So there it is, the first season in New Cottingham’s history is over. The time was approximately 11:00 on 16 May 2010 when relegation was officially confirmed from Division One of the Kettering Area Sunday League. They say that after a whole season the league table never lies, so no arguments can be made from a New Cottingham perspective. With the exception of the three points that the league kindly gave us, the Yellow and Greens would have been rock bottom.

In a way the opening game of the season where New Cottingham lost 8-1 seemed to sum up the whole season. Over half an hour of the game gone with the score 0-0 before hitting the self destruct button and going in at the break 5-0 down. Three more league defeats followed before a trip to Wellingborough to play in the NFA County Cup where New Cottingham finally tasted victory for the first time in a 7-2 thrashing. This was the start of a three game winning streak including the first league win against then bottom Isham Rangers. The victories bred confidence in the team and perhaps the season wasn’t going to be as bad as some of the players thought it would be after the initial four games.

Some may argue that the fixtures were not kind to us as New Cottingham could only muster one victory in their next seven games, albeit an impressive 6-1 thrashing of Lodge Park in the Quincey Shield. Lodge Park got revenge by completing the league double over the Yellow and Greens. Then the most extraordinary match of the season came that saw 12 goals shared after extra time between New Cottingham and Leather Craftsman before New Cottingham finally prevailed in the shootout. The last hope of cup success was ended in extra time in the same competition to Corby White Hart after a 3-2 defeat in extra time in arguable the worst conditions of the season.

With only league games left to play, survival turned into the number one priority and after James Green’s winner against Enigma it looked in site. This was followed up by a 1-1 draw with Isham Rangers who have the unwanted tag of the only team in the league not to beat New Cottingham. Only one point was picked up in the last six league games, and despite still having a chance of avoiding relegation on the final day of the season, this was all but ended after they found themselves down 4-0 in the opening 7 minutes against Shelley Road only to go on and suffer the worst defeat of the season losing 10-0.

2010/11 Season in Division 2, here we come….

The following League Table is only correct in terms of Games Played and Points: