After an exciting start to the College Cup, the Nouse Sport team give their take on each group and examine the Fantasy Football standings.

Images: Agatha Torrance

Halifax thirds kept up their impressive start to this year’s College Cup with a hard fought 1-0 victory over James thirds.

In a closely fought and contentious affair, Ben Smith’s goal ten minutes from time proved to be enough to hand Halifax the three points and send them to the top of their group.

Under the cover of an overcast JLD, the opening period of the game was scrappy with Halifax controlling the ball but struggling to create anything of note against an organized James defence.

This was soon to change as a mix-up in the James backline presented Halifax striker Ben Smith with an opportunity, however goalkeeper Paul Charnock was quick out of his goal to make a crucial block.

It was Halifax who looked most likely to find the opening goal and they were handed the perfect chance when James captain Ruari Phillips was harshly penalised for handling a point blank Halifax shot and the referee pointed to the spot. Jonny Williamson stepped up to take the penalty and his powerful effort was denied by the crossbar.

This penalty miss seemed to galvanize Halifax as they offered a short period of sustained pressure however their play continued to lack a cutting edge. Up the other end, the isolated James striker Sam Taylor was presented with a clear sight of goal but he sliced his shot high and wide of the post.

The first half had been a relatively even affair of few clear chances and this continued into the opening period of the second half.

With the pace of the game dropping to a slower tempo and neither team managing to gain any real foothold, the game was in desperate need of a spark and this was almost provided by Maxime Reby of James when he skilfully beat his man and knocked his chipped finish just past the post.

As the half progressed there continued to be a distinct lack of goalmouth action with both sides struggling to make their passes count in the final third of the pitch.

After such an uneventful second half, the game burst into life with ten minutes to go. The dangerous Reby had caused Halifax problems all day and his mazy run was only stopped by a cynical trip by defender Dan Aindow. As Aindow was the last man, James were expecting a red card for the professional foul however to their astonishment the referee only delivered yellow.

The subsequent free-kick from James defender Nathan McCusker first brought an excellent reflex save out of Halifax goalkeeper Shinnosuke Muruta and then an equally impressive save from the rebound shot. The second stop was magnificent considering how quickly Muruta got back to his feet from the first save.

No sooner had James gone close to grabbing the opening goal were they picking the ball out of the back of their net. As Halifax’s Luke Stevenson delivered a corner into the box, it looked an easy catch for James keeper Charnock however he misjudged the flight of the ball and Ben Smith was well-placed at the back post to head Halifax into the lead.

With time running out, James almost grabbed an equalizer when Jack Tims found space on the right wing but again Muruta showed great reflexes to keep out his shot and Halifax held onto their lead.

Halifax captain Andrew Wallace praised his side for their “dogged performance” and stated that his team had, “still have not hit form but to win with 3 or 4 players carrying injuries says something about this team.”

His James counterpart Ruari Phillips was in a reflective mood stating, “We put in the effort today but a few of the decisions just did not go our way.”

Halifax: Muruta, Arezoo, Lord, Gennoy, Williamson (Aindow), Stevenson, Wallace (C), Di Caro (Knott), Cole, Sango, Smith

Man of the Match: Sam Taylor

Images: Agatha Torrance

Wentworth knew they would face a stiff challenge after Langwith seconds pushed Derwent firsts all the way in their opening game before eventually succumbing to a 1-0 defeat. However, few could have predicted a 3-2 loss for the postgraduates in an enthralling contest.

The match was somewhat flat in the first half with both teams unable to create any clear cut opportunities. The first chance came from Bruce Starkey whose cross-come-shot rattled the post after a horrible misjudgement from Colin Hill in the Wentworth goal.

It was Langwith who created the next chances as well with Sam Rooney having his shot cleared off the line, while the rebound from James MacDonald was somehow also cleared.

The men in black and yellow then opened their account for the afternoon with an unbelievable finish from Jack Donovan from all of thirty yards. Wentworth goalkeeper Colin Hill sliced his kick to Donovan who on his weaker left foot floated the ball over Hill’s head expertly into the top corner. At half time Langwith led 1-0.

The second half was chaotic from start to finish with both teams going on the attack throughout. It was a far more even start to the half with Wentworth finally playing some nice football. Tom Redhead and captain Wayne Paes looked particularly assured on the ball.

Wentworth threatened the Langwith goal in the following exchanges with Redhead hitting the crossbar with a great strike before he equalised direct from a corner. With the wind swirling, Ollie Williamson in the Langwith goal misjudged the fight of the ball and paid the ultimate price.

With the score level, Langwith retook the lead almost immediately. James MacDonald played the ball through to Danny Mullen who precisely tucked his effort away to the left of the helpless Hill in goal. It was 2-1, but not for long.

