'Home' and Change Colours 2015-16 #14: Spartak-Slavia

 

Newcomers to the Football Alliance last season, London-based Spartak-Slavia won promotion to the Championship at the first attempt, finishing in second place in the closely-fought Second Division.

Matchday 30 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  4   Hungaria  3

Blyth Spartans  2   Marlow   0

Gainsborough Trinity  8   Matlock Town   1

Hartlepool United  5   Red Star Sunderland   0

Liverpool St Helens  5   Burnley   0

Oxford Excelsior  3   Northwich Victoria  1

Stalybridge Celtic  2   Manchester City   2

Wrexham  5   Mossley   3

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  1   Hendon Hotspur   2

Bradford City  1   Marine   0

Crystal Palace  2   Merthyr Tydfil   0

Gateshead Dynamo  4   South Liverpool Red Star   3

Inter-Italiano  4   Crewe Alexandra   4

Newcastle United  2   Newcastle Blue Star   1

Sheffield Wednesday  5   Manchester Newton Heath   1

Spartak-Slavia  2   Nelson CBR   2

With the league championship already decided in Stalybridge Celtic's favour, attention was focussed on the other end of the table today, with Matlock Town needing to win at potential runners-up and Cup finalists Gainsborough Trinity, a squad motivated by the fight for a starting place in the final, and hoping that Marlow wouldn't prevail at faltering Blyth Spartans (the other Cup finalists next weekend) in order to leapfrog the deposed champions and escape the clutches of relegation.

Alas for them, although Marlow duly lost in Northumberland, a fitting end to a truly miserable campaign, Matlock failed spectacularly to capitalise, victims of an 8 - 1 trashing by Trinity - who thus confirmed second place and moved a point closer to Stalybridge after Celtic, in celebratory mood, were held by Manchester City - and will therefore accompany Oxford Excelsior, who enjoyed a valedictory victory over Northwich Victoria, down into next season's Second Division.

Elsewhere in the top flight, more goals flowed - eight at Wrexham as they beat hopeless travellers Mossley 5- 3, seven at Audenshaw as the Dynamo edged Hungaria 4- 3, and five each for Hartlepool United and Liverpool St Helens as they both signed-off in fine style with thumping to-nil victories.

The nerves again afflicted those jostling for promotion from the Second Division, all of which meant that, despite losing by a single goal at Bradford City, Marine still finished top of the pile and go up, while Spartak-Slavia's draw at home to Nelson CBR enabled them to accompany Marine in second place, staying that crucial point ahead of Crewe Alexandra after the latter could only earn a share of eight goals at Inter-Italiano, running out of time after at one stage being 1 - 4 behind.

At the opposite end, Newcastle United, controversially elevated to the second tier before the season kicked-off, beat city neighbours Blue Star but that ultimately wasn't enough to save them from finishing in last place, and demotion back to the regional leagues, as Crystal Palace rescued themselves with a vital 2 - 0 victory over Merthyr Tydfil, also enabling them to climb and finish above the South Walians.

Matchday 28 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Blyth Spartans  2   Burnley   3

Gainsborough Trinity  1   Northwich Victoria   0

Hartlepool United  2   Hungaria  3

Liverpool St Helens  1   Stalybridge Celtic   2

Marlow  3   Red Star Sunderland   1

Mossley  1   Matlock Town   1

Oxford Excelsior  0   Audenshaw Dynamo   2

Wrexham  3   Manchester City   2

Second Division

Bradford City  3   Crewe Alexandra   2

Crystal Palace  2   Newcastle Blue Star   2

Gateshead Dynamo  3   Hendon Hotspur  2

Inter-Italiano  3   Sheffield Wednesday   3

Marine  4   South Liverpool Red Star   2

Nelson CBR  1   Merthyr Tydfil   0

Newcastle United  4   Atletico Espanol   2

Spartak-Slavia  3   Manchester Newton Heath   2

A massive and probably decisive result at the top of the Championship today, with leaders Stalybridge Celtic's hard-fought  but thoroughly-deserved 2 - 1 victory at the home of closest challengers Liverpool St Helens putting them 5 points clear of now-second-placed Gainsborough Trinity, who leapfrogged the Saints courtesy of a single-goal win over Northwich Victoria, and eliminating St Helens from the title race - only if Celtic lose both of their final two fixtures and Trinity win theirs (the next of which is at unbeaten-at-home - and close neighbours of Stalybridge of course - Mossley) will the latter be able to pip the former to the post, by the slenderest of margins, and Stalybridge's consistency in meeting the season's major challenges as they've presented themselves (not least beating each of Gainsborough, 4th-placed Blyth Spartans and now St Helens both home and away) suggests this is unlikely.

At the bottom of the table, Audenshaw's win at Oxford gives the Dynamo an excellent chance of avoiding the drop now, pulling them 4 points clear of Matlock, despite Town's valiant draw at virtually impregnable Mossley, and all but consigns the vanquished Excelsior to relegation, five points adrift of Hartlepool United and safety as they are.

