X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[Janik]

Official Xpert 11 Ladies League Matchday 11 report. It is coming to the crunch for various of our teams. And for some, glory is only just around the corner.

Division 1a

Drakaina        0 - 2    Tirilän Tasavalta
                Välivaara 1'
                Kähkönen 86'


Division 1b

Pepita´s Team        2 - 0    Mauchline Belles
Wittig 11'
Pedrosa 35'


Division 3e

Coxy Ladies Wulpen    0 - 0    Spicks Killiettes

                Tonser (sent off) 76'

Viking South Utsira    6 - 0    Misconduct United
K.Hovland (pen) 9', 92'
N.Austrheim 19'. 74'
E.Klovning 42'
L.Hovland 85'


Division 4k

Albion            2 - 2    Bombay Green Rockets
Zádor 67'            Kingsley 53'            
Munch 75'            Armellini 84'

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC    0 - 2    Northen Stars Lady
                Widing 70'
                Witt 88'


Division 4n

Cassiopeia        1 - 0    Pixies
Bruksås (O.G.) 28'


Division 5:14

Somerset Senoritas    2 - 1    Cinghiali
Mason 42'            Palmberg 6'
Abrey 64'
Butterworth (sent off) 85'


Division 5:17

Bury FC            1 - 4    LNWR Locomotive
Alcoforado 55'            Diallo 38'
                Deeney 41'
                Teigland 51', (pen) 70'


Division 5:18

RSC Falconettes        3 - 2    Rising Stars
Smythe 27', 77'            Andorinha 52'
Miguel (O.G.) 79'        Elgeuse 87'


Division 5:21

Haydock Ladies        2 - 0    ASU Politehnica
Bent 30'
Savage 78'

Invisible Ladies    0 - 2    Luculenus LFC
                Beake 37'
                Ullathorpe 52'


Division 5:26

Lady Revs        2 - 3    Zeugma Dostluk Spor
Dale 38'            Yalcin 56'
Airikainen 54'            Mansiz 70', 78'


Division 5:27

The Valkyries        0 - 1    Menywod Maeshafn
                Beck 45'


Division 5:28

Skills FC        0 - 0    Dublin City Womens FC

                Tavares (sent off) 91'


Division 5:31

Bjerre United        0 - 0    Csiki Girls


Division 6:39

Pretty Girls        0 - 4    Ullapool Northern Star
                Mamouni 1', 32'
                Weatherhead 35'
                MacKintosh 44'


Division 6:42

Team Rafael Women    0 - 4    Hazeldean Inchmistress
                Morgan 21'
                Tattershall 39'
                Pedersen 79'
                Bunton 89'

Going into this season Drakaina would have hoped to have been where Tirilän Tasavalta find themselves. And that is competing to return to the top flight. Instead The Dragons are battling to avoid slipping back to the third tier. Which made a match against a side on course to move the other way out of Division 1 a tricky match.
Etienne’s side really needed a good start. Going 1-0 down in the first minute was precisely the opposite. There was a collective sense of “Oh, it’s like that today, is it?” around Delphi after this goal. That premonition proved almost oracular in its accuracy (albeit somewhat less oblique and poetic in its predications than the work of a previous tenant of this ground) as Tasavalta tagged on a second late on to condemn the Greek side to defeat.
The loss brought with it a drop back into Division 1a’s bottom three. Drakaina only trail fifth-placed Dench Ladies by a single point though. So there is still hope, whatever the soothsayers may prognosticate.

The chances of survival in the second tier were rather fainter for Mauchline Belles, though. The Belles were six points adrift of where they needed to be with four to play, which made victory at the side above them, Pepita’s Team, essential for Jdsx’s charges.
Sadly this one was at least as comprehensive against the OTF side than Drakaina’s game. Arguably more so, in fact. Actually, if it hadn’t been for a Player-of-the-Match performance from Belles ‘keeper Roza Belova it may have been even worse than the 2-0 to Pepita’s it finished as.
The loss could have been enough to effectively relegate Mauchline, but results elsewhere kept the Scots alive for at least another week. However their position, seventh in Division 1b, seven points adrift of fifth with three to play, suggests the drop is only a matter of time this time. If they were to get out of it again, it would make their previous escapology look, in comparison, like simply opening an unlocked door.

Coxy Ladies Wulpen were looking to bounce back from a damaging draw against strugglers Grenta Girls when they hosted Spicks Killiettes.
The Grenta game had gone wrong for The Waders when they had Noémie Kerckhoeven sent off on 78 minutes. The after effects of that were still visible by Kerckhoeven’s absence from this game. She wasn’t the only absentee though as defenders Claire Michel (injury) and Zoe de Waters (yellow card accumulation suspension) were also missing for Waders boss Janik. That meant a rare appearance in her final season for former skipper Lien Valcke… which proved a brief one as reduced fitness saw Valcke depart injured after just 18 minutes. 16 days out and no form at all probably means this was the last action of Valcke’s professional career. It’s no way to go out.
Her team were still having the better of things though. But without scoring. However, on 76 minutes, they got a break when Killie’s Marie Tonser picked up her second yellow of the afternoon. Seven days previously Coxy Ladies had shipped twice from two shots when playing with 10. This time, playing against a side one player down, they created… nothing at all. Not a single shot.
So not a good day for The Waders then. But what of Division 3e leaders Viking South Utsira. Well, The Blood Eagles were strong favourites against bottom side Misconduct United. This turned out to be entirely accurate.
Misconduct were complicit in their own downfall by giving away a 9th minute penalty, which Kristin Hovland rolled home to give Viking the lead. But thereafter it was all Viking’s own work, Velvet Android’s side even shrugging off a horrid, season-ending injury to midfielder Astri Brandhaug (26 days!), rattling in goals either side of that incident through Nina Austrheim and Elza Klovning to go into the break two to the good.
Viking didn’t ease up after the break either, Velvet Android’s charges instead pressing on for more! MORE! Austrheim was the face to sate this desire, netting a breakaway, before late goals from Lina Hovland (a direct free-kick, natch) and a second of the day from her cousin, Kirstin made the final score 6-0.
That win left VSU effectively three points from the 3e title – they are only six points clear of second-placed Murcielago, but with a goal difference also +19 better they only need three more to be essentially up. As for Wulpen, two points from three games leaves the Flanders side third in the table. The Belgians are not out of the running for a play-off place, but do have a three point gap to overcome in their last three games.

