Yes, I thought I put in that I looked for a goalie and did not look any more at the details. I have now a fine young midfielder and lack of a fine young goalie. But saying that, I will stick with my 18 year old and with a bit of luck he might double-jump and will be better than as I expect. I have to remind myself not to rush things...
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First game of the new Golden League season, smashing a zombie in the cup and my senior MF Faustino Caceres gets a 20 day injury taking him out of our first three league games ever in D1. I have just enough cash for a 37yo stopgap if not outbid.
F****** stupid game.Comment
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Similar here, Sits: I would never turn down a 6-0 win against a zombie, however when you have a S8H6 ref and your opposition aggression level defaults to Normal... the upshot ends up being two injuries, one of which is an 11-dayer to a key midfielder (27/13 Lachlan Page).
He'll miss our first two league games ever in D2. Arsechunks to it all.Last edited by Auntie Beryl; 27-11-2020, 15:52.Comment
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I would play Normal aggression with a S8H6 referee. I don't think I'm a zombie...Comment
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Me tooOriginally posted by Wouter D View Post
(though admittedly this comment sounds like the sort of comment a zombie would make. In a sort of grunting way)Comment
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Braaaaaaiiiiins!
Ahem.Comment
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And now, in the Brythonnic where the Babirusas are in with a shot of the title: we bashed formerly mighty JohnCarewIsBiggerThanU whose manager has sadly vanished. H9 ref, the zombie plays Normal, key midfielder Francis Strevans crocked, and the next game against second place (champions) NK Zlatrog.Originally posted by Auntie Beryl View Post
Ho hum. Sulawesi have never had a champions vibe about them anyway.Comment
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Oh bad luck Sits, I was looking forward to your big game against Zlatorog (managed by Rmy100, whom those of us in MLX also know well as manager of Gotham City), but I hadn't seen you got someone crocked against JCIBTU.
All being normal, in either of the leagues I admin I'd have sacked the absent manager there long since. As it is, though, I've been generally allowing a lot more leeway this year since obviously people are likely to be having a lot more extenuating circumstances than usual in the real world that could be preventing them logging into X11. With managers who have been at a team a long time, and who have added something significant to the life of the league, I'm being more patient still.
Carew manager Elkie alas hasn't been in seen in months, but a.) he's an 8-time champion with them, and so I'd be inclined to give him more leeway anyway, and b.) I think he might be in his 60s and so I can't help but be more than a little worried about what might be going on in real life there. And c.) he has more than once dropped me a note, when I've been running around trying to sort out the usual season-changeover shenanigans, to say thanks for my efforts and that how I admin the Brythonnic is basically the one thing keeping him playing the game. I don't say this to blow my own trumpet (!), but just to illustrate that as far as I'm concerned he's definitely not getting kicked out by me any time soon. Unfortunately the club will automatically sack him eventually, after which there's nothing I can do to reinstate him, but until then he's earned his continuing place as far as I'm concerned.Comment
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On a not completely unrelated note, unfortunately the manager of Malta Knights in MLX wrote to me last night to say that due to personal problems he reluctantly had to ask me to sack him from the club. So after a complimentary exchange of messages I've now done so – meaning that if we've got any VIP managers here who fancy giving MLX a go then there's now a space free, and it's first come first served...Comment
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Meanwhile, I can of course empathise here Sits, having been victim of zombie assaults numerous times before in similar circumstances. Only yesterday in fact, I saw I was in for such a ride in the second round of the Ultimate League Cup, where after getting past one stuck on Normal aggression in the first round I spotted just an hour or two before kickoff that we'd been drawn against another one stuck on Bruise.Originally posted by Sits View Post
Consequently I withdrew as many of my key players as I could to preserve them for our own D1 matches – though unfortunately I still had to field my senior keeper since the junior one got crocked for 11 days at the end of the previous round's second leg, despite my best efforts. It at least kept my best two defenders (34/16 Gunnar Kvalvik and 30/17 Knut Hovland), two of my best midfielders (32/17 Johan Kvalvik and 31/16 Ingolf Kvalvik) and my best striker (36/15 David Austrheim) out of harm's way though. Didn't even set any subs, so as to only put 11 players in total in the line of fire.
It did take just 15 minutes for the red cross to come, but luckily for me it was the 20/6 defender I'd put in and only for 8 days. And that brought senior colleague Gunnar on in his place, so it strengthened our XI as well! The zombies then crocked one of their own best defenders for the maximum 26 days on the stroke of half-time, for extra amusement factor. We ran out 5-0 winners, with Gunnar supplying an assist for good measure. Now I just have to hope that we can get through the second leg next Friday similarly unscathed...Comment
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Applied. Prepare for relocation. Not entirely sure where and how yet.Originally posted by Various Artist View PostComment
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Kansai awaits
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Oh hell yeah.Comment
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You're in. All hail the mighty Ico! This is a red letter day, fantastic stuff.Comment
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Tempting, though I'm hesitant to make a second chapter to those lovely memories. In football, that can go wrong.
Currently considering crossing the Sea of Japan / East See to found Grasshoppers Gyeongju.Comment
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Then again...
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Xpert XI official Ladies League Season 60, Matchday 7 report.
