- “Unbeaten in four, but out of both the cup competitions…”

The Constantine 125ers have made a brave new start in Division 5 of the Sunday Metropolitan League. After a slow start drawing the opening games 1-1 & 0-0, Caribb Constantine emphatically brushed aside the next two opponents, both score lines reading 5-1.
However, Caribb Constantine’s cup exploits have not reached these same heady heights and serve as a reminder that greater tests are to come, starting with the trip to Russeller’s Reserves, who sit comfortably at the top of the table with 18 points after 7 games played. Russeller’s Reserves knocked us out of the first cup competition, but they only managed it on penalties after extra time, surviving a flurry of late shots in normal time from Caribb Constantine’s forwards. One particular fast-flowing move saw first the left post, then right post and finally the crossbar hit in consecutive shots! The bitter taste of defeat still tingles on the tongue, a taste the team will endeavour to wash away with a third consecutive league win courtesy of Russeller’s Reserves this coming Sunday.

In the other cup competition Caribb Constantine saw off a team from the division above with a 5-0 win. The game was played in third gear (much to the annoyance of Mr Stan Hunter, manager of Caribb Constantine) and against nine men for the last thirty minutes! The second round saw the team pitted against a side from two divisions above, and after two weeks without a game the rust on our boots might well have been noticeable from space, helping to explain the 8-1 score line against Caribb Constantine. In fairness the opponents were good on the ball, strong in the air and seemingly possessed a greater desire for a run in the cup.
All in all it’s been a solid start to the season. Caribb Constantine is a young side, eager for the glory of promotion at the first time of asking. The coming weeks will demonstrate whether that is a credible goal or not.