Defeat in the OTF derby had left Bombay Green Rockets playing catch-up in terms of the title, and also worried about sides in their wake in the chase for the play-offs. However a win at bottom-of-the-table Albion would help with both of those.
Unfortunately for HKS3’s side, they still appeared to be stuck thinking about the previous week. An average first half saw them end it scoreless, though it looked like The Rockets would battle their way through it when Lara Kingsley put them ahead on 53 minutes.
The Green Rockets didn’t use this as a launchpad though. Instead they stuttered and fell sideways as Albion, who had just five points to their names from the previous ten games, scored twice in eight minutes to turn the match on its head. It’s enough to make you scream (see goalscorers above).
Bombay did fight back to earn a draw as Albion’s struggles continued (the hosts really deserved to win this one, but when you are at the bottom…), veteran forward Bambi Armellini scoring from distance on 84 minutes, but despite the recovery this was a point dropped by The Rockets.
And what of the derby winners, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC? Well, their form was good prior to facing Northen Stars Lady, who kicked off in the relegation zone. The Sea Spirits were also at home. So there is no excuse in terms of a lack of momentum or opportunity.
Because yes, that is right, this match went wrong for SeanoftheShed’s charges. One could claim an injury to Andrin Pitoyo (18 days) was the catalyst as the score was still 0-0 at that point. Even with Pitoyo though it had been all Northen Stars – their opener, when it arrived on 70 minutes, was very overdue. A second was added late on which made the scoreline closer to the game it was meant to represent… but still rather low-ball. 1-3 or 2-4 would have been about right for 4-10 in shots.
So two rather disappointing results for our sides, then. The Sea Goddesses defeat doesn’t cost them the leadership of Division 4k; in fact the Indonesian side only lost a single point of their advantage to second place. In part that was because Bombay also didn’t win, which in turn lost The Rockets their spot as they dropped to third in the table on goal difference.

[Janik]

Some games you just have to win because the opposite manager is a scumbag. In others though the imperative is entirely sporting. The later was the case when Cassiopeia, chasing promotion or the play-offs, hosted a Pixies outfit on the brink of relegation from Division 4n.
The Vainglories were in charge of territory, possession and chances in the early going, only for a Pixies player to be the first to score on 28 minutes. However, Terese Bruksås was putting through her own net there. The Cassiopeia fans settled back after that and waited. And waited. And ultimately went home with little else further in terms of action to look back on as Stormstopper’s side essentially side “One is enough – you won’t score against us”. They were right, but it wasn’t very entertaining.
That said, who needs entertainment. Winning was the key here, as elsewhere the two sides Cassiopeia were competing with at the top of the 4n table were meeting. That match was exciting, it finished 3-2, with the win going to leaders FC Roblar. That keeps them three points ahead of The Vainglories, who are now second, a further three points in front of Jocvijeve Zecice, who sit third.

Cinghiali kicked off their match at Somerset Senoritas just two points ahead of their hosts. Who were in the Division 5:14 relegation zone.
The Suini Sporchi were soon celebrating, My Palmberg heading their side ahead after just 6 minutes. However this proved rather a false dawn for SitsWithRemote’s charges as the rest of the opening half was all Somerset, culminating in an equaliser just before half-time.
The Boars were actually rather lucky to be at level given how the opening 45 minutes went. They had to improve after the break if they wanted to avoid a damaging defeat. They didn’t. Somerset continued to press, and went ahead just after the hour. Cinghiali were handed a late opportunity to salvage something from the game when the hosts Jenna Butterworth picked up her second yellow card of the afternoon in the 85th minute, but it was an opportunity The Boars didn’t take advantage of, not even managing a single shot against 10 players.
Results elsewhere saw Cinghiali fall to seventh in the table. However just one point covers fourth to eighth, so there is still a lot of meaningful Football to be played in this particular section.

LNWR Locomotive are going like a train at the moment. The Steamers had won five in a row coming into their game at Bury FC, including inflicting a first defeat of the season on then leaders Doncaster Belles seven days prior.
Viktor Boskovic’s side showed absolutely no inclination to apply the brakes in this one – they were very content to keep chugging along, and woe betide anything that got in their path. The loss of defender Sanja Brencic to a nasty 15-day injury early on in this one was hardly going to derail them. Rather, The Steamers powered past that little bump, ending the opening half two ahead thanks a strike from Pauline Diallo on 38 minutes and Callie Deeney’s free-kick on 41.
Maja Teigland headed a third on 51 minutes, and though Bury pulled one back soon after, another strike from Teigland, this one from the spot in the 70th minute, sealed yet another win.
Victory put nine points and +24 goal difference between The Steamers and sixth-placed Bury. So relegation from Division 5:17, once a very real concern, can now be discounted completely. In fact, given The Steamers momentum, they just might sneak into promotion contention. Second spot is three points distant, and even the leaders, Cornish Maids, are only five points ahead. And that is who Locomotive play next. Win that one, and who knows…

Rising Stars have been having a really up-and-down season. The Ascenders came into their game at RSC Falconettes having drawn none, but only won six of their previous ten games (process of elimination says they must also have lost four – and this is correct). This was, however, good enough to sit second in the table.
Would we get the winning Stars or the losing version in this one? The first half was hard to judge, though on balance the signs were promising as Blamb’s side ended it a goal down and having not made a chance, though they had had 52% of the ball.
Things initially improved after the break, Penélope Andorinha levelling soon after the restart, but following that the same pattern came back – Rising having more of the ball, but Falconettes getting the chances. This eventually bite The Ascenders when their hosts scored twice in three minutes, the second of them frustratingly an own goal from The Stars Maria Miguel. Bette Elgeuse halved the arrears with a goal three minutes from time, but it was too late to avoid defeat to Division 5:18’s bottom team (did I not mention that Falconettes were bottom at kick-off? Well, they were).
Defeat saw The Stars displaced from Division 5:18’s play-off spot, falling to third instead. The Ascenders are just a point behind the new holders of second place though, and have a better goal difference as well.

ASU Politehnica had a chance to make their Division 5 status look rather secure and maybe, possibly, get themselves to the fringes of the promotion picture when they visited Haydock Ladies.
There was also a less attractive possible outcome from the game, which was a Haydock win cutting the five point gap between the two sides, who sat either side of the relegation line, back down to just two. Unfortunately for Scholars boss Granthamian and his charges, the latter scenario was what came about. Given the overall balance of the game the final scoreline of 2-0 to Haydock, who scored a goal in each half, was rather harsh on Politehnica. The students concentration only lapsed twice over the 90 minutes they were meant to be studying, but they paid dearly for their lack of diligence as two chances became two goals for the hosts. Meanwhile, at the other end, exactly as many openings produced no end result for the visitors.
Whilst The Scholars were passing up a chance to move to the brink of confirming their survival, the boot was definitely on the other foot for Invisible Ladies – The See-Throughs new defeat against Luculenus LFC meant relegation being confirmed, and that could even happen with a draw.
The match at The San Seethrough followed an extremely similar pattern to the match at Haydock as one team scored their solitary chance in either half, the other team passing up their two openings in the game. Which side it was who scored was both a similarity and a difference. Different because it was the away side in this case who netted, but similar because that again wasn’t the OTF outfit.
That defeat meant Invisible’s run in Division 5:21 is going to end in three games time – they will be back in the seventh tier next term. Politehnica are far from safe from having to join them there after their defeat on matchday 11 left them only two points ahead of sixth spot. Hopes of closing on the top two can be shelved, for sure.

[Janik]

Zeugma Dostluk Spor were protecting a two point advantage at the top of Division 5:26 when they travelled to a Lady Revs who were just outside the relegation zone and looking a bit nervous about it.
Antepli Ejderha’s side started confidently, holding a substantial majority of possession. The feeling was their chances would come, which saw them shrug off a disallowed Lady Revs strike just after the half-hour rather than taken it as a warning. Big mistake. Seven minutes later the hosts had the ball in Asya Yelak’s net again, and this one counted. As did another effort on 54 minutes which made it 2-0.
If it had stayed like this for any length of time then panic might have set in amongst the ZDS players. Instead Gökcen Yalcin pulling one back just two minutes after falling two behind gave the visiting side a boost – they now knew they could score against this opposition. Something they did again on 70 minutes when Makbule Mansiz fired home.
Now it was Lady Revs turn to panic. They weren’t about to blow a two-goal lead so badly they neded up with nothing, were they? Yes. Yes they were as Mansiz rose magnificently to head home the winner on 78 minutes.
Zeugma had salvaged a win from what had appeared to be a likely defeat. And the good news didn’t end there for the Anatolians as news filtered through that title rivals Cebollitas had suffered a shock defeat. That leaves ZDS five points clear at the top of 5:26 with three matches to play.

