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X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

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    Regaining some momentum if becoming more and more important for Cinghiali as SitsWithRemote’s side have slid down the Division 5:13 table thanks to their barren run. That left them only a point ahead of sixth-placed Atl?tica Barnabas prior to their trip to visit precisely these opponents.
    The first 45 minutes was quite a worrying one for The Boars as Atlei had substantially more possession and a goal to go with it, albeit from their only chance of the half. Cinghiali also had one opportunity before the break which went unconverted, but made more in a somewhat improved second-half display.
    That pick up culminated in Izabela Kajtazi levelling matters on 75 minutes. That gave long enough to find a winner, only for The Boars to be stymied almost immediately by one of their own as Susanna Millen picked up a second yellow card of the day just two minutes later!
    That meant the last 15 or so was about holding on to the draw, which Cinghiali managed to do. It keeps them just about the drop zone, still fifth with Barnabas still sixth and obviously also still a point further back. But that search for momentum continues as one point won’t really recreate it.

    Just three points separated LNWR Locomotive from their second-in-the-table-at-kick-off hosts Great Horned Owls in the congested Division 5:16 table.
    That was a margin Viktor Boskovic’s side looked like they might overcome when Charlotte Nixon put them ahead with a direct free-kick after 28 minutes. That was somewhat against the run of play though, and The Steamers advantage lasted only 7 minutes until GHO levelled from a (dodgy) penalty.
    Hopes that Locomotive might improve after the break proved to be unfounded. Instead it was the Owls who stepped their game up a notch, which resulted in a winner for the hosts on 83 minutes. That sent The Steamers to a defeat that seems them plunge three places in the 5:16 standings to fall to seventh… but still within three points of second!

    Third visited second when Ullapool Northern Star travelled to Fair Maidens of FISO, but despite the positions of the two teams this was not a promotion clash – not with a vast nine point gap separating. Polaris are spending far more time checking over their shoulder at the results of the bottom three than gazing hopefully at the team a spot above them.
    A positive result in this game could have changed that somewhat for Delicatemoth’s girls, of course. And Ullapool performed well enough in general play to have got one, outshooting FISO two chances to one in the first half and holding a respectable 45% possession across the match. However the hosts have the promotion chasers boost at the moment and scored their sole first half opportunity. They also had the help of ref Dick Tator after the break as he first sent off Star’s Irene Festas for a second bookable offence on 77 minutes, and then awarded the Fair Maidens an 85th minute penalty from which they made the game safe.
    Tator’s name is mud at Minchview currently; cathartic as that maybe it that doesn’t help Ullapool’s league position at all. What did was defeats for the sides in fourth and sixth, which mean Polaris stay third and also remain three points clear of Division 5:19’s bottom three.

    Invisible Ladies were looking to collect a win at bottom side Aveley Ladies F.C that could push The See-Throughs towards the top end of the Division 5:21 table.
    PebbletheFish’s side certainly had good hopes of doing that given Aveley had only collected four points from their preceding nine games. Part of the hosts problem would appear to be complete toothlessness – despite a pretty well equal share of the ball, they never once threatened the Invisible goal. Excusable if it actually had been invisible and therefore unlocatable, but in fact it was conspicuously present at The See-Throughs end of the pitch.
    The goal at the other end was under more threat. Not vastly more, Invisible creating only three chances in the game, but those three proved more than ample. Two were converted, Catlyn Parsons firing through a crowd on 40 minutes and Evelyn Rodin rising above a statuesque Aveley defence to head home a 72nd minute corner.
    That was The See-Throughs play for the play-off spot this week, but what of their rival for that position, fellow OTFers ASU Politehnica? The Scholars were away at one of the sides fighting the drop, Glenbogle Monarchs.
    What to say about this game. Well, not a lot because not a lot happened. Granthamian’s side struggled for possession throughout, registering 40% in both halves, but showed that didn’t particularly matter as they defended commandingly to ensure the first half was chanceless for both sides and then even began to pick Glenbogle off on the counter, making three second half openings to the hosts one.
    Neither side could convert any of those though, meaning the match finished goalless. And that meant our sides swapping positions in the 5:21 table yet again, Politehnica slipping from third to fifth whilst The See-Throughs moved in the other direction, climbing from fifth to second! Just two points separate the sides, with Invisible a further six adrift of the leaders. The Scholars are also three points ahead of the drop zone.

    Zeugma Dostluk Spor would have expected to beat Division 5:26’s bottom side F. C. Barcou?o Ladies, especially as the hosts had picked up just one point all season, but the win still had to be delivered.
    The initial signs were far from promising, ZDS not making a single chance in the first half despite holding 61% possession, and ending it 1-0 down. Their task looked like becoming even harder when Barcou?o were awarded a 53rd minute penalty. But Vivian Guttridge failed to convert for the hosts, and that let off would prove crucial for Antepli Ejderha’s side.
    That said they were still 1-0 down until Ceyda ?z?lmez levelled from long range on 76 minutes. Once she had though the goals came in a rush, Inci G?ncar finishing off a breakaway just here minutes later to put the Anatolians ahead, and Latife Kurt adding a sealing third on 81 minutes.
    The win sent Zeugma shooting up the 5:26 table – they climb two places to now sit second, a point ahead of third but a yawning 10 back of the leaders.

    It was top against bottom and also an all-OTFer affair as Menywod Maeshafn hosted Dublin City Womens FC.
    Conventional wisdom would have made IsThatcherDeadYet’s side very strong favourites as they arrived at the game unbeaten whereas The Molly Malones had collected just four points from their opening eight games. And on 17 minutes normal service appeared to be being served up when Morgan Beck raced clear and dinked over Etna Johnson to apparently give Maeshafn the lead… only for the goal to be ruled out for a doubtful offside.
    That meant the first chance of the game was actually Dublin’s defender Patr?cia Tavares sending a diving header at the Maeshafn net on 31 minutes but putting it wide of the target. That would be the most positive element of Tavares day as the next thing to happen to her was picking up a nasty 17-day injury on the stroke of half-time.
    Her teammates didn’t seem fazed by losing Tavares though as, after a quiet first half of the second half, Mortal Joe’s side put in a superb final quarter of the game. It started with Emma Timmermans rattling the Maeshafn bar on 68 minutes, continued with Camelia Rusu sending a precise header sailing over the bar on 79 (what was she aiming at, exactly??), and reached its fruition when Michelle Hempel headed in on 83 minutes. Her effort was “well placed” – well, yes, clearly!
    There was only one chance in the time after Hempel’s goal, Timmermans drawing a crowd-pleasing save from Maeshafn ‘keeper S?nia V?bora in the 87th minute. The Welsh faithful may have enjoyed that, but overall this was a game to forget for their side… and one to glory in for their visitors from across the Irish Sea.
    Despite the shock result, both teams remain in the same spots in the Division 5:28 table, i.e. Maeshafn top and Dublin bottom. However the Welsh side’s lead has been cut from seven points down to five (which is still ample, really), whilst The Molly Malones have clawed their way to within a point of seventh… but still six adrift of the safety mark of fifth.

