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X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

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    Not as much fun for me. Had to field the reserve keeper as she was a 19/7 on 11 DV. So no chance we'd win as we barely won away all season even at full strength. So benched some other stars. Then reserve keeper got stretchered off after 8 minutes. Then see what we could have won. But full credit to Sean for that title run.

    Comment


      Have we passed spoiler time now?
      That was a real surprise and no mistake. I was surprised enough with the win, but seeing the two teams above suffer a defeat really blew me away.
      As I said in the game comments, this was a particularly pleasing title win because I never thought we quite had enough to compete with the elite teams in this league. I'm sure Etienne and Richard will be battling it out again next season.
      ​​

      Comment


        Yeah I think we can lift the embargo now. Hearty guzmans once again Sean (with more quite likely on the way in the Xpert Zone too...) on slaloming through the fallers at the last hurdle there in such dramatic fashion. As my preview noted, the fact that both the leading pair had to take on relegation battlers in the shape of Sandringham and Holkham was a big potential spanner in the works for either or both of them, but they each have the title-winning pedrigree in The Human League – and even when they both succumbed it still needed you to pull out a none-too-easy win over Lysistrata to get you over the line.

        Meanwhile, with all the four teams struggling to avoid the last relegation slot producing wins to finish with, both HO and myself can feel relieved at having avoided the drop since Mon Mothmas and Bute Buccaneers below us had the much more straightforward games against already-down teams and took advantage of that. So it's commiserations to BillBones, as the Bucs gave it the kitchen-sink treatment at Mermaids yet slip through the trapdoor despite their best efforts.

        Comment


          Now, of course, attention turns back to the pointy end of the OTF League season fast approaching...

          OTF League roundup for 5th April: Season 62 round 15

          Division 3

          Well, after last Thursday’s games, as HO has noted, the D3 promotion race increasingly looked cut and dried when all the top three won and 4th-placed OWC Albion drew. This Monday, OWC did struggle to a narrow 1-0 home win over bottom side Veni Vici Vigata to give themselves at least a fighting a chance. And as for the top three? They all lost.
          Leaders Tree Hill High were up against it as soon as keeper Bart Sosa was injured 20 minutes into their game at Nieuwegein Kneebiters (7th), with no recognised goalie on the bench. 18-year-old defender Jack Inman nervously said “I’m free” and promptly got handed the gloves for the remainder. His side lost 2-1 – but retain top spot by two points, because Andromache FC (2nd) got turned over 2-0 at home by Pinewood Passers. Jeronimo Vilas-Boas has never quite lived up to his 4-goal haul on debut against Andromache last season, having scored only another 4 in his subsequent 19 appearances for the Passers, but he returned to haunt the home side with both goals to double his season’s tally. Pinewood remain 9th but have 8 points and no goals conceded from their last four outings.
          And New Dresden stay 3pts off the lead in 3rd after they too were beaten, 2-1 at Wharfedale Generals (5th). Trailing from the 9th to the 85th minute, Dresden fatally switched off straight after finally equalising and conceded a late winner.
          As a result nobody moves but the table has closed up again, with just 4pts spanning the top 4 and a 7-point gap back to the Generals and Eintracht Midwest (6th), who battled to an exciting 3-2 win at Brian Munchingflapjack by holding onto a lead at the third time of asking. OWC go to Andromache in the pick of Thursday’s fixtures.

          Division 2

          For a long time already it’s looked like you could rummage around in D2 and pull any three clubs out of a bag of probably 8 to decide who goes up. After six straight rounds of there being a different leader at the end of the day to the one who started it, The Gang Play Football actually held onto top spot on Monday by winning 2-0 at bottom club Heffron Hendecagon – meaning the Hendos are relegated, though the nature of the latest midtable shuffle would’ve condemned them regardless of the result. FC Gloryhammer (2nd) keep pace a point behind the Gang with a 2-1 home win over Wednesday de la Zouch, who could’ve finished the day a point behind them in 3rd but instead wind up seven points back in 7th.
          Going the other way though are Great Northern Railway. Three Mondays in a row – after rounds 7, 9 and 11 – the Railwaymen climbed to 3rd, but a week ago they were down to 7th and looking in trouble. This Monday though they rebounded right back to 3rd with a 2-0 home win over Wensleydale Blues, who drop two to 6th.
          Athletico Deva began the day 3rd but a home loss to Hampshire Deers dropped them to 4th behind GNR on GD, with the Southern Cervines climbing two to 5th, a point behind them and a point ahead of the Blues. Those keeping track of the Deers’ recent results won’t need me to spell out the scoreline, but for the record their binary sequence since February 25th is now (deep breath) 0-1, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0.
          With 3rd-7th spanning just 23-20 points, Cods of War and Littlewoods Legends below them met
          at Rockall on Monday with the chance for either to partly bridge the gap to the pack. Cods it was who won 1-0, leapfrogging the Legends to 8th by a point, and they are only three back from Wednesday de la Zouch.

          Division 1

          Berkshire Swine’s fortnight-long run at the summit is over, after they went down 1-0 at home to Steaua Bridge while Great Ouse Town were thumping Locomotiv Noj 4-0 away. The timely win for draw specialists Steaua lifted them two places to 5th – and also helped put Ouse back on top for a third time this season. The Fenlanders are two points ahead of the Swine and three ahead of Banik Roystonov, who yet again nudged back up to 3rd ahead of Rejects Redux. The pair’s private war over the last promotion spot has now seen it passed between them seven times in the last eight matches, and with the two meeting on Thursday the hot-potatoing could well continue to the final week.
          Banik’s win on Monday was 2-0 at home to die Ambosse (10th), which ensures the Anvils drop through the relegation trapdoor like, uh, a very heavy thing. Turd Division would have plopped through along with them had they not won on Monday – which looked heavily likely as they had lost 8 on the trot and were hosting a Saltney Drawers side who drew with both the leading pair last week. Randomly, though, the Turds pulled a fine 3-0 victory out of nowhere, boosting them onto 11 points and leaving them ‘only’ 8 adrift from safety with 9 still available. Surely it’s too late for a grand comeback... isn’t it?
          Above them, Zeugmaspor’s 2-2 draw at the Rejects (in a game AE’s side twice led) did neither any real favours. The Rejects’ promotion bid took another blow, as they fall 2pts behind rivals Banik once more in 4th. Zeugma (8th) extended their unbeaten run to 7, but draws with both Banik and Redux this past week have slowed their momentum and they are still 4pts below the relegation line. They do however finish with a trio of games against all three teams directly above them: Saltney and Noj’s defeats left them both on 19pts in 6th and 7th, though Steaua are now 2pts better off in 5th.