Defeat in the top-of-the-table match on Matchday 10 meant Menywod Maeshafn kicked off their trip to mid-table The Valkyries just three points ahead of their hosts.
The Warrior Maidens may have hoped their Valhalla home would intimidate IsThatcherDeadYet’s side, but Maeshafn were stoically unimpressed by the majestic setting. They were also very determined to end a poor run of form that had seen them pick up just a single point from their previous three games. Morgan Beck’s goal on the stroke of half-time was an excellent step towards doing that.
In fact it was the only step needed as a tight second period provided barely any chances and no further strikes. Even better news for the Welsh side came from elsewhere as the side third in Division 5:27 were beaten. That result paired with this one meant Maeshafn’s gap on third spot suddenly extended to six points. Maeshafn could conceivably secure their play-off spot in their next match, though that would need some results outside their control to drop their way.

Dublin City Womens FC were also hoping for help from elsewhere, but were mostly focused on their own efforts to get something from a game at second-in-the-table Skills FC.
Dublin boss Mortal Joe set The Molly Malones up to play an absorb and counter-attack game. This worked a treat in the first half, or at least 90% of a treat. The missing 10% being a goal from their two chances to one, made despite only having 35% possession.
Those first half chances were Dublin’s chances for a win as they didn’t make another opening after the break. The Molly Malones did hang on to their point though as Skills could only fashion two further sights on goal themselves, and didn’t score either. The sending off of Dublin’s Patrícia Tavares for two yellow cards was late enough, 91 minutes gone, that The Dubs were able to ride it out.

Relegation battling Csiki Girls seemed to have a toughie in store when they visited Division 5:31 leaders Bjerre United.
Looks can be deceiving though – Bjerre might be top, but a fair number of teams have taken a point from them along the way. Never three, but a decent number had claimed one. This was mostly because the leaders are nowhere near prolific, averaging less than 1.5 goals per game previously. The Csikis were also not the world’s most explosive attacking team, which may a 0-0 draw quite a likely outcome.
And, yep, that is exactly what Ad hoc’s side claimed. Deservedly as well, this was no backs-to-the-wall cling on point – Csiki Girls gave pretty well as good as they got, making two chances to their opponents three, but having rather more of the ball than their hosts.
Encouraging though this point was, results elsewhere meant The Csiki’s ended the day in more trouble in the table, rather than less. The gap between themselves in sixth and fifth (and safety) is now three points. A second successive relegation is still a very live threat.

Relegations to the bottom tier can be a springboard if a side bounces straight back up though. Which was what Ullapool Northern Star were on the brink of doing when they headed to lower mid-table side Pretty Girls.
Somewhat frustratingly for Polaris boss Delicatemoth, the previously managerless home side had gained a controlling human mind just 24 hours prior to the game. However her side seemed unbothered by this, most notably Inès Mamouni who shot Ullapool ahead in the very first minute. Talk about a nerve settler.
Mamouni added a second just after the half-hour, which prompted a flurry of attacks from Northern Star as their confidence surged. And from that flurry, two more goals before the break, Avril Weatherhead scoring from close range (35) and Hellen MacKintosh from further out (44).
At this point the outcome of the day was clear – Polaris were going to be crowned Division 6:39 champions. That meant the second half was just a big party for the travelling Star fans. One that was briefly brought down a notch by Julie Taggart having a goal disallowed midway through the second half, though that was swiftly shrugged off as irrelevant.
Title in their back pockets, the remaining targets for UNS are rather more minor. Such as completing a perfect 100% season by winning their last three games to make it 14 out of 14.

One OTF side have been crowned as a champion of their section of Division 6. Our other team at this level, Hazeldean Inchmistress could take a major stride towards joining Polaris in celebrating if they could win at closest rivals Team Rafael Women.
Team Rafael stood as the only side to take points off Foxy265’s Imperials previously this season. But that 0-0 draw on matchday 4 did owe a bit to luck for the hosts of this one as Inchmistress had dominated possession without reward. Was there a touch of nervousness about the Framleyshire side as the game started out on a very similar pattern? If there was, Jacqueline Morgan heading in an opener on 21 minutes dissipated it.
Now Team Rafael had to come out and attack… and all that did was allow Hazeldean to pick them off. All the goals were headers, Mollie Tattershall making it two at the break when she nodded home on 39 minutes, Line Pedersen glancing in a third on 79 and Karen Bunton bulleting one home in the penultimate minute of the 90.
Victory in this one was never going to be enough to secure the Division 6:42 title then and there, seeing as there were only three points between the sides at kick-off. But the gap of six points and +26 GD is vast. It means The Imperials are effectively only one win away from the crown (technically, mathematically, they need four points but for all practical purposes three will do it). And there next match is against, oh lookie here, a zombie. So this result was effectively a title-sealer, then.

[Various Artist]

Tremendous work again Janik, thank you.

Velvet Android’s side even shrugging off a horrid, season-ending injury to midfielder Astri Brandhaug (26 days!)

My fault entirely, and I'm still kicking myself about that one – I got distracted that matchday and consequently had to throw together some tactics quickly in only about the 90 seconds before match-time. Realised as I did so that Astri was still in the default lineup despite carrying a knock from the previous week's 9-day injury, raced to change my XI with moments to kickoff but clicked 'Save' literally a second too late. Had to just pray she'd survived unscathed, but no, as soon as I clicked on the match report I saw she'd copped the worst possible injury.

Winning the game 6-0 was a small consolation, at any rate – I can't remember the last time we produced a scoreline like that. In fact, it was only looking at the table this weekend that I realised I can't remember the last time we produced a season like this. It felt like we were in the thick of a big battle for ages, but just one or two results swinging your way can really make a difference to a table and suddenly there's some clear water between us and the pack without me really noticing it had opened up.

Not only have we been winning, but we've been winning by some notable margins, with the scoring surprisingly not slowing down all that much since our extraordinary 6-3 victory at Deportivo Cruz Azul on opening day. Having been 3-3 an hour into the season, it's fair to say I didn't expect us to go 30-3 from the subsequent ten-and-a-third matches! We've won 9 out of 11, scoring at least 3 six times, at least 4 four times and now two 6-goal hauls to boot. Our last three fixtures are against teams we beat once at the start of term by a combined 11-3, I think, so fingers crossed we can secure promotion soon.

[Sits]

Janik seconded.
.

[Sits]

I missed this before Sits, sorry. I've got a bit of a soft spot for the Duroc-Jersey Reds, for what it's worth, though maybe a slightly larger one again for Noirs de Bigorre (Los Cramados).

Would it have to be Noires de Bigorre, in a ladies' league though?

