Sunday League season off to a flyer with tribute and goals galore
Minute’s silence at all games as Jim Barry remembered
The Tracey Thomas Leamington and District Sunday Football League returne dlast weekend with a bang with goals galore - but it began with a sombre start.
A minute’s silence was held before every game in memory of Jim Barry, a massive figure in local football and a vice president of the League, who recently passed away.
He was a local player to a very good standard, and then in the 70s, along with his wife Joy, created the enormous footballing entity that is Leamington Hibernian.
Leamington Hibs, as they are widely known, continue to be a thriving success to this day.
Jim will be received into his local church for a Vigil Service on Thursday, 24th September from 6.30-7pm at Our Lady's Church, Valley Road, Lillington, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 7SJ. The Main Funeral Service and Communion Mass will take place on Friday, 25th September from 1-2.15pm at St Peter Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 3A Dormer Place, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5AA. Following the mass, the burial will take place at Leamington Cemetery, Brunswick Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 2EN.
All who knew Jim are warmly welcome to attend to celebrate his life.
A statement from Jim’s family said: “We would like to sincerely thank the wider community for all the wonderful messages of condolences and support we have received.
“Due to the exceptionally large number of people expected and no single venue being large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably, family and friends are warmly welcome to gather at St Patricks Irish Club or Cubbington Sports and Social Club after the burial.”
But football goes on and Hibs made a fine start in Division One that would have pleased Jim Barry, winning 4-0 away at Cubbington Albion
A solitary Joe Wright first half strike separated the teams, but three late second half goals wrapped this one up, Jack Avery with less than 20minutes to go, then James Ward with only seven left on the clock and Charlie Fitzmaurice grabbed the fourth at the death.
Bishops Itchington and Wellesbourne Wanderers drew 1-1.
A 28th minute strike from Craig Watkin put Bishops in front.
It was looking like the points would stay in the village, until Elliot Durbin popped up with three minutes left on the clock to grab an equaliser.
Khalsa A returned from Long Itchington with a 4-1 success.
The Long Men went ahead with a Sam Crawford strike, but Nathan Cadby made it all square before the break.
Josh Mann struck just after the break to put Khalsa ahead, and Cadby scored another with 15 minutes to go.
An own goal made it four and Khalsa took the points home.
In Division Two, a Dylan Wright first half strike put Kenilworth Wardens ahead at Cubbington, then George Wilkinson struck back for Cubbington shortly before the hour mark to share the points in a 1-1 draw.
HRI Harbury losta five-gol thriller 3-2 at home to Bowling Green.
Ed Jolly struck after only six minutes to give Bowling Green the advantage.
It didn’t last long as Max Lambert made it all square again four minutes later.
Bowling Green went ahead again just before the half hour mark with a Junior Arthur strike.
The second half had only just started when Leon Wallis scored to make it two apiece.
The winner came with just over 15 minutes to go, when Callum Stoutt struck to give Bowling Green the points.
Another five goal game came at Kenilworth Town who lost 3-2 to Minds Matter United.
Minds were two up by half time through Josh Tiff and James Bowen.
Tiff added a third just before the hour mark. Town rallied and Josh Cox pulled one back three minutes later.
Ten minutes after that and Lewis Thompson grabbed another. Minds held on, despite the pressure.
Stockton won 1-0 at Central Ajax in Division Three.
A Harry Thompson goal with 12 minutes left on the clock was the decider here, as new boys Ajax were unlucky not to take a point.
A 10 goal thriller saw Southam United Reserves won 6-4 at Chadwick End.
The first ten minutes produced two goals, Riley Birch for Southam and Terrance Morton for Chadwick.
Mark Turner added a second for Chadwick four minutes later and Morton grabbed another 14 minutes later.
Two minutes after that Charlie Ferguson reduced the deficit, but shortly before half-time Oliver Senior restored the two goal difference.
The second half continued to provide plenty of action.
Either side of the hour mark and Oliver Reeves pulled another back for Southam, only for Sam Lange to stick another away for Chadwick.
In the last 10 minutes Archie Beck grabbed another to extend the Chadwick advantage again only for Finn Purnell to score another for Southam to reduce the deficit again.
Ettington Rovers and Heathcote Athletic drew 2-2.
Heathcote went ahead after only five minutes with a strike from Christopher Seaman and Kevin Jones doubled the advantage on the half hour mark.
Ettington came to life on the hour mark when Jordan Pearce pulled one back, but they left it late as Pearce popped up to make it all square four minutes into stoppage time.
FC Kayi 0 Radford FC 3
The battle of the new teams saw FC Kayi from lose 3-0 at home to Radford.
Radford hit the ground running and Dan Bates scored before the half hour mark while David Jones hit a second just after.
Jones wrapped it up with his second with 20 minutes to go.
In Divission Four Balsall and Berkswell and Minds Matter United Reserves shared six goals.
Minds were 3-1 up by half-time, Kyle King grabbing all three, William Morais with the Hornets’ reply.
On the hour mark Kyle Heath pulled another goal back and with 10 minutes to go Ruben Oliveira made it all square again.
Biggest win was at Cov Borough where Khalsa C won 10-0
New boys Cov Borough were still in the game at half-time only three down.
Then the floodgates opened and rampant Khalsa went to town.
Nathan Ozaslan bagged four goals, Callum Jones and Pedro Fernandes netted a brace apiece, and Shaun Watkins and Luca Cefaliello scored the others.
JDS Sporting beat Lillington Juniors 4-1. Equal fastest goal of the day there went to Kai Cranton to give Juniors a third minute lead.
JDS settled and by half-time they had taken the lead with two goals from Steven Thomas.
JDS added twice more in the second half, on the hour mark from Thomas to make his hat-trick, and another from Stephen Minard with 15 minutes to go.
New boys New Spires were off to a flyer, beating Castle United 5-0.
Rhys Waterman set them on their way after 14 minutes. Jack Hayward then grabbed a brace in a six minute spell, both drilled into the bottom left corner leaving the keeper stranded, to make it three by half-time.
Waterman grabbed his second on the hour mark, swiftly followed by Danny Young to round it off with the goal of the game, spinning his defender and finishing with a deft chip into the far corner from the edge of the box.
Real Barston lost 4-1 at home to Midland Rovers.
Tight at half-time with a goal apiece, George Williams gave Rovers the lead after five minutes and Phillip Richardson replied on the half hour.
However, two goals in 12 minutes from Umpha Koroma and one from Daniel Haywood wrapped it up for Rovers.
Wellesbourne Wanderers Devs beat Wroxton 5-0.
Equal fastest goal of the day here on three minutes saw Miles McGarty give Wanderers the start they were looking for while new boys Wroxton were still asleep.
Dylan Schofield and Jack Siviter then also added efforts before the break and two more goals in the last five minutes rounded it off from Joseph Grant and Finley Goodman.