          OTF

          Four Candles travelled to 2nd-placed Vita Mortis on Monday with a seven-point lead, thus knowing that a win would give them their second league title with three games to spare. The champagne had to go back on ice though as Mortis pulled out a 2-0 win that cuts the gap back to 4 points and at least keeps the Candles honest for a few more days yet. The Reaper Men also reopened a three-point gap on Eriskay Expression in 3rd after the Islanders’ spectacular 6-match winning streak ended in a 0-0 at St Pancras Starmers (4th) despite dominating the chances 5 to 1. It means they have drawn both their meetings with the Starmers this term despite not drawing any other games at all.
          Still three points behind them, St Pancras also remain deadlocked with Kernow Kensa (5th) after the Cornishmen’s own 0-0 at Croesoswallt Dragons, a terrible game where there were more injuries than shots. Kernow paid for rushing midfielder Bernt Rav back from one serious injury before he was fully fit, as the 28-year-old suffered another crocking that has ended his season. Given that their cushion to the relegation line is just 5 points, they may yet live to regret that...
          It is the Dragons who now occupy 8th spot just below that line, however, despite their first point in four games. This is thanks to Csiki Monkeys ending their own losing streak at 4, by beating Whoft Fluffopolis (10th) 3-1 at Bankfalva Kert to climb back out of the dropzone to 7th on GD. Whoft in contrast are 9pts and 13 goals from safety and are thus all but mathematically doomed to the first-season relegation that afflicts so many top-flight debutants.
          Hanging on by a thread still are Hideous Towns in 9th, but a 2-1 home loss to Dandy Town (6th) in a key game leaves them 7pts adrift with three to go. The Dandies’ title defence has never really got out of second gear this season, but piecing together consecutive victories for only the second time all term (since they beat Eriskay and, erm, Hideous back in February) looks to have hauled the Highwaymen clear at a vital stage. They are 3pts ahead of the Monkeys and Dragons, though a potentially decisive last-day clash with the Monkeys remains.
          Hideous meanwhile have some hope: they are going for a fourth straight Thursday win when they travel to Kernow today. Their chief Achilles heel this campaign has been post-weekend hangovers: HO’s side have now lost on 7 (seven) straight Mondays since the lone highlight of a 1-1 draw at Whoft on opening day. They have one more chance to rectify that next Mon, in a Norfolk derby against Mortis – but their survival hopes might already be all over by then, whether or not they can win in Cornwall today.

          Comment


            Sean of the Shed congratulations, what drama.

            So basically Staffs owes Norfolk this morning.

            Comment


              Originally posted by Sits View Post
              Sean of the Shed congratulations, what drama.

              So basically Staffs owes Norfolk this morning.
              You are indeed correct. The marauding hoard that was lined up to rampage and pillage through East Anglia has been put on hold for now.

              Comment


                Guess who’s booked a friendly?

                Reunited and it feels so good

                Comment


                  It sure does!

                  We're gonna get tonked. But it's good to see old friends.

                  Comment


                    One game to go in the Xpert Zone and I've accidentally found myself in the final promotion spot despite playing for DVs for most of the season. Going up would be a relegation battle all of next season and not something I want to be honest.

                    Comment


                      Xpert XI official Ladies League Season 61, matchday 11 report.

                      Code:
                      Division 1a
                      
                      Team Sweden                0 - 0   Drakaina
                      
                      
                      Division 2c
                      
                      Mauchline Belles           2 - 0   BV Cloppenburg
                      Fogueira 64'
                      Perdao 87'
                      
                      
                      Division 3e
                      
                      Coxy Ladies Wulpen         1 - 1   Viking South Utsira
                      de Waterloe 77'                    L.Hovland 34'
                      
                      
                      Division 3f
                      
                      She-Wolves                 0 - 0   Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC
                      
                      
                      Division 5:13
                      
                      Cinghiali                  0 - 0   Bj?rs SK
                      
                      
                      Division 5:16
                      
                      LNWR Locomotive            0 - 0   Secret Scorers
                      
                      
                      Division 5:19
                      
                      Ullapool Northern Star     4 - 0   Brasselir FF
                      Mamouni 4', 13', 53'
                      Mair 85'
                      
                      
                      Division 5:21
                      
                      Bethanys Binos             2 - 1   Invisible Ladies
                      Harford 62'                        Clark 1'
                      Hodson 87'
                      
                      ASU Politehnica            3 - 2   Aveley Ladies F.C
                      Anderstedt 38'                     Barrett 26'
                      S?vescu 50'                        Machado 53'
                      Motta (pen) 72'
                      
                      
                      Division 5:26
                      
                      F.C Poli                   1 - 4   Zeugma Dostluk Spor
                      Cou?ago 28'                        Latife Kurt 7', 51'
                                                         Manookian 49'
                                                         ?z?lmez 81'
                      
                      
                      Division 5:28
                      
                      Barbed Barbies             2 - 1   Menywod Maeshafn
                      Hellberg 2'                        Iona Campbell 69'
                      F?rnefors 64'
                      
                      Dublin City Womens FC      3 - 2   Moe Szyslak Experience
                      Jim?nez 29'                        Chico 4'
                      Timmermans 46'                     Briscoe 81'
                      Hempel 59'
                      
                      
                      Division 5:31
                      
                      Cluj SisterHood            1 - 2   Csiki Girls
                      Dawkins 45'                        Ackland 50'
                                                         Birch 54'
                      
                      
                      Division 6:37
                      
                      MSV Duisburg Damen         0 - 3   Rising Stars
                                                         Andorinha 58', 72'
                                                         Ver?ssimo 78'
                      
                      
                      Division 6:40
                      
                      Hazeldean Inchmistress     5 - 0   Ruskoon United
                      Bringevik 1', 90'
                      Christersson 41'
                      Dekoninck 45', 60'
                      
