CLEEVE CLINCH IT IN RECORD FASHION

YOU need a point to win the title so do you stick with a successful formula or twist to try to bag a draw?

Bishop’s Cleeve emphatically gave their answer to that age-old question on Tuesday by thumping Shrivenham 11-2 to seal the Hellenic League Premier Division crown and instigate a raid of the archives.

Formal records for the village club are patchy but it has been established that it is Cleeve’s biggest league win this century, knocking into a cocked hat a trio of 8-0 victories since the turn of the millennium.

Long-serving chairman Dave Walker does not know of a bigger scoreline for a club that was promoted to the Hellenic League from county football in 1983.

This is Cleeve’s second title since then – the last coming 35 years ago – and it regains Southern League status that was lost in 2018.

Skipper Archie Haskayne, who missed months of the season with a broken ankle, got the ball rolling in the eighth minute and while Jack Watts had a penalty saved moments later, it went from 1-0 to 4-1 in a crazy seven-minute spell midway through the first half.

Blaine Waugh, Watts and Jordan Annear notched with Joe Selman bagging a brace either side of half-time. Annear got his second with substitutes Jake Rhodes scoring before Kieran Alder rounded things off with an 11-minute hat-trick.

That made it 18 goals in two games since Cleeve’s

Kayte Lane headquarters, shut to install a 3G pitch, reopened last Saturday with a 7-1 demolition of Hereford Lads Club.

“I didn’t expect it to go quite that well,” admitted boss Paul Collicutt, who guided Cleeve to the Southern League back in 2006

“I am actually disappointed we conceded two goals, they probably scored the best goal of the night but how can I knock the lads after scoring 11 in a game like this.

“Four or five weeks ago

I set the lads the target of getting to 100 league goals. I could tell by the way they looked at me that they thought I was talking through my backside but this takes us to 103 and to do it the way we did was colossal.

“The lads thoroughly deserved it, we played some good football. Their goalkeeper was man of the match by a distance, he pulled off four or five topclass saves.

“I am just pleased and relieved we got it done and dusted. I am well happy.”