The 2014-15 season saw Cumnor 1 compete in Oxford and District League 2 for a third year in a row. Our aim at the start of the season was to improve on last year’s record tally of 11 points and to carry on pushing the club forward.
We started the season with a game against Bicester 1, last season they finished bottom of the division so we expected an easy game but it was a close match which finished 3.5-2.5 to Cumnor. This was the only loss that Bicester 1 suffered on their way to the title. The result was followed by losses to MCS/B1 (2-4) and City 2 (1-5).
Wantage 1 were the next visitors to Cumnor at the end of November, the game was a little controversial (read more here) but we got the win in the end (4.5-1.5). As the season headed toward the Christmas break, we lost to the newly promoted Didcot 2 (3.5-2.5) and beat Cowley 3 (4-2). So at the halfway point we sat mid table with 3 wins and 3 losses.
The first round of the Frank Wood Shield (aka FWS, our version of the FA Cup if you will) took place in the first week of January. Our first game was against Witney 1, currently the Champions of the Oxfordshire Leagues and winners of the Shield twice in the last 3 years. However, we took them on and won!
Well, technically it was a draw but the FWS is a handicap competition and we only needed to “lose” 2.5-3.5 to get into the next round. It was a spectacular result we pulled off the shock of the season when we got a 3-3 draw and headed into the second round.
We took the euphoria of the result against Witney 1 into our next game which was against Bicester 1 away (3-3); we managed to get a draw against the top of the table team, a credible result. However, we where dropped back down to earth with a loss against MCS/B1 (4-2).
Nevertheless the team was in a confident mood for the match again like the first round, we only needed to “lose” 2.5-3.5 to get through. We had chances but it was just a little to much of an ask and we eventually bowed out (1.5-4.5), I am still have nightmares about my game.
Now concentrating back on the league, we beat City 2 (4-2) and Wantage 1 (2.5-3.5) during March. We even had the unenviable task of relegating Dicot 2 in the penultimate game of the season which we did with our best result of the season, 5-1 (4 wins and 2 draws).
For the second season in a row we finished with an away game against Cowley 3, last year it was a must win game for Cowley 3 in their fight for survival but this year it took on less importance with third place on offer for the victors. The match finished with a win for Cowley 3 (4-2) meaning we would finish 4th this season and with a higher point total than last of 13 points; 6 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses.
The season will restart in the autumn with Cumnor 1 remaining in the second division.
The final table can be found here.
