Halwill 1, Fluxton 3 The Fresha D&E Division 7 title will be decided between two sides, as the final weeks of the season come to a close, writes Will Bidder.

One of these sides has two games in hand over its rival (albeit with a double header against third placed team Newton St Cyres). The other, at the time of writing, has put nine goals past the Halwill goal-keeper and conceded just one in 180 minutes. Fact. A league title is decided on a full season’s performance, not on individual results. But head to head, Fluxton FC are comprehensively the better side. Fact.

The thing speaks for itself.

You know a side’s nervous when they watch the other one warm up. Halwill’s pre-match prep found themselves deep in their own dug out, mere spectators. The Flux started better, of course. An Amey-Paget-Howe trio of midfielders established command of the possession and lubricated distribution with ease. Wingers, tracking back only when required, forged splitting runs through the flanks, linking with a solo younger Paget front man enjoying form undiscovered since his university days.

The first was glorious, with Amey beating two patrol men on the edge of the box, to bend a spinning ball over the aforementioned keeper, sparking the Fluxton lovelies on the sidelines into rapturous applause. The inevitable second was slowly coaxed out, but devastatingly executed, Midge (or surname) carving out a groove in a knotted defence, to strike on the turn and sweetly into the inside netting.

The Fluxton defence has been formidable of late, watertight from leakage and medieval in breaking opposition. But despite Burgess’ bruising command and Butchers’ fierce marshaling, something illegitimate did slip through. 2-1. Half time.

The second half was an exercise in containment. Notable highlights included Matt Sercombe’s laser-guided passing from the ground, Barny Croft’s dothraki-like challenge on the biggest man on the pitch and Will Boyd’s splintering runs down the left. Olly Paget, fresh from a time-wasting yellow involving a sudden gust and an excitable ball, found the decisive third, the ball again misbehaving to dollop off his left shin and past despairing gloves, with a half measure of conviction.

A Halwill red eased any minor disturbances of a response (Flux have after all repeatedly won with 10 players this season, and occasionally 9) and the consistent referee called time, 3-1 to the better side! Whatever the outcome of the league on the final day, champagne will be enjoyed by all.