Wentworth attacked straight from kick off and Tom Redhead hit a shot from the left wing through a melee of players leaving Williamson unsighted and unable to stop the shot which nestled in the bottom corner. It was 2-2 with five minutes to go and you felt there was still to be a winner.

And it was to be for Langwith when James MacDonald found himself through on goal, his initial shot was saved brilliantly but the rebound fell straight to him and he slotted home from close range giving Langwith the victory which leaves them in real contention to at least qualify for the Plate.

After the match Wentworth captain, Wayne Paes stated that he was ‘disappointed with the performance and missing five players didn’t help. We now have to win our remaining three games.’

In contrast, Langwith’s Craig Burnell was jubilant saying that his team had ‘proved that the Derwent performance was not a one off,’ before exclaiming that ‘Jack Donovan’s goal summed up everything about the way we played today.’

The result leaves Langwith third in the group after the second round of fixtures while Wentworth are fifth and still to gain their first points in the College Cup 2012.

Langwith: Williamson, Georgiev, Rudden, Prescott, Starkey, Donovan, Burnell (C) (Ong), Doyle, Mullen, Rooney, MacDonald

Man of the Match: Tom Redhead

Images: Agatha Torrance

Derwent firsts needed a late headed goal from Tom Brandreth to scrape past Goodricke seconds in today’s Group 1 match.

This was the second 1-0 win of the tournament for Derwent, after they beat Langwith seconds by the same scoreline last week.

The game was a scrappy affair right from the off, the early stages only illuminated by a few heavy challenges.

Sam Earle went close for Derwent when he volleyed wide from distance, before Alex d’Albertanson went close with a back post header and Earle did the same moments later.

Derwent had dominated possession, but Goodricke were holding firm and nearly grabbed the lead with a well struck half-volley from Joe Mann which drifted just wide.

Dan Atherton tested Tom Neill from distance, but it was little surprise when the score read 0-0 at the half time whistle.

Derwent continued to dominate possession in the second half, but were lacking a cutting edge. Their passing was letting them down and both sides were resorting to long-ball tactics for a spell.

Goodricke tried to press for the goal that could have secured a shock win, but Brandreth and Andy Jeffreys were imperious at the back, repelling every attack that came their way.

And when Neill produced a great save to deny Sven Sabas, the game seemed destined to end goalless, with the Goodricke side proving extremely difficult to break down.

But with only a couple of minutes remaining, Brandreth rose highest from an Ollie Harrison corner to power home a header from close range, all but securing the three points.

A nasty clash of heads shortly after saw Sabas go off injured, but Derwent were able to hold on for the victory.

At full time, Derwent captain David Kirk reflected on another narrow win for his side, saying, “It was a little bit like last week really. We’re happy to win and to keep a clean sheet again. We tried a different formation today and the goals aren’t really flowing, but we’re happy with the points. We’ll keep going and hopefully get more goals as the tournament goes on.”

Goodricke’s Tom Neill was pleased with their performance and remains confident of finishing in the top two. He commented, “We said before the game that we wanted a draw, and for 55 minutes it looked like we would get it. We’re devastated to lose after such a big effort, but our qualification doesn’t depend on this game. Derwent are supposed to beat every team in the group, so anything today would have been a bonus. Halifax thirds will be the big game for us I think.”

Derwent: Treasure, Boughtflower, Harrison, Brandreth, Jeffreys, Tapper, d’Albertanson, Earle, Farrell Atherton, Kirk . Subs used: Sabas, Whittall

Man of the match: Andy Jeffreys

Goodricke: Neill, Hurd, Astbury, Savage, Angel, Cottingham, Abdul, Mann, Ashurst, Young, Munro. Subs used: Turnbull, Ward, Ally

Man of the match: Rob Young

Her new position: Business Analyst for Equity Research with Global Investment Research in Europe

So what does that really mean? Well, she’ll be working in Goldman’s Global Investment Research division and over time will develop a specialism for certain stocks, for example packaged food or beverages. “There’s a guy who’s just an expert on beer stocks,” she tells me. However, when she first arrives she’ll more likely be doing client requests and pulling data to support her team.

She’ll be based in London but will spend five weeks in New York training. Some of the perks? A salary almost twice that of the average graduate starting salary, health insurance, a gym, medical centre, and according to Katherine, “an amazing canteen”.

Still interested? Here’s how she did it.

Firstly, she was persistent. Having done the obligatory two-week stint of work experience at 15, she decided that law was definitely not for her. Yet, while most of us became preoccupied with more pressing concerns such as A Levels and adjusting to university life, Katherine continued to hone what career field she was interested in.