I guess so although increasingly I'm thinking Los C are sacrosanct and to be left alone for posterity. As for Duroc I've had a load of other iterations in various leagues over time so I'm leaning towards Oxford S&B. I'm a sucker for a good logo and you have very nice orange/black and black/orange versions of your three hoops cycling shirt I've got my eye on.

As for the squad, that needs a reboot too

[ad hoc]

I'm having one of those weeks which seem to come along once in a while in which all of my teams lose, regardless of whether they should or not. Frustrating is one way of putting it.

[Sean of the Shed]

Whilst not necessarily losing every game, I'm having one of those weeks where most of the squad in each league are coming out of the game with a downturn in form.

[Etienne]

Want to buy a superstar goalie for the future?

17/5 goalkeeper, Form 16, No SQs DV 4, deadline tonight at 10pm GMT.

[Various Artist]

OTF League roundup for 8th November 2021: Season 65 Round 14

Division 3

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The big clash of the day happened at the Clump, where leaders Brian Munchingflapjack took their nine-game unbeaten record to 2nd-placed Great Northern Railway, only two goals behind them on GD, for what proved a bruising clash that shook up the situation at the top. The Flapjacks lost senior midfielder Mitchell Berkeley to a knock early on, then in an 11-minute spell in the middle of the second half Railway had defender Tomislav Lalatovic stretchered off (10 days) and Munchies midfielder Ferdinand Verdon followed suit (12 days). GNR had the better of possession throughout though and emerged from the carnage to snatch an 82nd-minute through Jimmy Crossan, who got on the end of a Tommy McConville free kick to fire the Railwaymen top of the table.
Behind them, everyone is pairing up, as the Flapjacks were joined on 27 points by Athletico Deva (3rd) who produced a slightly unconvincing 2-0 win at pointless tiddlers Indigo Plateau. Next down, Tree Hill High won by the same scoreline at home to OWC Albion, with their second goal on the hour moving them ahead of Albion on GD to 4th, each four points behind the pair above. THH’s curious season has now gone WDDDDWWDDDDLWW, after also eking out a win at Pinewood Passers last Thursday, and with the division’s tightest defence they shouldn’t be ruled out of the promotion picture yet.
Topping the bottom half, as it were, Veni Vici Vigata and New Dresden sit 6th and 7th but fall four points adrift of the above pair, after VVV were turned over 2-0 at home by two late Passers goals while Dresden similarly went down 4-2 in the Germanic derby at Eintracht Midwest. It was another reliably entertaining game from a Dresden team who are both top scorers and second leakiest defence in the division – their fans have seen 61 goals so far this term (28-33), in contrast with the mere 19 (14-5) witnessed by Tree Hill supporters. The went down in unlucky fashion at the Isaac Bradley, as they dominated possession, twice rapidly responded to falling behind, but then had captain and key defender Ingo Graupner carried off on 69’ with a season-ending injury (18 days) with no subs available. Eintracht forward Jim Maddux, himself on after an early minor knock to teenager Clayton Barnes, promptly seized the day by notching twice to complete a fine hat-trick – after scoring just once all season beforehand and 9 times in 93 games previously. The four-point gaps continue with Pinewood on 15 in 8th and Midwest on 11 in 9th.

Division 2

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Back-to-back wins thus last week have given Saltney Drawers a little breathing space at the top, Monday seeing them repel the challenge of Somers Town Sugar Imps 2-0 at the Wales–England Border with two second-half Emile Beeton goals that trebled the 22-year-old’s previous career tally. That put a crimp in the Imps' promotion aspirations, ending a 9-match unbeaten run and knocking them back two places to 5th. Saltney though pull 3 points clear of the pack, thanks to Azure Dragons (2nd) losing 3-1 at home to Cods of War in a curious affair where all four goals came between the 5th and 17th minutes. Cods’ survival hopes received a big boost, as they are up to 8th and just a point below the relegation line.
Littlewoods Legends were another side getting the job done early, scoring the only goal in the 12th minute to edge out Wensleydale Blues in a tight game at the Woods and vault two places to 5th. Blues drop one to 9th and slip three points adrift of safety. While the Legends and Sugar Imps swap places, die Ambosse stay put between them in 4th after a 1-1 draw at Andromache FC (6th) and are a single point off the promotion pace. Andromache’s cushion to 8th place is down by a point to 4pts, but they have their survival firmly in their own hands since their remaining quartet of fixtures contains games against the three teams right below them starting at Wensleydale this Thursday. They will meet Wharfedale Generals (7th) a week hence, with the latter both underwhelming but fortunate on Monday in a 1-1 draw at bottom club Heffron Hendecagon – the Generals created just one shot against the winless Aussies, but did score it, only to see the hosts level with the only shot of the second half. It was a first point in 5 games for Heffron, and only their second in the last 13, but they are all but down at 12 points and 20 goals behind the Generals with only 4 games to go.

[Various Artist]

Division 1

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Whoft Fluffopolis are in no mood to hang about for promotion, forcing Monday hosts Turd Division into an own goal from Bautista Calvillo just 4 minutes in at the Snoop before Colm Dinamoe hammered in a free kick after only 8, then shutting up shop for the entire remainder – pausing only to end home midfielder Callum Allison’s season with an 18-day injury in the second half. The Turds are circling the drain (eww), at 10 points from safety with 12 left to play for. The remorseless Fluffers’ soft and cosy rampage towards the title continues though with a fourth straight win and their sixth in seven, and at 11 points clear of 4th they can nearly celebrate promotion already.
Whether or not the championship champagne gets cracked open as soon as tonight depends largely on their meeting at the Ray Illingworth with Dandy Town, who are nine points behind them but moved up to 2nd on GD after an ultimately convincing 3-0 win at Banik Roystonov. The Dandies took few prisoners at Moje Zahrada, picking up two early bookings including one for defender Buda Stojakovic (“not that sort of player”) who took out opposite number and Banik captain Jaan Prokop to make their life a little easier, before two goals early in the second half and a clincher deep in injury time pushed the Royston men deeper into relegation danger. Banik are 3 points from safety in 8th, and face another tough task today when they travel to Rejects Redux (3rd), whose promotion chances just took a knock in a tight 1-1 draw at Hampshire Deers on Monday, after which they slipped below the Dandies by four goals. Deers are four points clear of the relegation line in 6th, and have a ‘six-pointer’ today at Kernow Kensa.
The second-bottom Cornishmen recorded a battling 1-1 of their own at the start of the week, exchanging goals with visitors Waveney Valley Swifts in a six-minute window just after the hour, through in truth the result did little for either side. Kensa stay 7 points from safety after Portsmouth FC (7th) stalemated with Wednesday de la Zouch (5th), while Waveney lost further momentum in the promotion race with a third straight draw that dropped them to 4th – the first time all season they have been out of the top 3. For a team that has won just once in 8, however, to be still only two points off the pace of the pair above them isn’t bad going. Wednesday are a point behind them after their 0-0 with Portsmouth, and the pair face off at the Waveney Bowl later today in a fixture that could potentially deal a major blow to either or both sides’ hopes of going up this term...