The last match of the first half of the season sent Drakaina to Pellacho2.0.Code:Division 1a Pellacho2.0 1 - 2 Drakaina Torgersen 90' Vulturescu 55' Elsner (sent off) 89' Gitsis 94' Division 2b Mauchline Belles 3 - 2 The Peach Blossoms Diarra 17' Ung 15', 48' McRenton 53' Perdao 69' Division 3d Coxy Ladies Wulpen 0 - 2 Deportivo Cruz Azul Juliardo 2' Colby 9' Division 3e Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC 1 - 3 Albion Dalmiya 66' White 36', 49' Munch 93' Division 4i W?lcyrie Girls 0 - 1 Viking South Utsira T.Klovning 76' Division 5:17 Deva Victrix Ladies FC 1 - 4 LNWR Locomotive Waldner 51' Nixon 15', 22' Reisinho 41' Arredondo 80' Division 5:22 Bombay Green Rockets 2 - 2 Papperhavna P?hlmann 54', 64' Str?m 5' Mj?en 38' Division 5:28 Cassiopeia 1 - 0 The Valkyries Aritonovic 23' Red Lips 1 - 1 Menywod Maeshafn McCann 61' Barker 47' Division 5:32 Csiki Girls 1 - 0 Crazy Lady Ackram 66' Division 6:27 I Cinghiali 4 - 0 Pink Panthers Kajtazi 49' Soviero 57' Millen 71' Cabrero 89' Division 6:33 Santairiense 0 - 2 Rising Stars Sequeira 62' Quevedo (pen) 93' Division 6:38 Ullapool Northern Star 6 - 1 Championettes Iosifescu 9', 49' Filan 84' Mamouni 25', 31' Klovning 55' Bastock 91' Division 6:41 Hazeldean Inchmistress 7 - 0 KappaClaus Bringevik 1', 8', 27' Bunton 5', 22', 38' Morgan 14' Division 6:43 ASU Politehnica 4 - 1 Hom FC Motta 30', 48', (pen) 75' Knape 90' Tilbe 57' FC Saik 2 - 2 Invisible Ladies Andrade 71' Clark 15' Foss 80' Conden 74' Division 6:52 Lilywhite Ladies 1 - 1 Zeugma Dostluk Spor Pointon 89' Candestam (O.G.) 66' Division 6:56 Avantul Mures 0 - 4 Dublin City Womens FC Olander 15' Lyktberg 64' Maaranen 77' Rusu 86'
The hosts arrived at the game higher in the table, but The Dragons did come in on the back of a win, their first in four games, on the previous matchday. Etienne’s charges seemed inspired by that as they hogged the ball for long spell. Drakaina were making chances from all this possession (63% in the first half), but also giving just as many up.
What was lacking in the first half was goals; Florica Vulturescu sorted that one in the 55th minute. However, as they game approached its conclusion it looked like Vulturescu’s effort would be the only one, despite the slew of chances made by both sides. That failed to account for the wild and dramatic end to the game, though…
The first incident of this spell was in the penultimate minute, Pellacho’s Ulrike Elsner picking up her second yellow card of the day. That should have guaranteed Drakaina’s win, but maybe The Dragons players also thought that and switched off, because a minute later (i.e. in the 90th) the hosts equalised.
Drakaina battled on after that as there was a fair chunk of injury time to play. This proved a good choice when, deep into stoppage time, Elena Gitsis let fly from fully 40 yards… which flew in, much to the astonishment of all.
There was barely time to kick off again, let alone mount another comeback, which meant The Dragons claimed the three points. These were enough to lift the Greeks up to fifth in the table. They are only a point ahead of the drop zone, but also only three adrift of the play-off spot and four from the summit of Division 1a.
The league table doesn’t lie, they say. But sometimes it can mislead anyway. Such as when a side, let’s take Mauchline Belles as an example, only gets to play the team propping up the table and losing pretty well every week, say The Peach Blossoms in the last match of the opening half. Such a team’s position will be underrepresented.
That is assuming, when it finally comes to playing the bottom side, our heroines will actually go and get the win they so desperately needed. Falling 1-0 down after 15 minutes was definitely off-script, though Odette Diarra swiftly restored parity, levelling just two minutes later.
Jdsx’s girls fell behind again three minutes into the second-half, and had to wait a whole five minutes to level this time, Lisa McRenton the player to relieve the tension. Somewhat. What The Belles needed was a go ahead goal. They got it on 69 minutes when Fernanda Perdao became the third Mauchline player of the match to head home.
Having finally got the lead The Belles clung on to it tenaciously to close out the win. They still find themselves in Division 2b relegations places despite it, sitting sixth, but only a point adrift of fifth rather than the slightly false four points of previously.
Two sides in the congested Division 3d mid-table zone clashed at the Curlew’s Nest when Coxy Ladies Wulpen took on Deportivo Cruz Azul.
Home comforts were clearly too important to The Waders in this one as they started incredibly slowly, and paid for that by conceding two goals in the opening 10 minutes. After that Coxy Ladies got going… somewhat. Janik’s side had a clear edge in terms of possession, 64% in the first half and 60% overall, but converting that into chances proved tricky with just two fashioned. And turning those into goals impossible…
Defeat saw Wulpen drop two places to be seventh in the 3d standings at the halfway stage. They are three points adrift of the safety line.
Recent results had seen Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC climb out of the Division 3e drop zone. The Sea Spirits could put further distance between themselves and it if they beat Albion… or slide back into trouble if they lost.
The first half at Merapi-Kraton-South Sea was tight, with pretty well even possession and few chances for either side. Unfortunately for The Goddesses of the Sea the one goal of the period went to Albion. And it could have been two if Donald Scott hadn’t disallowed a second effort soon afterwards… except that was just a temporary reprieve for SeanoftheShed’s side as four minutes into the second half the lead was indeed doubled.
