Sunday League: FC Panda are just champion as they knock five past Waiters

Premier Division champions FC Panda demonstrated why they are top of the pile this season with a 5-1 thrashing of nine-man Waiters Arms.
FC Panda's Terriq PervezFC Panda's Terriq Pervez
FC Panda's Terriq Pervez

Panda have now won 14 of their 15 league games and are 15 points clear at the top of the division, although they have played two more games than second-placed Bradshaw.

Waiters started quite brightly, despite being two players short, and frustrated their opponents in a lively first half hour where David Chappell had two great chances to put them in front against the odds but brought good saves from Panda’s keeper.

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Things evened out slightly just after that when Panda’s keeper was dismissed for an off the ball incident, making it 10 v 9.

Panda got two goals just before half time through a penalty and a scuffed effort and then Waiters Kev Talbot shook the home side’s bar from 25 yards.

Waiters were dead on their feet at the break and two quick goals from Panda’s Terriq Pervez put them out of sight.

Waiters kept plugging away and when keeper Ethan Daly had to come outfield after an injury to full back James Fearnley, they gathered a bit more impetus. And from a long Ashton Richardson throw, Daly beat his man at the front post to nod home his first goal for the club much to the amusement of his team mates. Pervez then made sure in the last minute to complete the scoreline.

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Waiters boss Adam Fenton said afterwards: “We knew we were going to be short this week but wanted to get the game out of the way as we have some tough cup matches coming up and hopefully we’ll have everyone back.

“We have fulfilled every fixture in our 15 years so we weren’t going to start blobbing now. I’m disappointed in a couple of players and maybe that will reflect in my selections in the cup games but I’d still hope to grab at least third spot in the league and finish with some silverware.

“The lads that played today were outstanding against an obviously very strong Panda side who are worthy league champions.”

Hollins Holme completed a hat-trick of wins with a 3-2 success away to Ryburn Valley at the weekend and have banished their relegation fears by doubling their points tally in their last four games.

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However, Parker came away from Savile Park dismayed by the manner of his team’s win against the bottom side and lamenting the state of Sunday football.

He said Hollins had made very hard work of beating nine-man opponents, who were reduced to eight by a sending off early in the second half.

“It was the worst game of football I have ever seen,” said Parker, who added that it had convinced him it was the right time to stand aside.

Hollins had been the only team in the once-busy changing rooms at Savile Park, their short-handed opponents having emerged already changed from a van at the side of the pitch.

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Parker said it had been “embarrassing” and his side’s performance hadn’t helped matters with his players unable to do the basics right.

Sam Tattersall gave them the lead and he later scored a second, while Jack Gormley got Hollins’ winner with a cross-cum-shot.

However, Hollins twice got caught on the break by opponents who were further depleted with the score at 2-2 when they had a player dismissed for a flying two-footed tackle.

Parker said he’d had to change things around at half time because his team was struggling so badly.

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Elsewhere in the Premier Division, five goals by Jay Carney and one each from Callum Meade and Jordan Ryder helped Lee Mount to a 7-6 win at Siddal Place.

Cock and Bottle’s game with Thrum Hall in Division One was called off due to Hall not being able to raise a team.

Cock and Bottle were in action last Thursday, but crashed out of the WRCFA Sunday Trophy at the semi final stage, losing 4-2 to Linthwaite FC at Woodlesford.

Robbie Grahams and Joe Grimley scored for Cock and Bottle.

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