OTF

---

Defending champions Berkshire Swine continue to grind out the results they need as they seek consecutive league titles, snatching a vital 89th-minute winner at Eriskay Expression through Jan-Axel Gullbekk for their third straight victory by a single-goal margin. In fact, since winning their second to fourth fixtures 4-1, 3-0 and 2-0, the Swine have gone – as Sits points out in his latest PR, 1-0, 1-1, 1-0, 0-0, 1-1, 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 1-0, 2-1, including an unremarked-upon-at-the-time ‘binary’ streak almost on par with the infamous Hampshire Deers sequence of zeroes and ones back in February-April that stretched to an extraordinary 14 games. (The Deers’ own recent scorelines, by the way? 1-0, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1.)
Still, it ain’t about how you get there, there’s no bonus points for bigger winning margins, and while the Sty Council might not be the Style Council this term there’s no doubt about their resolve to defend their crown. And it’s needed, as one point behind them Vita Mortis continued to crank on the pressure with a fourth straight win, seeing off Locomotiv Noj 3-1 at the Hollows clinched in the 88th minute by a rare goal from defender Birkir Rúnolfsson. Six points further back, Four Candles bounced back from a 1-0 home defeat to Mortis last Thursday with a 2-0 win at Zeugmaspor, on a day where the top 3 beat the bottom 3.
In fact, by the end of play the top half had beaten the bottom half, though Steaua Bridge only moved up into 5th by virtue of beating Croesoswallt Dragons who had started the day ahead of them. The Dragons completed an impressive but unwelcome hat-trick, racking up a disallowed opening goal, an own goal that clinched the game for their visitors, then having midfielder Pär-Ola Vanberg sent off in stoppage time for two late bookings – the 32-year-old’s second dismissal in just 12 appearances for Etienne’s side. At least they didn’t get anyone injured. The result meant that Steaua leap two places from 7th, ahead of both the Dragons (7th) and Csiki Monkeys (6th) on GD, the latter only thanks to that OG courtesy of Cliff Anthony. Well, I say “only”, but the Monkeys’ own deeply unfortunate manner of losing 1-0 at home to Great Ouse Town (4th) helped – they lost midfielder Emil Hajdú to injury early on, had two-thirds of the possession, but then got sucker-punched in the 94th minute by Parker Windsor with the last kick of the game. Bookings for another experienced midfielder in Konrád Biliczki and only senior striker Ottó Würcz meanwhile mean the Romanians are three first-teamers down for a key clash this Thursday at home to 9th-placed Eriskay. Realistically, all the bottom 6 are still in danger of the drop. Steaua, Monkeys and Dragons are all on 15 points, while below the line Noj (12), Expression (11) and Zeugma (9) are all within striking range of that trio still.

[lambers]

Great statting and reporting as always VA.

In fact, since winning their second to fourth fixtures 4-1, 3-0 and 2-0, the Swine have gone – as Sits points out in his latest PR, 1-0, 1-1, 1-0, 0-0, 1-1, 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 1-0, 2-1, including an unremarked-upon-at-the-time ‘binary’ streak almost on par with the infamous Hampshire Deers sequence of zeroes and ones back in February-April that stretched to an extraordinary 14 games. (The Deers’ own recent scorelines, by the way? 1-0, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1.)

Sorry Sits, I'm sure that you were pining after the binary record more than the title!

[Sits]

Well obviously, and I’ve messed it up.

[Etienne]

It wasn't your fault.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Want to buy a superstar goalie for the future?

17/5 goalkeeper, Form 16, No SQs DV 4, deadline tonight at 10pm GMT.

Just seen this, which league?

I've bought two midfielders in the Xpert Ladies on deadline day, both in their mid 30s but great value for money.

[Etienne]

It was in the Xpert Zone. He's just sold for 1.9m econ. I think that is pretty low, but prices do seem to be down for youngsters at the moment.

[Etienne]

In case anyone hasn't seen it, some interesting tidbits from game designer Iwe:

http://xperteleven.com/xpertdaily.as...85&S=1&lang=EN

[Hot Orange]

OTF Season 65 Day 15 Round-Up

OTF

---

Only four goals were scored in the top flight. That all of them were shared between the top two perhaps emphasises their dominance this season. Or something. Berkshire Swine remain top as headers from Karel Ruban and Cristofao Edilson saw them to victory at home to Croesoswallt Dragons. Vita Mortis stay a point behind them after Willie Cougar and sub Wesley Bannerman struck late to give them their 2-0 victory against Zeugmaspor, a result that pushes the bottom-placed visitors close to the drop. The more astute among you will have worked out that the three other games all ended goalless and therefore things are very much as-you-were across the division. Four Candles, in 3rd, lost ground on the top two following their stalemate at home to Steaua Bridge, who are 5th but only three points clear of the relegation zone. 4th-placed Great Ouse Town dominated at home to Locomotiv Noj, but the ultimately scoreless encounter gives Noj a vital point in their fight against relegation – they are 8th, two points shy of 7th-placed Croesoswallt. Eriskay Expression are a point worse off than Noj and stay 9th having failed to make their superiority count in their 0-0 at AFC Csiki Monkeys, who are also right in the thick of it in 6th.

Division 1

---

Rather more goals here, three of them rattled in by Dandy Town in the last 20 minutes of their top-of-the-table game at Whoft Fluffopolis. Lincoln Balshaw was on target twice as the Dandies recorded an impressive 3-0 win that keeps them in 2nd place. Victory for the Fluffers would have taken them up, but surely it’s only a matter of time. Rejects Redux remain level on points with the Dandies in 3rd after a strike from Drew Chambers midway through the second half gave them victory at home to Banik Roystonov. Wednesday de la Zouch went into their game at Waveney Valley Swifts somewhat hindered by the absence of influential midfielders Jean-Christophe Bellier and Richard Sampson through suspension. They could therefore have done without another midfielder, teenager Callum Hardings, getting himself sent off for a wild challenge on the Swifts’ Per-Elvis Köhlqvist after 35 minutes. The home side were already two up by that stage and completed a comfortable victory over the depleted visitors with a third goal after the break. Victory keeps the Swifts two points short of the top three while Wednesday’s promotion chances are beginning to look slim, as they are now six points off the pace. At the foot of the table, two relegations were confirmed. Turd Division’s fate was sealed by a 5-0 spanking at Portsmouth FC, whose victory also condemned Kernow Kensa to the drop, Kernow’s 3-0 home defeat at the hands (hooves?) of Hampshire Deers – whose captain Ledley Key was among the scorers before collecting the fifth red card of his career - leaving them ten points adrift of safety with three to play. The wins were vital for both the Deers and Portsmouth, taking them seven and six points clear of 8th-placed Banik, whose position is looking distinctly perilous.

Division 2

---

A bit of a turn-up at Heffron Park, where bottom side Heffron Hendecagon held leaders Saltney Drawers to a 1-1 draw. Indeed, the Hendos will have had high hopes of claiming their first win of the season when Hugo Rune tucked away a penalty to put them ahead in the 78th minute, but Daisuke Nouguchi dashed those hopes with an equaliser six minutes from time. Still, even the win wouldn’t have been enough to prevent Heffron’s relegation being confirmed. Saltney stay top and their lead remains at three points after the two teams below them, Azure Dragons and Littlewoods Legends, played out a goalless draw. That result presented an opportunity for one of Somers Town Sugar Imps or die Ambosse to move into the top three as they met at the Imps’ Stade Belinda Carlisle. “We want the same thing”, the sides might have said, but it was the visitors whose aims were realised, a spectacular effort from Carlo Mancione proving enough to give them all three points and edging them above the Legends. The crucial and closely fought battle at the bottom between Cods of War and Wharfedale Generals was settled by Generals general Phil Lock, the skipper scoring both goals in a 2-0 win that drops the Cods to 9th and keeps Wharfedale the right side of the relegation line. Just below that line now are Wensleydale Blues, for whom Benjamin Hardaw-Force headed home the winner over Andromache FC to leave them three points behind both their vanquished opponents and Wharfedale.