    After two leaders vs bottom games we have one between a side in second, Csiki Girls and one propping up the table, Universitatea Cluj.
    The Csiki’s would have been targeting an away win in the circumstances, but Ad hoc’s side likely new patience was going to be required as they are not very prolific, averaging just a goal a game prior to this one and Cluj were not particularly leaky either, conceding at exactly the same rate.
    One player not expecting to have much to do was Csiki’s ‘keeper Trudi Wilding – and as expected she only had one attempt on her goal to face in the match, which she dealt with coolly. At the other end chances came more frequently, but still with a trickle rather than a flood. Just one in the first half and another in the first 40-odd minutes of the second. An injury to Csiki’s midfielder Hillary Strouts on the hour mark didn’t help (she will be out for 11 days), but even so the patience called for was being tested. And ultimately it proved to be strong enough s Csiki Girls kept playing, won themselves a corner on 88 minutes and Robin Neaves rose to stick it away.
    Almost simultaneously with Neaves winner, Csiki Girls’ title rivals New Zealand were conceding an 89th minute equaliser (an own goal, no less) to mean they dropped two points. Those results were enough for Division 5:31’s top two to switch positions, The Csiki’s going top by a point. The good news extended further for the A kertem side as the teams in third and fourth both lost… and still stayed where they are! The Csiki’s advantage on third is now four points.

    Comment


      Rising Stars were looking to win well against strugglers Cam Hotspurs as goal difference could play a part in the Division 6:37 title race, which The Ascenders are very much involved in.
      That was easier said than done seeing as Cam’s goal difference was only -1 despite having lost more than twice as many as they had previously won (their record was 2-1-5 15-16). Memories of the away game, where Blamb’s side needed two goals in the last ten minutes to turn things around and win 3-2 abounded.
      Forewarned is forearmed? In this case, yes. A focused performance produced an avalanche of first half chances for The Stars. It did take until the 25th minute for Bette Elgeuse to convert one of these, but once she had made the breakthrough goals were added regularly, ?rica Ver?ssimo (32) and Maria Miguel (44) making in 3-0 by the break and Helen Gozo adding a fourth seconds after the restart.
      This was the point that Rising, aware that the Hotspurs possess an attacking edge, opted to shut up shop, with basically the entire of the second-half passing in a mutually convenient truce. That meant a +4 boost to the GD, which leaves Rising still two points and -4 GD behind leaders Ramsgate (who won 6-0 against a zombie).

      Hazeldean Inchmistress put six past zombies The Poemelkes at Ken Higgs Avenue a few weeks back. But could The Imperials go the whole hog and score seven in this return match?
      Four in the first 15 minutes set a good platform for Foxy265’s side, with Elinor Ernstr?m in particular going all guns blazing as she opened the scoring inside the first minute and then completed her hattrick with strikes on 13 and 15. G?ta Christersson had got one in between those, netting on 7 minutes and she also scored the fifth, which came with 36 on the clock.
      Five up at the break, the Inchmistress fans were urging their team not to settle for that as the second half went on. After initially looking like they would, the pressure from the fans goaded The Imperials into action, and a sixth through Mollie Tattershall’s long range effort on 73 minutes. Songs of “We only want one more!” inspired, who else, but Ernstr?m to complete the set late on when she fired in her fourth of the day and her side’s seventh on 88 minutes.
      A good day in Framleyshire, but the focus has to remain on individual days as the Division 6:40 table still makes disappointing reading – Hazeldean are fifth, a whole 9 points adrift of second.

      Bombay Green Rockets travelled to the rather misnamed Almighty Ladies with a better claim to such a title – The Green Rockets arrived with not just a perfect winning record but also still yet to concede a goal in the league this season!
      The hosts would therefore have been fearing the worst when Isabel Lock put HKS3’s side ahead in the very first minute. Donielle Cois made things comfortable for Bombay with a second just 11 minutes in before Lock got her second of the day on 33 to already moreorless seal the result. Incredibly, defender Cois’ goal was her first for the club (and of her senior career) in her 124th appearance. And that is despite providing a good stream of assists along the way.
      The next action was a bit of a setback for The Rockets as midfielder Barbara Baumann picked up a 9-day injury in the 36th minute. Her side were cruising though and didn’t much notice the loss, adding two more goals after the break as Lock completed her hattrick midway through the half and Amalea Ferrante added a fifth late on.
      Bombay’s position in the Division 6:43 table is strong as they have a five point lead and also a +18 GD advantage on second. They can really consolidate it if they win the top-of-the-table clash next week.

      Only a few teams present a danger to Cassiopeia in Division 6:53, but third-placed side FC Cristal Dorohoi were one of them.
      The Vainglories really needed a win to keep themselves just three points behind leaders Boryana Revelation, but also to maintain the five point gap on Dorohoi themselves. So ref Warren Peace awarding the hosts a 32nd minute penalty was far from ideal, Dorohoi converting that to take a half-time lead they just about merited.
      If the first half was pretty even, the second wasn’t. The problem for Stormstopper’s side is it wasn’t them dominating! There was a slight hope whilst the hosts, despite plenty of chances, couldn’t find their way past Vera Buric for a second time. But that died when the inevitable happened and a second was finally shipped on 80 minutes.
      Defeat means Boryana now look well-nigh uncatchable for Cassiopeia, whose focus instead may now be fighting their conquerors in this one off and keeping hold of the 6:53 play-off spot that is currently theirs by a two point margin.

      Comment


        OTF Season 62 Round 12 Round-Up

        OTF

        After losing their last two, leaders Four Candles will have been relieved to return to winning ways with a 1-0 success at St Pancras Starmers, although they needed a late penalty from Dougie MacElfrish to secure the points. They remain four points clear of Vita Mortis, who were 2-1 winners at Kernow Kensa, Nigel Paard heading in an 81st-minute decider after Kernow's Arthur Cooper had missed a penalty with the score at 1-1. Kernow stay 3rd, one of three teams four points behind Mortis, along with the Starmers, in 5th, and Eriskay Expression, who climb to 4th after Walton Durkan's first-half goal gave them a 1-0 victory at home to Croesoswallt Dragons, their fourth consecutive win, and sixth success in eight. The Dragons slip to 6th. Just behind them are Dandy Town, who move out of the relegation zone with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Whoft Fluffopolis. The Fluffers fall to the foot of the table after the previous incumbents, Hideous Towns, eased past AFC Csiki Monkeys, with Per-Elvis Kohlqvist shaking off an early knock to score two of Towns' three second-half goals. Towns are still a long way behind anyone else, while the Monkeys find themselves the wrong side of the relegation line, but only four points from 3rd.