Unreflective of the game? Yes. Deeply. But that was where Kanjeng found themselves. Diksha Dalmiya made an effort to dig her team out of trouble with a 66th minute strike, but a second wouldn’t come for the hosts who left themselves increasingly open at the back searching for it and shipped a third in stoppage time.
And with that the teams switched places. In fact Kanjeng dropped two spots as another side also went past, leaving the Indonesians seventh in the table and two points from safety at the halfway stage.
After all that struggle it’s a relief to get to a side, Viking South Utsira, having a more enjoyable season. The Blood Eagles were perched well clear at the top of Division 4i when they made their way across mythic seas to F?lkvangr Field to take on W?lcyrie Girls [which it’s just occurred to me is tautologous – ‘Girls’ as opposed to what, Warrior Maiden Boys??]
The hosts were up for the fight, clashing spears on shields and generally looking very intimidating. And also having more of the ball than Velvet Android’s side, which is a more relevant detail. W?lcyrie also had more chances, but only shaded this category. The key one, though, went in Viking’s favour, Tyra Klovning striking the game’s only goal from a direct free-kick in the 76th minute… though that did rely on ref Ann Onym disallowing a W?lcyrie ‘reponse’ three minutes later.
Victory maintained VSU’s five point advantage at the 4i summit.Comment
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After last season’s promotion near miss, LNWR Locomotive were not expecting to find themselves battling against the drop this campaign. But The Steamers were in the bottom three ahead of their trip to Deva Victrix Ladies FC.
Charlotte Nixon was apparently determined to do something about that, heading home a 15th minute corner and then doubling Locomotive’s advantage with a direct free-kick on 22. Fl?via Reisinho headed home another corner on 41 minutes to make it 3-0 at the break.
This arguably flattered Viktor Boskovic’s team, as goals aside it had actually been a pretty even match. As such Deva probably deserved to get one back on 51 minutes and make the second half a contest. Or most of it, up until Constanza Arredondo re-established the three-goal advantage 10 minutes from time with a long-range blast.
The win was enough to leapfrog Locomotive out of the Division 5:17 drop zone and up to fourth in the table. The Steamers are one point above the drop zone, but only two adrift of the play-off place. [Railway engines playing leapfrog – now there is a concept to conjure with…]
Bombay Green Rockets were looking to close the gap on the sides above them, who were also the sides above the drop cut-off line, when they hosted Papperhavna.
The Rockets appeared to be misfiring in the first half though as they created no chances despite having 56% possession. Worse, Papperhavna made four openings from their limited ball, and converted two of them on 5 and 38 minutes respectively.
HKS3’s side picked their level up considerably after the break, and pulled a goal back through Eileen P?hlmann on 54 minutes. The same player struck again 10 minutes further down the line, racing clean through and slotting home to draw the sides level. Unfortunately, despite having all the momentum, Bombay couldn’t nab a winner.
A point from their circumstances The Green Rockets found themselves in probably counts as a good one in the context of this particular game. Against the Division 5:22 table, less so – Bombay remain four points adrift of the sides they need to catch.
Cassiopeia really needed three points to help in their relegation fight when they hosted bottom-of-the-table side The Valkyries.
Easier said than done, given The Vainglories lack of bite in front of goal this season, just three goals in six games previously. Only two teams had a worse strike rate than that, and one of those was The Valkyries, who had only registered two in six. The chances were the first goal of the game would be the only one… if there was to be one!
Well, there was, Sandra Aritonovic heading home a corner exactly midway (23 minutes) through the first half. But, as expected, nothing further came from the handful of further chances. Stormstopper’s side had the majority of these anyway.
Also in this section Menywod Maeshafn were away at second-in-the-table Red Lips.
An even and goalless first half gave a hint that Maeshafn were very much in this match, but not as much of one as Katherine Barker heading IsThatcherDeadYet’s side ahead did! Barker thought she had added a second four minutes later, but referee Justin Thyme disagreed. That decision came back to haunt the Welsh side when Red Lips equalised on 61 minutes. And from a direct free-kick no less. Thyme was off the menu as far as Maeshafn were concerned.
With no further goals the points were shared, which was right on the balance of play. And a decent point for Maeshafn, given where their hosts stood (though they did drop a place after only getting a single point). It keeps the Welsh side fourth in the table, though Cassiopeia, now fifth, have drawn level on points. Both are two points clear of the Division 5:28 drop zone, and six behind the play-off spot.
Four draws in a row had been followed by a win, then a loss. Which way would Csiki Girls break against Crazy Lady?
Ad hoc’s side rather needed it to be a win as their record had them behind their visitors on goal difference and also inside the Division 5:32 relegation zone. The Csiki set about pursuing it with a purpose, creating regular chances, particularly in the traditional ramp up after half-time. However the finishing touch was missing… up until it was supplied by a most unexpected provider, defender Eunice Ackram firing home in the 66th minute. It was the first goal of the 23 year-old defender’s career, in her 48th game. And not even scored with her head, despite that being a particular talent.
Csiki Girls were able to close the rest of the game down, seeing out their 1-0 win with a degree of comfort. It was a victory that lifted them two places up the 5:32 table to sit fourth at the turn, three points clear of the drop zone and five behind the top two.Comment
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What better way for I Cinghiali to ease back to winning ways after a first defeat of the season last week than a routine bit of zombie despatchery against Pink Panthers.
