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Eye ready to mount a
strong title challenge
Football action from Netherton v Oundle. Photo: Alan Storer/Peterborough ET (METP-21-01-12AS052)
EYE Sports chief Gino Agius is convinced his side can mount a strong title challenge - and the manager beaten by them at the weekend agrees.
The local lads have made a sizzling start to 2011 with three successive victories - the latest being a 2-0 success over big rivals Peterborough Sports on Saturday.
Ryan Francis and Jamie Graham strikes settled a contest that featured three dismissals to move Eye level with their victims and title favourites Pinchbeck in joint second spot - three points behind leaders Kings Cliffe.
Agius said: “We controlled the game from start to finish on Saturday and the scoreline didn’t flatter us in the slightest. We could easily have scored six or seven.
“Our lads are buzzing and we’ve got a great spirit on and off the pitch, but we’re keeping our feet on the ground.
“I truly believe we are capable of challenging from here though. Pinchbeck are still the favourites but we can push them hard.
“I feel Pinchbeck will need to drop 10 points for us to stand a real chance and they’ve dropped four in two weeks so hopefully that will continue.”
In theory Eye are actually top of the table now due to being awarded three points following the late postponement of a pre-Christmas clash at Whittlesey. That adjustment is not yet showing on the official standings but Agius hopes it soon does.
He added: “We’ve got the three points to come that will put us top and that might give us a psychological edge.
“I just hope that the six points Pinchbeck have picked up against us aren’t crucial. We certainly thought we should have won at least one of those games.”
Peterborough Sports finished Saturday’s clash with nine men after defenders Kevin Holt and Darren Fogg were both dismissed for collecting two cautions.
Eye hitman Dwayne Rankin was also dismissed for picking up two yellow cards - both for reactions to the challenges that led to Fogg’s bookings.
Peterborough Sports were without a recognised goalkeeper after number one Marcin Lubniewski had to return to Poland due to a family bereavement. The club’s reserve keeper was also unavailable so outfield player Neil Godhania donned the gloves.
They also saw a Gerard Evans penalty saved. They’ve now failed to convert their last three spot-kicks with three different players fluffing their lines.
Peterborough Sports boss Chris Bartlett said: “I wouldn’t bet against Eye winning the league as they have so much attacking talent.”
n GOALKEEPER Jamie Lowndes turned goalscorer for Deeping Rangers Reserves on Saturday.
Lowndes found the net with a 60-yard free-kick to equalise in a 2-1 success over second-bottom Parson Drove.
It is the second successive season in which the keeper has found the net. He converted a penalty in the final game of last season when playing for champions Ramsey.
Deeping boss Andy Bailey said: “Jamie has a hell of a ping on him. He thinks he should be on all set-pieces!”
Lowndes’ leveller was followed by a last-gasp Matt Simpson winner which arrived from a phase of play which followed the award of a corner which was hotly-contested by Drove.
Bailey added: “We were just glad to win to be honest. Some of the abuse myself and our team were getting from the Drove players and bench was beyond disgusting.”
Drove had hit the front through Scott McManus but later had Wes Boughen dismissed for picking up a second booking.
Boss Nick Markillie said: “Things just never seem to go our way. It was a goal-kick all day long at the end yet the referee gave a corner and that led to them getting a winner. Our lads are gutted.”
n PINCHBECK were left cursing a catalogue of missed chances on Saturday. The title favourites had to recover from a 3-0 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 with Uppingham in a wind-affcted clash.
Two Martin Turiccki beauties and a David Laughton penalty left Pinchbeck up against it, but they hauled themselves level during a rip-roaring start to the second half thanks to an Andy Law brace and a Tom Gosling effort.
Player-boss Ian Dunn admitted: “We could easily have won the game 10-3 and that’s despite a shocking first-half performance.”
A bigger blow than dropping two points could be the loss of Dunn to a knee injury. He was forced off after 25 minutes on Saturday and fears he could have sustained ligament damage.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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