        Division 1

        Defeats for the top two mean things have tightened up considerably in the promotion race. Leaders Berkshire Swine went down 2-0 at relegation-threatened Zeugmaspor as Yunus Gurkan and Yaman Dursan buried the game's only two goal-scoring opportunities. Zeugmaspor are unbeaten in four and climb to 8th, still five points from safety but having given themselves a chance of survival. The Swine stay top, with 2nd-placed Great Ouse Town losing 1-0 at Rejects Redux in another game light on goal-mouth action that was decided by Christopher Belemgoto's header. The 3rd-placed Rejects close the gap on Ouse to two points. A further point behind in 4th are Banik Roystonov following a 1-0 win at Turd Division, Jean-Pierre Makanaky nodding in the winner. The Turds sink to 9th having lost six on the bounce, kept away from the bottom by die Ambosse, who were narrowly beaten at Saltney Drawers, where Constantin Muntean thumped in the only goal and Drawers' Daisuke Nouguchi was sent off late on. The win pulls the Drawers up to 5th, above Locomotiv Noj and Steaua Bridge, who met at the Bridge and, of course, drew - Steaua's 9th draw of the campaign. Steaua's commitment to the draw is certainly impressive, as they somehow managed to conjure one up here from a 9-2 shot count in their favour, with Artie Hendricks making sure of the point with a late equaliser after they had allowed Noj to overturn an early deficit to lead 2-1. Steaua have lost fewer games than anyone else in the division, but sit one place above the drop zone.

        Division 2

        0-1, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0. Goals had not been flying in in Hampshire Deers' recent encounters, so leaders FC Gloryhammer will not have been hugely surprised that their meeting with the Deers at Dundee Park should end goalless. Though the point stretched the Deers' unbeaten run to seven, with just one goal conceded in that time, they slip to 7th, not yet free of relegation worries. Gloryhammer also drop a place, falling to 2nd, with The Gang Play Football returning to the top on the back of a 4-2 win over Atheltico Deva. Strikers Gennadi Yaroshevsky and Al Molseley each scored twice for The Gang, leaving Dragan Popadic Dujic's brace for Deva unrewarded as his side remain 5th. There was a surprise at The Clump, where Jon Nazib hammered in the only goal of the game to give visitors Cods of War victory over Great Northern Railway, lifting the Cods to 8th and seeing GNR drop out of the promotion positions to 4th. Taking their place are Wensleydale Blues, who saw off Littlewoods Legends 2-0 thanks to late goals from Stuart Thoralby and Billy Mallerstang. The Legends drop to 9th. Plenty of goals at the Benabau, where Wednesday de la Zouch beat bottom side Heffron Hendecagon 4-3 to move up to 6th. The win was more comfortable than the scoreline would suggest, as a hat-trick from Ruben Guapo had helped Wednesday build up a 4-1 lead before two Heffron goals in the last five minutes reduced the arrears.

        Division 3

        New Dresden are off the top for the first time since Round 3 (when Wharfedale Generals led the way) after they were beaten by 3rd-placed Andromache FC at Kinabalu Park. Dresden took an early lead through Marko Ebner, but by the time Ebner added a second in the 94th minute, Andromache were home and hosed having rattled in four goals without reply in the meantime, the fourth with ten men after Monty Kibble was stretchered off. Taking over at the top are Tree Hill High, who were too good for bottom side Veni Vici Vigata, winning 4-1 with two goals from skipper Russ Mason and one from Xavier Bonner, who is the league's top scorer with nine. OWC Albion's 1-0 win at Nieuwegein Kneebiters, courtesy of an own goal from Kneebiter Bram Smeets - the only time OWC got near the home goal - leaves them as the only side realistically capable of challenging the top three. They are 4th, three points shy of the promotion places, with the Kneebiters five points further back in 5th. 6th-placed Brian Munchingflapjack's hopes of joining the promotion race were dashed in a surprise 2-0 defeat at 9th-placed Pinewood Passers, where they were outplayed throughout but didn't concede until the 85th minute. Eintracht Midwest and Wharfedale Generals stay 8th and 7th after they drew 2-2 at the Isaac Bradley Memorial Stadium, Guido Mastroianni firing in a late leveller for the Generals.
        Last edited by Hot Orange; 29-03-2021, 11:45.

        Comment


          So, you expect with all the new twitching at mechanics of the Youth Academy that the Transfer market is going down, which might will happen in the future, but not now.

          A few days ago I received with my Team Tallaght FC in the X11 Pro Sports Premiership a 17-yearol-old forward. Forwards are normally the ones you get the least amount for.

          Shay Gandon has the Cone od Hard training, is good with headers and is quick as hell. His estimated value is 1 998 600 and he is transferlisted until 01-04-2021 06:00. Until now this is normal.

          What is not normal that I have got several bids for him and the latest is 8 264 800 econ. This is the most amount ever I got for someone from the Youth Academy, especially for strikers. I expect that might be the highest bid, but I thought that as well in the morning when the bid was for over 4 million econ.

          Now I suspect that either this is an Aprils fool bid and it evaporated at 6 am or the server crashes again with all transfer activity gone.

          Sometimes the transfer market is a total mystery for. Normally I am buying high and selling cheap, this time might be the extreme opposite.

          Comment


            The combination of good at headers and quick is pretty rare anyway, and highly desirable in a striker as it makes it difficult to know what to set your defence against. Combine that with a cone and you have a diamond encrusted gold nugget that has unsurprisingly inspired a bidding war.
            Although the skill level of youth players might have increased, the type and number of SQs and HQs is still at the same level of randomness.
            The increase in skill level might hurt the value of vanilla and perhaps even single square youths, but good square combinations should still hold a good value.
            Last edited by Sean of the Shed; 31-03-2021, 15:42.

            Comment


              Thank you, Sean, I was wondering why the price went through the roof. I know, there are some people looking for the cone, but I was not aware about the rare combination of the SQs. And also he was a forward and they are normally cheaper than the other players.

              Comment


                I've sneaked into the final of the MLX where I play the Toucans. I'll always think of them as Kevchenko's team or Kevin S regardless of who the manager is.

                We finished 3rd and they finished 4th in MLXA so one of the lowest placed finals.

                Comment


                  Bravo AE and best of luck going for your second title! The Giraffes have quite quietly become one of the best and most consistent sides in MLX, it's great to see them doing so well.

                  Comment


                    My Vita Mortis midfielders are going to be glad to see the back of March and no mistake.

                    On the 4th my best MF Nigel Paard was crocked against Csiki Monkeys, and missed three games from which we took just one point.

                    He came back against St Pancras Starmers on the 15th, and one of our three 23-year-old MFs Mike Addison got crocked late on – necessitating defender Robin Buckley to come off the bench as an emergency midfielder and score what turned out to be the winner, improbably enough.

                    Four days later the same thing happens with one of the other 23-year-olds, Nathan Helleday, only without Buckley needing to score this time. Weirdly enough, in all three games in which the injuries occurred we won 2-1.

                    Mercifully our academy coughed up a 19/6 to drop straight in for last Monday’s game and played Thursday too when we were still otherwise down to four fit players in that department, but yesterday we finally had everyone back to full health once more so I put him on the transfer list. Then last night, I promptly had this charming random event drop into the Mortis mailbox:
                    Player injury
                    Willie Cougar is suffering from an ingrown toenail and is in a lot of pain. He will be unable to apply football for 8 days until he has had surgery to fix the problem.
                    Willie is the last of the 23-year-old trio, and the only one who’d avoided the injury jinx. Until now.

