X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[Kevin S]

Could I be a real stick in the mud on the Brentford Triangle takeover? They are still to play Steaua Bridge (me, today), Athletico Deva and VVV in their next three games, and we've got a tight promotion race on our hands in Division 2. It might be a bit rum if Brentford suddenly got good.

The good news is that their last two games are against AFC Harford and Kernow Kensa. Both of those teams are mathematically unable to win promotion, and there's no relegation now, so that might be a good time to take over? The match with VVV is in a week's time so after 5pm next Thursday would get my vote.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Fair enough. He's not been on line yet anyway so might be academic.

[Kevin S]

Yes, Triangle are still in Wibl's name and have been dispatched 3-0 by Bridge. So of course, now might be an ideal time for the takeover....

Anyway, that tight promotion race then:



We've got to go to OWC Albion next and host Deva on the final day.

[Etienne]

I'll wait for Willie to apply and consider what the league situation is then.

[Janik]

I think the software has a built in protection against this anyway. Sides that have been losing nearly every week taken over late in the season don't break the losing habit that campaign. It's only after the next closed season that the live manager improvement kicks in.

[willie1foot]

I think the software has a built in protection against this anyway. Sides that have been losing nearly every week taken over late in the season don't break the losing habit that campaign. It's only after the next closed season that the live manager improvement kicks in.

Happy to wait until the time's right chaps.... now HTF to I actually apply?

[willie1foot]

Happy to wait until the time's right chaps.... now HTF to I actually apply?

Actually, I've worked it out. just let me know when...

[Sits]

Excellent.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Actually, I've worked it out. just let me know when...

Good news and welcome back.

[Etienne]

I've not received an application Willie. I think I'll accept it when I get it, give you as much time as possible to salvage somme development for this season.

[willie1foot]

Yea... I didn't want to click on the vacant team until the timing had been OKed... I've done that now

[Etienne]

And accepted. Welcome back.

[Kevin S]

Great news, welcome back.

Now, if you can just get some points out of those next two games...

[NickSTFU]

Anybody else having problems with the Xpert XI site?

There is a certificate error and says "Someone might trying to trick or steal any information that you send to the server"

[Antepli Ejderha]

Anybody else having problems with the Xpert XI site?

There is a certificate error and says "Someone might trying to trick or steal any information that you send to the server"

I'm not getting that. Only the red warning triangle that the site is unsafe when I post on scribble.

[jdsx]

Yeah it keeps warning me it's not safe and won't let me train anyone! App is completely dead (I quite like the app...!)

[Sits]

The only problem I'm getting is missing shirt designs. I was setting Tactics earlier and looking at an opponent's previous game. In place of their kits it said "the shirt is in the laundry".

String and sticky tape.

[Hot Orange]

I'm getting the security warning and none of the images seem to load, but I was able to train players.

Meanwhile, in the Heineken division 10, South Hams finished with a 20-2-0 record. I should be pleased, but am annoyed we didn't win those two games, which we "won" on chances 8-2 and 6-0.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The only problem I'm getting is missing shirt designs. I was setting Tactics earlier and looking at an opponent's previous game. In place of their kits it said "the shirt is in the laundry".

String and sticky tape.

Oh yeah, I'm getting this as well.

I've also won division 9 and now pass my former side Rugby FC on their way down. I left them in the top flight and took over a side at the bottom many moons ago.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I'm getting the security warning and none of the images seem to load, but I was able to train players.

Meanwhile, in the Heineken division 10, South Hams finished with a 20-2-0 record. I should be pleased, but am annoyed we didn't win those two games, which we "won" on chances 8-2 and 6-0.

Congratulations HO.

[Janik]

The only problem I'm getting is missing shirt designs. I was setting Tactics earlier and looking at an opponent's previous game. In place of their kits it said "the shirt is in the laundry".

String and sticky tape.

It's always said that the day after the game, you know. It's usually what is behind the graphic of the shirts, and could be brought up as a legend would appear when you hovered your mouse over the shirt. What is happening is the graphic of the shirt isn't loading at the moment, along with a few others graphics.