                      
                      Division 6:43
                      
                      Bombay Green Rockets       5 - 0   Orleans
                      N?rnberger 5'
                      Paes 10'                           Kov?cs (sent off) 74'
                      Alberdi 14'
                      Ferrante 18'
                      Lock 31'
                      
                      
                      Division 6:53
                      
                      Cassiopeia                 1 - 2   Boryana Revelation
                      Aritonovic 20'                     Cesarec 51'
                                                         Sigfurdottir (pen) 83'
                      Drakaina held a four point leader over nearest rivals Team Sweden before Division 1a’s leading pair’s second meeting of the season. At stake was whether the season would be moreorless over with a win for The Dragons, or back in the balance if the hosts could triumph.
                      Obviously our sympathies were with Etienne’s side. I mean, they would have been anyway against any non-OTFer, but particularly so here given the hosts inappropriate clothing for Football in a chilly northern European climate (or indeed in any). Not the players fault – this is indicative of the personality failings of their manager.
                      And, um, well, there is not much more to say about this game as very little happened. Both teams had a couple of chances in the second half, but neither scored. And if Drakaina had rather less than 50% of the ball, well, that barely matters – the onus was on Sweden to make the game. Which they couldn’t manage.
                      A goalless draw definitely benefits Drakaina the more as it leaves the Greeks four points and +9 Goal Difference ahead with just three games to play.

                      From one OTF side leading the way to another as Division 2c’s top outfit, Mauchline Belles, played host to the side propping up the table, BV Cloppenburg.
                      The match entirely conformed to the form both sides had showed coming in as The Belles dominated from the start. Jdsx’s girls held 57% first half possession and all the chances going both before and after the break. If the opening goal took a while to arrive, and it did, it also felt inevitable. As did the second that followed it to seal the win. For the record, Filomena Fogueira got the opener with a shot from range on 64 minutes, and Fernanda Perdao the confirmatory strike, heading in an 87th minute corner.
                      Mauchline’s closest rivals for the 2c title, St.Hallvards, also won, but only by the odd goal in three. That means The Belles stay top on Goal Difference – theirs is actually notably better, +12 to +3. There was even better news for the Ayrshire side from elsewhere in the Division as third-placed Alternadeiras F.C. were held to a draw, which means The Belles now have a four point cushion for their play-off place.

                      The first ever competitive meeting of Coxy Ladies Wulpen and Viking South Utsira was a yawnsome goalless draw. Even discounting the league situation of the two teams everybody involved was hoping for something more exciting. Not that anyone was overlooking the relevance of the game to the league table, not with the one point extra to The Blood Eagles name being enough to have them above the Division 3e drop line whilst The Waders sat below it.
                      Wulpen were the first side to threaten. Indeed they thought they had taken the lead in the 19th minute when Luminita Frunz? rifled past Monike Austrheim from long range, only for a dubious offside flag seeing the ‘goal’ chalked off. Instead it was Velvet Android’s charges who got their noses in front, and they did so by the old familiar source, a Lina Hovland direct free-kick.
                      The equaliser came on 34 minutes – there was only one more chance after that before the interval, Nina Austrheim firing in a shot in the 40th minute that Coxy Ladies ‘keeper Lara Hendrickx beat away. That Hendrickx, the Wulpen back-up, was playing was a bit of a risk taken by Waders boss Janik, but she delivered for him keeping a clean sheet for the rest of the match. Though to be fair she only had one other save to make, easily handling an Austrheim header in stoppage time. By then the score had long since been all square, Wulpen’s equaliser coming when Victoria de Waterloe calmly sidefooted home after a 77th minute corner dropped kindly for her.
                      The draw wasn’t a great deal of use for either team, though it did edge VSU up one spot in the table to fourth. They are still only a point clear of the 3e drop zone though, and would have been even closer if Watergate Bay Surfers hadn’t become the first side all season not to be bottom-of-the-table White Swans (to be fair Watergate Bay did play half that match with 10 players, though).

                      Matchday 11 brought with it a challenging fixture for Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC as they edged cautiously into The Wolf Den to take on leaders She-Wolves.
                      The Sea Spirits approach was understandably cautious, but this proved successful for boss SeanoftheShed, at least in the sense of producing a stalemate. The Sea Goddesses were averaging both less than a goal scored and also conceded ahead of the game, so they really couldn’t afford to go 1-0 down. Making sure that didn’t happen blunted KRK’s acting threat though, resulting in a stalemate of few chances for either side.
                      In the circumstances it was a good point, and one that lifted Kanjeng ahead of the side who started the day second in the Division 3f table. Not that The Sea Spirits go into second themselves, though. In fact they lose a spot to drop to fourth as two other sides leapfrogged over them by winning. 3e is a very tight league, with just five points between second and sixth. KRK are biased towards the top end of that range, just a point adrift of second and four in front of sixth.

                      Comment


                        Our game in Division 5:13 pitted fourth against third as Cinghiali, in improved form, hosted Bj?rs SK.
                        This was another with not much action of note to report on. SitsWithRemote’s side had less of the ball in both halves, but did make more of the handful of chances that the two sides combined for. However they didn’t score any of their three, and were therefore grateful to ref Tony Nolan for disallowing a 58th minute Bj?rs strike.
                        The only other incident of consequence in the game was an 8-day injured picked up by Cinghiali defender Dorris Ludden around 10 minutes from time. Cinghiali had a sub available though, meaning they still had 11 on the field. And that allowed them to hold out for a draw that actually wasn’t all that useful. In fact Cinghiali slip a place to fifth in 5:13 on the back of it, but despite the negative positional change The Boars are actually further clear of the drop zone as they are now five points clear rather than four. The big cost is chasing a play-off spot, and that is also five points distant for the Italian side.