An enjoyable month at an investment bank influenced her A Level choices (Maths, Economics, History) as she decided that banking was something she wanted to investigate further, and kick-started her interest in an Economics degree. It was during sixth form that she first also heard about Goldman Sachs – when a teacher recommended an insight day there. While it was only a brief visit, she loved the culture, and from then on recalls that, “everything else was simply a step [to getting there].”

However, it was a year at the Bank of England during her gap year that really got her thinking about what aspects of banking appealed to her.

“[It was] a very different type of finance and I really enjoyed it but I knew it wasn’t something I want to do long term, [however] it was really good as it got me thinking – I enjoyed the finance aspects but I wanted it to be a bit more commercial.”

Her original role wasn’t as glamorous as a gap year at the Bank of England sounds – while the position she applied online “completely on a whim” for was a position in monetary analysis, her actual initial role was as a secretary. However, unusual circumstances meant that Katherine got given more responsibility.

“[My placement] was in 2008 when the financial crisis happened… Because of that I took on a lot more responsibility and by the end of the year I was doing data analysis which was really interesting.”

Despite having accumulated a fair amount of banking experience for a first year university student, Katherine still got rejected at the next stage – ‘spring weeks’. “I applied to all the big names and didn’t get anything.”

For anyone interested in banking, a ‘spring week’ is a one or two-week taster course offered in the Easter holidays by the major banks, and is targeted towards first-years.

While the experience of not getting a spring week, despite appearing a very qualified applicant, was incredibly discouraging, she didn’t let that put her off, pursuing a less traditional route into finance instead.

“I volunteered at Christians Against Poverty and they’re a national debt counselling charity, so it’s a different side of finance. In first year I did that on a weekly basis and I also spent a month working in their head office in Bradford.”

Investment banking though is an undeniably hard area to break into as a young graduate, and this was reflected in Katherine’s next attempt to climb the banking ladder – getting a summer internship. Applying to 15 banks at the start of her second year – she only heard back from one, but one was all she needed.

“It just shows they’re all looking for different things,” Katherine said. “Goldman was the only one I got an interview for and I got the job but I didn’t get interviews anywhere else.”

To be continued…

They were scheduled to provide the referee for the 4pm match between Alcuin seconds and Halifax seconds, which ended 3-2 to Halifax, but organiser Joe Boughtflower was forced to step in to referee the match.

The two point sanction for failing to field a referee has always been in place and is a rule that all captains had been made aware of.

They now sit bottom of Group 3, on minus two points after they lost 1-0 to Vanbrugh thirds last Thursday.

In an email to sent to team captains this evening, Boughtflower said, “There really is no excuse. If you do not turn up it often means that somebody has to step in last minute, this isn’t fair and also means the games do not start on time.

“I understand it may seem harsh to dock points, but in order for this tournament to work it is crucial that referees are always there. Everybody only has to organise 2/3 games to referee, it isn’t the toughest thing to sort out in the world and is the one aspect I have left to the captains to organise. The deduction to Derwent 2nds of 2 points will hopefully underline to you the need to make sure you have a referee there. I have consistently said no excuses and this example shows that it will be followed through.

“Unfortunately this has had to happen, hopefully it doesn’t again.”

Images: Andy Davis

In a match featuring little incident, Derwent were able to maintain a solid control over a Wentworth side that ultimately offered little threat to the opposition net. Joe Eyles’ early goal decided the contest in an important win for a strong thirds side pushing for Plate qualification.

The Derwent goal was the first meaningful bit of action in the match. It was an unfortunate moment for Wentworth captain and goalkeeper Jon Cook, who spilled a ball that should have been simply dealt with. This mistake allowed Joe Eyles the simplest of tap-ins to grant Derwent the advantage.

Derwent were spraying the ball around with confidence after the boost of an early goal, with Alex Nock going close with two well worked efforts. Jon Cook then made up for his early mistake with a superlative reaction save. The ball was powered low into the box from wide, Josh Park found the touch, and, if it wasn’t for Cook’s rapid move, would have found the goal that looked certain to have followed.

The last incident of the half was nasty; a clash of heads led to Nick Burke suffering a cut to the side of the head and being quickly substituted. Half time soon followed with Derwent retaining their one goal lead.

Eyles was again the catalyst for excitement in the second half, showcasing some impressive trickery whilst worming his way into space. His low, curling effort looked to have Cook beaten, but hit the post instead.

Derwent were succeeding in limiting space in the Wentworth attacking third, quickly stifling any threat that their opponents offered. However, Wentworth were also defending well, with Derwent rarely afforded the space to find opportunities within the penalty area. They resorted to long range efforts, Nock shooting powerfully but blocked by Wentworth bodies.