Division 3

---

Leaders Great Northern Railway are one win from promotion after a 2-0 success at Indigo Plateau, who remain sans points but did well to almost match their opponents for chances from a 27% share of possession. Brian Munchingflapjack’s promotion bid suffered a blow as they were beaten 3-2 at home by Pinewood Passers, a second away win of the week for the always-unpredictable Passers, who are 8th. Henry Mapleton’s 94th-minute winner was the second of two goals in the closing minutes that turned the game. Athletico Deva climb above the Flapjacks into 2nd following their 4-1 win at 7th-placed New Dresden, Edgar Ströbeck scoring twice for Deva as they battled back from a goal behind. Victories for Tree Hill High and OWC Albion leave them both one point outside the promotion places. THH were 3-1 winners at Eintracht Midwest, who are 9th, Victor Tindall scoring twice and defender Mohamadou Manga Onguene netting his first career goal; and OWC saw off 6th-placed visitors Veni Vici Vigata with two goals in three minutes midway through the second half, Buck Aneering-Hedda again disappointing his parents by scoring with a boring old shot as he set Albion on their way to the three points.

[Janik]

The rumble of hooves that accompanies the end of Season 63 of the Official Xpert 11 Ladies League is growing. Matchday 12 has now happened – report of what that brought for our teams pushing for promotion or battling relegation is below. Along with some who were marking time because they were mid-table, or in one case already champions…

Division 1a

Ansvarsfulla Divor 1 - 0 Drakaina
Hodson 53'
Broad (sent off) 52'


Division 1b

Mauchline Belles 2 - 1 Real Antichrists
McRenton 75' Besen 29'
Melkersson 79'


Division 3e

Misconduct United 1 - 5 Coxy Ladies Wulpen
Marquez 28' Beyen 47', 72', 92'
Peeters 54'
de Waterloe 87'

FC Nee-Nee 0 - 3 Viking South Utsira
K.Hovland (pen) 36', 74'
N.Austrheim 77'


Division 4k

Bombay Green Rockets 4 - 0 Blue Belles
L0ck 7', 10'
Schaller 21'
Ferrante 43'

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC 0 - 0 Bombastic Girls


Division 4n

Lady Chatterley F. C. 0 - 2 Cassiopeia
Kapsis 40'
Xhafaj 42'


Division 5:14

Cinghiali 0 - 4 Brisbane Roar Ladies
Ortis 33'
Miguel 47', 76'
Garcé 87'


Division 5:17

Cornish Maids 1 - 2 LNWR Locomotive
Mereiles 10' Reisinho 29'
Mereiles (missed pen) 33' Deeney 58'


Division 5:18

Angels of the North 1 - 0 Rising Stars
Wicox 20'


Division 5:21

Invisible Ladies 1 - 3 Cleckheaton Athletic
Longsworth 34' Ourique 32'
Sultanova 42'
Sone 84'

ASU Politehnica 4 - 0 Yerti
Motta 12', 49'
Södergren 24', 30'


Division 5:26

Yoga Slackers 0 - 1 Zeugma Dostluk Spor
Kulakova 42'


Division 5:27

Menywod Maeshafn 3 - 1 Aegean Coast Ladies
McRichter 76' Saarnio 60'
Beck 82', (pen) 87'


Division 5:28

Dublin City Womens FC 1 - 2 AS Taormina Donne
Hempel 91' Valderrama 56'
Antberg 63'


Division 5:31

FC Dealu 1 - 0 Csiki Girls
Yamazaki (pen) 55'


Division 6:39

Ullapool Northern Star 0 - 0 Phoenix Flames

Brincat (sent off) 76'


Division 6:42

Hazeldean Inchmistress 6 - 0 Dinamo Bucuresti
Christersson 5'
Ernström 13' Ócsay (sent off) 81'
Mejía 18'
Bunton (pen) 24'
Pedersen 27', 54'

It was already clear long before Drakaina’s trip to Ansvarsfulla Divor that promotion back to the top flight was off the table for The Dragons. But would this season by just mundane (i.e. mid-table) or actively disappointing by ending in relegation for Etienne’s side?
This match would have a big influence on which way things went, as The Dragons kicked-off just three points adrift of their hosts. The first half didn’t start promisingly for the Greek side, defender Annette Dalbjörn being forced off with a 16-day injury in just the 2nd minute. The rest of the half also offered few items to inspired hope of the needed victory, but without it containing too much evidence that a damaging defeat was coming.
That changed after the break. First came the hope, Divor’s Alice Broad getting herself sent-off for with a straight red in the 52nd minute. But this was very swiftly followed by the despair as just 60 seconds later the hosts took the lead. That gave them something to hold on to, which is precisely what they did, The Dragons making just one chance in the remaining time.
This result wasn’t the only major blow Drakaina’s survival hopes took on matchday 12 – they also had the wind knocked out of them by Division 1a’s fifth-placed FC Dench winning. It leaves The Dragons four points adrift of safety with just six left to chase. It’s looking grim.

Simply keeping things to looking grim was all Mauchline Belles could aim for when Jdsx’s side clashed with fifth-placed side Real Antichrists – the seven point gap between the sides prior to the start meant that anything less than victory and The Belles were relegated.
The first 45 minutes did not portend well for a positive outcome. Or positive as far as Ayrshire was concerned, at least. The Antichrists were on top, had a goal disallowed, and shrugged that off to score first anyway.
Worse for the Scots was trailing 1-0 at the break was about right. They had to improve. Or had to get lucky. Both, ideally. Which is exactly what happened. Mauchline stepped things up after the interval, but also got a real boost when their visitors made a triple substitution as the game restarted… and then took a red cross injury with over half the half still remaining. It didn’t take The Belles long to score against their short numbered opponents, Lisa McRenton firing home on 75 minutes. The hoped for second followed soon after, Gunilla Melkersson heading home on 79.
The lead was held on to comfortably to pull The Belles within four points of their opponents. But not, unfortunately four from safety as a shock win for the side in sixth moved them above Real Antichrists, and kept Mauchline six points behind the side they need to overtake. It’s not impossible that Division 1b safety will be secured somehow… but the light is nearly out here.