                        Look up or down? That was the question for LNWR Locomotive ahead of their match against Secret Scorers as The Steamers were only out of the Division 5:16 drop zone on goal difference… but at the same time only one point off the play-off spot! That is how tight this league is. The Scorers were in the same batch, sitting third a point ahead of Locomotive at the start of play.
                        The game that followed went exactly as one would expect of two sides with such similar records – very even steven! It wasn’t tight, with chances coming relatively freely at both ends. However both ‘keepers were on strong form, Maral Parseghian turning in a grade 16 display that was just one bar off her best ever, which is the level her opposite number hit. If any team could have claimed to have shaded it it was Viktor Boskovic’s side as they had 53% possession and five chances to Secret Scorers four, but overall a draw was probably a fair result. It’s just 1-1 would have been more representative of a good game than 0-0!
                        Despite the point The Steamers dropped a place to sixth, which puts them back below the 5:16 cut line. That is because the team who started the day in the last relegation spot won their game… and thereby ended it in the play-off place! Maybe LNWR can do similar when they play this very side, SLB Femenino, next up?

                        Goals have been rare gems so far in this report. Could Ullapool Northern Star unearth a motherlode against Brasselir FF?
                        A goal on the breakaway from In?s Mamouni after just 4 minutes was a very good start, one that became even better when Mamouni doubled her and her teams total with a header just 13 minutes in. That start laid a rock solid foundation for Polaris to go on to dominate the game – Delicatemoth’s side holding well over 50% of first half possession and making four of the five chances in this period.
                        Northern Star continued to be the superior side after the break, Mamouni completing her hattrick by heading home in the 53rd minute, Mary-Leslie Mair adding a fourth, also with a header, 5 minutes from time.
                        So there we are – Minchview was where all the goals were. The big win lifted Ullapool up a spot to third in the Division 5:16 standings, but still looking behind them rather than ahead – the top two are literally uncatchable, whereas sixth place is still only three points (but also -12 GD) behind Polaris.

                        Invisible Ladies had got themselves to within a point of the play-off spot prior to their visit to mid-table Bethanys Binos.
                        The See-Throughs where ahead almost before they knew it, the first attack of the game winning a corner that Phoebe Clark headed home. The game was tight after that, but PebbletheFish’s side stayed ahead until an unfortunate combination of events just before the hour mark seriously undermined their defence, key defender Darlene Forsyth picking up a serious injury (12 days) on 57 minutes, just two minutes after the one sub defender on the bench had been brought on in a tactical change!
                        Forsyth’s replacement in the backline was young forward Alexis Jack, and though she tried gamefully there was now a weak point that the Binos and ruthlessly exploited, winning a corner on Jack’s flank from which they equalised on 62 minutes and then attacking down that channel again to force a winner on 87 minutes.
                        Elsewhere in the same section ASU Politehnica had an opportunity to clamber back towards The See-Throughs when they hosted bottom side Aveley Ladies F.C, who had recorded just four points all season.
                        Politehnica may have been reading too much into the league table as they appeared to take their opponents for granted. Not even the fortune of Aveley having a goal disallowed could shake The Scholars from their lassitude – it took the visitors finding the back of the net again on 26 minutes, and it counting this time, to shock the students into action.
                        Once engaged with the task in hand The Scholars quickly showed their potential, Madeleine Anderstedt heading home an equaliser on 38 minutes (Fernanda Motta with the cross) and Elena S?vescu doing likewise from Anderstedt’s centre on 50 minutes to give Granthmian’s side the lead. However this was swiftly followed by another lapse in concentration that allowed Aveley to level up just three minutes later.
                        Noses back to the grindstone, Politehnica broke through once again on 72 minutes. A penalty was won, I am going to assume by the good work of S?vescu as that would allow a nice symmetry given that Motta took and scored the spot kick. This Scholars stayed alert after going ahead this time, closing out the win professionally.
                        A livelier path to victory than might have been expected, but Politehnica got there in the end. And that was important as the side immediately below them also won – anything less than a victory and The Scholars would be lower than their current fifth place in the Division 5:21 table. As for The See-Throughs, their defeat means they are now down to fourth, level on points and GD with their OTF rivals. Both are one point clear of the drop zone, and four behind the play-off place.

                        A potentially key game in determining which side would claim the Division 5:26 play-off place sent the current holders of that spot, Zeugma Dostluk Spor, to the side closest to them at the start of play, third-placed F.C Poli.
                        ZDS held a two point advantage at the start of play, and were soon on course to extending that to five between the two sides when Latife Kurt headed in after just 7 minutes play. A bump in the road saw Poli equalise on 28 minutes, but that was slightly against the run of play – Antepli Ejderha’s charges had been slightly the better side in the first half.
                        ‘Slightly’ changed to clearly after the break, helped to a great extent by two goals early on in the period for the Anatolians, Aghavni Manookian giving them the lead again on 49 minutes, Kurt extending that to 3-1 just two minutes later. The visitors cruised through the rest of the match, but did add one more goal along the way when Ceyda ?z?lmez headed a Manookian cross home in the 81st.
                        The win not only consolidated Zeugma’s hold on second spot in 5:26, albeit their advantage over third is three points not five as some other sides went past Poli in the standings, it also increased their advantage over sixth to seven points, which is enough that all the focus at the Insan Haklari Stadyumu can now be on going up rather than worrying about being dragged down.

                        Comment


                          Another OTFer toping their table is Menywod Maeshafn. With five points in hand the Welsh side had a chance to make that position moreorless bullet proof if they could win at second-placed Barbed Barbies… but a loss would throw things wide open again.
                          Maeshafn were rather frustrated to be caught cold therefore, falling 1-0 down in just the second minute. IsThatcherDeadYet’s charges quickly stabilised and had an even share of the rest of the match (in terms of chances created if not possession), which made it all the more galling when Barbed scored again on 64 minutes.
                          This was in no way a 2-0 game, and it didn’t stay like that for long either, Iona Campbell heading home a corner on 69 minutes to get Maeshafn right back into it. Sadly none of Campbell’s teammates could replicate her success as the Welsh outfit were beaten for just the second time in the league this campaign.
                          The bottom two in this section met on the same day as the top pair, which meant that Dublin City Womens FC had a ‘must win’ at Phoenix Park Arena against the Moe Szyslak Experience.
                          Things started no better The Molly Malones than they had for Maeshafn, Moe’s going ahead just 4 minutes in. However here the pattern of the two games diverged as Dublin fought back, levelling just before the half-hour when Daniela Jim?nez headed in, and then going ahead seconds into the second-half when Emma Timmermans pounced on confusion after a corner in the Experience six yard box .
                          When Michelle Hempel slotted home a third for the hosts on 59 minutes the path to victory looked straightforward. However a nasty injury to Patr?cia Tavares on 78 minutes was a double blow – not only will the veteran defender be out for 15 days, but also that The Molly Malones had used their final sub just three minutes previously! Tavares departure therefore took Mortal Joe’s side down to ten, and within three minutes their lead had also shrunk to just one. But a good rearguard action thereafter stopped another being leaked, allowing the big win to be claimed.
                          How big? Well, Dublin are off the bottom of the Division 5:28 table for the first time in ages after it. Good news, but they are still five points from safety and have a lot of work left to do. As for Maeshafn, they will also now need to roll their sleeves up for the final three weeks of the season as their advantage at the summit is now just two points. It does remain six on those outside the top two, though.

