Season cut short, but it had its moments
WITH just four weeks of the regular season left, all matches were brought to an abrupt halt on March 16, due to the serious concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
That decision was made final this last week, meaning the season is now at an end.
As the majority of key positions at the top and bottom of our three divisions were virtually settled, then a system which involved ‘adjusting the 16,17 or 18 matches a team had played of the 20 scheduled was deployed.
This was done by averaging each team’s total points as though they had played 18 matches, which gave us a fair and just conclusion to the final league positions.
Having
led
for most of the campaign, Princes St A with 145pts were crowned deserved First Division Champions, with Crosby C on 123pts finishing as ‘runners up’.
In the ever-evolving tussle at the top of the second tier, Princes St C came out on top to lift the Second Division title with 141pts, just five points ahead of second placed Waterloo A.
Unbeaten Rainford with 136pts were duly awarded the Third Division title after a tremendous debut season, whilst Princes St F moved up a place into the runners up spot with 127pts.
Meanwhile at the sharp end, there were no changes at all.
Southport A and Argyle C with 59pts and 34pts respectively finished in the bottom two of the First Division.
Whilst Southport B with 53pts and Crosby F with 40pts occupied the bottom two places in the Second Division.
Unlike the league programme, the conclusion of the four knockout competitions, suspended at the semi final stage, still hangs precariously in the balance.
As it stands, the entire sporting calendar looks to be under threat for quite some time.
So to brighten the mood, here are a few highlights and facts which you may like to be reminded of, from a season which will stand long in the memory for more reasons than one…
Reining Champions Crosby A started things off with the shock news of their withdrawal from top flight, which in turn gave the green light to other wouldbe challengers.
Princes St A turned out to be that team, eventually ending Crosby’s years of dominance in some style.
Michael Stewart also topped the First Division averages with an incredible 97% win ratio, ahead of the likes of Crosby B’s Rhys Davies with 95%, Crosby C’s Tom Miller with 90% and even his own number one Matty Wilson on 89%.
Three teams, Princes St C ,Waterloo
A and Holy Trinity B, fought out an intriguing battle between themselves for most of the season at the top of Division Two.
It was the Princes St outfit who finally clinched it ahead of Waterloo A, where Andy Armstrong was their main contributor finishing the season with an 83% average.
Holy Trinity’s Colin Mitchell led the way in the Second Division averages with 95%, followed closely by Nathan Jago (Waterloo A) and Liam Ward (Spt C) who both recorded 92%.
Waterloo’s Phil Cashmore, who played all but one match was next on the list with a creditable 85% record.
Two new teams, Rainford and Carlton, entered the fray in Division Three, and whilst Rainford had brought some experience with them, Carlton were starting from scratch.
That experience proved invaluable as Rainford remained unbeaten and deservedly took the title with some aplomb.
As for Carlton, well they just kept plugging away until they were rewarded by winning three of their last four matches, now that’s an achievement.
Argyle F’s Lewis Hible finished well, top of the Third division averages with a remarkable 100% return.
As well as captaining the division winners Paul Melling achieved 94%, whilst both the Para’s Geremis Luces and Crosby’s latest starlet finished on 90%.
Peter Williams also chipped in with a handy 85% return for runners up Princes St F.