At least that was the theory – Boars fans and coach SitsWithRemote might have been a little perturbed when the sides reached half-time still scoreless and with Cinghiali having had just two shots.
That was mostly a reflection of the defensive strength of the Panthers though, who had only conceded eight in their previous six games, despite the lack of a guiding mind. A ninth appeared soon after the interval, Izabela Kajtazi finally making the breakthrough for the hosts in the 49th minute.
That moreorless decided the game, because it Pink Panthers are good defensively, they offer nothing going forwards. But it wouldn’t finish 1-0. In fact, having broken through, The Boars then went the whole hog [hah!] and added three more, Trillare Soviero firing in on 57, Susanna Millen heading home on 71, as did Lilias Cabrero in the 89th minute.
A helpful result from elsewhere in Division 6:27 meant the victory was enough to return Cinghiali to top spot at the midpoint of the season. Their lead is two points.
Another OTF side rocking along nicely at the top of their table is Rising Stars, who were looking to consolidate their position at struggling, but actively managed, Santairiense.
The hosts have a rather young team, but the kids acquitted themselves well in the first half, defending in depth and hitting Blamb’s girls on the break. In fact Santairiense had both the first half chances, though they didn’t score either.
The Ascenders must have been a bit shaken by their performance in the opening 45 minutes, and emerged a different, more determined bunch. This worked as after the break excess Rising possession started being turned into chances. And an opening goal when Mar?lia Sequeira stabbed home on 62 minutes. The match remained in the balance though until deep into stoppage time, when The Stars were awarded a penalty from which Alba Quevedo sealed the points.
That win maintained The Ascenders three point lead at the Division 6:33 summit.
Five straight wins had Ullapool Northern Star hot on the heels of Division 6:38 leaders Fair Maidens of FISO. FISO had won all their games, apart from being held by third-placed side Championettes… who were Polaris’ final opponents of the opening half.
The visitors had bizarrely opted to leave out their three best defenders, though the pick of the crop, an outstanding for Division 6 33/19 player, was on the bench. Ullapool were determined to take advantage of this, exerting early pressure that resulted in an opening goal after just 9 minutes, Alunita Iosifescu firing home from range.
The next key action came in the 22nd minute when the Championettes goalkeeper went down with an 18-day injury. With no ‘keeper on the bench their manager turned to his star defender… who is no goalkeeper it turns out. Having already looked under pressure, the visitors now had all the containing power of a sieve. With particularly large pores. In?s Mamouni rapidly took advantage with strikes on 25 and 31 minutes.
Delicatemoth’s side actually eased up a bit after the break. But only in terms of chances created, dropping from 6 to 3 per 45 minutes. However given the weakness of the visitors between the sticks, all 3 went in, Iosifescu heading home a corner on 49 minutes, Renate Klovning heading in a corner on 55 and Suzy Bastock firing home from inside the area in stoppage time. Championettes got a consolation between Northern Star’s fifth and sixth.
The consequences of the game are Ullapool remain second in Division 6:38, a point behind FISO but now four clear of Championettes, who stay third despite the loss. Oh, and their ‘keeper won’t be available for the immediate return match, either. Result!
Matchday 7 was easy on paper for Hazeldean Inchmistress, and on the pitch as well as it turned out as zombies KappaClaus didn’t even offer token resistance.
Foxy265’s side had the game won inside the opening ten minutes. And arguably inside five, after strikes from Jennie Bringevik (1) and Karen Bunton (5), Bringevik adding a third after 8 to make absolutely sure.
Young midfielder Jacqueline Morgan (17) added a fourth on 14 minutes with her first senior goal. As if it wasn’t easy enough for The Imperials, substitute-less KappaClaus then lost a player with injury, leaving them with only 10. Inchmistress forwards Bringevik and Bunton each completed their hattricks, Bringevik scoring on 27 and Bunton on 22 and 38, before Hazeldean got bored and just passed the ball amongst themselves for the rest of the game to spare the Kappa players more embarrassment.
Despite the big win, The Imperials remain fourth in Division 6:41, four points off the play-off spot.
ASU Politehnica had been saving up their game against bottom-feeders Hom FC until the final game of the opening half.
Managerless Hom were bottom of the standings, without a point, but hadn’t been pushovers in any game arriving with an average score of only 1-3 against. They even had the ball in the net first, only for Ann Onym to let The Scholars off the hook by disallowing it. That meant Fernanda Motta’s 30th minute strike was the game’s opening goal, Motta also getting the second three minutes after the break.
Pakize Tilbe headed home a corner to make it three for Granthamian’s side on 57 minutes, Motta completing her hattrick on 75 minutes when she converted from the penalty spot. That wasn’t quite the end of the scoring though as Hom got a consolation goal in the 90th minute – well, they do tend to score once in most games.
The other OTF side in this particular section are Invisible Ladies. The See-Throughs also happen to be the current league leaders. But could PebbletheFish’s charges continue their good form when they visited long-term rivals FC Saik?
Invisible drew the first blood when Phoebe Clark fired in from distance on 15 minutes, but this was an even game in which Saik were playing a full part. Indeed the hosts could reasonably claim to have been the better team prior to equalising on 71 minutes. The See-Throughs responded to being pegged back by raising their game again, going back in front just three minutes later when midfielder Mona Conden headed home her first in the senior game.
That was still not really with the run of play, and once again Saik got the goal they merited when they levelled for a second time on 80 minutes. This time there was no response from The See-Throughs, the match finishing all square.