[Janik]

X11 Ladies Season 54 Matchday 14 report. The final day of the regular season, with titles, play-offs and possible relegations on the line.

Division 2b

Gajas Peladas           2 - 0   Viking South Utsira
Wallace 3'
Mota 74'


Division 3d

Drakaina                0 - 2   Cam Hotspurs
                                Hammarskjöld 38'
                                Evudottir 79'


Division 4k

Sockford Emollient      1 - 2   Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC
Abdul-Muttalib 86'              Grønnåsen 3'
                                Pailloux 21'


Division 5:17

Feisty Foxes FC         1 - 2   Erbil
Quixote 90'                     Paton 13'
                                Besen 71'


Division 5:18

LNWR Locomotive         1 - 0   Throop Ladies
Teigland 39'
                                Kilshaw (sent off) 75'


Division 5:19

Coxy Ladies Wulpen      2 - 1   Angel Delights FC
Leroy 36'                       Cropper 63'
van Sttenberghe 77'
Carey (sent off) 93'


Division 5:27

Zeugma Dostluk Spor     1 - 3   MONTPELLIER HERAULT S C
Fetele 46'                      Payet 29'
                                Vialle 69'
                                Didelot 77'


Division 5:29

Menywod Maeshafn        2 - 1   FC Cristalul Dorohoi
Boye 23'                        Räv 79'
Kilford 39'


Division 5:32

S Team                  0 - 1   Csiki Girls
                                Granheim 28'    


Division 6:39

Ullapool Northern Star  4 - 1   ŽFK Partizan Beograd
Barkho 19'                      Rico 60'
Menashi 58'
Mair 87'
Fågelberg 92'


Division 6:42

Solent Sirens           5 - 0   AC Gemelas 1903
Norling 13'
Agra 22', 30'
de Beauvoir 36'
Högardh 65'


Division 6:56

Dublin City WFC         2 - 0   Killer Queens
Carreto 61'
Kåmark 86'

Whilst there was nothing much for Viking South Utsira, the same wasn’t true of opponents Gajas Peladas, who came into the final day of the season just two points clear of the Division 2b drop zone.
Peladas went ahead in the third minute as they understandably looked distinctly more up for the game than The Blood Eagles. Gajas kept their foot on the gas following that opener, and doubled their advantage in the 74th minute. Velvet Android’s side would finish a man down through injury when Britta Klovning picked up a 14-day knock with five minutes remaining, but by then their hosts were satisfied with what they had and there was no further damage to Utsiran pride.
VSU ended the season fourth in the 2b table.

A similar dead rubber for the OTF side but not for their opponents vibe permeated Drakaina’s meeting with Cam Hotspurs.
With a play-off place already in the bag and automatic promotion out of reach, the aims for The Dragons were no injuries or suspensions, and if possible get a result to keep the form high ahead of the biggie on Thursday. That wasn’t going to be easy against a Spurs side that badly needed a win as they were only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
The understandable diffidence that Etienne’s side showed was punished twice, on 38 and 79 minutes, and that was easily enough to hand Cam the victory that preserved their Division 3d status. As for Drakaina, it was a first defeat in six and they now await the draw for the play-off to see if they can bounce straight back and claim a spot in the third tier. Their opponents for that will be Sandwich KC of Division 3h.