Wentworth enjoyed their best chance of the game late into the second half. Dan Hofmann floated a high free kick into the area. It dropped tantalisingly, threateningly towards the Derwent goal, but crashed into the top of the bar rather than the top corner of the net, leaving Derwent to breathe a sigh of relief as they earned their win.

Derwent’s Alistair Carroll was delighted to get the result, stating, “It was great to get our first win; it’s what we wanted out of today. We needed this result against Wentworth so we can kick on and go for the plate.”

His Wentworth counterpart Jon Cook looked saddened after the game, telling Nouse, “It’s a really disappointing way to lose, we deserved to win. It was a sloppy goal to concede on my part.”

Wentworth: J Cook, Scigliano, R Cook, Taylor, Horsfall, Hofmann, Henderson (Yun), Kearney, Abdoulaye, Xie, Woodhead

Man of the match: Mike Scigliano

Derwent: Goldney-Sidney, Rippon, Metcalfe, Carroll, Burke (Arkle), Eyles, Fisher, Welsh, Park (Nana), Nock (Jacapo), Glassar

Man of the match: Sean Metcalfe

Images: Andy Davis

Halifax seconds left it late to beat Alcuin seconds, as Luke Stevenson’s stunning volley secured a narrow 3-2 win.

Alcuin had fought their way back from two goals down to level the scores before the Fax struck to pick up their second straight win.

Halifax were on the front foot from the start, Jake Mundy hitting the bar after only a few minutes before Jamie Dorricott did the same shortly after.

They took the lead through an own goal, as Alcuin’s Oliver Degerstedt headed a cross from the left into his own net, leaving Ben Bugeja stranded.

Halifax were in total control but were served a timely reminder of their opponent’s presence when Jacob Scholz tested Dean Hanson with a driven effort.

The score would soon be 2-0 though, Tom Patrickson meeting Matt Darling’s corner at the far post for the simplest of finishes; after their 5-0 defeat of Wentworth on Friday, Halifax must have been expecting something similar at this stage.

But just moments later they were pegged back, Scholz pouncing on a loose ball to slot an effort past Hanson and put Alcuin right back in the game.

Halifax were still the dominant force in the second half, though were unable to create as many chances as they did in the first.

Two flicked headers by Fraser Moyle and a big shout for backpass against Alcuin were as close as they came to extending their lead.

Then, out of nowhere, Alcuin levelled. Scholz bundled his way through a couple of challenges and smashed a shot into the roof of the net, stunning the Halifax contingent on the sidelines.

Patrickson saw a header cleared off the line by Harry Billimore and substitute Hamish Denham hit the side netting, but Halifax’s rhythm had been disrupted and they were now resorting to more direct methods to break down a sturdy Alcuin back line.

Minutes from the end though, they grabbed the winner, as Stevenson positioned himself perfectly on the edge of the box to collect a cleared corner and lashed a volley into the top corner with style.

Both sides had time to try and score again, but it wasn’t to be and the Fax ran out winners, much to the relief of captain Dean Hanson. He said, “We were lucky. We played appallingly at times today, never really got going, but it was a great strike from Luke to win it. We’ve got to move on and prepare for Langwith next week, which will be a big test.”

Alcuin skipper Harry Billimore felt his side deserved more for their efforts, commenting, “We battled and gave them a good game, so it’s disappointing to lose it late on like that. I definitely think we could have come away with something there.”

Halifax: Hanson (C), Lord, Patrickson, Darling, Dorricott (Arezoo), Lewis, Stevenson, Kershaw (Denham), Moyle (Meckin), Dean, Mundy

Man of the match: Luke Stevenson

Alcuin: Bugeja, Fearn, Degerstedt, Boyd, Billimore (C), Nazzicone, Harris, Houlgate, Skrimizeas, Scholz, Hargreaves

Man of the match: Jacob Scholz

Images: Andy Davis

Vanbrugh firsts continued their positive start to the College Cup, as they beat Langwith firsts 3-0 on the JLD today.

Vanbrugh dominated for the majority of the game and were deserved winners, the win maintaining their 100% record after the first two games of the competition.

Langwith began brightly and were on top for the first 10 minutes or so, with Will Prescott’s long throw causing havoc in the Vanbrugh box.

Tom Rudden and Kieran Hazell both went close for the men in yellow, but Vanbrugh soon began to take hold of possession and grabbed the lead in superb style.

Rob Rix went on a mazy run down the left wing, before pulling the ball back to the edge of the box where Jon Gill was waiting to strike the ball into the top corner.

Vanbrugh were in control now and should have doubled their advantage soon after when Elliot Rous Ross ran on to Phil Taylor’s delightful lobbed pass but could only put his effort wide of the post.