A rare win in a season of increasing strife for reigning but soon to be deposed champions Marlow has given them the relative luxury of a three-point cushion over Matlock ahead of the teams' potentially-decisive meeting next Saturday, and might have gone a significant way to saving them from the ignominy of the drop, a fate that has only once previously befallen the defending title holders (Mossley back in 1997, although their form that season was more in keeping with the manner in which they'd begun their championship campaign, with 7 defeats from the first 8 games, only to miraculously revive. For the record, only the merger of the then two Nottingham clubs, and a consequent hastily-arranged play-off, had reprieved Mossley from relegation the season prior to that, so the three quarters of a season that resulted in the title was the real anomaly over that period of the club's history).

In the battle for promotion from the Second Division, previous leaders Crewe's narrow and contentious 2 - 3 defeat at Bradford City drops them out of the top two for the first time since round 11 back in mid-November, a potentially ruinous slip at this late stage, to be replaced by Marine - who emerged triumphant from a pulsating Scouse derby with South Liverpool Red Star - and Spartak-Slavia, last-minute victors over Manchester Newton Heath in a five-goal thriller.

At the opposite end of the table, Newcastle Blue Star's draw at second-bottom Crystal Palace allowed their city neighbours United, who beat Atletico Espanol 4 - 2, to gain within a point of Palace in their quest to avoid the wooden spoon and demotion back to the regional leagues - it's all set to go to the wire at top and bottom.

Matchday 27 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  2   Wrexham   1

Burnley  2   Marlow   3

Hungaria  5   Blyth Spartans   2

Liverpool St Helens  3   Oxford Excelsior   2

Manchester City  2   Gainsborough Trinity   3

Matlock Town  2   Red Star Sunderland   2

Northwich Victoria  2   Mossley   1

Stalybridge Celtic  3   Hartlepool United   1

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  2   Spartak-Slavia   4

Crewe Alexandra  1   Marine   0

Hendon Hotspur  3   Bradford City   4

Inter-Italiano  1   Newcastle United   4

Manchester Newton Heath  3   Crystal Palace   0

Merthyr Tydfil  0   South Liverpool Red Star  1

Newcastle Blue Star  3   Nelson CBR   3

Sheffield Wednesday  5   Gateshead Dynamo   1

Matchday 26 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Blyth Spartans  4   Stalybridge Celtic   6

Gainsborough Trinity  3   Audenshaw Dynamo   2

Hartlepool United  6  Oxford Excelsior   0

Marlow  1   Hungaria  2

Mossley  7   Manchester City   2

Northwich Victoria  6   Matlock Town   1

Red Star Sunderland  1   Burnley   3

Wrexham  1   Liverpool St Helens   2

Second Division

Bradford City  6   Sheffield Wednesday   4

Crystal Palace  1   Atletico Espanol   2

Gateshead Dynamo  2   Newcastle United   0

Marine  1   Hendon Hotspur  2

Nelson CBR  6   Manchester Newton Heath   0

Newcastle Blue Star  1   Merthyr Tydfil   0

South Liverpool Red Star  3   Crewe Alexandra   2

Spartak-Slavia  7   Inter-Italiano   0

Matchday 23 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  2   Manchester City   2
Blyth Spartans  2   Gainsborough Trinity   2
Hartlepool United  2   Mossley   2
Liverpool St Helens  5   Northwich Victoria   2
Matlock Town  3   Hungaria  2
Oxford Excelsior  5   Red Star Sunderland   4
Stalybridge Celtic  1   Burnley   2
Wrexham  1   Marlow  1

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  1   Manchester Newton Heath   0

Bradford City  4   Crystal Palace   1

Gateshead Dynamo  7   Nelson CBR   2

Inter-Italiano  2   Newcastle Blue Star   1

Merthyr Tydfil  2   Hendon Hotspur  1

Newcastle United  2   South Liverpool Red Star   3

Sheffield Wednesday  2   Crewe Alexandra   0

Spartak-Slavia  5   Marine   3

Matchday 22 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  1   Matlock Town   0

Burnley  7   Oxford Excelsior   3

Hungaria  3   Stalybridge Celtic  2

Manchester City  5   Liverpool St Helens   0

Marlow  1   Gainsborough Trinity   2

Mossley  2   Blyth Spartans   0

Northwich Victoria  2   Hartlepool United   1

Red Star Sunderland  2   Wrexham   1

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  2   Merthyr Tydfil  0

Crewe Alexandra  4   Newcastle United   3

Hendon Hotspur  1   Sheffield Wednesday   2

Manchester Newton Heath  2   Inter-Italiano   2

Marine  6   Crystal Palace   1

Nelson CBR  3   Bradford City  1

Newcastle Blue Star  2   Gateshead Dynamo   4

South Liverpool Red Star  1   Spartak-Slavia   2

Matchday 21 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Blyth Spartans  3   Northwich Victoria   0

