WIFC racked up an impressive 5-1 win at Northampton yesterday at a windswept Racecourse ground, venue of the infamous game against Colin Boon’s pub team.

WIFC were out of the starting gate quickly, and Stu Nicholls opened the scoring from close range after some good hold up play from Jez Hinds. With the midfield and defence in solid, impressive form, WIFC were able to launch several attacks and it was no surprise when the lead was doubled by Joel Moody, who smashed his 4th goal of the season into the top corner from just outside the box.

WIFC’s rearguard were in commanding from throughout

Northampton, as always, proved resolute opposition and got a foothold back in the game when they took advantage of a defensive lapse to reduce the arrears. But WIFC restored the two goal lead before the break when Jimmy Davis came in from the wing, and finished with aplomb from just inside the box.

With memories of Cambridge’s comeback from the same scoreline last weekend fresh in the mind, manager Chris Davis called for the same level of effort and concentration after the break. He got his wish as shortly after the re-start, Martin Pollard headed home from a corner. Later in the half, Pollard doubled his tally with a neat run and finish which a man half his 42 years would have been pleased with.

In all, a good win for WIFC as the season takes shape. With a London Cup Semi-Final berth already booked, and an IFA cup tie with West Ham on the horizon, confidence is high for another productive IFA season.

Team; 4-4-2; Tom Beck; Matt Wells, Maurice Clarke, Ally Hill, Phil McBride; Jimmy Davis, James Jenkins, Rob Stone, Joel Moody; Jeremy Hinds, Stuart Nicholls. Subs Martin Pollard, Julian Carrera, Sam Copeland, Dan Willis.

Moz Clarke took home the coveted players player of the year trophy, following the not-so lavish awards ceremony at Druids. Watford legend Lloyd Doyley was on hand to do the honours and dish out the usual high quality baubles to the delighted winners. Clarke got the nod ahead of 2nd place James Jenkins, with Stuart Nicholls taking 3rd.

Among the other winners, James Jenkins narrowly pipped Brad Simmons to the best newcomer award, while Phil McBride deservedly won the Clubman of the year. Tom Beck was named Most Improved Player, and the Most league appearances went to Brad Simmons. Rob Sterry won his 6th Top Scorer award, while Mat Ball was elected to the hall of fame.

More pictures can be found on the Facebook page, and the updated Award Winners page can be found here..

With a new season just around the corner, the nominations for the 2012/13 WIFC awards are in. With 18 players named, all are in with a shout of taking home some silverware from the do, which takes place this Saturday evening at Druids.

Nominations are given to every player that received a vote in each category. The nominations in full are…

Player of the Year
Brad Simmons
James Jenkins
Moz Clarke
Rob Stone
Rob Sterry
Stuart Nicholls

Best Newcomer
Brad Simmons
James Jenkins
Mickey Eales

The Matt Wells Award for Most Improved Player
Andy Myall
Brad Simmons
Chris Davis
Ed Sterry
Joel Moody
Martin Owen
Matt Wells
Richard Murphy
Stuart Nicholls
Tom Beck

Clubman of the Year
Chris Davis
Dave Messenger
Jamie Parkins
Moz Clarke
Phil McBride
Richard Murphy
Richard Walker

Manager Chris Davis praised all of the players. “Congratulations to all of those nominated” said WIFC’s manager. “We had a great season last time round and these nominations reflect the fact that every player contributed along the way”. With the IFA season already underway and a number of teams now holding both training and pre-season friendlies, Davis was clear on whether WIFC would follow suit. “Training is something we do to get to away games, while the idea of pre-season friendlies for what’s meant to be a friendly league is pretty laughable” said Davis. “Good luck to those who do – each to their own – but WIFC will continue in the vein that’s seen us through the last 16 and a bit years”

For details of previous winners, click here, and don’t forget to check back on Monday for details of the winners.