The pattern of Vanbrugh dominance continued into the second half, as Rous Ross and Taylor both tested Kris Cheshire in the Langwith goal.

It seemed like a matter of time before Vanbrugh scored again, but Langwith were holding firm and offered a reminder of their own attacking threat when Hazell forced James Wilson into action after yet another long throw.

With 10 minutes to play Vanbrugh sealed the three points. Taylor, whose influence grew as the play became more stretched, picked up the ball just inside his own half and embarked on a powerful run before burying a right-footed effort from 20 yards.

Taylor should have scored again moments later when he was on the end of a slick move involving Ben Stanier and Rous Ross, but was denied at point-blank range by Cheshire.

But with the clock ticking down, Vanbrugh got the third goal that their dominance had merited. Gill picked the ball up on the right and fizzed a cross-shot into the area, which evaded everyone and drifted into the far corner.

Vanbrugh captain James Wilson was pleased with another good win for his side, saying, “It was a solid enough performance. To start with two 3-0 wins is pleasing and we certainly deserved it today.”

His Langwith counterpart Andy Hutt, meanwhile, was disappointed with his side’s second half display. He commented, “I thought we started well and passed it around a bit better than we normally do, but we gave them far too much time in the second half and it could have been any score.”

Langwith: Cheshire, Holbrook, Rudden, Wilcox, Starkey, Donovan (Schick), Jones, Prescott, Hutt (C), Hazell, Craig

Man of the match: Kris Cheshire

Vanbrugh: Wilson (C), Wignall, Rix, Graham (Brewer), Heath, Stanier, Sharkey, O’Dwyer (Woodall), Taylor, Gill, Rous Ross (Parish)

Man of the match: Jon Gill

A dynamic right back who has benefited greatly from Coventry’s money-saving shift towards youth. Having been on loan at Hinckley United last season, academy graduate Christie has become first choice right back for Andy Thorn’s side since returning. Fond of an overlap, he has brought a degree of adventure to an occasionally staid side that, despite his own best efforts, has finally slipped through the Championship trap door after a number of narrow escapes. If he stays at the Ricoh over this summer his development will surely be aided by the increased responsibility he should enjoy at a lower level. Regardless of the sense of inevitability about the club’s relegation, given off-field turmoil and the sale of leading scorer Lukas Jutkiewicz, hope for the future resides in a promising crop of youngsters.

Danny Drinkwater
Age: 22
Position: Centre midfield
Club: Leicester City

Drinkwater began the season on loan at Barnsley from parent club Man United, keeping Keith Hill’s midfield ticking over along with fellow talent Jacob Butterfield. His commanding play betrayed a maturity beyond his years, the loanee orchestrating attacks from a deep-lying position in front of the back four. In January he joined free-spending Leicester City for a fee believed to be in the region of £1 million, and, compared to Sven’s over-priced signings of elder statesman, the Drinkwater deal is indicative of the direction the Foxes’ should be taking in order to make their transfer surplus count. Expect to see him in the Premier League, with or without Leicester, over the next couple of years.

Gael Bigirimana
Age: 18
Position: Centre midfield
Club: Coventry City

Burundi-born Bigirimana not only has a fantastic mohican, but the skills to match such an extravagant haircut too. Winner of the Championship’s apprentice award, the teenager combines great battling abilities with a real appreciation of space. Composed in possession and with an assured touch, when trusted with a centre-midfield berth Bigirimana has outshone more experienced team mates, like Northern Ireland international Sammy Clingan, by a considerable distance. Another player certain to see increased game time in League One, he could make a real mark on the division, akin to the authority Jonjo Shelvey showed at that level with Charlton two years back.

Jacob Butterfield
Age: 21
Position: Centre midfield
Club: Barnsley

Butterfield is a far more forward thinking midfielder than the previous two listed, driving his team forward and looking to shoot on sight. His goal-scoring start to the season was interrupted by a horrific injury in January, which, added to the subsequent departures of Drinkwater and the rejuvenated Ricardo Vaz Te, unsurprisingly coincided with Barnsley’s dramatic decline in form that has seen them slip to 21st place. The inventive Butterfield became his club’s youngest captain back in September, but, given that his current contract runs out in the summer, he is unlikely to be seen in a Barnsley shirt again. One can only hope that he makes the right choice in order to avoid adding his name to the long list of youngsters who never fulfil their promise having been reduced to reserve team football at a top club.

