After eight months of thrilling league action, the Counties Championship season has entered its final stages. 16 teams have qualified for the play-offs and remain in contention to lift the national title at Wembley on 20 May.
In today’s post, I will recap the results from Round 1 and reveal which eight sides have moved a step closer to glory. In case you haven’t caught up yet, you might want to read about April’s final round of league fixtures before you continue.
PLAY-OFFS ROUND 1 DRAW
Just to remind you, here is the play-off bracket as we head into the first round:
Greater Manchester and South London are on a collision course to meet each other in the finals, provided they see off Derbyshire and Bristol respectively. Essex kick off their play-off campaign against Buckinghamshire and could meet either the West Midlands or South Yorkshire in the Quarters.
North London will hope to avoid slipping up early against outsiders Somerset, while cup finalists West Yorkshire take on Hertfordshire. Staffordshire lost just three league matches but now take on Merseyside, with the winners to battle either Bedfordshire or Kent for a Semi Final place.
In each of the first three rounds of the play-offs, ties are played over two legs, with the lower-seeded team hosting the first leg and the higher-seeded team hosting the second.
PLAY-OFFS ROUND 1, LEG 1 RESULTS
DERBYSHIRE 3-5 GREATER MANCHESTER
Though Derbyshire were rank outsiders against Greater Manchester, Stephy Mavididi got them off to the best possible start. The pacey striker ran onto Ashley Hunter’s through-ball to break the deadlock after nine minutes, and then powered in another goal just six minutes later.
The Mancunian defence – Craig Dawson especially – simply could not keep up with Mavididi. When Jordon Mutch chipped a long ball over Dawson and to Mavididi, the ex-Arsenal trainee powered in his hat-trick goal and gave Derbyshire an improbable 3-0 half-time lead!
With Greater Manchester’s Championship dream in great peril, Gary Neville got his team fired up for the restart. On 58 minutes, Scott Hogan headed in Kieran Trippier’s cross after home keeper Lee Camp misjudged the delivery. Camp made another misstep four minutes later, as Marcus Rashford squared the ball across his six-yard box for Ravel Morrison to finish.
Then, just to show how dramatically the game had turned, Rashford scored one of the most spectacular goals of the season to equalise. With just under 10 minutes remaining, Danny Drinkwater played a corner long to Rashford, who was about 30 yards from goal. The teenage striker struck a stunning first-time volley that rocketed past Camp and left Derbyshire bereft.
The hosts’ collapse continued in the 88th minute, as Adam Clayton intercepted a sloppy Camp throw and set up Rashford’s second goal. Less than a minute later, Marcus would complete his hat-trick – and an incredible Mancunian fightback from 3-0 down to winning 5-3 – by beating Matt Penney to Hogan’s weighted pass and stroking it home.
BRISTOL 2-2 SOUTH LONDON
Another of the title favourites – South London – got a major scare in Bristol. Alan Pardew’s side were 1-0 down after 21 minutes, as Scott Golbourne’s delivery from the left was powerfully finished by Reuben Reid.
Things got even more disastrous for South London ten minutes later. An innocuous low cross into the box from Bristol winger Rolando Aarons was accidentally knocked goalwards by visiting striker Tammy Abraham. The deflection slipped underneath goalkeeper Rob Elliot, and the hosts were in a comfortable position at the break.
The Londoners started showing what they were capable of after the interval. Firstly, 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon craftily stroked in Jack Cork’s square pass to halve the deficit on 71 minutes. Lewis Grabban then erased it altogether seven minutes later, securing a valuable away-leg draw.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 4-3 ESSEX
Buckinghamshire took the lead in scrappy circumstances after 23 minutes. A deflected cross from right-winger Matt Phillips was fired goalwards by Dele Alli. Essex defender Carl Jenkinson got a block in, but his goalie Daniel Bentley could only parry the rebound to Rob Hall, who poked in a simple finish.
There was more dismay for Essex in the opening stages of the first half. Alli had put Bucks 3-0 up by the 58th minute – first with a clinical strike from George Williams’ through-ball, and then with an edge-of-the-area shot that went in off defender James Tomkins.
Essex got a goal back almost immediately after Tomkins’ own goal, as Andros Townsend volleyed in a spectacular long ball from Jenkinson. However, when the Swans hit them on the counter in the 62nd minute and Alli’s fierce drive squirmed past Bentley, the East champions’ hopes of national glory looked to be slipping away.
Though they quietly accepted that Bucks had won the first leg, Essex made sure they got themselves into a saveable position ahead of the second. A header from Dwight Gayle and a powerful shot from Josh Cullen in the final 15 minutes cut their deficit from 4-1 to a more manageable 4-3.
