After a title race that fluctuated more dramatically than the heart rate of a cow in a butchers, we now know that Downing are the 2014-15 College University Association Football League Champions.

At Varsity, we’re especially pleased, as our man Dan Hanna called it from the very start; once again showing why Varsity is the Chelsea of Cambridge newspapers, with TCS and that lively blog called ‘The Tab’ more reminiscent of Accrington Stanley and Blyth Spartans. (Apologies to Accrington and Blyth fans for any offence caused).

In what was the last weekend of fixtures for many colleges and others still with one or two matches to play, the places that matter at the top and the bottom in the Premier League and Division Two have been all but decided.

In the Premier League, Downing secured the title with a comfortable 3-1 win over Gonville and Caius, complete with champagne-drenched celebrations. Elsewhere, Jesus beat Pembroke 5-2, gaining revenge for their agonising cup semi-final defeat. Any Pembroke hopes of nicking second spot off Selwyn were dashed in any case when St John’s could not field a team in their fixture, ensuring a runners-up spot for Selwyn. Fitzwilliam also maintained their rampant Lent term form, putting five past Trinity Hall, making it 18 goals with none in reply in their last four games. Lethal.

In Division Two, the title has also been decided. Churchill will be strutting their stuff in the Premier League come October, rounding off an excellent season with a 4-0 drubbing of Trinity on Wednesday. Elsewhere, Clare are back from the dead and could still make a dramatic escape from the relegation places after their first win of the season against Christ’s, sending them down in the process. Girton’s promotion hopes were dashed by Darwin in a 3-1 defeat, however the post-grads could still pinch that final promotion spot from Queens’, who managed to beat Homerton 3-0.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Downing 3-1 Gonville and Caius

Downing - Moorcroft-Moran, Lawrence, Churcher

Downing secured the title as invincibles having avoided defeat in their last game of the season against Gonville and Caius.  After earning an invaluable point in their title-decider against Selwyn last week, they had ensured that the title would remain in their hands, and they got the job done over the weekend. Here is Vice-Captain Alex Matthews’ report: 

"If you've ever wondered which student news publication is best, DCAFC has your answer. While Cambridge's prime click-bait blog The Tab predicted a lowly seventh place finish for our footballing superstars, Varsity correctly called the league for Downing from the off. The league-winning three points came after a convincing 3-1 victory against a rather tall Caius side. After a scrappy start to the game, a free-kick eventually fell to Joe Moorcroft-Moran, who casually back-heeled the ball past the Caius goalkeeper to seize the initiative for Downing. Later, captain-in-waiting James Lawrence found himself free in the box to head home for two-nil. Caius scored from a corner early in the second half but the game was signed and sealed twenty minutes from the end when Nick Churcher managed to fire the ball into the far corner. The celebrations, made sweeter by the fans and Prosecco waiting on the sidelines, continued long after the match. Given The Tab's predictions and captain Tom Coombes' admission that he thought he would be the captain to get Downing relegated, we can only hope that expectations for next year remain equally low, so that another three-year wait for a title can be avoided!"

Consistent throughout the season, and always able to grind out results even when they were truly up against the wall, credit must be given to this year’s champions, who had won all of their fixtures bar two – draws against Selwyn and St John’s. Caius, meanwhile, have shown a resurgence after a slow start, and a top four finish is certainly nothing to be scoffed at. 

Fitzwilliam 5-0 Trinity Hall         

Fitz: Hobbs, Rutzler (x4)

Fitzwilliam have finally come good, but at the wrong end of the season. Their victims this week were last year’s Champions Trinity Hall, who certainly haven’t looked the same outfit as last season – possibly owing to player loss. Fitz have now scored 18 goals this term without reply, winning all four of their league games and placing themselves with a chance of a top half finish, despite not having a point to their name at Christmas. They controlled this fixture from start to finish, with wide-men Rutzler and Hobbs both on the scoresheet. Hobbs opened the scoring with a well-placed finish, before Rutzler took over, slotting home three assists from Dan Sandbach and one from Jonny Donnelly, to take a haul of four – making it eight goals in four games for the winger. Trinity Hall will be disappointed with how their season has gone, but their walkover victory against King’s earlier in the season has ensured that they will get another stab at the top flight next year. Fitz still have one more game to play in two weeks’ time, against Jesus.