Joe Bennett
Age: 22
Position: Left back
Club: Middlesbrough

A shortage of left backs has been one of England’s many persistent problems, the severely limited Stephen Warnock making up the numbers at the 2010 World Cup. Thankfully Leighton Baines has moved ahead of him since then, but there is a troubling lack of genuine long term alternatives to the stalwart Ashley Cole. While far from such lofty heights at the moment, Bennett is a full back in the same attacking vein who has risen to the challenge of becoming a regular in Tony Mowbray’s side. Middlesbrough’s self-sustaining academy model has been particularly evident this season with the keeper and back five regularly comprised of Jason Steele, Tony McMahon, Seb Hines, Matthew Bates and Joe Bennett, who I feel has been the pick of the bunch.

Joe Mason
Age: 20
Position: Striker
Club: Cardiff City

The wily forward, signed from crisis club Plymouth for just £250,000 last summer, has made the step up to Championship starter look simple. The opening goal in the League Cup Final against Liverpool brought him to wider acclaim, but his diligent attitude and striker’s instinct have been on display all season. Nine league goals may not look like the biggest return, but it has to be understood in the context of Kenny Miller staying central while the hardworking Mason roams, even willing to put in a shift out wide when Mackay has favoured one up front. That returning club legend Robert Earnshaw and the imposing Rudy Gestede have both been shunted down the pecking order speaks volumes for his impact at the play off challengers.

Jordon Mutch
Age: 20
Position: Centre midfield
Club: Birmingham City

Mutch was a revelation on loan at Watford last season, before returning to Birmingham to make just a handful of Premier League appearances for Alex McLeish’s injury-hit side. He’s a clever centre-midfielder whose early progress as a first choice player this year stalled somewhat with a broken ankle. However, Mutch has begun to hit full stride again recently and even found the net with a low left-footed drive away to West Ham, after a couple of step-overs had unbalanced the backtracking defence and opened up a gap. Adept at playing on the half-turn and a capable corner kick taker, Mutch just needs to eliminate an over-eagerness to play the Steven Gerrard-esque Hollywood pass, which often results in unnecessary turnover of the ball.

Matt Phillips
Age: 21
Position: Winger
Club: Blackpool

A marauding wide man ideally suited to Ian Holloway’s swashbuckling style. Having made a real impact coming off the bench last year, Phillips was expected to shine at Championship level. Therefore the decision to loan him out to Sheffield United raised a few eyebrows, but, following five goals in six games, he came back with renewed belief in his abilities and a spring in his step. He routinely roasts opposing fullbacks whichever side of Blackpool’s fluid front three he starts on and has added a touch of consistency to his mercurial talents. Although a great player who has enjoyed a fine season, the England under 21 international was rather erroneously selected ahead of Chris Burke in the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

Nathan Redmond
Age: 18
Position: Right midfield
Club: Birmingham City

Birmingham’s second youngest ever player, behind only club legend Trevor Francis, has found the net seven times despite being largely deployed off the bench. Redmond has benefited immeasurably from last summer’s clearout of big earners and Chris Hughton’s more attack-minded philosophy, given the freedom to perform that was lacking in a previously attritional style. He has enlivened a number of flat games against obdurate opponents with his quick feet, silky dribbling skills and fearless attitude. Despite cutting in to score against CD Nacional in the Europa League qualifying round, Redmond favours his right foot too much to make a sustained impression out on the left as yet.

Wilfried Zaha
Age: 19
Position: Striker/Winger
Club: Crystal Palace

In the mould of former Palace academy graduate Victor Moses, Zaha drifts between central and wide positions, blitzing past defenders with an impressive turn of pace. Stuart Pearce has thus far fended off interest from his native Ivory Coast to keep him in the England age group setup, while the number of Premier League scouts sent to Selhurst Park has escalated throughout the season, with Zaha taking home the Football League’s Young Player of the Year award in March as a result of his electrifying displays. For all his trickery, however, Zaha needs add some end product to his undoubted talent, to become more clinical in front of goal when given the chance.

Ranging from ballet in its most raw, yet technical form to the light hearted comical dances of ‘Hobson’s Choice’ and ‘Pineapple Poll’, the evening consisted of a collaboration of works performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Regardless of whether or not you were a ballet-goer, you couldn’t help but appreciate the commitment and dedication of these dancers. Their performance was breath-taking, naturally combining remarkable strength with impeccable timing.

The ‘Lyric Pieces’ that opened the show were of particular note, captivating their audience with their simplicity. The costumes were plain, the set was bare and the eight dancers were accompanied by a single piano; yet, the effect was lasting. The piece, which consisted of ten dances, was brought to life through the use of various sizes of paper, black concertinas that were moved around the stage with as much fluidity as the dancers themselves. The unfurling designs mirrored the continual chain of energy that moved through the ballerinas, whilst creating individual spaces on stage as they were expanded and contracted. This was a technical piece; there was no room for error and any miss-timings would have been instantly recognisable due to the tight fitting, beige slips flowing with every movement.

