On Saturday, January 29th 2005 Irchester United's first-team entertained Bugbrooke St Michaels and ran out 2-1 victors, thanks to a last-gasp goal from substitute Karl Guy.

Irchester played some excellent football in the opening half but were unable to find the net. Gary Evans, Gary Cotter and Jason Vaughan all missed presentable chances and it looked as though it was going to be 'one of those' days!

However, 5 minutes before the break defender Greg Arnold burst clear and was up-ended in the box and Damien Grant slotted home the resultant penalty.

The second half started much as the first had ended, with the home side on top, but it increasingly looked like the Romans would be punished for not taking their chances, and so it proved when Steve Aslett netted Bugbrooke's equaliser on 65 minutes.

And when Mark Wheeler was sent-off for a second bookable offence with 5 minutes to go, any chance of Irchester finding the winner looked over.

However, deep into stoppage time, Karl Guy, who had looked lively when replacing injured man-of-the-match Gary Evans, forced his way through the visitors' defence to power home a deserved winner.

Team:
Ricky Hughes; Greg Arnold, Phil Lawrence, Jamie Payne, Gary Evans (sub: Karl Guy), Gary Cotter, Mark Wheeler, Mark Dudley, Jason Vaughan, Dave Hiscock, Damien Grant. 

Irchester United 4 -0 Burton Park Wanderers

It was something of a banana skin for the Romans against a Burton side still looking for their first win of the season and attempting to impress yet another new manager.

However, despite awful conditions that made good football almost impossible, Irchester eventually got on top of their game and, although not playing with any real conviction, were aided by the visitors after 35 minutes when, following an excellent run down the right by Jason Vaughan, Burton debutant Ricky Stimson put the ball into his own net.

With the elements now in their favour, Irchester made it 2-0 just 5 minutes into the second half and again it was credited as an own goal, this time James Dowling helping Damien Grant's effort into the net.

It was now virtually one-way traffic and a number of chances came and went until, on the hour-mark, Burton keeper Gary Robinson could only help Jason Vaughan's shot into the net - but this time we shall credit our own player!

Karl Guy, given his full first-team debut after impressing when coming on as a substitute against Bugbrooke, made it 4-0 on 68 minutes and that was that really, apart from a couple of half chances late on.

Irchester:

Ricky Hughes; Greg Arnold, Phil Lawrence, Jamie Payne, Gary Evans, Gary Cotter (sub: Carl Freeman), Lee Gotch, Dave Hiscock (sub: Anthony Lawrence), Damien Grant, Kark Guy. Sub not used: Glynn Cotter.

Irchester United 0-2 Eye United

Two late goals lifted Eye United into the top two and they've now won eight in a row to highlight their title credentials, but anunderstrength Irchester side gave them a battle. 

With 15 minutes remaining Dino Salerno broke the deadlock and Shaun Skerritt sealed the visitors' victory 5 minutes later.

Earlier, Gary Evans had hit the bar for the home side, who played particularly well in the opening half against an impressive Eye side.

The second half was dominated by the visitors. However, after their two goals Irchester rallied and could have at least gained a consolation, but teenage substitute Anthony Lawrence's long-range effort was tipped onto the bar and Kark Guy's shot was scrambled round the post.

Praise for Irchester's performance from the visiting management team was, however, of little consolation.

Irchester:

Ricky Hughes: Greg Arnold, Phil Lawrence, Jamie Payne, Gary Evans, Lee Gotch, Terry Partridge, Dave Hiscock (sub: Anthony Lawrence), Jason Vaughan, Damien Grant, Karl Guy. Subs not used: Carl Freeman & Glynn Cotter

The first-team game at Burton Park Wanderers was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, but the reserves' League Cup semi final at home against Stotfold got the go-ahead.

The ressies faced a tough test against a side from the division above but with Gary Evans, Anthony Lawrence, Jamie Payne, Terry Partridge and Karl Guy, who had all featured in the earlier rounds, returning to the side from first-team duty, a strengthened Irchie side took the field.

However, it was the visitors who made the better start and it came as little surprise when they went ahead midway through the opening half.

In truth, Irchie rarely threatened in the first half, but they started the second in fine style and had Stotfold on the backfoot. Anthony Lawrence in particular was having a good deal of joy on the right wing and with Dave Toyer beginning to have an influence in midfield, the visitors were pegged back and Irchie equalised when Lawrence cut in and let fly, with the ball going in off a defender and post.

The home side could and should have wrapped the game up during this period but they let Stotfold off the hook and as the game wore on extra-time looked likely, and so it was.

Very little happened in overtime until the very last minute when Dean King went through, beat the keeper but his shot held up in the mud, allowing a defender to get back to hack it off the line.