SOUTH YORKSHIRE 2-1 WEST MIDLANDS
A close-fought centre-half ended with the West Midlands narrowly ahead in Sheffield. South Yorkshire captain John Stones was penalised in the 20th minute for tripping counterpart Troy Deeney, giving the Midlanders a free-kick close to goal. Craig Gardner fired the set-piece, with some help from a deflection off Alex Mowatt in the wall.
Mowatt recovered from that to play a part in South Yorkshire’s equaliser seven minutes into the second half. The midfielder fed the ball to Billy Sharp, who held it up well before a clever backheel played in his strike partner Jamie Vardy, who lashed it home with ease.
Sharp would later be replaced with ex-Millwall target man Lee Gregory, who would secure the win for Mick McCarthy’s hosts in stoppage time. Gregory showed great anticipation to beat West Midlands stopper Danny Batth to a cross from right-back Kyle Walker, which he tapped in for 2-1.
SOMERSET 0-0 NORTH LONDON
Having won the South division, North London were firm favourites to beat a Somerset team whose journey to the play-offs had been rather less smooth. However, a frustratingly profligate performance from the visitors in Yeovil raised fresh doubts over whether Harry Redknapp and co could handle the pressure.
The first half was a dull affair, with Somerset’s Scott Sinclair and North London’s Yannick Bolasie each wasting half-chances but not much else happening. Well, aside from three Londoners getting their names into the referee’s book.
There was rather more goalmouth action in the second, but North London’s star striker Harry Kane simply could not take his chances. He and his strike partner Jermain Defoe were effectively dealt with by a resilient Somerset defence, in which skipper Paul Downing had put in a particularly strong shift.
HERTFORDSHIRE 0-1 WEST YORKSHIRE
West Yorkshire started positively in Watford, though a 10th-minute chance from talisman James Milner went begging after Hertfordshire keeper David Button pushed it away. At the other end, Alex Smithies proved equal to a couple of opportunities from Herts frontman Cauley Woodrow.
The breakthrough came after 32 minutes, when Hertfordshire’s attacking midfielder Jack Wilshere found the net. Unfortunately, it was his own net in which he had chested a right-wing cross from Aaron Lennon, leaving Button helpless.
That was a cruel blow to Kenny Jackett – and try as he might, the Herts boss couldn’t spur on a second-half comeback. Andre Wisdom was aptly-named in the West Yorkshire defence, which held firm for a narrow away win, even after left-back James Husband came off late on with a facial injury.
MERSEYSIDE 1-1 STAFFORDSHIRE
Merseyside goalkeeper Lee Nicholls was kept busy throughout the first half. A number of Staffordshire players – including striker James Wilson and attacking midfielder Kemar Roofe – were thwarted by Nicholls in a one-sided opening 45 minutes that somehow finished goalless.
Sadly, the Scousers would suffer a couple of significant setbacks in the second half. Winger Craig Noone tore a groin muscle six minutes into the half, bringing his season to an end. About 15 minutes later, their resistance was broken by a Staffordshire counter-attack, which midfielder David Davis finished from just inside the box.
Six minutes from the end, however, Davis handed Merseyside a lifeline. A slide-tackle on Wayne Rooney inadvertently diverted the ball into the Staffies’ penalty area, where David Nugent pounced to grab the hosts a late equaliser! How important would that be in the second leg?
KENT 0-1 BEDFORDSHIRE
In their last regular-season match, Bedfordshire had lost key men Keshi Anderson and Daniel Powell to injury. Understandably, their attack wasn’t as sharp as usual against Kent – certainly not in the first half, anyway.
Kent were doing a good job of shutting Beds out until midfielder Ben Thompson lost his head in the 56th minute. Just moments after collecting a yellow card for tripping striker Calvin Andrew, Thompson received another for nobbling the same player.
Despite being down to 10 men, the hosts kept the score at 0-0 until the dying moments, when right-back Glen Johnson committed an even costlier foul on Jay Dasilva. Bedfordshire midfielder Lewis Baker had a free-kick about 25 yards from goal, and he lifted it over the wall and into the net to snatch a dramatic away win!
PLAY-OFFS ROUND 1, LEG 2 RESULTS
GREATER MANCHESTER 1-2 DERBYSHIRE [Greater Manchester win 6-5 on aggregate]
After such a shocking start to the first leg, Greater Manchester made sure they kept their composure in the first half of the rematch. Danny Welbeck and Danny Drinkwater each had early chances saved by Derbyshire goalkeeper Camp, who was keen to make amends for his horror show back home.
Camp’s worst nightmare came true five minutes from time. Trippier sent a deep cross to his near post, where Welbeck outpaced the Derbyshire defence to power in a shot that put the Mancunians 6-3 on aggregate.
Derbyshire got two of the three goals they needed to at least force extra-time. Young frontman Mason Bennett flicked in a cross from strike partner Ashley Hunter in the 67th minute. He found the target again barely a minute later, after Keiren Westwood had parried a shot from Hunter.