Selwyn walkover St John’s

After their Cuppers triumph, St John’s have ceased to care about the college football league and were unable to field a team against Selwyn. Selwyn secure second, whilst St John’s still have to play Trinity Hall, if they can bothered to show. 

Jesus 5-2 Pembroke

Jesus: Emerton, Crawford, Purcell, Anderson (x2)

Jesus were able to banish some of the demons from that heart-breaking cup semi-final exit in this fixture, with Anderson, who missed an all important last minute penalty in that cup game, bagging a brace. Pembroke miss the opportunity to secure third spot, which is now Jesus’ for the taking, although St John’s, Gonville and Caius, Pembroke and even Fitzwilliam are all still in with a shout should they slip up.

DIVISION 2

Christ’s 0-2 Clare

Clare- Schomerus, Holmes

Clare are not down and out just yet! Having picked up their first point of the season last week against Emma in a 2-2 draw, and their first win of the season this weekend, they could still get out of trouble yet! They need to beat Trinity whilst hoping that Homerton don’t pick up any points against Darwin, whilst also making up a goal difference of three. Is it too little too late for Clare?

The result means that fellow relegation strugglers Christ’s have now been relegated to third tier.

Girton 1-3 Darwin

Girton- Hicks

Darwin kept their promotion hopes alive by ending Girton’s with a 3-1 win. But it won’t be easy. Darwin have to beat Homerton in their last remaining fixture, whilst also trying to make up a goal difference of seven. It’s not impossible, but it would be one hell of a result if they pull it off. Girton meanwhile round off their season with a top four finish, and will hope to be back amongst the contenders next time around.

Churchill 4-0 Trinity

Churchill: Berridge-Dunn (x2), Rolph, Cammack

Just like Downing, Churchill have secured the title as invincibles with a crushing victory over Trinity. Goals from Tom Rolph, Joe Cammack and a brace from Henry Berridge-Dunn ensured that Division Two’s champions would end the season unbeaten. Having come through an epic title battle, with Queens’, Girton and Darwin all proving strong adversaries and pushing the hill college all the way, Churchill deserve credit for managing to pull away from their rivals, and they can now enjoy the prospect of Premier League football next year.

 

Queens 3-0 Homerton

Queens’: Knight, Salama (pen), Manning

Queens’ victory over precariously placed Homerton has all but guaranteed promotion for them. Only a huge victory for Darwin over Homerton would see their promotion dreams dashed. Following a comfortable win again over the weekend, with Knight, Salama and Manning on the score-sheet, they can only wait to see if they have done enough to join Churchill in the Premier League next season. Homerton meanwhile still face the possibility of relegation, following Clare’s sudden revival. A point will keep them up, but anything less and it would leave the door open for Clare, who, should they win and Homerton slip up, could dump them into the third tier.

PLATE FINAL

Emma vs Selwyn

This weekend is the Plate final between Emma, of the Second Division, and Selwyn of the Premier League. The game is on Saturday 7th March, a 2pm Kick off at Wilby (Emma’s pitches).

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:

Last week there were not enough captain responses to run a college football review, however here are the results from the games that did get back to me:

Downing 0-0 Selwyn

Fitzwilliam 8-0 King’s

Fitz: Own goal, Sandbach, Emanuel (x3), Yves-Colin, Rutzler, Tice

Churchill 2-1 Darwin

Darwin: Freudenrich

Long Road 5-3 Christ’s

Christ’s: Baron, Armstrong, Gordon

Emma 2-2 Clare

Emma: Stretch, Pinder

Clare: Schomerus (x2)

Queens’ 5-2 Trinity

Queens’: Sefton (x2), Knight (x2), Campbell