Starkly contrasted with this was the main performance of the third act, ‘Pineapple Poll’; a traditional show-style, Arthur Sullivan piece which acted out the story of a group of girls vying for the attention of a handsome Naval Captain. It was modern, bright, colourful and comic, with a raucous orchestra to match. Though a Sullivan accompaniment may suggest amateur dramatics, the dancing was, as ever, exceptional, though perhaps a little stunted by the flamboyant costumes; but it provided entertainment nonetheless. A special note should go to the conductor, who controlled his orchestra with ease, from our front row seats we could see the attention the Royal Ballet Sinfonia paid to him.

These dancers are definitely at the top of their game and full credit goes to the work they put in to every performance. It is easy to become enraptured in the entertainment they provided and forget the effort and determination they put into every step. However, one look at their outstanding physiques is testament to a lifetime of commitment. The mark of an exceptional ballet: beautiful, fluid, to be performed with flare- the Royal Birmingham Ballet certainly fulfilled all these criteria.

With the first week’s action already underway, Nouse Sport TV proudly presents its very own College Cup Special. The show’s hosts Matt Darling & Kat Ronson, welcome Dave Lewis and Oscar Lynch in to the studio to discuss some of the tournament’s talking points and to also compete in the prestigious ‘Road to the JLD’ competition.

Directors Notes: Because the show was shot as if live, there was no opportunity to re-shoot desired moments. The television studio is a tense environment and I would like to thank everybody who helped out and made this show possible. It was a great experience and the show is something I would love to develop.

The show was recorded at 12:20pm on Thursday 10th May. The Youtube version has been slightly edited.

The Met Ball, for me, is the most interesting and exciting of red carpet events, rivaling that of the Oscars and fashion weeks, purely due to fashion boundaries being pushed there every year and the level of detail and design in all of the dresses especially debuted for the night. The night itself is a magnificent celebration of the fashion industryand is co-chaired by the formidable Anna Wintour, editor in chief for US Vogue, who wore a lobster dress based on the Schiaparelli original, but re-invented by Prada for the occasion.

Metallic was huge at this year's Met. (image courtesy luxpresso.com)

However, like with all red carpet events, there were of course some hits and misses in outfit choice, and controversy. This was sparked mainly by eccentric designer Marc Jacobs, who wore only a sheer lace black shirt and white boxer shorts, teamed with a black clutch. He explained his choice by praising the ‘unconventionality’ of both Prada and Schiaparelli and feeling his non-conformist position of not wearing a suit was ‘appropriate’ for the event.

There were a few fashion errors, such as Kirsten Dunst and Eva Mendes clashing with the carpet itself in garish orange, and a bit too much of the eighties being revived by model Coco Rocha with her pink dip dyed hair and yellow shoulder padded suit. Nonetheless, there were numerous fashion triumphs, especially in the metallic trend, including English starlet Carey Mulligan, one of the hosts of the ball, who shone in a bespoke two tone Prada sequined dress and Rosie Huntington Whiteley, who wore a full length Burberry black and bronze embellished gown. Beyoncé also stunned in a Givenchy Haute Couture, by Riccardo Tisci, embellished dress with stunning purple feather train, in one of her first red carpet appearances since the birth of her daughter.

In spite of the celebrity elite on the carpet, the night was truly all about the gorgeous luxury and excess of couture fashion and the gowns adorned by the guests rightfully stole the show.

Images: Tom Witherow

Today Hull Road Park hosted Celebrate York. The first of its kind, it showcased a plethora of the University’s music, theatre and sports societies.

Blessed with a sunny day, the event saw a large number of the local community turn up to enjoy the activities. Organiser, James Croydon, YUSU Student Activities officer, was pleased with how the day had turned out: “We did a lot of direct mail enquiring, and we went to schools, but it’s always a difficult one to judge how many people are going to turn up. I’m really happy.”

The sheer variety of activities meant that there was always something new to try out. “It’s a great way to showcase our societies and we’ve provided a fun day out. I think we’ve got a little bit of something for everyone,” James added.

Alex Wilson, Chair of York’s Scottish dancing society, CalSoc, noted the opportunity for students to get off campus and include people in what students do: “We’ve had loads of audience participation, with plenty of younger people wanting to get involved.” Joe Gibbons, director of Pantomime Society’s Jill and the Beanstalk was similarly enthused by the response: “The show went so well! The audience absolutely loved it and, at the end of the day, that’s what’s important.”

The event was largely funded by the York Annual Fund, and this was supplemented with sponsorship and donations from York Alumni.

