amigo's 2-0 NCP Manchester

NCP Manchester were beaten by two goals in a friendly against Six Amigo's, it was never going to be hotly contested but it was good practice: "It's nice to play a game in good spirits like that, I hate losing but I've not had as much fun in a game and laughed so much in years, Niyongabo doing his showman tricks, Kerrigan taking the mickey out of his players and Dean Polhill playing in defence....it was a ace." Spoken from a very jovial Phil Davis. Jake Corrigan scored both of the goals late on, Davis parried a drive from Wallace only for Corrigan to volley the rebound i off the post and with NCP then pushing for an equalizer they were stretched at the back and Corrigan rounded Niyongabo and Kerrigan and nutmegged Davis, it was a superb goal.

1:Davis 2:Kerrigan 5:Polhill 4:Niyongabo 15:Noble 24:Pugh

NEXT FIXTURE:FRIENDLY vs Unreal Madrid 7:30pm

NEXT FIXTURE:LEAGUE vs Real Reform 8:00pm

NCP MANCHESTER FC NEWS

NCP Manchester remain seventh following another 5-0 victory forfeit due to opponents Athletico Pirates failure to appear on sunday night. "Its disapointing that they didnt show up, know whatta mean but we've got the points and we need 'em so we cant complain." Said player/manager Gary Kerrigan. Next week the Bee's have the opposite problem of playing twice! "We've got a friendly against Six Amigo's and we've got a league game against top of the league Fiveways...when it rains it pours innit!?" PSV Hangover had exactly the same result (5-0 forfeit) when Packing Quiche failed to arrive, both 'Packing' and 'Pirates' have been excluded from the league.

NEXT FIXTURE: vs Fiveways FC @hazel-grove rec. 25-05-08 kick off 7:00pm (premiership)
NEXT FIXTURE: vs Six Amigos @hazel-grove rec. 25-05-08 kick off 7:30pm(friendly)

NCP Manchester will be looking for their first piece of silverware in Stockport as they compete for the 'Nivea for men Challenge'-a five-a-side trophy that see's the winners compete in the national finals tournament in Manchester.
The Nivea cup will be Phil Davis' swansong and takes place on sunday 15th june, 2008 at the Stockport Powerleague. The Bee's will be without defender Sam Simpson but hope to have a squad of eight including; Polhill, Niyongabo, Davis, Kerrigan, Parfitt and Pugh.

Jolly Sailors 0-2 Fiveways:Defending champions Fiveways cruised to top spot with a convincing 2-0 win over Jolly Sailors with whom they swapped places, Sailors are joint second on 16 points with newboys The Reform Club FC two points behind Fiveways who are looking to maintain their invincible record of dominating the premeirship with a record fourth successive title.
Reform Club 2-0 Mavericks:The newboys just cant stop winning and they are joint second with Jolly Sailors following a two goal first half as Jak Winterbottom scored the first and made the second.
Unreal Madrid 2-0 Swollen Goolies:Unreal are loitering in fifth place, with intent, they were runners up last season and are pushing up the table again this term. Chris Wallace was the catalyst as he scored two late goals to break down Swollen's resistance and keep them propping up the table.
Six Amigo's 0-1 No Score Draw:Six Amigo's need to win soon as they fell closer to the drop-zone with a shocking performance against No Score Draw who bolstered their survival hopes with this win.
Real Reform 0-1 Gala FC:Luke Warburton's Real Reform side were unlucky against Gala as a last gasp goal from Dan Wheeler pushed the perenial runners up to fourth. Gala are creeping back into the title fold, don't write them off.

PHIL DAVIS NEWS

NCP Manchester 'keeper Phil Davis is set for a permanent move to Birmingham Sunday Leisure League side 'JD Lions FC'.

It is understood that Davis handed in a transfer request that was, reluctantly, accepted by Gary Kerrigan and will leave in june. The move leaves The Bee's without a goalkeeper for the second half of the season. The new season in Birmingham starts on 22nd june, ominously the night NCP play Jolly Sailors in Stockport and Davis was said to have wanted to continue in the north-west but his agent, Mustaffa Ahbet (pictured above) arranged a deal to lure Davis back to his home town for the start of the season: "Well, its a real shame you know, I created NCP Manchester's football team and there is alot of me in the club...fond memories like the tournaments in London and Amsterdam, I've met alot of good people and enjoyed my time immensely but the time has come to move on. I have absolutely no regrets regarding my time in Manchester. But I'm from Birmingham, all of my family are here and I'm excited about the new challenge to be honest."

New Challenge

JD Lions are bottom of the Birmingham Leisure League division four and face relegation, JD midfielder Richard Summerfield told Furious Pigeon: "We'd love to get him (Davis) on-board sooner but we can't complete the move until he is officially released on a Bosman free transfer so without a permanent 'keeper we could face the drop but that's football, if we do go down then we're sure he (Davis) is the man to help us gain promotion."

Been there, Done that

Davis was part of the team that won the Premier Division in the Birmingham leagues before, Furious Pigeon wonderered if he felt like division four or even division five was a step down?

"Not at all, you know, there's some good players in there and it's a good standard, you know, obviously the premier is where we (JD Lions) want to be and you have to start somewhere, so promotion is key...I just hope that my previous experience of winning the premier in Birmingham three times (ahem) will help."

NCP MANCHESTER FC NEWS

THE WILLOW CUP 2008

DE PIJP STADION, AMSTERDAM.

