GUNNERS FIRING FROM SOUTHERN DIVISION KICK-OFF
Though they were comparative new kids on the block, Arsenal – just four years after their 1987 formation – were “disappointed” to start National League life in the Southern Division rather than the top flight, said manager Vic Akers.
As if to vent their grievance the Gunners, on the opening day of the division’s first season, trounced Broadbridge Heath 15-1.
And to make their point even more devastatingly, they hammered Milton Keynes 17-0 in their penultimate game of the campaign.
Though they were chased all season by Worcestershire club Abbeydale, Akers’ undefeated side lifted the Division’s title with a three point gap between themselves and their nearest competitors and with a 99-11 goal difference.
The majority of those 99 League goals were shared by the hot-shot trio of Caroline McGloin (24), Jo Churchman (24) and Naz Ball (21).
Arsenal’s merciless victories over Milton Keynes and Broadbridge went some way towards each of those victims finishing the season in the bottom two places, Milton Keynes ending up with no points and the wooden spoon.
Not content with becoming Southern Division champions and earning promotion to the top division, the Gunners then completed a highly satisfying season by lifting the WFA League Cup.
And to convincingly show that they were indeed ready for the divisional step up, they beat top flight Millwall Lionesses in the Cup final after disposing of the Lionesses’ top flight rivals Ipswich Town in the semi-final.
Akers said: “We were disappointed to be put in the Southern Division that first season, because I felt we had the potential to do really well in the top division.
“But we just got on with it and in the end it did bear out what I’d said to people. Beating Ipswich in the semi and then Millwall in the final proved we were ready to take on teams like them, and we just kicked on from there.”
FINAL TABLE
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 99 | 11 | 25 | +88 |
| 2 | Abbeydale Alvechurch | 14 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 58 | 7 | 22 | +55 |
| 3 | Hassocks Beacon | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57 | 32 | 18 | +25 |
| 4 | Town & County | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 52 | 35 | 16 | +17 |
| 5 | Reigate | 14 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 34 | 15 | -3 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 22 | 50 | 9 | -28 |
| 7 | Broadbridge Heat | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 20 | 56 | 9 | -36 |
| 8 | Milton Keynes | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 119 | 0 | -114 |
15/9/1991
Arsenal 15-1 Broadbridge Heath
Brighton & Hove Albion 8-2 Milton Keynes
Town & County 8-3 Hassocks
29/9/1991
Abbeydale Alvechurch 4-0 Town & County
Broadbridge Heath 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Hassocks Beacon 1-1 Arsenal
Milton Keynes 0-3 Reigate
13/10/1991
Arsenal 5-0 Town & County
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Hassocks Beacon
Milton Keynes 0-9 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Reigate 3-3 Broadbridge Heath
20/10/1991
Abbeydale Alvechurch 1-1 Arsenal
Broadbridge Heath 5-2 Milton Keynes
Hassocks Beacon 1-1 Reigate
Town & County 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
10/11/1991
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-7 Arsenal
Broadbridge Heath 0-9 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Milton Keynes 0-10 Hassocks Beacon
17/11/1991
Reigate 4-2 Town & County
24/11/1991
Abbeydale Alvechurch 9-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Arsenal 7-1 Reigate
Hassocks Beacon 3-1 Broadbridge Heath
Town & County 6-1 Milton Keynes
1/12/1991
Broadbridge Heath 1-4 Town & County
8/12/1991
Broadbridge Heath 0-8 Arsenal
Hassocks Beacon 4-4 Town & County
Milton Keynes 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
12/1/1992
Abbeydale Alvechurch 7-0 Milton Keynes
Broadbridge Heath 2-0 Reigate
Hassocks Beacon 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
19/1/1992
Arsenal 3-2 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-4 Town & County
Milton Keynes 0-1 Broadbridge Heath
Reigate 1-5 Hassocks Beacon
26/1/1992
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Broadbridge Heath
Hassocks Beacon 1-5 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Town & Country 4-2 Reigate
2/2/1992
Abbeydale Alvechurch 1-0 Broadbridge Heath
Arsenal 12-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
9/02/1992
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-2 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Broadbridge Heath 1-5 Hassocks Beacon
Milton Keynes 0-12 Town & Country
Reigate 0-4 Arsenal
16/2/1992
Abbeydale Alvechurch 2-2 Hassocks Beacon
Arsenal 11-0 Milton Keynes
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Reigate
Town & Country 2-3 Broadbridge Heath
23/2/1992
Hassocks Beacon 16-0 Milton Keynes
Reigate 0-4 Abbeydale Alvechurch
1/3/1992
Reigate 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
15/3/1992
Arsenal 5-1 Hassocks Beacon
29/3/1992
Reigate 12-0 Milton Keynes
11/4/1992
Milton Keynes 0-17 Arsenal
Town & County 0-3 Abbeydale Alvechurch
26/4/1992
Abbeydale 4-0 Reigate
Town & County 3-3 Arsenal
