2014 – 2015
MEN’S ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL
Officer: Captain John Church
This season has undoubtedly been a huge success for Q.C.A.F.C., with all three men’s teams triumphing in different ways. A third promotion and title win in a row for the 2nd XI, promotion to the first division for the 1st XI, and a successful and enjoyable season for the Animals ensured that there was competitive football for all club members over the course of the season.
For the 1st XI the start of the season was a little slow, but hard-fought. Having just missed promotion the year before, the team was keen to make immediate amends. The first game was against St John’s and resulted in a third 1-1 draw, after two identical results last season. The next game, away against Jesus, started in a similar fashion, the team finding itself 2-1 down at half-time. Thankfully the ever-reliable Dan Williams arrived in time to score with a long-range drive cheered on vociferously by the small band of supporters. More goals followed, assisted and finished off by Joel Knight and Andrew Silley, leaving Queen’s 5-3 winners. At this point the Cuppers campaign began and in the first round Queen’s beat a tough Lincoln side, a team in the division above, by 2-1 thanks to two goals from Karl Heilbron. Sadly, the Cuppers adventure went no further than a 2-0 home defeat by L.M.H., a decent side, which went on to make the semi-finals, but some sloppy defending and an inability to take chances allowed L.M.H. to win a very even match.
The team bounced back immediately from the Cuppers exit defeating a weak Corpus/Linacre side 6-1 and Magdalen 3-1. The team had begun to click, particularly the midfield trio of Danny Simpson, Williams and Silley, accompanied by Charles Hicks and Knight on the wings, who dominated at every possible opportunity. Heilbron was knocking in goals up front, while James Colenutt was keeping everything out in goal, leaving the team in an excellent position to push for the title. The main rivals were Pembroke, who had defeated Queen’s twice in the 2013-14 season by 2-1. A Hicks header put Queen’s ahead but two goals from Pembroke sealed victory by the usual score. The loss did not completely stop the team’s momentum, however, as it went on to record a 7-2 victory against Trinity and then finally overcome St John’s with a Hicks goal in the last second of a close game to win 2-1, a satisfying end to a mixed term.
Hilary Term started well with a solid 2-1 victory over Jesus. The next match was against Pembroke which provided the team with a chance to replace them at the top of the table. This was the team’s final chance to become league champions, but sadly it was not to be, the better side racing away after a tight first half to take the match 5-2. However, victories over Corpus/Linacre (6-0), Trinity (5-0) and, in the last match of the season requiring a point to ensure promotion, Magdalen (1-0) assured next season’s first division status.
The 2nd XI had an even more successful season than the 1st XI, finishing top of its league, and thereby gaining promotion to the premier division, by winning every match. The team was captained for the first part of the season by Christian Bevan and, after Bevan’s indisposition, by Charles Harrison, and their efforts in ensuring that the team spirit was good and that full teams were raised played a big part in the team’s success.
The season began with three emphatic performances against New College, St Peter’s and St Catherine’s which brought thirteen goals, three each of which were scored by Jesse Matthews and Bevan, whilst goalkeeper Isaac Vivian conceded only one goal. The league season was interrupted by Cuppers in which Queen’s were drawn against New College in the first round. The New College team bore little similarity to that of the earlier encounter, and a tense match in which the defence consisting of Dave Warrell, George Driscoll, Ryan Howsham and Mark Eastall seemed impenetrable until it was breached with ten minutes to go. Inspired by the efforts of Will Stone the team fought back in the last minutes with a fine half volley from Andrew Russell. Extra time and penalties followed and Queen’s were left disappointed. Spirits were soon lifted as, in the league, Queen’s brushed past Pembroke, St Hugh’s, with two late goals from stalwart Dan Iley-Williamson and Harrison, Balliol by 6-1 which included a hat trick from Caleb Morris, and, finally and emphatically, L.M.H. by 7-2.
The season has been a successful one for the Queen’s men’s teams. It is always sad to see members of the team leaving but particularly so in the case of two Q.C.A.F.C. past presidents who have both played a record number of games for all three teams and whose enthusiasm has been inspiring, namely James Colenutt and Dan Williams.
WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL
Officers: Captain Lydia Cockburn; Secretary Sophie Ward
Having been promoted to the second division in 2013-14, the Queen’s team was prepared for a challenging season in which it would face many strong teams and enjoy a higher level of football than in previous years. The team rose to this challenge, winning three out of five league matches and finishing third in the table. Its biggest success, however, was in Cuppers, in which Queen’s reached the semi-final stages.
The season started well with three consecutive victories, 2-0 against Wadham, 4-0 against New College, and 6-0 against Exeter. The first defeat of the year followed in a Cuppers match which ended 5-1 to Somerville, but Queen’s made it through to the knock-out stages as the second-best runner up across the groups. A league game against eventual Cuppers champions, Foxes, ended 3-1 to the opposition, but provided valuable practice for the quarter-final the following week in which Queen’s were 3-1 victors. After defeating Jesus, 1-0, the team approached the semi-final with a positive attitude, but lost 6-0 to Pembroke/Corpus despite the wonderful support of the many college members on the touchlines. The following weekend, a closely contested match ended 1-0 to St Catherine’s, but the season ended on a high with a 4-1 victory against Merton/Mansfield, in which two of the goals were scored by captain-elect, Grace Colverd.
Q.C.W.A.F.C. thanks leavers Rebecca Bibb, Christine MacVicar, Evangeline Atkinson, and ex-captain Rose Rands for their commitment, and hopes that the increased participation and the constant enthusiasm for women’s football in Queen’s will continue in seasons to come.