                          In form Csiki Girls were looking to effectively knock a rival out of promotion contention when they visited third-placed side Cluj SisterHood.
                          If Csiki Girls were going to do that though they were going to have to come from behind after Cluj scored the opener on the stroke of half-time. That strike wasn’t really with the run of play though, and it didn’t take Ad hoc’s side long after the break to not only undo this but completely reverse it, Norma Ackland levelling matters with a long-range shot on 50 minutes before Georgia Birch headed the visitors in front from a 54th minute corner.
                          If any team is built to hold a lead it is Csiki Girls, and that is precisely what the Transylvanians did, denying the SisterHood so much as a shot at goal in the rest of the match. That meant a win which increased the gap between Division 5:31 leaders the Csikis and those third or below up to seven points with three games to play. The race for the title is much closer though – Csiki Girls lead in that remains just a single point.

                          To retain a realistic shot at overtaking leaders Ramsgate and winning the Division 6:37 title, Rising Stars simply had to win at the ground of the Division’s third-best side, MSV Duisburg Damen.
                          For the first 45 minutes whether blamb’s side could do that or not looked in the balance, as a pretty even half played out. The Ascenders might argue they just shaded it, and having around half the game is decent going as an away side anyway, but neither of these was enough to shift the interval score from 0-0.
                          After the break was a different story though as Rising Stars hit their apogee. Relentless pressure from the visitors had to succeed sooner or later, and it was more the former given that Pen?lope Andorinha made the breakthrough on 58 minutes. The same played added a second from a clever corner kick routine on 72 minutes with a third following not long after when ?rica Ver?ssimo fired home directly from a 78th minute free-kick.
                          And with that a major hurdle was cleared for The Stars. Only for another to loom as next week they face Angel Delights, who are moreorless directly responsible for the two point gap between Rising (in second) and Ramsgate at the top of the 6:37 after they held The Stars to a draw in the first meeting of the sides.

                          Once again we have reached a time in the season when Hazeldean Inchmistress are going through the motions playing out fairly meaningless games. Games such as their home clash with Ruskoon United.
                          The Imperials at least showed interest in what was effectively a dead rubber, putting in a strong first half showing that included goals at the beginning, Jennie Bringevik heading in a corner in the very first minute, and at the end, G?ta Christersson firing home from range on 41 minutes and Jessica Dekoninck nodding in on 45.
                          Foxy265 encouraged his team to keep playing for the second half and they responded with two more strikes, Dekoninck getting her second of the day on the hour mark and Bringevik similarly completing a brace in the last minute of normal time.
                          Inchmistress stay in fifth in the Division 6:40 standings despite winning.

                          With 10 wins from 10 and no goals conceded Bombay Green Rockets would have been strong favourites to beat mid-table Orleans even if the visiting side hadn’t sacked their manager for non-attendance two days prior to the game. Which is exactly what the French club had done.
                          What might have been a slightly challenging game instead was a cakewalk for HKS3’s side. The main point of interest about it was The Green Rockets managing to share the goals around so neatly, as five different players got on the score sheet. They all managed to do so in the first 31 minutes as well, starting with Tina N?rnberger firing in with 5 on the clock.
                          Skipper F?tima Paes hammered the second home from range on 10 minutes, Josefa Alberdi headed a third on 14, Amalea Ferrante tucked in the fourth from close range on 18 minutes, as did Isabel Lock with the fifth on 31. At that point Bombay clocked off, not even bothering to get back into motion when Orleans Gizella Kov?cs got herself sent off on 74 minutes.
                          Bombay sit five points clear of their nearest rivals in the Division 6:43 table. And with a zombie to play next week should get themselves on the cusp of the title. Possibly or more interest is whether they can collect the best record of any side in any of the Division 6’s. On that one they are currently third… but only by +1 GD. A 7-0 win next Tuesday and The Rockets might be back top of that as well.

                          Higher targets like that were not a concern for Cassiopeia – Stormstopper’s side were just trying to win Division 6:53. If they wanted to do that victory over leaders Boryana Revelation was essential.
                          The Vainglories sat four points behind their visitors at kick-off, a margin they threatened to slash when Sandra Aritonovic raced away to give them a 20th minute lead. This was just the second goal Boryana had conceded all season.
                          Cassiopeia were still ahead at the interval. In fact Revelation had not even managed a shot in the first half. But they managed to create one early in the second half, which they put away to level the scores up. The rest of the game was nip-and-tuck between two very evenly matched sides. It may well have finished all square but for the intervention of ref Sten Koll, who awarded Boryana a (dodgy as f-ck) penalty in the 83rd minute.
                          That was put away to send Cassiopeia to defeat. This not only practically ended The Vainglories title hopes, it also put their play-off chances in the balance as the Agora Aethiopia side only held a two point advantage on third-placed FC Cristal Dorohoi at kick-off. However Dorohoi were simultaneously blowing their chance with a shock defeat at Just wait, which means Cassiopeia stay second by two points and +6 GD. The consolation prize of a play-off is still very much on for The Vainglories.