                    Rene Vanden Borre must be quaking in his boots at the prospect of going out to face the Fluffers tomorrow, he’s our only midfielder who hasn’t picked up a red cross in the last three and a half weeks...

                    Comment


                      Antepli Ejderha well done. No sneaking in at all there.

                      @mortal joe congratulations on the windfall!

                      Comment


                        OTF League roundup for 29th March: Season 62 round 13

                        Division 3

                        New Dresden’s hopes of a quick return to their accustomed spot at the head of D3 were dashed by a 1-0 home defeat on Monday to their replacements there, Tree Hill High. Xavier Bonner turned home his 10th of the season from Russ Mason’s 54th-min freekick to hand Dresden their third defeat in four games and their first at Netzer Park since mid-December. The result opens up a three-point gap between the pair, into which Andromache FC hop by way of their second straight 4-2 win. Having defeated Dresden by that scoreline last Thursday, they did the same thing at Brian Munchingflapjack to hand the accolade of ‘division’s leakiest defence’ back to the latter. Nero Bertarelli scored twice for the Munchies but Elroy Brunette’s two headers (he does indeed have brown hair, by the way) led the way to victory for the visitors. They leapfrog Dresden to 2nd by a point, while the Flapjacks drop to 7th.
                        THH and Andromache both have 13 points out of the last 15, but so too do OWC Albion – who are on the best current run with four successive wins. Their 1-0 at Wharfedale Generals puts them just two points behind stumbling Dresden, and they have a home game with lowly Pinewood Passers up next. Generals drop one to 8th. The Passers’ 0-0 Monday draw at home to Nieuwegein Kneebiters kept them 9th and dragged the Biters back down a place to 6th. Nieuwegein fans have so far witnessed 18 goals for and against in 13 matches this term; Dresden supporters have seen 58.
                        Taking advantage in midtable were Eintracht Midwest, who leapt three to 5th with a ruthlessly efficient 3-1 win at Veni Vici Vigata aided by a second horrible injury of the month for top VVV defender Eistein Kniksen early on. The hosts still took the lead soon afterwards, but Midwest quickly levelled and two goals in three minutes either side of the hour mark – the only attempts from either side in the second half – swung the game their way and kept the luckless VVV four points adrift at the bottom of the league.

                        Division 2

                        A truly interesting picture is developing here, where D2 is a cauldron of uncertainty at the moment. To set the scene: of the four clubs who won last Thursday, three lost on Monday.
                        Most surprisingly, The Gang Play Football lost control of top spot instantly after regaining it, courtesy of a 1-0 reverse at Littlewoods Legends via a Peder Rasted penalty, with FC Gloryhammer returning to the summit following a one-sided 3-0 win at bottom side Heffron Hendecagon. The team the Gang beat 4-2 four days earlier, Athletico Deva, were five points and four places below them after their encounter but ended Monday with that reduced to just two points and one place thanks to a 3-0 home win over Cods of War that lifted them to 3rd. Cods drop to 9th, below the Legends, with the latter still just five points behind Deva despite the five-place gap.
                        Between them therefore is a very congested midtable. Wensleydale Blues’ support had still only seen just 18 total goals for and against this term, but after the recent rush of 10 in three games that had ended a desiccated period of 1 (one) in 6 matches previously they could have been forgiven for hoping for more entertainment at Hampshire Deers. However, the hosts’ season has gone the opposite way – after 10 in their first 3 matches their subsequent nine fixtures had produced only 7 goals in total, making their fans now the most entertainment-starved anywhere. Yet four of the last five goals in that lean stretch had gone Deers’ way, and the pattern eventually repeated on Monday when Dwight Allmark headed the only one of the game for them in the 82nd minute. Consequently the Blues drop straight back out of the promotion places to 4th, on goals scored behind Deva, and losing key defender Sam Snaizeholme to injury in the process may hamper them in the next week. The Southern Cervines
                        in contrast have doggedly (deeredly?) ground out an 8-game unbeaten run and edge up to 6th, merely a point behind the Deviants and Blues.
                        In between
                        meanwhile, level with the Deers on 19 points but opening up a goal-difference advantage on them in 5th are Wednesday de la Zouch, only a week after losing their encounter to fall behind them. Weds became the only team in the division to notch back-to-back wins since then, thrashing Great Northern Railway 3-0 at the Benabau. GNR, who a week ago were 3rd with a better GD than the rivals right below them, are now 7th and just two points above the relegation line. At the same time, they are still only seven points off top spot...

                        Comment


                          Division 1
                          Berkshire Swine stole a small march on their competition, returning to winning ways against promotion rivals Rejects Redux in a closely-fought 1-0 at the Stef Tolsma Arena. Had that goal gone the other way it would, all else being equal, have left the top four all within a single point. As it is the Swine go three clear at the top, thanks to Great Ouse Town (2nd) drawing 2-2 at home to Saltney Drawers (5th) despite a 7-2 shot count in their favour as teenage custodian Willie Sherwood had a bit of an off-day. The Rejects, who beat Ouse last Thursday and would have gone above them with a win at the Swine, instead slip to 4th and are now two points off the promotion pace.
                          Fellow contenders Banik Roystonov fell behind in the 2nd minute at Locomotiv Noj, and despite dominating possession and having nearly all the second-half shots (8-1) had only a 47th-min equaliser to show for it heading into the closing stages – and looked like paying for their failure to capitalise when Noj retook the lead in the 79th with their only effort on goal after the break. For two minutes, the pair sat a point apart in 4th and 5th in the provisional table. The Royston men however were not to be denied, and finally made their superiority count with two goals in the next four minutes to flip the result on its head. Their second win on the trot lifts Banik to 3rd, two points above Redux.
                          Noj drop back to 7th, and are abruptly just three points above the safety line due to the sudden surge from Zeugmaspor (8th) – who, having taken a mere 2 points from their first eight games, have picked up 11 from the next five and are now the form team in D1. Two late goals at home to fellow stragglers Turd Division (9th) rescued a 3-1 win when Zeugma looked in danger of dropping two crucial points, giving them back-to-back victories for the first time since their fixtures either side of New Year and putting them within touching distance of midtable. Turds in contrast have lost a horrifying 7 on the spin since beating Zeugma in the reverse fixture, and are now 8 points from safety.
                          Rivalling them in all this are die Ambosse (10th), who lost their third on the bounce on Monday and are 0-4-8 ever since a breathless 4-3 win over the Turds back on opening day. Visitors Steaua Bridge had only won once themselves since then, but in considerable contrast to the Anvils had gone 1-9-1 in the interim and have lost fewer than anyone in the division despite their lowly position. The game was actually very evenly contested, but sharp Steaua finishing late in the first half saw them run out 2-0 victors to climb to 6th and open up some clear water between themselves and the dropzone. All their nine draws have come in runs of three though – will they draw the next three now too? The quickly sinking Ambosse meanwhile are nine points below the line and next visitors Noj, meaning a defeat in that clash this Thursday will all but mathematically relegate them.