The final OTF derby of the season had a lot riding on it for hosts Sockford Emollient, who came into the game clinging to fifth place in the Division 4k table. Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC were only two points and one place better off, but that was an important gap as it was enough for The Sea Spirits to be sure of their safety and so able to play with the pressure off.
To make matters worse for The Gatorsharks, the sides in sixth and seventh spots, Bethanys Binos and The Black Widows, were facing off. If that match finished as anything other than a draw, then Sockford required a positive result from their game to stay up. It would prove to be a dramatic day, which we shall relieve via a minute-by-minute match report.
2 mins first opening of the afternoon! The ball is whipped into the Sockford box where Adèle Pailloux is mysteriously unmarked. Her header is too close to Oianiyi John who catches comfortably, but that was a chance and a warning for The Gatorsharks.
3 mins – GOAL warning not heeded. Kanjeng win a corner, and once again a Sea Spirit has the freedom of Framleyshire in the Sockford box. Mariell Grønnåsen calmly places her header into the corner and The Gatorsharks trail.
21 mins – GOAL it’s all going wrong for Emollient! Mostly because they can’t defend crosses. Grønnåsen is the provider this time, whipping the ball over for Pailloux to bury past John. Despite this, The Gatorsharks are still staying up as long as the score in the other game remains all square...
22 mins – SCOREFLASH which it isn’t any more! The Black Widows Gertrude Ryding breaks away and slots home to put them 1-0 and, as it stands, outside the drop zone. With Sockford in it instead.
24 mins another chance for Kanjeng! Diksha Dalmiya’s curling effort from range beats John, but crashes back off the post. That was an escape. The Gatorsharks need to wake up!
35 mins – SCOREFLASH Ryding scores again for The Black Widows! Oh no.
35 mins – Correction But wait, the linesman’s flag is up. It’s still 1-0. *phew* Though as things stand Emollient are still going down...
41 mins chance for The Gatorsharks! The ball is worked to Wafaa Abdul-Muttalib, who hits it first time, but the ball goes narrowly wide. To be honest, she rather shanked it. But still, promising signs.
Half-Time a bad half for Sockford. They started very nervously, and Kanjeng kept getting free headers. It means they are 2-0 down at the break and, worse, The Black Widows are winning the other game. If that result stays the same, the Gatorsharks will need at least at a draw to survive. Foxy265 has a lot of work to do in the dressing room in these 15 minutes...
46 mins – UPDATE – PENALTY to The Black Widows...
46 mins – SCOREFLASH goal to The Black Widows. They give the penalty to their goalkeeper, Tiffany MacBride, who converts! Hmmm. It looks like Emollient will have to do this for themselves. Two goals needed. C’mon Sockford!
51 mins ANOTHER header on the Gatorsharks goal! John collects Dalmiya’s flicked effort easily enough, but that is not the end of the pitch we want the ball!!!
58 mins – UPDATE – PENALTY to Bethanys Binos
58 mins – SCOREFLASH – goal for Bethanys Binos. Ariely Sales strokes home. One more for the Binos and Sockford survive!
66 mins for pity’s sake! Yet another cross finds a Kanjeng head, but John blocks Rahma Ikmal’s powerful effort. If we can’t stop them winning headers, we are going to have to stop them crossing instead.
85 mins chance! The ball is whipped across and Lotta Ericsson’s thumping header looks sure to go in, but then comes back off the post. Gah! We are never going to score...
86 mins – GOAL FOR SOCKFORD BACK IN IT! Maci Conrad sends over one of her trademark superb crosses and Abdul-Muttalib towers over the Kidul defence to place a precise header past Intan Hadiastuti and prove the naysayers wrong. Personally, I never doubted them. Just one goal needed, for either The Gatorsharks or Bethanys Binos in the other game, and Emollient are safe. COME ON, SOCKFORD!!!
88 mins – SCOREFLASH A MAGNIFICIENT, MAJESTIC HEADER from Flora Galbraith makes it 2-2 in the other game. As things stand, The Gatorsharks are staying up by a point. Brilliant!
90 mins both games are into stoppage time. Sockford are staying up, but a goal for either side in the other match would change that. Equally, a Gatorsharks goal would make them safe even in the event of a Black Widows winner (but not a Binos one).
92 mins – SCOREFLASH Oh no!!! I had to open my big mouth, didn’t I?? Ryding heads home a corner to put The Black Widows back in front. Emollient have seconds to either score an equaliser, or hope Bethanys Binos do the same.
93 mins – FULL TIME All over at John Spencer Street, where SeanoftheShed’s visitors have won 2-1. Hardly any time left at The Nest as well. Come on, the Binos! I’ve always liked you.
93 mins – FULL TIME It has also finished at The Nest as well. Sockford are relegated. Bloody Binos. All their fault. Why couldn’t they defend for just five minutes! Completely useless, I don’t know what their fans see in them. Aargh!!!
Many thanks to the Framley Examiner for the (surprisingly on-topic and accurate to events) report.
As the reporter can’t quite bring himself to lay out fully, that means Sockford drop down to sixth in the table at just the wrong time and consequently return to Division 5. The Sea Spirits move up a place to third in the final standings on the back of their win.