It has been a good season on the whole for Coxy Ladies Wulpen. But a recent run of poor results had dimmed things significantly for The Waders, putting Janik’s side in the position of really having to win at bottom side Misconduct United if they wanted to stay close enough to the promotion spotlight to be able to stride into it before it is shut off for the season.
The Waders struggled to hit their marks in the opening half of this one, though. They had lots of time to rehearse, holding a substantial majority of possession, but from that created just two chances. Which was exactly the same as Misconduct managed for much less of the ball. To make matters even worse, Wulpen missed both of theirs… and Misconduct did not with one of their two.
Janik’s side needed a hero. They got two – Charlotte Beyen and Morgane Peeters. The pair combined twice in quick succession, Peeters teeing Beyen up in the 47th minute to equalise, and then Beyen slipping Peeters clean through to put Wulpen ahead on 54.
2-1 wasn’t safe. 3-1 looked to be so, which is where The Waders were when Beyen got her second of the day on 72 minutes. Even that advantage looked briefly shaky when Misconduct had a goal back disallowed very soon after. But once that had been ruled out Coxy Ladies could relax. They relaxedly added to more goals, Victoria de Waterloe making it four on 87 minutes and Beyen completing her hattrick in stoppage time.
If the light was fading on some teams, it was shining bright on others. It would have shown up the iridescent glow on Viking South Utsira’s feathers… if Blood Eagles had had anything like that, rather than spatter brought out by fluorescence. But that sort of thing is intimidating, as their hosts FC Nee-Nee were to discover.
Playing a side who knows that a win will get them promoted, either effectively or officially, is unlikely to be an easy task, unless nerves strike the contenders. VSU completely avoided that, turning in a typically solid performance, especially after the break. Even the first half, though not Viking at their dominant best, ended with the game tipped in The Blood Eagles favour following Kirstin Hovland’s 36th minute penalty. But it was post-interval where Velvet Android’s team really took over, concerted pressure producing a stream of chances that eventually culminated in a second for Hovland, headed home from a 74th minute corner, and a third fired home three minutes later by skipper Nina Austrheim.
Sadly for both The Blood Eagles and The Waders, Division 3e’s second-placed side Murcielago also won their game. That meant the champagne stayed on ice for Viking until promotion is mathematically secure, though given their advantage is six points and +19 goal difference this is just a formality. For Coxy Ladies the effect was less superficial as it meant the third-placed Waders remain three points adrift of second spot.

[Janik]

It is not normally a good sign when a rocket goes rapidly up and down, but despite this normally worrying trajectory Bombay Green Rockets were still in the promotion picture ahead of taking on bottom side Blue Belles.
HKS3’s side turned in too nearly identical halves in this match. Nearly. In both of them The Rockets held 59% possession and created five chances. However whereas in the first Isabel Lock (7 and 10 minutes), Julia Schaller (21) and Amalea Ferrante (43) all scored, after the break the nearest we came to another goal was Blue Belles having a strike disallowed!
Racing up to speed and then cruising home is very device-appropriate behaviour, though. So well done to The Green Rockets players for their rapid acceleration and then shut off the burn performance.
What of our other side in Division 4k, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC manage against Bombastic Girls?
The Sea Spirits were certainly hoping for a lot – SeanoftheShed’s side had appeared on the verge of the title after winning the OTF derby two weeks prior to this match, but a shock defeat the following week had rather undermined the good work against Bombay. And it could be eroded even further if relegation haunted Bombastic proved intractable.
Which is exactly what they proved to be. The Sea Goddesses through rather a lot at their visitors, but despite the waves crashing against the shore Bombastic’s walls stayed strong. There was no sign of a counter-attack to snatch a win, but try as they might KRK couldn’t get more than a goalless draw from this one.
And that meant another two points going, which sees the Indonesian’s lead over Söderbönerna and Bombay cut to just two points, with an inferior goal difference to boot. The 4k title and play-off spot will be shared between these three, but it is now anyone’s guess which order they will finish up in.

Cassiopeia were completely expecting to beat Lady Chatterley F. C. given their hosts were bottom of the Division 4n table with just a point all season to their names. But with the home side having a human coach, Stormstopper’s charges couldn’t expect it to be too easy – they would have to work for the win.
The Vainglories did precisely that in a determined first half showing that threatened to go unrewarded but was ultimately decorated by two late goals, Leandra Kapsis turning in a corner on 40 minutes and Egzona Xhafaj heading home a cross for the second just two minutes later. Kapsis’ effort wasn’t just the opening goal, it was also the debut strike of the young forward’s senior career.
With Lady Chatterley averaging considerably less than one goal per game, The Vainglories team decided the two they already had was entirely ample. They were right, the game finishing 2-0 despite the home side statistically having much the better of the second-half.
The win for Cassiopeia kept the pressure up on 4n leaders FC Roblar. And they did crack a little under the strain, drawing a game they would have expected to win to allow The Vainglories to reduce the gap to the summit to a single point.

Struggling Cinghiali really needed to get out of their slump when they hosted a Brisbane Roar Ladies side who were alongside The Boars in the Division 5:14 drop zone.
And, um, well… if I remember right the Brisbane manager is a different sort of boor, so we won’t focus on this one for very long as it went badly wrong for SitsWithRemote’s side. 0-4 wrong in fact. There was really very little for the Piani Resinelli to hang their (highly fashionable and very swanky) hats on.
It wasn’t just the result, but also the goal difference as this plunged The Hogs down to the foot of the table, three points from a safety mark which is now the Roar, who are also +10 GD ahead after this 8-goal swing. Ouch.

LNWR Locomotive brought serious momentum with them when they headed to Division 5:17 leaders Cornish Maids; The Steamers had won six-in-a-row prior to this clash.
Cornish Maids had only lost once all season though, and were the Division’s top scorers and also possessed its best defence. They were surely backing themselves to stop Viktor Boskovic’s runaway train dead in its tracks. And indeed the Maids were the first to strike, going ahead after 10 minutes play. The hosts were having much the better of possession, but Locomotive’s glowing furnace of confidence shone like a beacon as despite being on the back foot Flávia Reisinho equalised on 29 minutes.
Even so the Cornish side still looked the stronger team, and soon after had a great opportunity to go back ahead. However Lola Mereiles, who had scored their earlier goal, missed the 33rd minute penalty. Some days it is just your day – clearly this one was LNWR’s as following the penalty miss they had just one more sight of goal… but took it as Callie Deeney fired home directly from a free-kick on 58 minutes.
This was a result that put the cat firmly amongst the 5:17 pigeons. Despite it The Steamers are still fifth. But that is a fifth spot now just two points behind Cornish Maids, who remain top. The Steamers momentum is also vast – this win owed a lot to it, and added even more ballast as that is now seven wins in a row (which followed five straight without a win at the start of the campaign!).

Up-and-down Rising Stars faced a crunch match in their Division 5:18 play-off push as they visited the side one crucial place and one point above them when they headed to second-in-the-table Angels of the North.
Blamb’s Ascenders had the better of first half possession, but couldn’t make it count as they failed to fashion a single shooting opportunity. That wasn’t the case for the hosts, who were soon spreading their arm’s wide to celebrate an opening goal.
The game that went into a period of stalemate up until Bette Elgeuse sparked things into life with a well-aimed kick in the 67th minute. Not of the ball though but instead inflicted on Angels goalkeeper and Player-of-the-Match Devnet Galwey. She was forced off and though her back-up, Nurit Davitchon, is pretty competent by usual standards, it was still a substantial downgrade for the hosts.
Sadly, The Stars barely tested Davitchon as they got lost in the glare of the A1 streetlights. The defeat leaves Rising four points behind their rivals… and nearly as near the drop zone which is only five points distant itself.

