The third month of the 2023/2024 TCC League season saw Imperial rise to the top like cream, with Beyond Limits leading the chasing pack. The mid-table scramble was more active than ever and, central to all of these, were select players who banged in the goals and made their presence count throughout the month.

Here is a short list of some of the best players from December:

– Joshua Obakimi (Dannaz): Joshua started his December by scoring four times against Iganmu. His seven-goal tally was a huge boost for Dannaz as they moved to 10th on the log. Not only did the striker mark each appearance in the month with a goal. He was voted Man of the Match in two of those games.

– Rilwan Gbadamosi (Gbagada): The winger contributed to half of the goals – two goals, two assists – Gbagada managed in December. His all-round contribution to the side earned him a feature in the Optimus Bank Team of the Week, as well as a Man of the Match award.

– Segun Alfred (Gbagada): What more can be said about a defender who scored a quarter of his team’s goals in a month?.

– Joshua Abayomi (Broad City): Joshua couldn’t help his team get a clean sheet in December. However, he ensured that his side did not lose a game, featuring twice in the Optimus Bank Team of the Week.

– Christian Nwachukwu (Dino): The full-back got his name on the scoresheet twice, helping his team the most emphatic win of the season, an 8-1 win over Iganmu.

Managers

It was a season to be jolly, as well as fight for vital points as the race for the league title got heated. Regardless of how busy the month got, some managers rose above the challenge, registering a December to remember. Here are the top three managers whose tactical acumen helped their side produce excellent results.

Olumide Ajibolade (Beyond Limits)

Whether at home or away, it didn’t matter for Coach Olumide. He was the brain behind the team that won all its December. Yes, he’ll be hoping to tighten his backline as they failed to keep a clean sheet. However, moving from fourth on the log to finishing the year a solitary point behind the leaders is a testament to how great a month BYL had under his tutelage.

Fatai Bashiru (Dannaz)

With two away games on the schedule, December was supposed to be a difficult month for Coach Fatai. The gaffer however made lemonades out of his lemons, winning all away games and even keeping a clean sheet in one of those games.

Olajide Akinyelu (Gbagada)

The Blue Eagles gaffer saw his side score eight times during the month – the second-joint highest. The five conceded will be a bother. But it takes nothing away from a manager who finished the month unbeaten, taking seven out of a possible nine points.