Sadly for Nigel Clough’s men, that was as far as their comeback went. Greater Manchester had impressively not conceded a single foul in the second leg, and these clean-cut north-western lads were through to the Quarter Finals.
SOUTH LONDON 4-1 BRISTOL [South London win 6-3 on aggregate]
The match was delicately-poised at 2-2 after the first leg, but South London didn’t want to give Bristol even a sniff of an upset in Charlton. Just three minutes in, 20-year-old winger Patrick Roberts’ corner was flicked goalwards by midfielder Harry Arter and then tucked away by defender Steven Caulker.
The Londoners doubled their advantage in the 11th minute. Roberts stroked the ball through the Bristolian defence to left-wing wizard Wilfried Zaha, who beat Jack Butland from a difficult angle. The visitors tried to battle back later in the first half, but they would head into the last 45 minutes facing an almighty battle.
Another South London corner effectively killed the game in the 81st minute. Roberts’ header from Junior Stanislas’ delivery was blocked by Bristol defender Alfie Jones, who was unable to stop Arter from driving in the rebound. Jones’ misery was compounded four minutes later, when he fouled Roberts to concede a penalty which Grabban converted.
Keith Curle’s visitors were heading out, but at least they’d head home with a consolation goal. A fine passing move in the final minute was finished by Danny Rose for the only blemish on an otherwise spotless home performance from South London.
ESSEX 4-0 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE [Essex win 7-4 on aggregate]
Trailing Buckinghamshire 4-3 after the first leg in Milton Keynes, Essex were determined to make home advantage count in Southend-on-Sea. They erased their narrow deficit after 24 minutes, with midfielder Isaac Hayden nodding home from Pritchard’s right-wing cross.
Bucks started to lose their discipline after that, giving away several needless fouls. One such foul from Alli on Pritchard in the 44th minute was especially costly. Pritchard hit the free-kick long into the box, where Tomkins headed it past the onrushing goalkeeper Matt Ingram.
The visitors paid another heavy price for their carelessness in the 67th minute. James Clarke’s trip on Gayle was punished by a stunning direct free-kick from Pritchard, which put Essex three up on the day – and two ahead on aggregate.
The final nail in the Buckinghamshire coffin was hammered down by Pritchard ten minutes from time. He completed a hat-trick of assists with a low ball across the box to Gayle, who defied a last-ditch Brendan Galloway challenge to stab in the goal that confirmed Essex’s Quarter Final spot.
WEST MIDLANDS 1-0 SOUTH YORKSHIRE [2-2 on aggregate, South Yorkshire win 8-7 on penalties]
South Yorkshire’s narrow advantage from the first leg was gone within 10 minutes of the second leg kicking off in the West Midlands. Joe Wildsmith had already saved one great early chance from Craig Gardner, but the visiting goalie was unable to prevent Daniel Sturridge from heading in Cyrus Christie’s whipped cross.
Having got themselves back on terms, WM sensed that the game was theirs for the taking. Having seen older brother Craig score in the first leg, Gary Gardner tried to do the same in the second, but Wildsmith tipped the young midfielder’s shot behind just before half-time.
A nervy second half followed in which Vardy wasted a couple of golden opportunities to restore South Yorkshire’s overall advantage. His team then had to survive several extra-time chances from the West Midlands before the tie – having finished level on aggregate – was settled from the spot.
Both teams converted their first five penalties, but when West Midlands keeper Carl Ikeme denied Ollie Banks in the sixth round, the advantage was with the hosts. Christie couldn’t hold his nerve, though, and Wildsmith produced a vital save to prolong the shoot-out.
Wildsmith saved SY again in the ninth round of spot-kicks, stopping Batth from winning the game after Ikeme had shut Marc Roberts out. Mason Holgate then made it 8-7 to the Yorkshiremen as Ikeme stepped forward to try and keep the Midlanders alive. Alas, the Nigerian international hit the bar, and Sam Allardyce’s team were out.
NORTH LONDON 4-2 SOMERSET [North London win 4-2 on aggregate]
The first half of this second leg was as surprisingly close as the first leg itself. North London had broken the deadlock through Curtis Davies’ tap-in from Bolasie’s through-ball in the seventh minute. However, that lead lasted just nine minutes before Lloyd Isgrove put Somerset level.
North London would soon find themselves on the back foot. Vice-captain Mark Noble put his body on the line in the 25th minute to block a close-range Scott Laird free-kick after skipper John Terry had fouled Somerset striker Ashley Barnes.
The boys from the south-west soon started to believe that they could cause an almighty play-off shock. When Barnes helped Isgrove clinch his brace with a powerful effort in the 62nd minute, North London found themselves half an hour away from elimination.
Six minutes later, redemption for Redknapp came through his namesake Kane. The England frontman exploited a gap in the Somerset defence to volley in a cross from his club and country colleague Sterling, making it 2-2!