Despite dropping two points, Invisible Ladies lead in Division 6:43 increased by a point from one to two as second-placed side The Devilettes lost at third-placed The Anarchists. ASU Politehnica are up to fourth, three points behind The Anarchists (who are now up to second).
The top two sides in Division 6:52 clashed when Zeugma Dostluk Spor visited Lilywhite Ladies.
With both teams coming in with utterly perfect records, won six out of six without conceding a goal, something had to give. But guessing who it would be was tough, given how closely matched the sides appeared to be: Zeugma’s leadership of the table was just by a +1 goal difference margin, +25 (i.e. 25-0) compared to +24 (24-0, obviously).
Once the game got underway though it soon became clear that AntepliEjderha’s side looked the stronger outfit. Zeugma had 57% first half possession and two-zip in chances. That trend continued after the break. But when the opening goal came on 66 minutes, it was scored by a Lilywhite player. Fortunately for ZDS fans, Linda Candestam put through her own net.
Possibly fortuitous, but also deserved. ZDS could have added a second and that would also have been fair. But they didn’t, and paid for it in the 89th minute when the Lilywhites put away their only chance of the game to equalise.
Rather than something giving, everything had! Both 100% records are gone, as are both unblemished defensive records. Zeugma can be the more frustrated by that, but an away draw against their only serious title rivals is still a good result. And it keeps them top.
And finally we get to Division 6:56 leaders Dublin City Womens FC, whose last match of the opening half of the campaign looked like a straightforward one as it was at zombies Avantul Mures.
The hosts were another of these decently defensively talented living dead, and they frustrated Mortal Joe’s girls for much of the first hour. Mostly. Dublin did score once during this period though, Marianne Olander heading them ahead on 15 minutes.
Olander’s strike did much to reduce the tension for The Dubs, but it didn’t dissipate completely until Maria Lyktberg made it two on 64 minutes. Further strikes from Jutta Maaranen and Camelia Rusu on 77 and 86 respectively were mostly just window dressing – the points were already Dublin-bounded before that.
Dublin reach the top buoy two tacks clear of the nearest of 6:56’s chasing floatilla.Comment
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Lovely work Janik.Comment
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The official Ladies League Cup Round 4 and our numbers are dwindling… but can the surviving few keep going for a bit longer?
The draw pitted Coxy Ladies Wulpen against fellow Division 3 side Lion Ladies, with the first leg at the Curlew’s Nest.Code:Coxy Ladies Wulpen 1 - 2 Lion Ladies Frunz? 58' Bock 52', 68' Lion Ladies 3 - 2 Coxy Ladies Wulpen Normbacke 62' Frunz? 35' Walter 64', 82' Kerckhoeven 51' Kerckhoeven (sent off) 76' Lion win 5-3 on aggregate Drakaina 2 - 1 San Quirico Heggarty 25' Nistri 80' Nylund 35' San Quirico 1 - 1 Drakaina Spina 24' Gitsis 77' Donadoni (sent off) 91' Drakaina win 3-2 on aggregate Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC 0 - 1 ShamLam Doobily Dodgers Hizbi Demokrat 58' Chriqui (sent off) 32' ShamLam Doobily Dodgers 0 - 1 Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC A.E.T. Sangaji 31' 1-1 on aggregate. Kanjeng win 2-1 on penalties Kongo BK 2 - 1 LNWR Locomotive Drake 8' Teigland 68' Thomasson 54' LNWR Locomotive 0 - 3 Kongo BK Ruffer 2', 28' Souza 71' Kongo win 5-1 on aggregate Mauchline Belles 1 - 0 Secret Scorers McRenton 66' Secret Scorers 2 - 1 Mauchline Belles Perdao (O.G.) 62' Diarra 81' 2-2 on aggregate. Mauchline win on away goals
The Waders shaded a quiet first half in terms of possession (51%) and chances (1-0). But if boss Janik thought that was a platform for his side to build in the second period, he was to be disappointed as instead it was Lion Ladies who upped their intensity and went ahead on 52 minutes.
Wulpen responded six minutes later, Luminita Frunz? firing home, but rather than inspire the hosts this served to spur on the Lions instead, who created a string of chances in the immediate aftermath. That deluge had to burst the dam eventually, the goal coming in the 68th minute. This time there was no easing off form a team that had just scored, Lion Ladies making many more opportunities in the rest of the game. Frankly a 2-1 defeat flattered Coxy Ladies. But that was how it ended, giving Wulpen some chance, albeit a pretty slight one, for the return encounter.
If The Waders were going to fight back, they really needed to score first to build confidence. And that is exactly what they did, Frunz? finishing off a breakaway on 35 minutes. Despite that Wulpen were still behind on away goals… until No?mie Kerckhoeven steered home after a corner on 51 minutes.
Suddenly things looked an awful lot more positive for Coxy Ladies. The main point was they were ahead on aggregate, 3-2. But also they had wiped out the away goals advantage. And if they could score again, would tip that permanently in their favour. Just one goal would leave Lion Ladies suddenly needing three to stay in the competition…
The next goal was huge therefore. Unfortunately for Wulpen, it was scored by Lion on 62 minutes. Doubly unfortunately that was swiftly backed up with another on 64 – The Waders had gone from ahead to level to behind again on aggregate very quickly. Still, just one goal would put them in front again on away goals. The chances of getting it seemed decent until Kerckhoeven went from hero to villain when she picked up her second yellow card of the day on 76 minutes.