                          Comment


                            With many congrats to the new champions, it's the OTF Season 62 Round 16 Round-Up

                            OTF

                            Monday's defeat at Vita Mortis had cut Four Candles' lead over the Reapermen to four points, but they grasped the opportunity to get back on track with a 3-1 home win over tail-enders Whoft Fluffopolis. The Fluffers were briefly level when Grimpen Mire's header cancelled out Vukosav Ignjatovic's spectacular opener for the home side in an even first half, but goals from Rauli Tuulasvaara and Matteo De Angelo after the interval secured the three points for the Candles. Their more confident second-half display may have been a result of them learning during the break that Vita Mortis were trailing 2-0 at Croesoswallt Dragons, Alexander Spencer and Cliff Anthony scoring the goals that were destroying Mortis' title hopes. Lance Porter pulled one back just before the hour mark, but they were unable to find the equaliser that would have kept them in contention, and Vasili Gulko's clincher for the Dragons ensured that Four Candles are champions for the second time, four seasons after their first success. Mortis miss out narrowly once again. This is their 24th consecutive season in the top flight, and remarkably they have finished outside the top five on only one occasion in that time - but, like the Candles now, they are only two-time champions.

                            The Fluffers' defeat confirmed their relegation, and the Dragons remain in the bottom three despite their victory (and despite having won as many as they've lost over the season), because 7th-placed AFC Csiki Monkeys were also victorious, Jean Joel Tchami heading in the only goal at St Pancras Starmers. The home team's sub Bob Ternent was sent off in stoppage time as they slip to 5th, two points clear of the drop zone in an increasingly tight relegation battle. Dandy Town move up to 4th, three points ahead of the Dragons, after Billy McHampton's own goal gave them a 1-0 win at home to Eriskay Expression, who stay in a relatively stress-free 3rd. Also still in relegation bother are Kernow Kensa, who are 6th, level on points with the Starmers, following a 2-0 home defeat by Hideous Towns, for whom Per-Erik Hoelseth scored twice. Victory was however not enough to save Hideous from the drop. They have shown signs of life of late, with four wins from seven, but two points from their opening nine games made a sixth consecutive top-flight relegation inevitable.

                            DIVISION 1

                            Top played bottom at Blue Fen and a shock was on the cards when relegated die Ambosse led hosts Great Ouse Town at the interval through Mario Muller's goal. Ouse had been well on top, however, and made their dominance count after the break, rattling in four goals without reply, Parker Windsor scoring twice. And that victory turned out to be enough to clinch Ouse's immediate return to the top flight, because 4th-placed Rejects Redux were beaten in their crunch promotion battle at home to Banik Roystonov, who went into the game two points above them in 3rd. After a scoreless first half, goals from Julius Wozniak and Ondrich Jarosik early in the second period put Banik in control and, though the Rejects reduced the arrears through Costel Lucescu, they were unable to find an equaliser. Banik, then, are now five points clear of the Rejects, needing two points to secure promotion. Above them and requiring just a single point are Berkshire Swine, who hammered Locomotiv Noj 6-0 at the Stef Tolsma Arena. Five different players made it onto the scoresheet, Karel Ruban netting twice.

                            Noj are 7th and remain in relegation trouble, but 8th-placed Zeugmaspor missed the opportunity to close to within one point of them, as they suffered their first defeat in eight, going down 2-1 at Saltney Drawers with Ray Bloody Purchase thumping home what turned out to be the winner. The Drawers climb to 5th and are now safe from the drop. Not quite safe are Steaua Bridge, who were overwhelmed by a stirring second-half comeback from visitors Turd Division at The Bridge. Steaua led 2-1 at the break, but two goals from Callum Allison shortly after the interval gave the revitalised Turds the advantage and a stoppage-time strike from Mario Amberg sealed a 4-2 win. This was a second Turds victory on the bounce, but their improvement looks to have come too late to repair the damage done by the eight consecutive defeats that preceded it, as they sit five points from safety with two games to go. A win at Locomotiv Noj on Monday could make for an interesting final day, however.

                            DIVISION 2

                            A 2-0 home win over Great Northern Railway takes leaders The Gang Play Football to within a point of promotion. Goals from Kristian Blomberg and Yaroslav Ustimov decided a one-sided contest that sees GNR tumble from 3rd all the way down to 6th. FC Gloryhammer are also on the brink of promotion, remaining a point behind The Gang following a 3-0 win over Cods of War that was done and dusted within ten minutes after both Dudu Asseo and Folkert Vroomans struck early. The Cods stay 8th, currently three points from safety.

                            Victories for Athletico Deva, Hampshire Deers and Wensleydale Blues see them all shuffle up a place to 3rd, 4th and 5th above GNR. Athletico were winners at doomed Heffron Hendecagon, Lorenc Abazi scoring twice in a victory that was more comfortable than the 3-2 scoreline suggests. Hampshire Deers' fifth 1-0 win in seven games was a fortunate one, Kendrick Tabbart slamming home their only chance of the game to beat luckless 9th-placed stragglers Littlewoods Legends, whose cause appears lost, as they are five points from safety - but the outlook could look brighter for them if they beat Heffron today. While we're here, shall we do the Deers' sequence of results again? Let's. 0-1, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0. Wensleydale Blues' victory over Wednesday de la Zouch was more straightforward, three second-half goals earning the points after the visitors had held the Blues at bay in the opening period. Wednesday are not out of the relegation woods yet, as they sit 7th, the Cods lurking just below them [Cods lurking in the woods? Are you sure? - Ed].

                            DIVISION 3

                            Pinewood Passers' four-match unbeaten run stood little chance of being extended when they were reduced to ten men at leaders Tree Hill High after 37 minutes, when Joey Hardiker was stretchered off and manager Geejaytee turned to his bench only to discover he'd forgotten to bring any subs. The Passers were already 1-0 down at that stage, and the ten men conceded three more in the second half, two of them from Neal Callahan. The Passers remain 9th, while THH's lead increased to three points following defeat for Andromache FC in their promotion showdown at home to OWC Albion. The visitors put in an impressive performance, running out 3-1 winners, Theo Hjelmqvist's stoppage-time header giving them a margin of victory that only hints at their dominance. Andromache slip below their conquerors into 4th, while Albion remain a point behind the new 2nd-placers, New Dresden, who saw off wooden-spooners Veni Vici Vigata 3-0, Jordao Lange and Winston Manfield having them out of sight within the first quarter of an hour. The promotion places will go to three of the current top four… and they meet each other today, with THH going to Andromache and New Dresden hosting OWC.