                          OTF

                          Four Candles seem to have put their post-midseason stumble behind them by battling to two important 1-0 victories this past week. Champions Dandy Town (6th) were their latest victims on Monday, Apolo Arjona’s 54th-min freekick settling things at Hurlingham Park although Candles’ number 2 forward Alfred McLintock was stretchered off midway through the first half. Vita Mortis remain four points back in 2nd and four clear of the pack after their fourth straight win, 3-1 over freefalling Csiki Monkeys (7th) at the Hollows with Lance Porter doubling his season’s tally with a brace. The Monkeys, who were in reach of 2nd spot after spanking Croesoswallt Dragons 5-1 in the first ‘leg’ of their doubleheader and having the better of the immediate return fixture only for it to end goalless, have lost three in a row since then and are now slightly further below the Dandies on goal difference either side of the relegation line.
                          Their next outing, to make things worse, is against an Eriskay Expression side going like... well, an express train at present. A fifth straight win, 3-1 at home to Hideous Towns, swept the Scots up to 3rd – and it must be a relief to the leaders that Expression initially took a while to get their top-flight legs back under them after promotion, as they have won seven of their last nine games. 13 shots to 1 at the Glen told its own story, though this was perversely at odds with the mere 51:49 possession ratio and indeed Hideous briefly levelled amid a quickfire burst of three goals immediately each side of half-time and it took until Rowan Bywater’s 79th-min cruncher for Eriskay to secure the points. The 32-year-old’s signing for 2.86 million econs two weeks ago to bolster the midfield looks a masterful piece of business from BillBones, as the Islanders have won all five matches since his arrival and his contribution was confirmed by his scoring both their second-half goals here from outside the area. (Given the overall possession-to-shots discrepancy, I’m already picturing him as a Scholes-like figure pouncing on recurring lapses in Hideous passing at the edge of their own box.)
                          With a Croesoswallt Dragons team seemingly in transition slipping off the pace via a thoroughly one-sided 2-0 home loss to St Pancras Starmers, a sizeable gap has opened up in lower midtable. The 6th-placed Dragons are only two points above the drop and now five behind Kernow Kensa in 5th, where the rather unfortunate Cornishmen bizarrely slid two places to end the day despite their 1-0 win at floundering Whoft Fluffopolis. This single-goal victory did not keep up with Expression and Starmers’ two-goal margins, meaning Kensa fall behind both on goals scored. Whoft, with five consecutive defeats and nine in their last eleven, look to be on a doom spiral back towards Division 1 unless they can pull something big out of the bag pronto.

                          Comment


                            I was pleasantly surprised to see that Hazers won manager of the month in the Human League, I was even more surprised to see that Town City Rovers (official men's leagues) got to 23rd.

                            In the Xpert Ladies, top OTFer was ad hoc, whose Csiki Girls cames fifth, which seems like an incredible achievement to me.

                            Comment


                              Still getting that Soul City Walking earworm there when I read the words Town City Rovers, lambers

                              That's great work to get that high in the official leagues, too, and likewise for Csiki Girls in the Xpert Ladies.

                              I was pleasantly blindsided by the revelation that my Mars Rovers won TotM in the J4GL, from among 190-odd teams. The shine was fractionally removed by discovering this still only netted us 500k, after cramming 14 matches into the month, but hey it's better than a kick in the teeth. We're looking to reach our first ever J4GL Cup semi when we face RebelRebel's Wigan Warriors in the QFs next Monday.


                              On a completely different note, I just went to set my Viking North Utsire tactics for this lunchtime's Ultimate League Cup tie and noticed in the League Log that andrew7610's Olympique Leigh-on-Sea have newly signed a 34/16 goalie presumably in view of their incumbent 40/9 Petrus Stolt being rather severely on the decline.
                              Seeing that the latter is on his fourth club, I looked at the first of them to see when he came out of the academy, and found that it was on February 21st 2014 – one day after I took charge at VNU. Since he was 17 at the time, evidently the length of time I've had my official team is therefore also pretty much exactly the maximum length of 'lifespan' for a player within the Xpert leagues.
                              (I also took charge of Royal Atlantis in the Heineken one day earlier again. That week was clearly the exact point at which I decided running only Vita Mortis in the OTF wasn't enough to sate my appetite for this stuff...)

                              Comment


                                I'm scaling back my X11 involvement. Feel like I'm just going through the motions, and that implies that I need to make a change before I lose interest altogether.

                                As part of this scaling back, I'm resigning from both Eintracht Eindhoven and Lokomotiv Leiden. Sorry for the inconvenience to both involved league admins (Sits and Sean); it's been an absolute pleasure to be part of such well-run leagues, it's not you, it's me.

                                I will keep on Nieuwegein Kneebiters and Iko Ka Kansai II for the time being.

                                Comment


                                  Sorry to hear this Wouter D hopefully you'll get your interest back and return again. You'll be missed.

                                  Comment


                                    No worries Wouter, I wouldn't want you to feel obliged to stick around out of obligation. Come back anytime if you get your urge back.

                                    Comment


                                      Agreed with all that's just been said. Came straight here after being shocked to see that Sean's new admin message in the Heineken says the Lokomotiv Leiden job is up for grabs -- you'd been there several months longer than I'd been at Atlantis, so this is a big shame Wouter. As is you leaving your twice three-time Human League winners Eintracht Eindhoven, though I wish you'd resigned before taking a point off my team today... (This is a joke, I hasten to add!)

                                      Are your Preston and South Shetland Sheep teams going the same way? Really pleased you're keeping on with IKK and of course the Kneebiters, that's a big relief anyway.
                                      Last edited by Various Artist; 03-04-2021, 18:24.

                                      Comment


                                        Cheers, all!

                                        Originally posted by Various Artist View Post
                                        Are your Preston and South Shetland Sheep teams going the same way? Really pleased you're keeping on with IKK and of course the Kneebiters, that's a big relief anyway.
                                        I did resign before taking a point from your team, so technically you dropped points to a zombie. But I set tactics through the end of the season anyway. I was surprised to learn that I have been at Lokomotiv Leiden since late 2013, i.e. seven-and-a-half years ago. Nuts.

                                        I'm ditching Preston, and keeping the Sheep for the time being. I also added a new team in the Xpert Zone, where I'm going to experiment with running it on YA talent only. Giving myself a project like that may help keep it interesting, and three out, one in seems like a good reduction.

                                        Comment


                                          Xpert XI official Ladies League Season 61, matchday 10 report.