Kane would contribute to North London taking the lead on 86 minutes, hitting the visitors on the counter with an excellent long pass that Defoe stroked past a shaky Ben Hamer. Defoe returned the favour a minute later, as his assist for Kane’s powerful second goal killed the Somerset dream.
WEST YORKSHIRE 1-0 HERTFORDSHIRE [West Yorkshire win 1-0 on aggregate]
West Yorkshire could have added to their 1-0 first-leg advantage less than a quarter-hour into the second match. Stuart McCall’s side confidently stroked the ball across the Hertfordshire half before Husband put in a left-wing cross that Cameron Jerome could only fire against the post.
That was one of several opportunities Jerome spurned in the opening 45. The journeyman Guyana international was not finishing well at all, so it didn’t come as a surprise when McCall subbed him off early in the second half.
As it turned out, substitute Clayton Donaldson would hold the key to unlocking the Herts defence. After 71 minutes, the 32-year-old former Birmingham forward got past Jason Shackell to reach a cross from Milner and head it beyond Button’s reach. West Yorkshire were now on the cusp of the last eight.
Those final 20 minutes were a painful experience for the travelling supporters, who didn’t once see their team threaten a comeback. Indeed, only the crossbar stopped Donaldson from putting WY even further ahead late on. Come the full-time whistle, their anger had spilled over. Hertfordshire out? JACKETT OUT!
STAFFORDSHIRE 1-0 MERSEYSIDE [Staffordshire win 2-1 on aggregate]
Five minutes into this match, Kemar should’ve raised the Roofe off Stoke’s Bet365 Stadium. The Staffordshire forward burst through the Merseyside defence to collect a weighted ball from Wilson, which he somehow scooped over the crossbar.
That miss seemed to stay on the Staffies’ minds throughout a frustrating first half where they failed to take advantage of several openings. Merseyside were staying resolute at the back, though a minor injury to left-back Leighton Baines meant he was substituted at the break.
Meanwhile, despite working hard to try and inspire his team, Merseyside skipper Rooney was brilliantly shut out by the home defence. The Scousers’ only shot on target would come from Barkley five minutes into the second half, and that was a long-ranger which Matthew Jones confidently clawed away.
Staffordshire would strike the decisive blow after 69 minutes. Ryan Shotton nodded Marc Albrighton’s floated corner to the post, where Andre Gray finished it – and Karl Robinson’s team – off. Could these dogged terriers go all the way?
BEDFORDSHIRE 0-0 KENT [Bedfordshire win 1-0 on aggregate]
Bedfordshire almost started the second leg as brilliantly as they’d finished the first. Midfield playmaker Michael Cain had a great idea in the fourth minute, but his killer pass to Andrew ended only with a strong save from Kent’s Paul Jones.
Kent then set about trying to narrow their deficit from the earlier game. A couple of Wayne Routledge efforts missed the target, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s header from a 25th-minute Ryan Bertrand corner hit the bar.
The visitors would be frustrated further early in the second half. Dean Brill proved a worthy deputy to injured Beds keeper Simon Eastwood (who’d broken his hand in training) by making saves from Routledge, Cain and Luke Freeman. Arguably his best save came on 57 minutes, when he tipped an angled effort from Freeman over the bar.
Try as they might, though, Kent just could not break the deadlock on the day, even after throwing Conor Washington and John Akinde on from the bench. The Luton faithful celebrated at full-time as Bedfordshire – seen as little more than also-rans in pre-season – moved a step closer towards becoming County Champions!
PLAY-OFFS QUARTER FINAL DRAW
Okay… so there weren’t many surprises in the first round, with South Yorkshire the only low seed to win their tie, eliminating the West Midlands on penalties. But what’s in store for McCarthy and the other seven managers who’ve taken their teams to the Quarters?
Now this is what the play-offs are all about! The undisputed tie of the Quarter Finals sees Greater Manchester’s ruthless attackers take on a close-knit South London outfit. Sparks will surely fly as one giant is guaranteed to fall before the Semis.
South Yorkshire’s reward for upsetting Big Sam is a meeting with another ex-Newcastle manager. Chris Hughton’s Essex were relentless in the East division, and despite an early scare in the first round, they’re becoming increasingly confident they can go all the way.
If West Yorkshire are to keep their hopes of a ‘double’ alive, they’ll need to dump the pre-season favourites out of the play-offs. North London have tremendous quality across their outfield and might just be beginning to hit form at the right time.
I doubt many of you could’ve predicted before the season began that Bedfordshire would be in the Quarter Finals. Their fairytale may not have the perfect ending, though, as Staffordshire are stubborn, tough and won’t take their opponents lightly at all.
And then there were eight. Keep an eye out for another update on Wednesday, when I’ll have all the results from the Quarter Finals AND the Semi Finals.
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