Playing with 10 and chasing the game is a bad spot to be in. Chasing a two goal deficit is even worse, which was were Wulpen found themselves on 82 minutes after Lion Ladies scored again. That was the last significant moment of the match as The Waders exited as had been expected pre-game, though with more excitement in the middle than might have been predicted.
The Cup is a chance for Drakaina to forget who the league is currently going and remember who they really are. Which is Dragons. Would Etienne’s team be able to burn a San Quirico that operates in Division 4?
The Greeks certainly brought the heat during the first half of the opening leg at Delphi. 59% possession and three chances to zip were good, but the key positive of the opening 45 minutes was two goals scored, Gael Heggarty heading in a corner on 25 minutes and Dagny Nylund firing in from range on 35. That made the negative of the period, a 12-day injury for star forward Matilda K?llgren, easier to cope with.
Unfortunately The Dragons went in to a bit a slumber after the break, and conceded one back on 80 minutes. Not enough to prevent Drakaina getting a deserved win, but definitely sufficient to make the second leg a much more balanced scenario than it had initially appeared would be the case.
That away goal meant San Quirico only needed one to be both level on aggregate and the team going through due to away goals. They got that goal 24 minutes in.
This at least clarified things as far as The Dragons were concerned – they couldn’t sit back and cling on as now they had nothing to cling on to; rather, that had to score. After an ‘honest’ discussion at half-time the messaged appeared to percolate as the Greeks began to create chances. Not that many, but enough as one of them, on 77 minutes, was clear-cut enough for Elena Gitsis to head home.
That restored the aggregate lead, and wiped out the away goal jeopardy for The Dragons. And this time they did hang on, which drove Quirico midfielder Dolorese Donadoni so far up the wall that she earned herself a straight red card for backchat in stoppage time.
Round 5 means single matches at the Xpert Arena for the first time this season. Drakaina will hope their meeting with a second straight Division 4i side, Watergate Bay Surfers, will end with progress as this one did.Comment
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Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC were attempting to topple Division 1 foes when they took on ShamLam Doobily Dodgers.
Merapi-Kraton-South Sea was the venue for the opening leg. But home comforts didn’t initially inspired The Sea Spirits, who failed to create a chance during the first half. But the omens seemed good for the second period for SeanoftheShed’s side following ill-discipline from a Doobily Dodger, Emmanuelle Chriqui talking her way into a straight red card on 32 minutes.
Kanjeng did start to create chances after that break, but the tip in the game that playing against 10 normally provides never materialised as ShamLam kept going with one fewer in pretty well the same manner as they had played with a whole compliment. As such it was the visitors who got the opening leg’s only goal, a close range finish on 58 minutes sending The Sea Goddesses to defeat.
The task facing Kanjeng in the return was straightforward – only a win was good enough. Step one of getting that was to score, and that was achieved in the 31st minute when Utami Sangaji fired into the bottom corner from a direct free kick.
Another for The Steamers would have been big because of the away goal implications. But it wasn’t coming. Nor was a strike for ShamLam, baring an effort disallowed in the 61st minute. In part this was due to an outstanding performance from Sea Spirits goalkeeper Kacey Rust, who turned in a career best grade 21 display.
Rust would be a key figure in the d?nouement after the rest of normal time and extra time passed scorelessly. She faced the first kick as the Doobily Dodgers went first… and beat it clear. Sangaji backed that up by scoring Kanjeng’s first, ShamLam responding to make it 1-1. Which was also the score after Diksha Dalmiya’s effort went wide.
The Dodgers next kick was also off target, Rahma Ikmal consolidating by converting Kanjeng’s third kick to make the penalty shootout score 2-1 after three efforts each. It was still that after the fourth ShamLam kick, meaning Kanjeng’s fourth taker only had to score to send them through. This was entrusted to Rust, but she couldn’t finish things off like that. Instead she did so more conventionally by saving the last Doobily Dodgers kick, meaning they only scored one out of five!
Progress secured then, and with it a match at the Arena against Space Chicks of Division 2d.
The obstacle between LNWR Locomotive and Round 5 was a significant one, Division 1 side Kongo BK.
The tie opened with Locomotive on their travels. But it wasn’t initially looking like an enjoyable excursion as Kongo opened the scoring after only 8 minutes; The Steamers were still settling into their compartment! Getting arranged and comfortable took some time for Viktor Boskovic’s team, who were fortunate to reach half-time still only 1-0 down.
By the second half everything was nicely in place and LNWR could begin to make the most of the day. They still suffered another blow when Kongo went 2-0 up on 54 minutes, but responded when Maja Teigland demonstrated their new-found comfort in the tie by pulling one back on 68 minutes. 2-1 was how the opening leg finished, which gives The Steamers a chance when the tie returns home to Mollington Street.
The Steamers only needed one to progress at the start of play. 2 minutes in, that had doubled to two just to force extra time after Kongo struck to wipe out the away goal. And then on 28 minutes Kongo scored again, doubling the target to four for both survival and progress.
There was never much indication that that was a realistic ambition as Locomotive created only a couple of chances in the remaining time. Still a run to Round 4 is a decent effort, and will mean a good seeding next season.
OTF’s best looking chance of having a side progress (based on league status) fell to Mauchline Belles after they were drawn against Division 6 opposition in the form of Secret Scorers. Which so could have been Bombay Green Rockets... ♫Regrets, we’ve had a few♫
No OTF derby at Tarbolton Road then. But still something to excited the Mauchline masses as their side looked to build a lead for the return leg. But they found the Scorers, who showed no intention of living up to their names, a hard defensive nut to crack. Jdsx’s girls had by far the majority of possession, but for three-quarters of the game just couldn’t create a chance from it.