                                          Code:
                                          Division 1a
                                          
                                          Girls Down Under           0 - 2   Drakaina
                                                                             Vulturescu 82', 90'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 2c
                                          
                                          Sm?land Sveltes            0 - 2   Mauchline Belles
                                                                             Diarra 12', 44'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 3e
                                          
                                          Girls Aloud                3 - 0   Viking South Utsira
                                          Brohlin 25'
                                          Walker 42'
                                          Price 44'
                                          
                                          White Swans                1 - 2   Coxy Ladies Wulpen
                                          Hovi 38'                           Frunz? 3', 65'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 3f
                                          
                                          Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC     1 - 0   Janes Addiction
                                          Luangpruksachat 89'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:13
                                          
                                          Cinghiali                  4 - 1   S-----
                                          Brugge 4'                          Westlake 78'
                                          Kajtazi 11', 46', 84'
                                          Soviero (sent off) 78'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:16
                                          
                                          Invincible Shaolin         0 - 2   LNWR Locomotive
                                                                             Arredondo 62'
                                                                             Teigland 92'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:19
                                          
                                          Stone Island Swifts Fc     1 - 0   Ullapool Northern Star
                                          Salomone 19'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:21
                                          
                                          Invictus Ladies FC         2 - 0   ASU Politehnica
                                          Webb 13'
                                          Ottersen 88'
                                          
                                          Invisible Ladies           2 - 2   Haydock Ladies
                                          Parsons 26'
                                          Prestonfield 32'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:26
                                          
                                          Zeugma Dostluk Spor        3 - 0   CF Real da Praceta
                                          Mansiz 20'
                                          Kurt 46'
                                          Sanches 58'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:28
                                          
                                          Menywod Maeshafn           2 - 0   Moe Szyslak Experience
                                          Stewart 26'
                                          Brooks 74'
                                          
                                          PunkGirls                  3 - 1   Dublin City Womens FC
                                          Ulfb?ge 8', 27', 49'               Petelius 57'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 5:31
                                          
                                          Csiki Girls                2 - 0   The Troachetes
                                          Crampsey 38'
                                          Granheim 90'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 6:37
                                          
                                          Route 66                   1 - 2   Rising Stars
                                          Sj?vik 30'                         Sceberras 4'
                                                                             Ver?ssimo 67'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 6:40
                                          
                                          Zombie Team                4 - 0   Hazeldean Inchmistress
                                          Haugen 16', 24'
                                          Gosteli 78'
                                          Elmlund 88'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 6:43
                                          
                                          F.C. Tiroler Adler         0 - 3   Bombay Green Rockets
                                                                             Baumann 17'
                                                                             Alberdi 53'
                                                                             Azanha 75'
                                          
                                          
                                          Division 6:53
                                          
                                          Dynamo Dynamite            0 - 6   Cassiopeia
                                                                             Juric 14', 65'
                                                                             Essamlali 26'
                                                                             Buric (pen) 40'
                                                                             Kolitsidakis 47'
                                                                             Frontzos 85'
                                          Drakaina look like they are on their way to promotion back to the top flight, whilst their matchday 10 hosts Girls Down Under seem nailed on for a second successive relegation. But would things run to form when the two met at Kangaroo fields?
                                          The Dragons did look the stronger side in the opening 45 minutes, but not by a substantial enough margin for the blank half-time scoresheet to be unfair on Etienne’s side. However the teams still being all-square was beginning to look more and more absurd as the second half progressed and Drakaina exerted increasing pressure without reward.
                                          The breakthrough for the Greeks finally came in the 82nd minute when Florica Vulturescu turned home a corner. She added a second on 90 minutes, which came against 10 players as injury after using all their subs reduced Girls Down Under’s numbers.
                                          Talking of numbers, these are now looking extremely promising for The Dragons after this win coincided with nearest rivals Team Sweden suffering a shock defeat, and Murtal FC in third being held to a draw. Drakaina’s advantage at the top of Division 1a is now four points, with a further three, i.e. seven in total, over those outside the play-off spots. Plus a considerable goal difference edge in both cases…

                                          From one OTF side leading the way to another as we drop in on Division 2c’s top side, Mauchline Belles. Jdsx’s girls were also up against a side battling the drop, though the points differential between them and fifth-placed Sm?land Sveltes was only five points rather than the 20-odd advantage for Drakaina.
                                          This might have been expected to be a much tighter game therefore. Except it wasn’t. In fact it was a cruise for The Belles, who sailed serenely to a commanding victory thanks to two first half goals from Odette Diarra, firing home in the 12th minute and heading in in the 44th, and a solid display by the Mauchline rearguard in which ‘keeper Roza Belova was outstanding – her grade 22 display was as match for any previous day in her career.
                                          Like all swans, Mauchline may have been paddling furiously beneath the surface to make the stylish apparent glide to victory happen. However it was achieved, the net outcome was Mauchline remaining top of the table on goal difference, and two points clear of third (the top three in this league all won 2-0, so it really is “as you were”).

                                          A sticky run of form meant that one-time Division 3e leaders Viking South Utsira came into their match at fellow mid-table side Girls Aloud just a couple of points clear of their hosts.
                                          The Blood Eagles might date their struggles back to their first meeting with the Cole Park side, as that brought a first defeat of the season for Velvet Android’s side, since and including which they have picked up five points from five games (1-2-2). Any hopes the Norwegians had of improving on that run disappeared during a depressing first half where Girls Aloud were indubitably the better side, but not to the tune of the 3-0 half time scoreline.
                                          The second half passed by in something of a daze, a happy one for the hosts and not so much at all for Viking. No chances were created by either side in this period as everyone seemed happy to put this game behind them and move on.
                                          VSU were the only OTF side in this section currently suffering damaging form as Coxy Ladies Wulpen arrived at their game at White Swans on the back of two painful defeats that had left The Waders back in the bottom three.
                                          That made this game imperative to win – well everyone else had done so against the young and rebuilding Wild Swans side this season. The hosts came in pointless and having only scored three goals all campaign. So there was relief all round the Wulpen camp when Luminita Frunz? fired home from range just 3 minutes in.
                                          A cue for Janik’s side to go on and dominate and pick up a simple victory? Erm, no. In fact they sat down for their half-time oranges all square after conceding an equaliser in the 38th minute. Whilst this was Wild Swans only effort of the half, Coxy Ladies had only managed two themselves so could hardly cast aspersions on lucky conversion ratios.
                                          The match remained tight and closely fought throughout the second period. In fact, once again, there were just two chances in the 45 minutes for the visitors alongside one for the hosts. Much to the travelling faithful’s relief however, one of those two sights of goal fell in the 65th minute to Frunz?, as she buried a header from a corner.
                                          That was enough to grind out the win, the importance of which is clear in the Division 3e table as even with it Wulpen stay seventh. But that is seventh only one point behind fifth, rather than three or four adrift. Who is fifth? Well, that is now The Blood Eagles. That said VSU are still only two points behind second in what promises to be a very exciting run-in.

                                          Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC, fourth in the Division 3f table, held just a three point advantage on Janes Addiction, seventh, ahead of the game between the two at Merapi-Kraton-South Sea.
                                          What followed was an inordinately tight match. In fact it felt like two sides pretty well cancelling each other out as first half possession was split 51-49 (in KRK’s favour) and just one chance was created all half (also for SeanoftheShed’s side). The same fare persisted after the break with the slight caveat that The Sea Spirits had quite a lot more of the ball now than their visitors.
                                          Breaking Janes down was very hard, but right at the death the breakthrough came, Thao-Ap Luangpruksachat firing home The Sea Goddesses only chance of the period and second of the match. With Janes Addiction not having a sight of goal at all this was enough to claim the win, and put some daylight between the sides and on the drop zone in general as the side in sixth place also lost. Kanjeng are now six points clear… and in fact level on points and only -1GD behind second!