                            So it's DV time for the rest. Wharfedale Generals remain 5th and Brian Munchingflapjack 8th after the Generals' 3-0 win at The Green, where Phil Lock scored twice, and Nieuwegein Kneebiters and Eintracht Midwest swap places, moving to 6th and 7th respectively, after Ronnie Hoogendorp nodded in a late winner for the Kneebiters at Eintracht's Isaac Bradley Memorial Stadium.
                            Last edited by Hot Orange; 12-04-2021, 13:22.

                            Comment


                              Promoted in the Xpert Zone, three teams tied in points but our GD sent us up. I'm expecting certain relegation next season. Ho hum.

                              Comment


                                In the OTF league we're as good as down, we need a win and SB to lose plus a five goal swing.

                                When we've had a full team out we've done well, but injuries and stupid unavailability have meant that for more than half of the season it's not happened.

                                Edit: confusion over who's in 7th.
                                Last edited by Antepli Ejderha; 15-04-2021, 15:18.

                                Comment


                                  Got a mail in the Hazeldean Inchmistress inbox yesterday in the Ladies League from our old friend Tudor, calling me mate, telling me what a good player I was and inviting me to his new initiative in which 300 or more of the best managers would be playing in the best league that X11 would have ever seen. I responded in kind, saying that I felt honoured to be invited amongst the great and the good of X11 and that I would be more than happy to join his latest venture. I did say that I intended to call my new team Fenerbahce and therefore would expect to be financially doped to the gills so that I could be the inaugural champions of the new set-up as a favour for joining. He's yet to respond.

                                  Comment


                                    Originally posted by nmrfox View Post
                                    Got a mail in the Hazeldean Inchmistress inbox yesterday in the Ladies League from our old friend Tudor, calling me mate, telling me what a good player I was and inviting me to his new initiative in which 300 or more of the best managers would be playing in the best league that X11 would have ever seen. I responded in kind, saying that I felt honoured to be invited amongst the great and the good of X11 and that I would be more than happy to join his latest venture. I did say that I intended to call my new team Fenerbahce and therefore would expect to be financially doped to the gills so that I could be the inaugural champions of the new set-up as a favour for joining. He's yet to respond.
                                    I had the same email but from the admin of the Golden League to join this. It's run by CPI

                                    I just politely declined.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by Antepli Ejderha View Post

                                      I had the same email but from the admin of the Golden League to join this. It's run by CPI.
                                      I just politely declined.
                                      This. They forgot the bit about a free boost.

                                      Comment


                                        Oh, yes, I have just seen I got one too. From a Romanian manager. I won't be bothering.

                                        Comment


                                          Should I feel insulted that I didn't get an invite?

                                          Comment


                                            I got the same invite. I was feeling quite important until I looked in here and am now disappointed to find out that I am no more special than everyone else here.
                                            Except pebble obvs.

                                            Comment


                                              Likewise. I responded the same way as AE, but am still laughing at Foxy's response, brilliant. I wish I'd thought of that.

                                              Comment


                                                OTF League roundup for 12th April: Season 62 round 17
                                                Good luck all for the final day! A fair few promotion and relegation issues are still to be decided, and there are two head-to-head deciders for divisional titles.

                                                Division 3

                                                In a potentially decisive penultimate day of action, all the teams in D3 met those around them to help settle finishing positions. Leaders Tree Hill High as good as sealed the championship with a 2-0 win at 4th-placed Andromache FC, despite losing main striker Xavier Bonner to a red card on 63’ with the score at 1-0. Andromache though have run out of steam at the wrong time, losing their last three just as they looked to be storming into the title race and consequently they may miss out on promotion altogether.
                                                A lifeline though comes from 2nd meeting 3rd at Netzer Park, where after a quickfire early exchange of goals hosts New Dresden secured a 3-1 win over OWC Albion, visiting forward In-Hwan Du’s improbable own-goal after half an hour wrapping up the scoring. It leaves OWC still just a point ahead of Andromache – so now it is a question of whether Albion (who had gone 6-2-0 from their preceding 8 matches) or Andromache recover their momentum at the last. The latter have the advantage of facing midtable Eintracht Midwest, but still need OWC to drop points against a Tree Hill side with nothing much to play for.
                                                Monday’s results clinched promotion for Dresden, though Tree Hill’s 9th win in 11 leaves THH 3pts and 9 goals clear at the top, so unless they lose to OWC on Thursday and Dresden beat Brian Munchingflapjack with a major GD swing the top two will finish where they are.

                                                Elsewhere, Nieuwegein Kneebiters won 1-0 at Wharfedale Generals to leapfrog them from 6th to 5th, but both maturing young sides must spend at least another season in the basement division. Each lost a forward to injury in the first quarter-hour, respectively Winstanley Wijntuin and Frank Hulme, which will dent their Change Reports slightly.
                                                An exciting 3-3 between Pinewood Passers and Midwest at the Theatre of Pies kept the pair 9th and 7th. Munchingflapjack (8th) snapped their 5-game losing streak and picked up their first win in 10 with a 1-0 at Veni Vici Vigata (10th), who will finish some way adrift at the bottom.

                                                Division 2

                                                Narrow late wins for top two The Gang Play Football and FC Gloryhammer over Wednesday de la Zouch and Wensleydale Blues respectively on Monday sealed promotions for both, while leaving everything else still in flux. The Gang (1st) had to work for it at Weds (7th) in a tight game, but Kristian Blomberg’s 80th-min effort kept them a point ahead of the Hammers – who just two minutes earlier had bagged their own winner at home to the Blues through Folkert Vroomans. Eight and seven points clear of the pack, the pair collide at the Gang’s Anything ground on the final day to decide who takes the title.

                                                Now some way behind them, the pack will have to scrap it out for the last promotion slot. Just in the driving seat are Great Northern Railway, after clinging on in a 3-2 shootout at Athletico Deva to depose the Deviants from 3rd by a single goal -- the two clubs now have identical records but for the Railwaymen having scored 1 more.
                                                On the same tally (7-5-5, 26pts) but one goal worse off again in 5th are Hampshire Deers, who fought back for a 1-1 draw at home to Cods of War (8th) but for whom the two points dropped may be critical. Obviously once they fell behind, the Binary Cervines were never going to score twice – for the record, their last fourteen(!!) results now read 0-1, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0, 1-1. (Their thrill-starved fans can take small consolation from it being the first game in 10 in which there has been more than one goal in total.)
                                                The Deers’ last chance to break that cycle is at home to relegated Heffron Hendecagon (10th), who showed 'em how it's done when they twice fought back for a 2-2 draw at Littlewoods Legends (9th). Although the Hendos failed to win only their second game all term, the other having come at home to Littlewoods 15 matches earlier, they do drag the Legends through the trapdoor with them as the latter’s failure to win leaves them 4 points from safety.