Fortunately when The Belles did finally get a brief sight of goal they found Lisa McRenton primed and ready as she turned in on 66 minutes. That proved to be the only goal of a cagey game, with the tie still very much in the balance for the second leg.
An away goal was surely the aim for The Belles in the return, as that would instantly treble Secret Scorers requirement to three. But despite having a significant edge in possession, one was not forthcoming during the first half. Well, there was only a single chance for Mauchline. And likewise for the Scorers.
More opportunities came after the break… but mostly for the hosts. It was a Belle who netted the breakthrough strike on 62 minutes though. Except Fernanda Perdao put through her own net! Extra-time was starting to loom, until, on 81 minutes, Odette Diarra rose to head home the strike Mauchline needed.
Game over? No. Secret Scorers hadn’t given up and struck themselves just two minutes later to bring the tie back to all-square on aggregate, though Mauchline were still fractionally ahead on away goals. That made for a frantic last ten minutes as the hosts sought the goal that would send them through and The Belles tried desperately to prevent it. Victory went to the defence, the match finishing 2-1 and Mauchline squeaking through.
The Belles opponents when they jog out at the Arena for Round 5 will be Division 4e side Kurag Clava.
Round 5 draw - one-off matches from here on out
Code:Drakaina vs Watergate Bay Surfers (4i) Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC vs Space Chicks (2d) Mauchline Belles vs Kurag Clava (4e)
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I like how the OTF boards can display musical notation at the moment even though they can't display an accent or an umlaut!Originally posted by Janik View Post
Great stuff Janik. Nice to see Drakaina are working their way through VSU's Div 4i colleagues in their Cup run this season. A shame that our conquerors, Andrew's Bombay Green Rockets, narrowly missed another derby against Mauchline Belles, but great that the Belles are also still going. And bravo to Kacey Rust for almost single-handedly dragging KRK into the Round 5 draw as well. Good luck the three of you.Comment
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OTF League roundup for 30th November: Season 61 round 1
Division 3
Relegated Cods of War immediately took up pole position in the race to climb to D2 next season, unexpectedly kicking off Season 61 by thrashing a Wednesday de la Zouch side who only narrowly missed promotion last time around. Even the crocking of captain and best midfielder Fareed Badur after half an hour at Rockall did not slow down the fighting fish, with his replacement Anwar Zaia scoring one and making another in the second half as they swept to a 3-0 win.
Hot Orange flagged up Littlewoods Legends as potential contenders this season in his final roundup of last term, and they got out of the blocks in fine fashion by defeating relegated New Dresden 2-0 away at Netzer Park.
The third relegated side, Eintracht Midwest, got off to a much better start though by demonstrating Nieuwegein Kneebiters’ maturing squad still have a way to go yet in a 2-0 home victory at the Isaac Bradley Memorial Stadium.
Thriller of the day in the basement tier was the first ever OTF League match at Kinabalu Park, where newcomers Andromache FC and 56-season veterans Wharfedale Generals shared 14 chances and 4 goals evenly between them. The debutants raced to a two-goal lead with goals from Bartholomew Winstanley and Sidney Hoffman not long before and after the break respectively, but the Generals – in their 1007th competitive match – fought back with two strikes from 21-year-old Frank Hulme, the second in stoppage time, to just about rescue a point and deny Andromache a perfect start.
With 10 teams in the bottom division this season there are no byes, meaning everyone kicked off as one this Monday. Pinewood Passers and Veni Vici Vigata shared a draw in the fifth game with late goals apiece, VVV grabbing an 83rd-minute opener before PP snatched a 91st-min leveller to ensure they have already racked up a third of last season’s entire points total.
Division 2
FC Gloryhammer only dodged the drop ten minutes from the end of last term, but they are quickest out of the traps this time around with a 3-1 away win at promoted Tree Hill High on Monday. Fergus Fortune’s penalty and a Dudu Asseo freekick twice edged them in front before Asseo’s last-minute second sealed things at Pullman Park.
The Gang Play Football missed promotion by only two points, and made a solid start in their bid to go one better by winning 2-0 at a Wensleydale Blues relegated by a point from D1. The hosts could not conjure a chance, but were still unfortunate to lose important defender Sam Snaizeholm to a bad injury in the last minute before Benedict “Alan” Partridge added a clincher for the Gang deep into time added on.
On a day already full of last-ditch goals, one of the more significant came at the Snoop. Visitors die Ambosse took a two-goal lead by the break with a Floyd James brace, but home team Turd Division fought back hard in the second half and were rewarded when Glen Harden struck twice in six minutes to square things up in the closing stages. Then, though, they were sucker-punched by a 90th-minute Bernd Frehn header for the Anvils, which condemned a Turds side relegated twice on the spin to an opening-day defeat back in the third tier.
A matching 3-2 away win was in order for D3 champions OWC Albion at fellow promoted outfit Brian Munchingflapjack. The home side led early on but three straight OWC goals in the second half carried them clear, Neo Hedges notching what proved to be the vital third for Albion before a late consolation for the Flappers.