Gainsborough Trinity  3   Red Star Sunderland   2

Hartlepool United  0   Manchester City   2

Liverpool St Helens  2   Audenshaw Dynamo   1

Marlow  3   Mossley  1

Matlock Town  1   Stalybridge Celtic  2

Oxford Excelsior  2   Hungaria   0

Wrexham  4   Burnley   1

Second Division

Bradford City  3   Newcastle Blue Star   2

Crystal Palace  1  South Liverpool Red Star   3

Gateshead Dynamo  0   Manchester Newton Heath   2

Inter-Italiano  5   Atletico Espanol   1

Marine  1   Nelson CBR   0

Merthyr Tydfil  2   Sheffield Wednesday   0

Newcastle United  1   Hendon Hotspur   1

Spartak-Slavia  2   Crewe Alexandra   4

Matchday 20 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  3   Hartlepool United   1

Burnley  1   Gainsborough Trinity   1

Hungaria  2   Wrexham   2

Liverpool St Helens  3   Matlock Town  1

Manchester City  2   Blyth Spartans   3

Northwich Victoria  7   Marlow   1

Red Star Sunderland  4   Mossley   2

Stalybridge Celtic  6   Oxford Excelsior   0

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  2   Gateshead Dynamo   1

Crewe Alexandra  2   Crystal Palace   0

Hendon Hotspur  5   Spartak-Slavia   2

Inter-Italiano  1  Merthyr Tydfil   2

Manchester Newton Heath  2  Bradford City   2

Newcastle Blue Star  0   Marine   4

South Liverpool Red Star  0   Nelson CBR   0

Sheffield Wednesday  2   Newcastle United   1

First Round EWFA League Cup Results

Atletico Espanol  6   Oxford Excelsior  2
Bradford City  2   Hungaria  4
Crewe Alexandra  1   Audenshaw Dynamo  1
Crystal Palace  1   Red Star Sunderland  5
Gateshead Dynamo  2   Burnley  2
Hendon Hotspur  5   Marlow  3
Inter-Italiano  1   Liverpool St Helens  2
Manchester Newton Heath  2   Matlock Town  1
Marine  3   Wrexham  2
Merthyr Tydfil  2   Manchester City  5
Nelson CBR  1   Mossley  2
Newcastle Blue Star  2   Gainsborough Trinity  4
Newcastle United  1   Hartlepool United  1
Sheffield Wednesday  1   Blyth Spartans  2
South Liverpool Red Star  3   Stalybridge Celtic  1
Spartak-Slavia  4   Northwich Victoria  3

Matchday 18 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Audenshaw Dynamo  3   Marlow   0

Burnley  5   Northwich Victoria   2

Hartlepool United  3   Matlock Town   2

Hungaria  5   Mossley   0

Liverpool St Helens  1   Blyth Spartans   3

Manchester City  5   Red Star Sunderland   2

Oxford Excelsior  3   Wrexham   3

Stalybridge Celtic  4   Gainsborough Trinity   1

Second Division

Atletico Espanol  2   Marine   5

Crewe Alexandra  2   Newcastle Blue Star   3

Gateshead Dynamo  4   Merthyr Tydfil   0

Hendon Hotspur  3   Nelson CBR   1

Inter-Italiano  2   Bradford City   1

Manchester Newton Heath  3   South Liverpool Red Star   1

Newcastle United  1   Spartak-Slavia   2

Sheffield Wednesday  1   Crystal Palace   1

Matchday 17 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Blyth Spartans  5   Hartlepool United   3

Burnley  3   Manchester City   2

Gainsborough Trinity  4   Oxford Excelsior   2

Marlow  0   Liverpool St Helens   2

Matlock Town  3   Wrexham   1

Mossley  2   Stalybridge Celtic   1

Northwich Victoria  2   Hungaria   2

Red Star Sunderland  5   Audenshaw Dynamo   3

Second Division

Bradford City  6   Gateshead Dynamo   3

Crewe Alexandra  2   Manchester Newton Heath   1

Crystal Palace  5   Newcastle United   2

Marine  0  Inter-Italiano   1

Merthyr Tydfil  3   Spartak-Slavia   2

Nelson CBR  1   Sheffield Wednesday   4

Newcastle Blue Star  4   Hendon Hotspur   2

South Liverpool Red Star  10   Atletico Espanol   1

Matchday 12 Results & Updated Tables

Championship

Blyth Spartans  5   Hungaria  0

Gainsborough Trinity  2   Manchester City  2

Hartlepool United  2   Stalybridge Celtic  1

Marlow  5   Burnley  4

Mossley  2   Northwich Victoria  0

Oxford Excelsior  0   Liverpool St Helens  2

Red Star Sunderland  3   Matlock Town  1

Wrexham  4   Audenshaw Dynamo  0

Second Division

Bradford City  2   Hendon Hotspur  1

Crystal Palace  5   Manchester Newton Heath  2

Gateshead Dynamo  2   Sheffield Wednesday  0

Marine  1   Crewe Alexandra  5

Nelson CBR  5   Newcastle Blue Star  3

Newcastle United  2   Inter-Italiano  0

South Liverpool Red Star  6   Merthyr Tydfil  2

Spartak-Slavia  2   Atletico Espanol  1