Timbers Roll into Play-Offs!

Going into their final game of the season on Thursday afternoon, Timberley knew that three points from the short trip to Heathlands would secure them a play-off spot and a continuation of their season into June.
In a very cagey opening, few chances were created but Timberley settled any nerves when they took the lead after they scrambled in from a corner. A second goal the followed as cross from the right sailed past everyone leaving Heathlands’ ‘keeper little time to react; 2-0 to Timberley at half-time. With Heathlands looking for goals in the second half, the game began to open up and Timberley took advantage, scoring some great solo goals with Heathlands heads dropping after the third goal and Timberley running away with it by six goals to nil – and rolling on into the play-offs as a result.

At the same time, St Thomas More were over at Castle Vale Stadium for their last regular season game and with their own play-off hopes on a tightrope as they took on a Highfield side who had won two out of their last three games. Tommy More’ s were quick about their work and pushed Highfield back in the early stages and the fast start paid off as they netted twice in two minutes. Before the break they had added two more including a superb header from a well-delivered corner. Highfield re-organised for the second half and made it more difficult for STM to play through the lines as effectively as they had in the first half, however, ‘field were undone by another well worked headed set-piece goal to run out 5-0 winners. For Tommy More’s to make the play-offs, they must hope SSPP don’t pick up the two points required from their remaining two games vs Lea Forest and Highfield at the Forest, on 8th June.

There was one other game that took place on Thursday and that was back at Heathlands where the home side had to pick themselves up after that earlier defeat to Timberley, to face Featherstone, fresh from two wins last time out. And this game turned out to be one of the games of the season. A high tempo game started with a quick Heathlands goal, but Featherstone soon responded and netted thrice to lead 3-1. There was still time before the interval for Heath to pull a goal back when the Featherstone ‘keeper spilled a long range shot and a Heathlands striker followed up to tap in. The pace did not let up in the second stanza and Heathlands, encouraged by that late first half strike, pushed forward for more goals and duly did so, swiftly scoring twice to go 4-3 up. With minutes left and the game ridiculously stretched, Heathlands scored a great team goal for their fifth but in this crazy game there was still time for Featherstone peg that lead back to just the one goal and creating a tense finish. With seconds left, a Heathlands counter-attack finished off the game to seal a riotous 6-4 win; both sets of players looked spent at the final whistle after such a mad and crazy game.