Erbil’s trip to The Den of Feisty Foxes FC mattered only in the sense of whether Jdsx’s side could avoid the embarrassment of being the first this season to lose to their Vulpine opponents.
Erbil had confirmed safety in Division 5:17 the previous week, and showed early on they were in no mood to knock off a week early in the aftermath, young forward Leah Paton putting her side ahead in the 13th minute. Chances came regularly for Erbil through the rest of the match, with a second one converted by Tülin Besen on 71 minutes.
The Foxes pulled one back as the match entered stoppage time, but that was simply a consolation as Erbil claimed their sixth win of the campaign. It was known before kick-off that whatever the result Erbil would finish fifth, but a fifth place with more wins than defeats and a positive goal difference suggests Erbil can return to battling at the right end of the table next season.

[Janik]

Another dead rubber was LNWR Locomotive’s match with Throop Ladies.
Well, dead in terms of league position. However, for Throop there was the need to get through the game without significant personnel loses as they had a promotion play-off two days afterwards. One might have thought Throop boss Dave Tready would rest starting ‘keeper Stina Furbring (36/16), particularly as back-up Eleanor Garden had not played at all in her first two seasons as she regressed from 18/4 to 20/3. Nope. It only took seconds for the Throop manager to massively regret his choice, Furbring going down with an 11-day injury seconds into the match. (Thr)oops.
Garden actually did well after coming on, restricting The Steamers to just Maja Teigland’s 39th minute goal (header from a corner) and seeing off three other attempts. At the other end Throop did have a goal disallowed, but otherwise they didn’t threaten Locomotive’s net as Viktor Boskovic’s side enjoyed a mostly untroubled day. All the pain was the visitors, as not only did they lose Furbring but also their discipline, collecting five yellow cards in the 90 minutes. Two of them went to Hannah Kilshaw, Throop’s best defender, who receives an automatic ban as a result. One of the others was shown to Tea Jannesson, who had been one yellow away from a suspension (her second on accumulation of cards this season). Jannesson is the joint best midfielder at The Mud.
Between them Furbring, Kilshaw and Jannesson account for 29 of Throop’s 54 Team of the Week selections this season. Furbring (i.e. the goalkeeper) was also Throop’s top scorer this season (eh?). So, um, good luck Throop in play-offs. And to the manager of AC Das Equinas, consider buying a lottery ticket, mate.
Back to the OTF side who were looking on bemused at close quarters as their opponents imploded, the win ensured LNWR kept hold of third in the final Division 5:18 table.

Last Tuesday’s stoppage time winner meant Coxy Ladies Wulpen knew a home win against relegation-threatened Angel Delights FC would be enough to claim the Division 5:19 title, whatever rivals Immortal Angels did in their fixture.
The Waders task was complicated by Angel Delights setting up extremely defensively, 5-4-1, which was an odd choice when they had to win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation. Wulpen struggled to create chances from open play, but had more joy from set pieces as Zoe Leroy curled them ahead on 36 minutes.
Coxy Ladies looked to be in a strong position at half-time as Angel Delights had not had a shot in the match, but that seemed to make The Waders tight as the visitors took charge in the early going after the break. The pressure told with an equaliser on 63 minutes as Wulpen’s title credentials suddenly looked wobbly.
Eva van Sttenberghe solidified things on 77 minutes when she headed in Zara Carey’s cross. And that should have reduced the tension to nothing, if Carey didn’t have the shortest fuse going. Already sent off 9 times previously in her career, an 87th minute yellow card apparently flipped Carey out totally. She spent the next six minutes in a running verbal battle with referee Ian Hartman, who finally had enough in the third minute of stoppage time and showed Carey her second yellow card. Once Carey was in the tunnel Hartman restarted the game and then immediately called time to set Wulpen’s title celebrations going.