                                          Comment


                                            Some opponents are clearly sexist scumbags, which is exactly what SitsWithRemote had to endure as his Cinghiali side faced [OFFS] S-----.
                                            To add extra tension, The Boars slide down the table meant they were only two points ahead of their relegation spot holding visitors at kick-off. Cinghiali were in a rush to do something about that, and were quite successful in their urgency as Idde Brugge fired in the opener after just 4 minutes and Izabela Kajtazi raced clear to add a second on 11.
                                            It was still 2-0 at the break but only so for seconds after as Kajtazi fired in her second from the day on 46 minutes. S----- had a goal ruled out on 52 times (ha! Take that, you prick!), but gained a bit of an advantage when Boars starting midfielder Brugge was forced off with a 17-day injury on 76 minutes. The visitors got an even bigger boost two minutes later when Trillare Soviero was shown her second yellow card of the day… just six minutes after her first.
                                            To make matters worse for Cinghiali they conceded from the resulting free-kick. Now down to 10 and missing two key midfielders there would have been some trepidation amongst Boars fans that a two goal lead might not be enough. But instead the advantage was moved back out to three when Kajtazi broke up field on her own on 84 minutes, beat all the home defenders and fired in (ha! Double take that, and you are still a prick!).
                                            The win lifted The Boars a place up the Division 5:13 table to fourth. And importantly now four points clear of the drop zone, and indeed nearer (three points) to the sections play-off spot.

                                            A big game in the lower reaches of Division 5:16 sent LNWR Locomotive to a famous location, the Shaolin Temple, to take on Invincible Shaolin (they aren’t [/voiceover]).
                                            The sides were level on points and both in the drop zone at kick off, so the game clearly represented a great opportunity for both to improve their situations. Initially it looked like Shaolin would be the ones to take advantage as they were well on top in the first half with 58% and all three of the chances going. Crucially though, The Steamers survived the pressure unscathed allowing Viktor Boskovic to work his magic in the half-time dressing room.
                                            The second half was a different story. Not 180 degrees different (LNWR were still on 42% of the ball), but changed enough as the visitors at last created some chances. And in contrast to their hosts, finished some of them, Constanza Arredondo heading home in the 62nd minute and Maja Teigland securing all three points with a second two minutes into stoppage time.
                                            There have been more comprehensive 2-0 victories in the history of Football, indeed one might almost claim Locomotive were rather lucky, but a win is a win. It was one that lifted The Steamers up two places to fifth in the 5:16 table, only out of the drop zone on Goal Difference… but also only one point adrift of second and just four behind the leaders!

                                            Despite sitting third in the table to their opponents sixth, Ullapool Northern Star were more concerned about keeping Stone Island Swifts Fc back than chasing promotion spots when they visited the Stone Areana (sic).
                                            And with reason as Polaris struggled from the outset in this game. Northern Star were behind in the 19th minute, and never really showed any signs of turning that around as they made just one chance from 41% possession in the match. Really the only good news for Delicatemoth and co from this game was it only finished 1-0 when it could have been more.
                                            Not much of a silver lining, right? True, but as goal difference is all that now separates the Highlanders from the Division 5:19 drop zone, it does matter. Ullapool have comfortably the best GD of the sides battling the drop (just -1) and that may matter in the end as the situation is inordinately tight – Polaris currently sit fourth on 12 points, which is just a point behind second and also level with fifth and sixth. Even the sides seventh and eighth are not out of things.

                                            ASU Politehnica went to Invictus Ladies FC looking for a positive result to keep themselves looking up rather than down over the next couple of games.
                                            The Scholars kicked off just a point behind their third-placed hosts, but sitting in fifth in the table themselves. A win or a point for Granthamian’s side would have been a good result, but it was swiftly apparent that neither was particularly likely as Invictus were well on top. Politehnica couldn’t even hope to cling on for a 0-0 as their hosts took the lead on 12 minutes.
                                            The nearest the students ever got to undoing that was a Madeleine Anderstedt effort on 70 minutes, but once that was disallowed The Scholars found themselves officially chanceless in the game. As for Invictus, their pressure and shots eventually (88 minutes) produced the second they needed to seal the win.
                                            Elsewhere in the same section Invisible Ladies kicked off against Haydock Ladies second in the table to their visitors sixth.
                                            The San Seethrough faithful were celebrating on 26 minutes when Catlyn Parsons fired them ahead from close range. The crowd were up again on 32 minutes as Jacqueline Prestonfield doubled the advantage with a direct free-kick. However the home fans were not able to sit back comfortably in their seats for long as their two-goal advantage lasted just four minutes until Haydock halved it.
                                            That goal produced tension in the stands which transmitted itself to the pitch as The See Throughs were not at the same fluency as the first half-hour or so. And they paid for that in the 65th minute as the travelling side completed their comeback.
                                            That was the end of the scoring in a match it’s hard not to see as two points dropped by Pebblethefish’s side, especially as only drawing cost them second spot in the table, Invisible now dropping to third and a point adrift. As for Politehnica, The Scholars stay fifth but are now four points adrift of second and only one ahead of sixth.

                                            Whilst nominally a top-of-the-table clash, the 10 point gap between Zeugma Dostluk Spor and unbeaten Division 5:26 leaders CF Real da Praceta made this a game Zeugma were hoping to get something from to maintain their hold on runners-up spot rather than chasing down the title.
                                            Doing so looked a tricky task with Real’s 8-1-0 record coming in, but Antepli Ejderha’s side were clearly prepared for the work it entailed as they put in a very strong first half performance, the highlight of which was Makbule Mansiz’s opening goal directly from a 20th minute free-kick. Could ZDS maintain their level after the break? Could they ever – in fact they improved on it in a superb first fifteen minutes of the second half, during which they added two more goals. Both came from the same two players combining, Latife Kurt heading home Juliana Sanches’ cross within a minute of the restart, and then repaying the favour by teeing up Sanches on 58 minutes.
                                            At 3-0 the game was done, the last half-hour passing by peaceably. And with that Zeugma had picked up a remarkable win, clearly their best of the season. It kept them second in the table and increased their advantage over third from one point to two. Perhaps equally notably their advantage over sixth stays at only four points in what is a tight section (and the side now sixth, Paradise Caf?, started the day third!).

                                            Comment


                                              Menywod Maeshafn were looking to bounce back from their own shock first loss of the season when they hosted Moe Szyslak Experience.
                                              The visitors from Springfield were well within Division 5:28’s bottom three… but then so were Dublin City before last week’s OTF derby! IsThatcherDeadYet and co were not about to make the same mistake twice in a row, though, and this week they were much more ‘on it’, exemplified by Pamela Stewart heading them ahead in the 26th minute.
                                              General play remained balanced, but with the Maeshafn defence back to its parsimonious best Experience only had one sight of goal all match, which went unconverted. The North Walians didn’t have many more than that themselves, but their conversion rate was exceptional as Julia Brooks headed in a 74th minute corner to make it two goals from three chances.
                                              And what of Dublin City Womens FC? Could The Molly Malones back up that exceptional win with another at PunkGirls, or was a reversion to the mean in the offing?
                                              Sadly for Mortal Joe and his side it was the latter as PunkGirls buried two direct free-kicks in the first half-hour to take a stranglehold on the game. A third in the same manner on 49 minutes ended the match as a contest, and though Dublin did pull one back on 57 minutes that was more like a consolation goal that was most notable for its scorer, 17 year-old midfielder Kirsti Petelius, and the landmark it represented in her career – her first senior goal.
                                              And where does that all leave our sides in the 5:28 standings? Well, given that the team that was clear at the top (Maeshafn) won, and the one that was adrift at the bottom (Dublin City) lost, you will not be shocked to hear they are both exactly where they started – first in Maeshafn’s case, eighth and last in the Dubs.