So to penalties, and the cruellest way to lose a game. Unfortunately for Irchester, it was they who missed one of their allotted five kicks and with Stotfold coverting all of theirs, it was the Hertfordshire sidewho progress to the final, but they will go home knowing they were second best on the day.

Irchester team:

Andy Flatres; Liam O'Reilly (sub: Jeff Busby), Steve Sanders, Terry Jeyes, Jamie Payne, Gareth Davies, Dave Toyer, Anthony Lawrence (Sub: Kieron Reynolds), Karl Guy, Dean King, Gary Evans (sub: Terry Partridge). Subs not used: Kevin Davies, Nathan Spriggs        

An injury time winner gave Irchester United a double over Thrapston, who are now without a win in eleven outings.

The Romans fought their way back into this game after falling in arrears. Jason Vaughan's 38th minute opener for Irchester was matched by a Scott Atkinson reply in the dying seconds of the first half with the hosts temporarily down to ten-men as defender Jamie Payne was off the field being treated for a head injury.

James Blake put Thrapston in front on 67 minutes but Damien Grant equalised for the Romans in the 75th minute.

Then, in the first of 5 minutes stoppage time, Karl Guy netted a deserved winner for the home side.

Irchester: Ricky Hughes: Mark Wheeler (sub: Gary Cotter), Jamie Payne, Phil Lawrence, Lee Gotch, Mark Dudley, Gary Evans (sub: Dean King), Terry Partridge (sub: Dave Hiscock), Damien Grant, Karl Guy, Jason Vaughan. Sub not used: Loz Denton

Irchester United  2-1  Sleaford Town

This was an excellent win for the Romans against one of the best sides in the division - an side that looked extremely impressive in beating Irchester 3-1 at home earlier in the season.

Irchester's fourth win in five games was achieved in difficult conditions. A drying pitch left a bumpy surface, making good football extremely hard.

The home side started well and had their opponents on the back foot early on, but the Lincolnshire side looked dangerous on the break.

The opening goal arrived midway through the first half when a Gary Evans corner was headed goalwards by Karl Guy and, although the ball looked like heading for the back of the net, skipper Phil Lawrence made sure, and he was adamant he got the final touch!

Playing with a back four instead of the more normal 3-5-2 formation, Irchester's defence looked very solid. allowing Sleaford mostly long-range efforts that were comfortably dealt with by 'keeper Ricky Hughes.

However, the final 10 minutes of the opening half saw Sleaford pile on the pressure and the home side were grateful to hear the final whistle.

The second half started with Irchester back on top early doors and it came as little surprise when they doubled their lead on the hour-mark.

A free kick by Jason Vaughan was nodded on by Lawrence and his back-header looped past the visiting keeper, and this time it was definitely his goal!

The skipper could have had a hat trick shortly afterwards when he beat the keeper in the air to an Evans corner but his header this time cleared the bar.

Then, with 15 minutes to go, Sleaford pulled a goal back when Carl Sedlan was allowed too much space to head home a free kick.

The visitors mounted a determined effort to get back on level terms, but Irchester also had their chances and all in all deserved the three points, christening their new GLS Football-sponsored kit with a victory.

Irchester team:

Ricky Hughes; Greg Arnold, Jamie Payne, Lee Gotch, Phil Lawrence, Mark Dudley, Gary Evans, Gary Cotter, Damien Grant (sub: Dave Hiscock), Karl Guy (sub: Dean King), Jason Vaughan. Sub not used: Mark Wheeler

Two goals in the last 20 minutes gave the Romans their third double of the season and their fifth win in six outings. Craig Smith and Paul Carey were denied goals by good saves from Romans keeper Ricky Hughes before Gary Cotter broke the deadlock after 71 minutes with a close range effort from a Karl Guy cross.A debut strike from former Rushden & Diamonds youngster Luke Tyler sealed Irchester's win in the dying seconds.

Irchester: Ricky Hughes, Greg Arnold, Gary Cotter, Phil Lawrence, Terry Partridge, Lee Gotch, Jamie Payne, Damien Grant (Luke Tyler), Gary Evans (Mark Wheeler), Karl Guy, Jason Vaughan.

Whitworths 1-0 Irchester United Whitworths took their unbeaten run to ten games with victory in this closely contested Easter derby, the first of two meetings of the clubs over the holiday period. The division's top scorer James Daldy won it for Whitworths after 31 minutes, converting a Steve Bicknell cross to score his 29th goal of the season.

Irchester: Ricky Hughes, Greg Arnold, Gary Cotter (Terry Partridge), Phil Lawrence (Dave Hiscock), Mark Dudley, Lee Gotch, Jamie Payne, Damian Grant, Gary Evans (Mark Wheeler), Karl Guy, Jason Vaughan.

Ben Holley's goal deep into stoppage time earned Whitworths a vital point in their pursuit of honours and extended their unbeaten run to eleven matches. 