Zeugma Dostluk Spor were already down prior to their wrap-up game against MONTPELLIER HERAULT S C.
With Zeugma boss Antepli Ejderha concentrating on development, it was more of a question of whether Zeugma could nick something from the game than them signing off with a bang. Montpellier led at the and on balance deserved to do so, but were pegged back seconds into the second-half when Asabe Fetele crashed home her second in the league his season from long range. That haul constitutes one-third of all the goals Zeugma scored in Division 5:27.
Montpellier are rather freer flowing, and they added two more in the remaining time to send Zeugma to a not unexpected defeat. The Anatolians ended the campaign seventh in the table.

The final day of the regular Division 5:29 season was all about the play-off place, as both the title and relegation had already been decided. It was a three-way battle, and one in which Menywod Maeshafn were very much involved.
In fact, the fixtures pitted the sides in 2nd to 5th at the start of the day up against each other. Maeshafn had the best fixture of the lot against FC Cristalul Dorohoi, who began in fifth place and four points adrift of second-place ZFK Nase Taksi, so with their season over. Maeshafn were two points behind, as were the Moe Szyslak Experience, who faced Nase Taksi. In fact, a table from before the start is probably called for to clarify the situation.

ZFK Nase Taksi           21-11 +10  24
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Menywod Maeshafn         18-11  +7  22
Moe Szyslak Experience   18-13  +5  22

So, a win for Nase Taksi and they were definitely in. Draw, and the door was open to Maeshafn, but only if IsThatcherDeadYet’s side could put four past Dorohoi. Defeat for Nase Taksi, and it was all up for grabs.
There was nothing that Maeshafn could do about the other game, so they simply had to concentrate on their own. And is precisely what they did, netting twice in the first half from corners. Neither was entirely clean, the ball dropping into the box for Lisha Boye and Laura Kilford to fire home in the 23rd and 39th minutes respectively. But there are no marks for aesthetics.
That was good, but still not quite enough as the other match remained at 0-0. However, as the sides were trooping off for half-time the news broke that Moe Szyslak Experience had gone ahead. Suddenly Maeshafn were in the play-off spot.

Menywod Maeshafn         20-11  +9  25
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Moe Szyslak Experience   19-13  +6  25
ZFK Nase Taksi           21-12  +9  24

Maeshafn therefore didn’t need anything more as things stood. However, two more goals would work as an insurance policy against a Nase Taksi equaliser.
Moe Szyslak needed to rack up quite a few more goals, or hope for a Cristalul Dorohoi comeback.
All that Nase Taksi required was an equaliser.
The second half was very tense in both games. Maeshafn were not creating as many chances which put the security blanket of a 4-0 lead out of reach. That made the Welsh more and more defensive, particularly after their lead was halved on 79 minutes. Meanwhile, at Moe’s Tavern, chances were coming occasionally at both ends but without the score being advanced.
Injury-time, and the Maeshafn fans didn’t know whether to watch the game in front of them or check their phones. Could their side hang on to the lead? Could Moe Szyslak do likewise? A goal against either team, and the play-off was gone...
That goal wasn’t forthcoming, Maeshafn jumping back into second on the final day. They will now play Bruksdamernas IF of Division 5:24 for a place in Division 4.

