Cosmos turn on style in final match

IT IS hard to believe that the end of the Northwards Shetland Works League season has come again. And what a good one it has been with a rare good summer, pitches in great condition and hardly any postponements.

Coupled to that were two new teams, some great games, good battles for the top, middle and bottom league places, and new champions.

Cosmos finished off their league-winning season coming from behind to beat Banks in an entertaining match, Wrultizers secured fourth spot after beating their nearest rivals Mossbank and Chernobyl finished third with a close win over Wast Linga Ramblers.

This weekend sees the Association Cup Final with Chernobyl meeting Cosmos. Also, the final league game will be played when Tizers travel to Whalsay in a re-arranged match against Wast Linga Ramblers.

Northwards League

Wrultizers 6, Mossbank 0

Good work by Chilean Orduna created the first goal as he glided past his man to send in a perfect cross which the Mossbank defence could only deflect up into the air for the ever predatory Danny Carter to head in.

Wrultizers continued to dominate and Orduna pounced on the loose ball to finish well despite a couple of heroic attempts to clear by the Mossbank defence. Unfortunately one of these attempts to clear wiped out Mossbank keeper Ben Fulton who had to be substituted.

After half time Orduna fired in a low cross which was handled in the box and David McShane made no mistake from the spot.

Minutes later the game was effectively killed off when Andrew Boyd found himself free on the right and he fired in a long range howitzer which beat the keeper at the near post.

Carter made it five when tapping into an empty net after stand-in keeper James Manson’s long kick bounced over the Mossbank goalie, and substitute Chris Polson completed the Tizers’ tally.

Wast Linga Ramblers 1, Chernobyl 4

Chernobyl dominated the opening exchanges taking a deserved lead after quarter of an hour. Robert Wright broke down the left to provide a pinpoint cross for Robbie Goudie and despite keeper Gary Leask getting a hand to his downward header Sammy Sjoberg was on hand to fire home the opener.

The hoops soon doubled their advantage when Wright beat marker Fraser Thompson to head home a driven corner from David Smith.

Chernobyl continued to threaten with a series of set pieces without being able to add to their early lead. The men from the Bonnie Isle, however, were unable to trouble keeper Colin Fraser with many of their first half attacks floundering on the defensive rock that was Jimmy Mercer.

Ramblers started the second period on the attack only to fall further behind on the hour mark. Peter Smith set off on a rampaging run down the left and after riding a couple of hearty tackles, smashed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

The goal saw Chernobyl sit back and Wast Linga’s Neil Eunson duly punished them when he finished off a good move with a 20-yard screamer into the proverbial postage stamp.

Any hopes of an unlikely comeback were quickly ended when Goudie turned smartly in the box to fire home the fourth.

Banks 2, Cosmos 6

Cosmos started with a changed line up with one eye on the final this weekend. Banks opened up the scoring in the second minute when Chris Duncan’s superb free kick was met by a bullet header from Michael Reid. Cosmos soon replied through Gregory Majeowski who also scored the second after a fine pass from Gary Wiseman.

Banks created several chances with strikers Jeremy Duncan and Aaron Priest going close.

The second half started with defender turned striker Mark Hunter who somehow managed to outsprint the defender and score a well-taken goal.

Banks replied again after Duncan played in Priest who scored with a well-taken goal.

Cosmos had a series of substitutions, and with Banks now tiring opened up the scoring again with Tor-Neil Halvorsen.

Kenny Saunders scored not long after and Darren Johnson made it six.

Wrultizers 4, Chernobyl 0

Wrultizers came into the match fearing the worst as holidays, injuries and a dodgy bannock left them depleted in numbers but they still managed to rustle up two substitutes.

Chernobyl, however, could only look at the Wrultizers bench and drool as their exit from the title race had seen interest levels drop alarmingly with only nine players turning up.

With one team fragile after previous nights’ shenanigans and the other depleted in numbers it was more like a training match which was all over as a contest when Danny Carter raced in to open the scoring.

Carter continued his impressive exploits this season by scoring another three, the pick of which was a volley following a Niall O’Rourke flick-on from a Mark Davies cross.

This crucial win leaves the Tizers just one point away from guaranteeing fourth spot ahead of their north rivals