                                              Csiki Girls advantage at the top of Division 5:31 was a very slim one, just a single point, ahead of their game against The Troachetes. There was also an additional wrinkle in this one in the visitors to A kertem sitting third in the table, four points adrift of Ad hoc’s side. There was much for both to play for…
                                              One side seemed very up for grabbing what they could from the game – and that was Csiki Girls. The hosts dominated first half possession, holding nearly two-thirds of the ball, and used that as a platform to create a good number of clear chances to score. Only one of these openings was converted, Ginger Crampsey firing home on 38 minutes, but it was enough for an interval lead.
                                              The second half was more even. But that is more even compared to a very lopsided thing – Csiki Girls were still the better side. As such anything other than a home win would have been a travesty, and any chances of that were averted in the last minute of normal time when Elly Granheim fired home from range.
                                              The win naturally only did good things to Csiki Girls situation in the 5:31 standings. They remain top of course, and though their advantage on second remains just a point their gap down to those outside the play-off places is now a very handy six.

                                              The latest leg of Rising Stars pursuit of Division 6:37 leaders Ramsgate took The Ascenders to the Dome of Duchesses, home of Route 66.
                                              The Stars got off to a flier when Norma Sceberras headed home a corner in just the 4th minute. In addition to being Rising’s opener, this was also 17 year-old midfielder Sceberras first of her entire career. However the day wasn’t to do as well for another young Star as fellow 17 year-old Battista Scalabrini (defence) picked up a 6-day injury that forced her off a few minutes before the interval.
                                              By that stage the score was 1-1, the hosts have cancelled out Blamb’s side’s lead on the half-hour. That was against the run of play though, which was re-asserted when ?rica Ver?ssimo fired the visitors back in front midway through the second half.
                                              It remained 2-1 to Rising until the conclusion, which did keep them within two points of Ramsgate, who also won again. As did third-placed side Duisburg, who Rising travel to next looking to defend or preferably extend their five point advantage.

                                              Hazeldean Inchmistress’ first meeting with Zombie Team, who, confusingly, are non-zombies in a Division full of them, resulted in a heavy loss that seriously questioned The Imperials promotion credentials.
                                              That game was at Ken Higgs Avenue, so it was a big ask for Foxy265’s team to do better in the away return fixture. A good job we acknowledge that, because they didn’t improve on the result. Or even on the margin of victory as Zombie Team again racked up a 4-0 victory.
                                              Hazeldean seem to have nestled comfortably into fifth spot in Division 6:40. It now feels unlikely they will end anywhere else, given they have five point gaps directly above and below.

                                              Matchday 10 brought a much anticipated game in Division 6:43 as league leaders Bombay Green Rockets headed to Innsbruck to take on F.C. Tiroler Adler.
                                              With the side occupying first and second place in the table but having five points between them at kick off, The Green Rockets knew any kind of positive result was going to make their situation look very rosy. So there was much rejoicing among the travelling Bombay fans when Barbara Baumann headed them ahead with 17 minutes gone.
                                              That was a big goal given Bombay had not only not conceded in the league this season – they had only offered up two chances in total (by boss HKS3’s count) over their previous 9 games! Tiroler doubled that amount with a pair of openings before the interval, but Rockets ‘keeper Mathilda Gr?newald stood firm, as she did with the hosts two second half chances as well.
                                              Meanwhile Bombay were finding finishing a bit more straightforward at the other end, Josefa Alberdi adding as second on 53 minutes and Musa Azanha making the points safe with a strike in the 75th minute. There was no more scoring in the remaining time, but there was an injury to opening scorer Baumann late on, a 13-day knock that will keep her out of next week’s game for certain. Her teammates should be alright without her even against fourth-placed Orleans, and will also be looking for a positive result in the clash of the two teams trying to chase them, the nearest of which is now The Anarchists, who sit five points and a chunk of GD behind in second.

                                              Last up we have Cassiopeia, who had a nice easy one to salve their wounds after a damaging defeat last week as they travelled to zombies Dynamo Dynamite.
                                              A striaghforward win for The Vainglories was the expectation of most, though they did suffer an early set-back when Gordana Juric was denied an opening goal on 8 minutes by a stray whistle. No matter, as Juric still got her own and her side’s first, heading home 14 minutes in. Young forward Aicha Essamlali doubled the lead soon after, the 26th minute strike also standing as the 17 year-old’s senior career opener.
                                              The next goal was also a career first, though in Vera Buric’s case this, stroked home from the spot on 40 minutes, came after over 150 career games. Well, Buric is a goalkeeper! The fourth also saw a player break her duck, Omega Kolitsidakis (18, midfield) slotting home on 47 minutes. Goal five was remarkable for being the precise opposite of that, Juric firing in her second of the day. That came on 65 minutes, and whilst the rest of the match was mostly a doze Stormstopper’s side did raise themselves to add one more on 85 minutes. And once more it was a first ever senior strike, Saba Frontzos (17, midfield) heading home.
                                              All well and good, as were results from elsewhere as leaders Boryana Revelation conceded their first goal of the season and as a result dropped their first points with a 1-1 draw. If Cassiopeia can follow that up next week by winning the top-of-the-table clash, they would be back within a point of the leaders. As it is they are second, four points adrift and still only two points ahead of third.

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                                                Originally posted by Wouter D View Post
                                                I'm scaling back my X11 involvement. Feel like I'm just going through the motions, and that implies that I need to make a change before I lose interest altogether.

                                                As part of this scaling back, I'm resigning from both Eintracht Eindhoven and Lokomotiv Leiden. Sorry for the inconvenience to both involved league admins (Sits and Sean); it's been an absolute pleasure to be part of such well-run leagues, it's not you, it's me.

                                                I will keep on Nieuwegein Kneebiters and Iko Ka Kansai II for the time being.
                                                No problem at all Wouter, completely understand. Thanks for being such a big part of the Human League. I am glad to see Ico is still with us.

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                                                  Janik great work as ever, thanks. Your write up of Cinghiali’s win over S*****suggests you relished it as much as I did. These are the sort of people who put me off rejoining the XPL for so many years, so it’s good to beat one.

                                                  Edit: “realised” corrected with “relished”.
                                                  Last edited by Sits; 04-04-2021, 01:35.

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                                                    Seconded. Just to add one perhaps key point to that latest sterling Ladies roundup, with both Janik and myself in terrible form in Div 3e we're not only both in stark relegation danger right now but also we've got a massive 'six-pointer' of a derby coming up this Tuesday!

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