Another three-way battle for the play-offs took place in Division 5:32, and once again an OTF side was involved. Like Maeshafn, Csiki Girls began the day third but had the preferable fixture against already relegated S Team whilst second-placed Universitatea Cluj took on The ladies of the past, who sat fourth and still had a chance, albeit an unlikely one, of claiming the spot for themselves. Again, the pre-match standings read thus:-

Universitatea Cluj       22- 9  +13  26
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Csiki Girls              24-10  +14  25
The ladies of the past   19-10   +9  23

As can be seen, Csiki Girls needed a better result than Cluj to claim the spot, as long as The ladies of the past didn’t go nuts and win by 5+. Then ad hoc’s side would have required a win. Cluj simply had to match Csiki Girls, as long as this didn’t involved losing by three or more. The ladies of the past needed to beat Cluj 3-0 and hope Csiki Girls lost, or win 5-0 and hope the Csiki’s drew.
OK, that was the set-up. And again for the OTF side, it was control the controllable and win your own game. Csiki Girls took a giant stride towards that when Elly Granheim put them ahead on 28 minutes. Soon after the news got even better as The ladies of the past went ahead in the other game.
Half-time, and it was Csiki Girls in control:-

Csiki Girls              25-10  +15  28
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Universitatea Cluj       22-10  +12  26
The ladies of the past   20-10  +10  26

A second goal would have been nice to ease nerves, and Floriane Smet thought she had it on 52 minutes only for Irre Levant to disallow her effort. After that, the Transylvanians opted to hold their opponents at arm’s length, see out a 1-0, and hope that either Cluj wouldn’t score two or The ladies of the past net four. A red card for Cluj on 61 minutes made that feel more secure, and though the ten men pulled one of the two they needed back on 81 minutes, the second was never coming.
So another OTF side hops up a place at the death to keep promotion alive. Csiki Girls now take on SLB Femenino of Division 5:17 for the repechage promotion opportunity.

[Janik]

After all the excitement, on to a more mundane match from our perspective as Ullapool Northern Star rounded off a campaign where they have just missed out against Division 6:39 leaders ŽFK Partizan Beograd. Leaders, note, no champions as Partizan only had a two point advantage on Blancos Mágicos, so needed to win.
One hopes their manager regarded this as a serious challenge seeing as Northern Star were clearly closer to the top two than the rest. If he didn’t, he soon found out his error as delcaitemoth’s side ran riot. Zebela Barkho put the Scots ahead on 19 minutes of a first half where they were comfortably the better side, but that wasn’t as dominated as Ullapool could be as they managed to take things up a couple of notches after the break.
Shots rained in on the Beograd goal, Sonia Menashi making it 2-0 just before the hour. Partizan pulled one back completely against the run of play two minutes later, but they would have known it was not enough as by this point Blancos Mágicos were already 5-1 up on fourth-placed Arsenal LFC (which is how that game would finish). The visitors were forced to attack, but it was their goal under constant threat and that pressure finally told late on as Mary-Leslie Mair (87) and Sonja Fågelberg (92) struck to make the final score somewhat reflective of the balance of play (59-41, 13-2(!)).
A superb win to end on for Star, who will presumably push strongly for promotion next season. Partizan, meanwhile, head to the play-offs with their tails between their legs.

We end with a pair of dead rubbers, the first of which was Solent Sirens encounter against AC Gemelas 1903.
This match did have a position riding on it, as the winners would finish third in Division 6:42, with Solent taking the spot if it finished as a draw. By half-time it was clear that the latter was not an option as Andrew7610’s side absolutely overwhelmed their opponents. Malena Norling got the ball rolling with a breakaway on 13 minutes, and Brígida Agra added a pair of headers on 22 and 30 minutes respectively. It was four soon after, veteran Simone de Beauvoir firing in another for her collection.
The Sirens eased off after the interval and made just one more shot. Evelyn Högardh converted it though to make the score 5-0 on 65 minutes. That was how it stayed as Solent ended the season on a real high.