                                                That slims the last-day permutations somewhat, with Legends’ trip to Great Northern Railway now significant only to the home side – which may prove vital to GNR, whose Monday win promptly lifted them back above all three teams they had slipped behind four days earlier, but who have shown consistent inability to consolidate such early-week success come Thursdays. Their positions after respectively their Thurs and Mon fixtures since Round 6 have gone 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 6th, 3rd, 6th, 3rd. In other words, GNR have climbed into that final promotion place on five of the last six Mondays... but they have never managed to hold onto it for longer than three days.
                                                To buck the trend, they have to win their last game at home to the Legends, while hoping Deva do not win by more at Wednesday. If the Deers do suddenly go goal-crazy, though, they could vault past both. And if, somehow, all three lose, two points behind all of them in 6th are Wensleydale Blues, who could yet leap at the last to 3rd if they beat Cods of War. In fact, even if the others all draw the Blues could still make it with a 3-goal win, since their narrow loss to Gloryhammer means the quartet’s respective GDs are all clustered on +5, +4, +3, +3.
                                                Cods, of course, need the win themselves as the sole remaining undecided relegation slot is down to them and Wednesday. Two points and 7 goals behind de la Zouch, the net is closing around them however; they need a win over Wensleydale and for Weds not to get anything at home to Deva if they are to escape.

                                                Division 1

                                                A hard-fought 2-1 win for leaders Great Ouse Town at home to Banik Roystonov (3rd) on Monday reduced the title race to a straight shootout at the Blue Fen on the last day today, when Ouse will host 2nd-placed Berkshire Swine. The Sty Council come into the decider 2pts behind but also safely promoted themselves after two late goals, one a penalty, eventually gave them a 3-1 win at bottom club die Ambosse.
                                                A mere point would have been enough for promotion, but the win also puts them out of reach of Banik, whose defeat at Ouse leaves their own hopes hanging in the balance just when they were almost home and dry themselves. Out of the title race, their 5-point lead on 4th-placed Rejects Redux is also back down to just 2 after the Rejects’ late winner in a competitive 3-2 game at home to Saltney Drawers (5th), which keeps Redux’s chances alive to the last day. The Drawers now host Banik to finish with, while the Rejects go to Steaua Bridge. A Saltney win or a draw will let the Rejects into 3rd if they can win at Steaua, as they and season-long rivals Banik are fittingly tied on +8 GD apiece right now.

                                                Naturally, there are complications. Saltney are already safe despite their Monday loss, at 4pts above the relegation line on 22pts. So too are Locomotiv Noj, who fought to a 4-2 home win over Turd Division (9th) that leaves them also on 22 but condemns the Turds to the U-bend on 14. Steaua however are still in need of something from their final game against the Rejects, as their 1-0 loss at Zeugmaspor on Monday meant the last relegation place is still between the two – Zeugma keeping their fight going by reducing the gap between them and Steaua, who slip to 7th, to 3 points and 4 goals. With their last game at home to a Noj side with nothing to play for, there is a small but real chance AE’s side could overturn that deficit.

                                                OTF

                                                In the top flight, in contrast to all that, things are more or less done and dusted except for shuffling the midtable pack into their final order. Kernow Kensa saved themselves from danger of the drop and leapt two to 4th, level on points and GD with Eriskay Expression in 3rd, after a 2-0 win at Expression on Monday. The two teams they leapfrogged, St Pancras Starmers and Dandy Town, are also looking safe after an uneventful 0-0 stalemate at St Pancras; outgoing champions Town drop to 5th but are secure at 4pts clear of the line, while the Starmers fall two to 7th but would need a seven-goal swing to demote them at the last. So too would Csiki Monkeys, who overtake them to 6th on goals scored following a 2-0 win at new champions-elect Four Candles – a result less surprising than it seems on paper due to the Candles already having nailed down their second title, and one that also as good as keeps the Monkeys up for another season.
                                                So why all this sudden lack of drama? Because, just when a Croesoswallt Dragons win at bottom side Whoft Fluffopolis would have left the 8th-placed Dragons level on points with the Monkeys and Starmers and squashed the entirety of 3rd-8th down to within 2 points for the final round of fixtures – which would have left us with goodness knows how many permutations this Thursday – the Dragons went and got turned over 3-1 at already-down Whoft. Despite leading nearly to the break via a Belvedere Mintfresh OG, Croesoswallt subsided to defeat to all but sink them too and let all five clubs above them off the hook. Their faint remaining chance of survival would require a victory today at the new champs Candles and for either the Monkeys (at the Dandies) or Starmers (at Kensa) to lose, with an 8-goal swing.

                                                After all that, the one already dead rubber on Monday was the Norfolk derby between Vita Mortis (assured of 2nd) and Hideous Towns (certain of finishing in the bottom 2) at the Hollows. Mortis ran out 4-1 winners and will take their third successive runners-up finish – their second such ‘best losers’ hat-trick in the last eight seasons.
                                                Last edited by Various Artist; 09-05-2021, 22:40.

                                                Comment


                                                  I have got also an invitation for the new Super-duper-largest-bestest League and ignored it politely. First they have to deliver before they announce all the superlatives and with the record of the league I have my doubts.

                                                  I am looking forward to the final game of the OTF Leage. For GNR even a win might not be enough.

                                                  I am also thinking about leaving the XPert Zone and J4GL, but I have not made my mind up about this.

                                                  Comment


                                                    For whatever reason I couldn't get into the J4GL and moved to the Xpert Zone, Carlos06 is trying to restore it to its former self after being ruined by one admin whose name escapes me. I'm hopeful I'll enjoy it this time around despite my promotion.

                                                    Hope you stick around MJ.

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