2008 – 2009

MEN’S ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Officers: Captain Alex Hardman

In what has, overall, been a disappointing season some progress has been made and moments of brilliance have been evident. The prevailing trend over previous seasons of poor performance in the league and improvement in Cuppers continued. Despite a promising pre-season warm-up match, Michaelmas Term produced very few positive results. Because of commitments to the blues team and academia respectively, the mid-field duo of James Kelly and Ronan Ferguson was absent, and the team was forced to deploy relatively inexperienced freshers to fill the gap that their absence created. Furthermore, snowfalls during the season resulted in many fixture rearrangements, which, in these days of afternoon tutorials, classes, and laboratories, inevitably reduces players’ availability. The captain must be congratulated upon, and thanked for, the many hours that he spent throughout the season in ensuring that the college put out a team that was not always as strong as it might be, but which always consisted of at least eleven players in every league match.

In a similar manner to that of recent seasons, Queen’s showed its full potential in Cuppers. In the first round Queen’s were drawn against Premiership leaders New College. In an exhilarating game, in front of a considerable band of supporters, Queen’s held a deserved lead at half-time. The second half was considerably closer and, following a dubious penalty decision, New College drew level 3-3 with five minutes remaining in the match. In view of its past record in penalty shoot-outs, the team went all-out for a winner, and, with a minute remaining, a Harry Taylor header secured victory for Queen’s. In the second round Queen’s faced the prospect of a match against Worcester, which contained six blues and the University’s top striker. Cheered on by a large crowd of supporters Queen’s produced an outstanding performance, and were very unlucky indeed to be beaten by a single scrappy goal.

The second eleven, captained by Thomas Dalton, had a mixed season, losing in the early rounds of Cuppers and finishing mid-table in the league. Despite dominating matches and producing many attractive passing movements, their inability to put the ball into the net often proved decisive. The third eleven, captained and extremely well-managed by Felix Woodward, had a disappointing season, but provided a lot of pleasure for those representing the team.

Thanks must go to all those who represented the club this season, to Martin Cross, the groundsman, and to Peter Southwell, the club’s most dedicated, and sometimes only, supporter. The club is hoping that a large number of players, of all abilities, will emerge from the 2009 freshers.