The Romans had looked set to avenge their Saturday defeat at London Road when veteran Gary Cotter gave them the lead in the dying seconds of the first half.

It was cruel on Irchester who dominated much of the game and coped with the loss of goalkeeper Ricky Hughes at half time through injury.

Irchester: Ricky Hughes (Lawrence Denton), Greg Arnold, Gary Cotter, Phil Lawrence, Mark Dudley, Lee Gotch, Mark Wheeler, Damien Grant, Gary Evans, Karl Guy (Dave Hiscock), Jason Vaughan.

Cottingham's draw tally moved into double figures as the Romans twice fought back after trailing. Just 3 minutes had been played when veteran striker Dave Trimble gave the home side the lead. Jason Vaughan equalised for Irchester 3 minutes before the break, but Steve Brydon quickly restored Cottingham's advantage after 46 minutes, heading in Gez McClafferty's corner. Again the Romans replied with Damian Grant's 65th minute effort earning a deserved point, although a succession of missed chances cost the visitors all three points..

Irchester: Laurence Denton, Greg Arnold, Gary Cotter (Dave Hiscock), Phil Lawrence, Mark Dudley, Lee Gotch, Mark Wheeler, Damian Grant (Jamie Payne), Gary Evans (Luke Tyler), Karl Guy, Jason Vaughan.

Burton Park Wanderers  1-2  Irchester United

For manager Steve Whitney, this was an important game as it would go a long way to determining the overall position in the table at the end of the season and victory would allow the Romans to make the long midweek trek to Eye United safe in the knowledge that anything gained against a side still in with a shout of the title, would be a bonus.

And Irchester duly completed victory but, as in many other games this season, they made it hard for themselves against a much-improved Burton side due to missing a number of gilt-edged chances.

Damien Grant gave the visitors the lead early on with a rare header!

Karl Guy then made it 2-0 following a goalmouth scramble and shortly afterwards he earned what looked like a stonewall penalty when the home keeper tripped him inside the box.

However, unbelievably, the referee waved play-on and after allowing treatment to Guy, stated that he thought the striker had 'lost control of the ball'.

Even the Burton keeper said at half time that he shouldn't have been on the field!

Some of the football played by Irchester in the first 45 minutes was as good as any this season, but once again the team took their foot off the pedal after the break and allowed Burton back into the game.

However, they could and should have won the game far more comfortably but achieved the aim of three points and survived a potential banana skin.

Irchester:

Loz Denton; Greg Arnold, Lee Gotch, Phil Lawrence, Jamie Payne (sub: Luke Tyler), Gary Evans (sub: Kieran Reynolds), Gary Cotter, Damien Grant (sub: Dave Hiscock), Karl Guy, Mark Dudley, Mark Wheeler.  

Eye United  0-1  Irchester United

Eye needed to beat the Romans to stand a chance of overtaking Sileby Rangers and lift the title, but Irchester had different ideas!

Travelling to Peterborough without the services of the suspended Ricky Hughes, the unavailable Gary Cotter and injured duo Jamie Payne and Karl Guy, who suffered two broken ribs and a punctured lung playing for his Sunday side, Steve Whitney brought in 16-year-old Anthony Lawrence to partner Damien Grant in attack and restored veteran Dave Hiscock to the starting line up.

It was clear from early on that Eye were nervous and Irchester played some sparkling football in the opening half and could and perhaps should have gone in at the break ahead, with Mark Wheeler and Phil Lawrence both having presentable chances. However, stand-in goalkeeper Loz Denton was forced to make one excellent save to prevent Eye taking an undeserved lead.

The second half followed a similar pattern, although as the minutes ticked by, Eye sent on extra attackers, forcing the Romans back on the defensive.

Denton made another fine save to keep the scoreline blank, while at the other end Grant and Ant Lawrence ensured the Eye defence were kept on their toes.

A goalless scoreline looked the most likely outcome, until as the game entered stoppage time and with the light fading, Irchester broke away and Grant beat the offside trap and finished coolly past the home keeper to score the only goal of the game and end Eye's title hopes.

This was undoubtedly one of the best all-round performances of the season by Irchester against a very good Eye side and they fully deserved the points.

It was difficult to pick out individuals, but young Anthony Lawrence worked his socks off in attack, whilst the defence was its usual solid self.

All in all it was great to end the season on such a high note, and equally good to gain praise from a watching UCL official, who said that he was "very impressed" by the Romans' performance.

Irchester:

Loz Denton; Greg Arnold, Mark Wheeler, Lee Gotch, Phil Lawrence, Mark Dudley, Gary Evans (sub: Luke Tyler), Dave Hiscock, Damien Grant, Anthony Lawrence, Jason Vaughan.