WIFC will begin their defence of the IFA London Cup with group games against Cambridge, AFC Wimbledon A and Dagenham & Redbridge later this year. With the competition extended to include a number of extra teams from the South East, a record 15 teams will compete in the initial group phase, with the four group winners progressing straight to the semi-finals.

WIFC’s Group B fixtures, which will be played between the start of the season and Christmas, are as follows;

Cambridge vs Watford
AFC Wimbledon ‘A’ vs Dagenham & Redbridge
Cambridge vs AFC Wimbledon ‘A’
Watford vs Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge vs Cambridge
Watford vs AFC Wimbledon ‘A’

The rest of the groups are as follows;

Group A: Gillingham, Crawley, Hampton & Richmond, Barnet
Group C: Stevenage, Millwall, Kingstonian, Leyton Orient
Group D: AFC Wimbledon ‘B’, Brentford, West Ham

WIFC completed their IFA league campaign for the season with a comfortable 4-1 win against Southampton at Parmiters today. With interest in joining WIFC at an all-time high following a fine season for the big boys, manager Chris Davis handed debuts to no less than 4 players and was rewarded with 4 goals and a 13th win from this year’s 20 league fixtures, the highest number since 2007/08.

WIFC took the lead after 13 minutes, when a corner from Ben Pegram was met at the far post by Moz Clarke, who rose above his marker and headed ball into the corner to break his WIFC goalscoring duck in his 21st appearance.

The lead was doubled on 29 minutes when Jimmy Davis, starting a game for the first time after a 16 month injury lay-off, picked up the ball the ball in his own half and in typical style, ran more than 50 yards before finishing with his left foot. The Internet ‘Orns made it 3 just before the break, when Ben Batemam marked his debut with a neat finish from an Ed Sterry pass.

Southampton made it 3-1 on 58 minutes, when Alex Griffiths scored,  but the home side completed the scoring  through leading scorer Rob Sterry’s 20th of the season, after good build-up play from Joel Moody and John Sitkowski, another of the 4 debutants.

All roads now point to Leeds, as the WIFC Vets complete the season’s action by participating in the Big Tam Vets tournament, which is held in the Yorkshire city next weekend.

Team. Tom Beck; Ed Sterry, Julian Carrera, Stuart Nicholls, Phil McBride; Richard Murphy,  Sam Copeland, Moz Clarke, Ben Pegram, Joel Moody; Jimmy Davis. Subs John Sitkowski, David Sitkowski, Ben Bateman, James Farnfield, Rob Sterry.

WIFC Veterans were celebrating at the weekend, as they won the Amsterdam Veterans 6-a-side tournament and ended a 3 year wait for silverware for the Internet ‘Orns. With a strong Veterans squad led by Pete Fincham and augmented by a few under age additions, WIFC finished the round robin phase of the tournament in 2^nd place on goal difference, after convincing wins against Leeds Lards (7-2), Leeds Council (7-0) and a hard fought 2-1 victory over Kingstonian.

An early defeat to Plymouth Argyle had earlier threatened to prevent the teams progression, but the Green Army failed to win their final group game by 4 goals, meaning a re-match with Kingstonian awaited. In a tough, competitive game, a solitary goal from Rob Sterry settled the match as once again, ‘keeper Darren Sear and defensive stalwart Adrian Spender kept a composed back line, shutting out whatever Kingstonian could throw at them.

Top scorer Rob Sterry shows off the latest addition to the WIFC trophy cabinet

Sear went on to receive the ‘keeper of the tournament award, as well as notching the individual player of the tournament award from the WIFC team itself in what was a truly outstanding set of performances. Leading scorer was Rob Sterry with 6, while brother Ed and Craig Harrison finally notched their 1^st goals for the club in the wins over Leeds Lards and Leeds Council respectively, the latter a full 16 years after his debut back in 1997.

With the WIFC regular side preparing to face Stevenage in the London Cup Final on Saturday, and a certain play-off final at Wembley on the horizon for the big boys,  the Internet ‘Orns will be hoping to celebrate a Watford flavoured sliverware treble come Monday evening.