Saturday 15th March 2008

NCP Manchester's long road to the Willow Cup in Amsterdam was well deserved. Their highest ever finish in Stockport Leisure Leagues (3rd) saw them on their way to europe but without their talisman player/manager Gary Kerrigan. The squad lined up as so;1:Phil Davis 22:Mark Parfitt 3:Sam Simpson 4:Abbassy Niyongabo 5:Dean Polhill

Sadly there was to be no fairytale ending as The Bee's were beaten in all three group matches.

Group C

Airbus-Bristol UK 3-1 Searchtec Bracknal

Interserve Durham 4-1 NCP Manchester

Airbus-Bristol UK 1-0 Interserve Durham

NCP Manchester 1-5 Searchtec Bracknal

Searchtec Bracknal 1-2 Interserve Durham

Airbus-Bristol UK 1-0 NCP Manchester

Despite their best efforts, a lack of sociable sensible pre-match preparation meant that NCP finished at the foot of group c and would go home empty handed, instead the plaudits went to Airbus UK of Bristol who won the Willow Cup (Bob Wilson's cancer research charity fund).

NCP MANCHESTER FC NEWS

NCP Manchester 0-3 Unreal Madrid FC

The Bee's poor season got worse last night as they found themselves two goals down in the first two minutes against a buoyant Unreal side, Jay Wilson was on target as he bagged a record-breaking brace which stunned NCP. Madrid sealed the win two minutes from time as Wilson walked the ball around a beleagured Davis to set up Palmer to finish emphatically.

The stifling heat in Hazel Grove didn't seem to phase the younger, quicker Unreal team who never looked like losing the game, NCP were without key players yet again as Simpson (foot injury) and Moriarty (?) were replaced by Pugh and Noble.

Gary Kerrigan played down recent rumours about Dean Polhill; "What Dean does off the field shouldn't affect what he does on the field but I'm starting to wonder. We were terrible tonight, it's the worst performance since I took over, we could've played all night and not scored." Either way, the Bee's have only scored twice in seven games this season and thier once infamous stingy defence is looking weak having conceded six goals in seven.

1:Davis 2:Kerrigan 24:Pugh 4:Niyongabo 5:Polhill 15:Noble

STOCKPORT LEISURE-LEAGUE ROUNDUP

The Reform Club 1-0 Swollen Goolies;Reform are just two points off top spot following their solid performance against against sad-sac Swollen Goolies.

Six Amigo's 0-1 Real Reform;Its the same old story season after season for Six Amigo's who just can't buy a win at the moment but things are looking brighter for under-acieving Real Reform. Luke Warburton seems to have turned things around with the winning goal to push them up to fifth in the table.

Mavericks 2-0 PSV Hangover;Mavericks surprised everyone with a fantastic win over PSV Hangover but it wasn't without controversy, as two penalties turned the game on its head and propelled Mavericks away from relegation and they are now tenth however PSV remain eighth.

Gala FC 5-0 Athletico Pirates;Gala FC reminded every doubter that they will not give up on the title they crave so much for as Dan Wheeler is playing some of the best football of his life and seems hell-bent on achieving that goal. Bitterly dismal result for the Pirates who were looking promising but dropped to ninth place in the league as Gala remain fourth but only three points off the pace and next week the top two play eachother.

Fiveways 5-0 Packing Quiche;Fiveways remain joint top (second on goal difference) having had the result awarded as a 5-0 walkover/forfeit as Packing Quiche have been expelled from the league.

Jolly Sailors 4-0 No Score Draw;Jolly Sailors have consistantly surprised everybody so far this campaign and Lee 'Jog On' Chapman has guided his team to the top, albeit on goal difference. The real test will be next sunday as they clash with defending champions Fiveways.

NCP MANCHESTER FC NEWS

FRIENDLY

NCP Manchester 2-0 PSV Hangover

Dean Polhill fired in the first goal to get in-form and the clincher was a bizarre own goal from Simon Simple in a friendly. 1:Davis 2:Kerrigan 24:Pugh 4:Niyongabo 5:Polhill 6:Moriarty(15:Noble)

LEISURE LEAGUES PREMIERSHIP NEWS

NCP Manchester were awarded the two points and a 5-0 walkover as Packing Quiche FC forfeited the sunday night fixture, the 'win' helps The Bee's to consolidate their meagre league position and they are now up to seventh.

Mavericks 0-1 Fiveways:Fiveways kept up the pace with league-leaders Jolly Sailors with a deserved win over relegation threatened Mavericks.

Unreal 0-0 Gala FC:Stalemate between two of the top teams in the league, Gala still hungry for their first ever title remain in fourth spot.

Athletico Pirates 1-3 Real Reform:Luke Warburton's muc-improved Real Reform side romped to a three-nil lead in the first half against a decent Pirates team who pulled one back late on, it was merely academic as Real look to turn their poor start into a title chase.

Jolly Sailors 1-0 Six Amigo's:League leaders Jolly Sailors maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a narrow victory over perennial under-achievers Six Amigo's who were just not good enough on the night.

Reform Club 1-1 No Score Draw:Lowly No Score Draw were able to hold third placed new boys Reform Club to a draw, both clubs remain unchanged in the league table.

PSV Hangover 1-0 Swollen Goolies:PSV were far better, more organised and they are a technically very useful team and put the game beyond doubt against the sloppy basement boys.