[Janik]

Hopes were not high amongst the Invisible Ladies prior to The San Seethrough hosting Cleckheaton Athletic. After all The See-Throughs were already down, whilst the visitors were still very much alive in the Division 5:21 title race.
PebbletheFish’s side were not going to give up the points without at least putting up a battle. That was particularly true of Linda Longsworth, who responded to Cleckheaton’s 32nd minute opener with a leveller just two minutes later.
That was as good as it got for The See-Throughs, though Aileen Shuttlewood did have the ball in the Athletic net in second-half stoppage time. That was disallowed though, and anyway it was already 3-1 to Cleckheaton by that point, so even if it had counted there really wouldn’t have been enough time to turn things around.
ASU Politehnica are fighting hard to avoid joining The See-Throughs in returning to Division 6. Making sure they beat bottom side Yerti was an essential to that cause.
The Scholars had clearly been studying hard as they were straight into their stride from the invigilators first whistle. Fernanda Motta was soon making her mark, heading home after 12 minutes, closely followed by Evelyn Södergren, who did the same after 24.
Södergren got her second of the day with a breakaway on 30 minutes, which made for a comfortable half-time teamtalk for Politehnica boss Granthamian, who saw his side raise themselves to score a fourth on 49 minutes, but then subsequently decide enough was enough.
That day was not without its costs for The Scholars though, as Pakize Tilbe (who had set up the first two goals) picked up an 11-day injury midway through the second half. There was also bad news for the students from another game as sixth-placed Haydock Ladies won a game Politehnica had high hopes that they wouldn’t. It means the gap between the sides stays at two points… and leaves The Scholars really looking for a favour from The See-Throughs in the next round of matches.

Some sides power their way to Divisional titles. Others grind towards them. Zeugma Dostluk Spor appear to be adopting the later approach. The Anatolians had only scored 17 times prior to visiting mid-table Yoga Slackers, but that had been enough to win 8 from 11.
Well, make that 9 from 12 after another remorseless performance from AntepliEjderha’s side. Veronika Kulakova got the game’s only goal just prior to the break, heading home a 42nd minute cross. And that, apparently, was enough as far as Zeugma’s players were concerned. And they were right, it was.
The win maintained ZDS’s advantage at the Division 5:26 summit at five points. One win or two draws, or indeed any points dropped from their only remaining title rivals (Cebollitas) and the Zeugma are champions.

All that second-in-the-table Menywod Maeshafn can do for the rest of the Division 5:27 regular season is keep on winning and hoping that leaders Three Lionesses slip up. The latest side the North Walians needed to beat was Aegean Coast Ladies.
IsThatcherDeadYet’s side were utterly on top in the first half in terms of possession (61% of it), but failed to turn this into anything productive. Which was a serious concern when Aegean Coast took the lead against the run of play on the hour mark.
Concern was really rising in the Maesahfn stands as their team was still 1-0 down with 15 minutes to play. But those 15 proved to be hugely more enjoyable for the faithful as first Leigh McRichter fired in from range to level (76 minutes), and then Morgan Beck struck twice with an 82nd minute breakaway and then from the spot on 87.
Great. But Three Lionesses also won. It means Maeshafn are almost certainly destined for 5:27’s play-off place, as the gap above them is five points and the one below now six.

A positive result of some sort was required by Dublin City Womens FC against AS Taormina Donne. Otherwise their Division 5:28 status would hang by a thread. Or possibly be snapped totally.
With four points between the sides, a win for The Dubs would put them right back in contention to stay up. This was quite possible up until around the hour mark, which was when Donne struck twice in relatively quick succession. Michelle Hempel turned home a corner for Mortal Joe’s side in stoppage time, but it was too little too late.
And as it happened results elsewhere also went against Dublin. Which means they are down from Division 5:28 – they will finish in their current sixth spot, or might drop to seventh in the end.

Back-to-back relegation would be a serious threat to Csiki Girls if they didn’t get at least something out of their game at FC Dealu.
This game followed a rather similar pattern to the Dublin one above – there was nothing between the sides really, both making three chances a piece, but ultimately the OTF side lost by the odd goal (1-0 here) to suffer a very damaging defeat. Not as immediately terminal as far as Ad hoc’s side were concerned, but it’s looking pretty grim the The Csiki’s now.
That is because they are four points from safety with two to play. Dealu are now out of reach, and if fifth placed Cluj Sisterhood win a game they will be as well. And their next game is against bottom side Barca Ladies. Oh. Blast.

With the Division 6:39 title already in the bag, the question for Ullapool Northern Star boss Delicatemoth was whether to prioritise DV in the remaining three games, or aim on getting a perfect record for her side.
It appeared she went for a mixed approach, trying to get as many kids in as possible whilst still leaving just enough strength to beat second-in-the-table Phoenix Flames. However this was a difficult balance to strike, and given how things went (previously free scoring UNS having just two chances) it looks like one or two too many kids were included. Not even the Flames Rozi Brincat getting sent off with around 15 minutes to play could open things up.
Did Polaris win anyway by converting one of those openings? Sadly no, though they also didn’t lose as Phoenix couldn’t score from their single chance. A slightly disappointing way for the Scots winning run to end, but in the long term of no actual import.

There was lots of meaning attached to Hazeldean Inchmistress clash with Dinamo Bucuresti. There just wasn’t a lot of stress associated with it, given the zombie nature of the side from the Romanian capital.
The Imperials fans knew they had the game won as early as the 18th minute, as their side were already 3-0 up by this point after strikes from Göta Christersson (5 minutes), Elinor Ernström (13) and a Elvia Mejía free-kick with 18 on the watch. Karen Bunton added a fourth from the spot on 24 minutes, closely followed by veteran star striker Line Pedersen making it five for Foxy265’s side on 27 minutes.
Pedersen also added a sixth on 54 minutes, though by now Incmistress fans attention was directed elsewhere, as if second-in-the-table Team Rafael Women didn’t beat MJ Foxes, who sat third, then The Imperials were officially Division 6:42 champions. The updates kept coming back as “still 0-0” whilst the game in front of them tried to distract them with lots of action, Hazeldean defender Fabiana Paulista picking up a 12-day injury, and Bucuresti’s Rebeka Ócsay being sent off for two yellow cards (neither of which was the same incident as Paulista’s injury).
Time wound down, phones were checked and checked… and then Framleyshire exploded into celebration of their girls as the goalless draw in the other game was confirmed.

[Sits]

Janik thanks as ever.

Struggling Cinghiali really needed to get out of their slump when they hosted a Brisbane Roar Ladies side who were alongside The Boars in the Division 5:14 drop zone.
And, um, well… if I remember right the Brisbane manager is a different sort of boor, so we won’t focus on this one for very long as it went badly wrong for SitsWithRemote’s side. 0-4 wrong in fact. There was really very little for the Piani Resinelli to hang their (highly fashionable and very swanky) hats on.
It wasn’t just the result, but also the goal difference as this plunged The Hogs down to the foot of the table, three points from a safety mark which is now the Roar, who are also +10 GD ahead after this 8-goal swing. Ouch.

I must admit I’ve given up hope, am playing for DV and preparing for a slow reboot. If there is such a thing.

[Sean of the Shed]

Well this isn't something you see very often.

[Sits]

That’s rough.

[Sits]

So the one league I said I would buy an extra team for has a vacancy. It's Daisy_D's The Establishment and she let me know Roberto11 (or whatever he's called) is quitting his team there. This is doubly good as he's a misogynist who I don't engage with. I realise he's a mainstay of MLX.

So I think I may resurrect Tamworth Reds as that was my original team there and I have three lovely VA shirts for them.