A fine hat-trick from Andy Myall was the highlight of the day for WIFC, as they secured a third successive win and a first victory against Peterborough with a 5-2 win at the Bushfield Leisure centre on Saturday. With a patched-up squad of just 13, WIFC knew they would have to work hard on a long, wide 4G pitch, and they did just that to propel themselves into the IFA league top ten for the first time since 2009.

The visitors got off to a bright start, with Joel Moody and debutant Liam McGarry linking well. And it was the new name on the teamsheet who opened the scoring when he left a defender for dead and finished expertly. Moody was to the fore when WIFC added a second soon after, as his run and cross was touched on by McGarry into Myall’s path, and his fierce low strike opened his account for the day.

The home side started to exert some pressure but WIFC’s defence, which included veteran left-back Paul Labbett in his first IFA league game since 2003 and a new centre half partnership between Ally Hill and Stuart Holdham, held firm. With Moody and McGarry looking lively on the break, WIFC always looked dangerous, but it was Richard Murphy who provided the next goal when he was felled inside the area. Richard Walker stepped up to atone for his IFA Cup shootout miss against Millwall with a confident penalty, his first WIFC goal since a 2004 strike at Crewe.

The second half would be more hard work for the visitors as manager Chris Davis continued to rotate his two subs, but WIFC were able to extend the lead to 4 when another Moody run took him into a goalscoring position, but last season’s leading scorer and player of the season unselfishly passed to the even better placed Myall, who finished calmly.

The home side finally got on the scoresheet midway through the second half, but with space opening up all across the pitch, Moody broke past his full back once more and his low cross was converted by Myall for a well deserved hat-trick to crown his man of the match display. There was still time for the home side to score from the spot after a foul by the otherwise excellent Hill.

Team.
Jeremy Hinds; Dave Morren, Ally Hill, Stuart Holdham, Paul Labbett; Richard Murphy, Rob Stone, Richard Walker, Andy Myall; Joel Moody; Liam McGarry. Subs Bernard Bradshaw, Dave Messenger.

A hat-trick from Stuart Nicholls (later downgraded to a brace in the bar for no good reason..) on his 50th WIFC appearance set up a 6-5 Herts derby win againt Barnet at Met Police yesterday.

The visitors had raced into a 2-0 lead when Nicholls was introduced as a first half sub and from his first touch, a flicked header which sent Rob Sterry scampering down the wing, the Internet ‘Orns pulled one back as Richard Murphy converted Sterry’s low cross.

Barnet came straight back in a see-saw encounter and restored their two goal cushion, but WIFC were able to reduce the arrears again when Nicholls finished a fine team move with a smart finish from Murphy’s pull-back.

The second half saw WIFC start in the ascendancy and it was Nicholls again, heading home a Mark Brennan cross, to double his tally and bring the home side level. Minutes later, WIFC took the lead for the first time when Paul Whittenbury’s free kick from halfway was sliced in by a visiting defender.

Not be outdone, Barnet took advantage of WIFC taking their foot off the pdeal and pulled themselves level, but from the kick-off the advantage was restored when Dave Soloway broke into the area and Nicholls smashed home the resulting cross, allowing WIFC to keep their noses in front.

Still the game wasn’t over, and Barnet pulled level again with a controversial penalty, but WIFC were not to be outdone and with minutes to play, Rob Sterry got between a visiting defender and the keeper, and lobbed home the winning goal.

Nicholls deservedly won the Man of the Match cow for his treble, while a good team effort after a sloppy first half hour meant that WIFC had recorded their tenth league win of the season for the first time since 2008/09.

Team
Tom Beck; Brad Simmons, Jamie Parkins, Mickey Eales, Matt Ainsley; Richard Murphy, Rob Stone, Dave Soloway, Joel Moody; Mark Brennan, Rob Sterry. Subs Stuart Nicholls, James Jenkins, Maurice Clarke, Paul Whittenbury and Andy Myall.