While most pundits predicted champions Robin Hood would get a run for their money nobody expected the wide open title contest which has reinvigorated the Commercial A league this year.

At the Christmas break, MR Onions top the table but another eight teams have a realistic chance of winning the trophy and it could be a case of who hits a bit of form in the final stretch which will decide the outcome.

MR Onions are slightly surprised to be so high but the stats show they are well worthy of their lead with the best goal difference and meanest defence, which has managed four clean sheets.

Captain Steve Smith said: ?We haven?t done much wrong so far but we?re not even half way yet so a long way to go still.

?I won?t predict the winners and runners up as it?s between at least five teams. There are some surprises with PHC being very strong and Tuff Dogs losing so many early on.

?But the major surprise is the Hood. Normally so dominant they are sitting a few places behind at present, I expect them to have a much better second half to the season.

?I was impressed by the commitment of Valley. We had our best spell of the season in the first half against them and they were totally shocked but they came out fighting in the second half, all credit to them. They deserve to be in the league.?

He said it was a big surprise that B Division tabletoppers Dandy Town Roots were not included in A this year.

?It?s very disappointing to see them thrash the B teams by so many and then see Somerset Bridge only put eight men out against BAA.?

Hood Captain Donny Smyth said: ?I think the league this year has been more interesting than in prior years as there is no outright favourite.

?All of the teams are dropping points and at the Christmas break I believe any one of five teams could emerge as eventual winners.?

His own team?s slump has helped open up the race. ?Defensively we have the second best record in the league but we have struggled to turn our possession into goals in many games.

?Of the teams we?ve played so far the most impressive has been Key West however inconsistency continues to plague them, if they get that right they will be strong challengers for the league.

?My tip for the league are the merry men, we?re currently seven points back, same position we were in last year.?

He said he was surprised Valley haven?t lived up to the preseason hype.

?Also the re-emergence of BAA as a force is something I didn?t anticipate,? said Smyth.

While Wanderers lie in seventh place, seven points behind the leaders, they have a game in hand.

Coach Tommy Gribbin said: ?I don?t think any team we have played is really any better than us. ?MR Onions are looking good. I think they are going to win it. They have got players in every position.

?I think it?s between us, Onions, Robin Hood and Key West and maybe Pot but I think they get intimidated when they play the local teams.?

Pot lie in second, two points behind Onions. Pot winger Saleem Mukuddem predicts his team will win the title.

He said: ?We were frustrated in losing (our only loss thus far) to PHC after being 3-0 ahead. That was criminal. We also conceded a very dubious penalty late in the game against the Hood which made us draw the game. We still have to play MR Onions.

?The league thus year has been a very exciting and it promises to go down to the wire. It is also very refreshing to not see Robin Hood at the top of the table. ?

While the A division is totally open it?s been a different story in the B Division where Dandy Town Root?s and St. George?s have been run away leaders. Roots in particular have run rampant and notched 100 goals already. Spokesman Calvin Blankendal said: ?The Roots performance has been a pleasant surprise.

?Some of our players have not played any competitive football for up to ten years. We do not train but look forward to each match as soon as our current match ends.?

Not surprisingly he fancies Roots for the championship.

?We have to win the League for Randy ?Soldier? Swan. He always used to tease us as being has-beens or that if we played the senior team we would lose at least 10-0.

?I think that we need to set up the Randy Swan Cup to be played between the Premier & Roots team in his honour. We will always love you ?Soldier?

?Personally, I have regained my passion and cautiously look forward to the commercial A division, playing MR Onions, Robin Hood and definitely Key West.

?We may have to do some more individual training to compete with the top three teams.?

He said the surprise of the season has been St. George?s All-Stars

?They should have given us our first defeat of the season. Lionel Cann should still be playing Premier.?

Blankendal is grateful to the BFA for allowing the side to join the B league after five years of waiting but is frustrated with the default wins and teams showing up short. Something which is happening far too often in the B league.

Somerset Extros captain Mike Corday said it was time the BFA cracked down on teams who continually showed up short, although he admits his own side have been far from blameless.

He said too often people were taking time off work or away from their families only to find the game does not go ahead or is a lop-sided farce because of missing players.

?Maybe there should be something saying if you don?t show up for two or three games you are asked to leave the league. It needs sorting out.?