Our final game pitted Dublin City WFC against Killer Queens.
Dublin boss Mortal Joe wasn’t presented to witness his side play, but by now Dublin’s players are used to sorting themselves out and they turned in an excellent performance, with significantly more of the ball and more chances than their opponents. That was reflected in the scoreline as Ana Isabel Carreto and Veronica Kåmark found the target on 61 and 86 minutes respectively and Patrícia Inácio kept a clean sheet.
Dublin finish the campaign sixth in Division 6:56.

Playoffs for Division 2

Sandwich KC             3 - 2   Drakaina
Zhang 65'               A.E.T.  Heggarty 62'
Mølgaard 73'                    Atum 75'
Wiegersma 106'


Playoffs for Division 4

Bruksdamernas IF        3 - 0   Menywod Maeshafn
Nordobrg 50'
Ekselius 78'
Roos 86'


Csiki Girls             1 - 1   SLB Femenino
Igreja 90+2'            A.E.T.  Reisinho 55'

SLB win 3-1 on penalties

For the second season in a row, Drakaina’s hopes for reaching Division 2 rested on a play-off. The Dragons were hoping for more luck against Sandwich KC than in their season 53 encounter with Juves tjejer, which was lost on a penalty shoot-out.
The first half was a cagey affair, with neither side creating a clear-cut shooting opportunity. The match stayed level to the hour mark, but after that it fair exploded into life. First Gael Heggarty turned in a corner to put Etienne’s side ahead, only for Sandwich to level rapidly. And on 73 minutes the Greeks were behind but that was simply their turn for a nearly immediate response, Silvia Atum heading in also from a corner.
After the flurry of four goals in fifteen minutes, the match went quiet again until the end of normal time, at least in terms of scoring. Chances were still being created, but these were heavily tipped in Sandwich’s direction. Sadly the weight of opportunities told in the first minute of the second period of extra-time, and there was no coming back from this for Drakaina who fell agonisingly short once again.

Another side having their second successive go at a play-off was Menywod Maeshafn, who were looking for a better result against Bruksdamernas IF than had been achieved versus ... because Girls Can last term.
For 45 minutes things looked promising for IsThatcherDeadYet;s side as they fashioned the only chance of the first period. However, the discovery that possession had been 60-40 in Bruksdamernas’ favour was worrying, doubly so after the Swedish side (for now) took the lead on 50 minutes. Maeshafn’s chances of a comeback took a major knock when they went 2-0 behind on 78 minutes and a third for Bruksdamernas eight minutes after that was the final nail in the coffin.
Like Drakaina, Maeshafn will be looking to win a title next term and avoid a third repeat of the stress of the play-offs.

Our final port of call was pitch 17B, where Csiki Girls took on SLB Femenino as they looked to return to Division 4 level.
Ad hoc’s side had more of the ball in the first half, but without creating a chance. That trend continued in the first few minutes after the break and the Csiki’s were punished for it when SLB took the lead on 55 minutes.
The Romanians began to create a trickle of chances after falling behind, only to suffer a further blow when first choice ‘keeper Emma Laude was forced off with injury on 80 minutes. She will be out for 10 days. Back-up ‘keeper Trudi Wilding had not featured much during the season, but she was thrust into the game now, though at the time the key play was at the other end as the Csiki’s sought an equaliser.
That didn’t appear to be coming as time ticked rapidly away. However a corner was won in the 92nd minute and that represented a last chance, one that Carlota Igreja rose superbly to convert. Ice in her veins. That forced extra-time, which went by with only a handful of chances and we were on to penalties.
The injury to Laude suddenly loomed large, but to be honest that wasn’t the Csiki’s main undoing. Yes, she may have saved one that Wilding didn’t but it’s hard to cover for three misses out of four which is unfortunately what happen to Csiki Girls. Julia Bröker, Eleena Munoz and late heroine Igreja were the guilty parties, with Trudy Woozley the only player to find the target for the Transylvanians. SLB scored three from three to end the punishment as swiftly as possible.

[Antepli Ejderha]

An epic round up Janik.

An ok change report and some players on the transfer market mean we're content for the time being. Let's see what the academy gives us.