Game of the day though might’ve been at Steaua Bridge, albeit it would be more accurate to reduce this accolade to quarter of an hour around half-time. After an entirely quiet first 35 minutes both defences inexplicably knocked off early for the break – whereupon the relegated home side and visiting Heffron Hendecagon promptly shared out four goals (including a penalty and own-goal for Heffron) inside a whirlwind six minutes. When Tomas Stabile made it five in 14 minutes by putting Steaua 3-2 up soon after the interval it looked like there might be a rugby scoreline, but in the event this breathless flurry knocked the stuffing out of everyone for another 35 minutes. It took until the second minute of stoppage-time for the Hendos to snatch another equaliser to end things at 3-3.Last edited by Various Artist; 07-12-2020, 15:02.Comment
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Division 1
Last term Banik Roystonov went from early-season pacesetters in the top flight to ultimately finishing bottom of it. They kicked off the new campaign with a D1 reunion with Athletico Deva at the Enormodome, less than four months since they last met in the same tier but having spent the intervening season two divisions apart. An evenly balanced game (6 shots apiece) hinged on a career-worst injury to experienced Banik defender Oldrich Uhrin after only 13 minutes, with his young replacement Pavol Trosek laying on an opener for Ondrich Bielik. Jean-Pierre Makanaky sealed things five minutes before the break. The Royston men sit top after day 1 – how long can it last this time?
Behind them only due to having started off their campaign with a home win rather than an away one are Great Northern Railway. In another meeting of teams two levels apart last season, it was the D2 runners-up who this time triumphed over the team relegated from the top flight as the Railwaymen ran out 2-0 victors over Zeugmaspor at the Clump.
What’s that, you say? Yet another last-gasp goal? And yet another meeting of teams from last season’s top and third tiers? Both were duly served up at the Glen, where despite relegated Hideous Towns trailing for an hour after a third minute opener from Dilangue Khonde for D2 champs Eriskay Expression, they mounted a fine comeback after an inspired substitution brought Viggo Krommenhoek into the action in the second half. The 22-year-old forward had notched twice in each of the last two seasons overall, but did the same thing in less than half an hour here to whip all three points out from under the Scots’ noses. Expression were unlucky when teenaged sub Lazaro Becerra was stretchered back off with 15 minutes to play, and Krommenhoek made the most of the powerplay to crunch home a stoppage-time header that won it for Hideous.
The logic-minded will have deduced that leaves us with two matches pairing up the four clubs who finished in midtable in D2 last season. There was a close-fought affair at the Wales-England Border, where visitors Locomotiv Noj took a seventh-minute lead from the spot against the general run of play, before hosts Saltney Drawers levelled a similar distance into the second half. Then, gosh, the winner here too came in the 91st minute – Mavras Alvertis hammering home the vital second goal for Noj.
At the Raymond Illingworth too the result was a narrow 2-1, though here it was unrepresentative of the general chances, which read 5-1 to hosts Whoft Fluffopolis. The Fluffers were lacking a cutting edge, though, meaning that despite scrambling a lead after almost an hour they were pegged back by visiting Hampshire Deers’ lone chance on 78 minutes. Then, however, the wasteful home team were lent a crucial helping hand by unfortunate 18-year-old Deers substitute Taylor Stevens, who five minutes from full time sliced past his own keeper Miles Hadley to lose it for his side after all. It was just 34 minutes into the defender’s career, six days after his signing for half a million econs – meaning, alas, the teenager now has to find a way back from a debut that will go down in infamy.
OTF
Day 1 in the top flight sees two clubs looking to improve on (broadly) encouraging campaigns last season lead the way, after matching 3-0 home wins. Great Ouse Town flirted with the outskirts of the title race before settling in 4th, and kicked off with serious intent this time by sweeping aside runaway Division 1 champions Berkshire Swine at the Blue Fen, Lois Trundle doing the main damage with two goals.
Rejects Redux finished a yawning 15 points behind the Swine as runners-up, but suffered an equally harsh welcome back to the big time with an identical reverse at a Vita Mortis side still stinging from blowing the title with a home defeat in the final day decider against Kernow Kensa. Here it was Ernest Crompton who notched twice in the second half, the second with a minute to go, to match his tally from all of last term at the first time of asking.
Season 59’s dominant side St Pancras Starmers never really got into gear with their title defence and finished 7th in the end. Croesoswallt Dragons also struggled in midtable, but their indubitably strong side blitzed the Starmers in the first half at the Host of Trophies Past to take a 2-0 lead by the interval. The Dragons then shut up shop and that was that, other than an unwelcome crocking for important St Pancras midfielder Sarmad Kurdi in the penultimate minute.
Hang on, there’s been no stoppage-time goals yet in the top flight! Oh no, wait up, here we go – Four Candles’ Alexander McCardy snatched a 92nd-min draw at home to Dandy Town, for whom Olli Brann had briefly looked like nicking all the points with their only shot on goal when he netted an 84th-min freekick.
And what of the champions’ opening move in defence of their newly-won crown? Well, strangely enough it gets relegated to the last slot on MOTD, as Kernow Kensa were held to a home 0-0 – the only one anywhere – against an AFC Csiki Monkeys whose seventh consecutive yoyo has just boinged them back into the top flight for the ninth different spell in their 37-season history.
The Monkeys, of course, are now caught on the horns of a dilemma: they are 70% of the way to matching their historic ten-season yoyo between the top two tiers from Seasons 29 to 38 inclusive. This, of course, demands yet another instant relegation. Yet, as HO pointed out at the end of last term, ad hoc’s club also need to be looking at the opposite end of the table, since “if the league is to see a fourth consecutive first-time champion next season, the Rejects and the Monkeys are the only candidates.” Which direction to go? On the basis of this opening-day stalemate, neither.Last edited by Various Artist; 07-12-2020, 15:08.Comment
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