Clubs and Societies showcasing included:
Panto society
Glee singers
Brass Band
Concert Band
Juggle Society
Turkish society
Taming the Savage
Caledonian society
University Women’s Cricket Club

Comments on today’s event:

Great time at @yorkunisu‘s #CelebrateYork event – lots of families and activities, great example of what students bring to local community

— David Levene (@dtlevene) May 12, 2012

My facepaint from #CelebrateYork today. Classic tiger. twitter.com/LewisChandler/…

— Lewis Chandler (@LewisChandler) May 12, 2012

very nice day at celebrate york

— Marian Lally (@marianlalalally) May 12, 2012

Back home after a busy day at #celebrateyork . Thanks to everyone who came and took part! A brilliant day. @yorkunisu

— James Croydon (@yusuactivities) May 12, 2012

Tonight at 8pm our first ever Nouse Sport TV College Cup Special produced and directed by Tom Day and presented by Matt Darling goes live.

Darling is joined on the red sofas by James firsts Oscar Lynch, and Dave Lewis of Halifax seconds. They talk all things College Cup 2012 including who the favourites for the tournament are, as well as looking at the pivotal men when it comes to making your fantasy football choices.

Lynch and Lewis give their thoughts on the College Cup and what makes it so special before taking part in the first ever Road to the JLD competition looking to etch their names in Nouse Sport TV history.

Jack Beadle, the Halifax firsts captain also gives us the scoop on his team. We find out who is the hardest trainer, who has the worse dress sense and who is the best dancer in the Halifax team.

Come to Nouse.co.uk at 8pm this evening to see the full length programme!

Like listening to a symphony, watching Fourth Movement felt slightly long. Nevertheless, the performance offered a captivating mixture of hilarious mischief and tragic snapshots, as it weaved and knitted the threads of a love triangle between estate-agent Robin (Alex Ferguson), violinist Ada (Poppy Bullard) and her husband and musical conductor John (Hugo Dale-Harris).

Robin is a portrait of modern loneliness as the un-introduced visitor to Ada’s hospital bedside; creepily encroaching on the speechless invalid, he confesses to her of stalking her musical profile on Wikipedia, before stealing out with her framed concert photograph. Just as the true nature of Robin’s hospital visits are becoming ever more questionable, the husband John makes a sudden appearance. The plot thickens when Ada leaps out of bed to rescue Robin from the same fate as Jimi Hendrix as he chokes in vomit on the bedside floor- and thus unmasks the cover of her own deceitful infirmity.

Pretty emotional stuff- Fourth Movement approaches some difficult issues with grim humour in its scenes of hospital degradation (“it always stinks of disinfectant here, except when someone shits themselves,”) domestic violence, self-destructive loneliness and grieving. However, the play is more attentive towards experimenting with dramatic form to frame these powerful moments. The film-like flurries of scene changes and flickering ‘sequences’ were ambitious, particularly to the logistics of stage props, but successfully developed the performance’s lilting pace and helped alleviate the sometimes static staging and sluggish monologues. That said, Ellie Roberts was clearly not afraid to push the envelope in directing the near-realisation of Robin’s erotic fantasy; the bed fumblings of Robin and Ada provoked gasps and squeals of delight, not just from the audience.

Sex is always tricky to pull off on stage, but the brave and humorous way in which the actors tackled it, particularly the coquettish Rachel (Alex Kampfner,) served to highlight the talents bringing each role to life. Dale-Harris’s explosive character shifts erupted with consistent shocking power, and Hayley Thompson gave both parts of a nurse and a prostitute the warming energy of motherly affection. Poppy Bullard’s transformation from a near-mute stroke-sufferer to a liberated fornicator was startling but convincing, and Alex Ferguson delivered each scanty innuendo with increasing confidence and relish.

There were many bits that worked, and the raucous appreciation of the rarely-flat gags demonstrated the play’s worth in its ability to shock and pleasure with equal measure. However, the set changes and sequences demanded greater attention, and the flitting ballerina that occasionally appeared was unexplained and somewhat confusing, as was the solitary reappearance of Laura in the conclusion. The melancholy tones of the accompanying piano and violin anticipated an overturning of the underplayed presence of music in the University’s Drama Barn, but their effect became as displaced and empty as Ada’s repeatedly hopeless assertion “I’m go to go home and play the violin, for a start.”
The stark contrast in the final scene between Robin’s blooming happiness and John’s depraved grief left me pondering the question: is Fourth Movement a buoyant comedy balanced by brushstrokes of tragedy, or really a reminder of the very real effects that mental and physical illness can have upon the lives of individuals and their families? With the chance to grow in two more performances this weekend, hopefully it will answer this question by being both.