X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[Sits]

Thanks Sits. It's taken me all of the time I've been on Xpert Eleven to get to these heights so I'm enjoying it.

As both my sides now have average ages of over 29 this is the last season for the current side, then we'll see what I'll do.

How's your new franchise doing after the change report?

Thanks AE, I’m not in the Golden League any more - sole OTFer in the Pro League - only five games into our sophomore season.

[nmrfox]

One for the admins out there - is it best to leave a team when the season has ended or when the change report has been received?

[Sits]

One for the admins out there - is it best to leave a team when the season has ended or when the change report has been received?

After the new season is started is most helpful for the Admin. Which team(s) Foxy?

[nmrfox]

After the new season is started is most helpful for the Admin. Which team(s) Foxy?

I'm going to drop Ianbeale Steeplecoque in the J4GL. RichardSP is a great admin, but for whatever reason I just don't feel it with this team, even though we've had a promotion and a relegation, and as I've probably mentioned before, I really struggle with lunchtime kick-offs.

[Sits]

Fair enough

[Antepli Ejderha]

I'm going to drop Ianbeale Steeplecoque in the J4GL. RichardSP is a great admin, but for whatever reason I just don't feel it with this team, even though we've had a promotion and a relegation, and as I've probably mentioned before, I really struggle with lunchtime kick-offs.

That's exactly why I left.

[pebblethefish]

Hmm. The same day that Adam Woodyatt appeared on breakfast TV to state that he had no plans to return to Eastenders, a team called Ianbeale decides to quit.

I think Foxy's just a heartbroken fan.

[Various Artist]

OTF League roundup for 14th June: Season 63 round 14
Things are heating up as we head into the last 2 weeks of the campaign:

Division 3

---

It’s eight straight wins for D3 pacesetters Nieuwegein Kneebiters, who are still 8pts clear after two late goals helped them thump Veni Vici Vigata (9th) 4-0 at Parkhout. VVV were one of only three teams to take points off them this season, and the only other one where a reverse fixture is still to come is Eintracht Midwest, next up – who are now bottom with a rebuilt young side.
The title is looking highly likely for the Biters, who have suddenly pulled a huge 8 points clear of Littlewoods Legends. The pair had the OTF League’s last two unbeaten records before Nieuwegein won a decisive clash between them last Thursday, but the Legends then promptly lost again on Monday, 2-0 at Wharfedale Generals (6th). Suddenly even their promotion place is under threat, with Heffron Hendecagon and Cods of War now both just three points behind after big wins on Monday. Heffron are unbeaten in six and are the league's top scorers by some margin after thrashing OWC Albion (7th) 4-1 at home with braces from Professor Slocombe and Leo Felix. Cods crushed Midwest 5-0 at the Isaac Bradley with two apiece for Benicio Falcao and Neramson Harmis. They and Heffron collide this Thursday at Rockall in a potentially key clash. Brian Munchingflapjack (5th) however lost ground in the promotion race after a 0-0 draw at Pinewood Passers (8th) in which the Flapjacks were outclassed and lucky to escape with one point.

Division 2

---

Wednesday de la Zouch (3rd) blew the D2 title race open with a deserved 2-0 win at leaders die Ambosse, both goals coming just after half-time but due reward for a dominant Weds performance. It is only the Anvils’ second loss all season, but one that reduced the gap between the pair to 4pts with 4 to play.
Steaua Bridge (2nd) are a point ahead of Wednesday still, but only after becoming the latest side to barely squeeze past pointless yet battling New Dresden (10th). A profligate Steaua led from the 6th minute yet got pegged back level in the 84th; however they rediscovered their range in time to nick a winner after all two minutes later. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that 14th consecutive reverse confirmed defiant Dresden’s relegation. Turd Division (4th) remain in pursuit of the top 3, winning 3-1 at Tree Hill High (9th) to push THH closer to the drop too – at 7 points adrift of safety with 12 left to play for.

Wins for 4th, 5th and 6th over 7th, 8th and 9th however kept everyone in the same positions in the table: Wensleydale Blues (5th) won 2-0 at Andromache FC (8th) and Hampshire Deers (6th) edged out Great Northern Railway (7th) in an important result at the Clump, opening up a 7-point gap between the pair. That likely reduces the relegation battle to GNR and Andromache for the last slot, with a single point separating them right now either side of the line. Meanwhile Turds (25pts), Blues (24) and Deers (23) are all still within striking distance of Weds (28) and even Steaua (29).

Division 1

---

Croesoswallt Dragons reopened a 3-point lead on Monday, dispatching FC Gloryhammer (8th) 3-0 at Dundee Park while Rejects Redux were only drawing 1-1 at Locomotiv Noj (6th). That cost the Rejects a place, Waveney Valley Swifts nipping back past into 2nd on GD via an efficient 3-0 home win over Zeugmaspor (7th).
The Chester derby at the Enormodome saw the home fans of Athletico Deva (10th) streaming for the exits long before Emile Beeton made it 3-0 to visitors Saltney Drawers (4th) in the 90th minute, as ruefully acknowledged by home boss Viktor_Boskovic/Cota. The competitive head-to-head is still 11-5-10 to Deva, but the Drawers have never headed back across the car-park with such an emphatic league win at their neighbours, whom they have pushed closer to the drop while maintaining their own top-flight ambitions at three points behind 2nd and 3rd.
Whoft Fluffopolis (5th) are still just about in the latter conversation too after a 2-0 home win over The Gang Play Football (9th), though the Fluffers are in fact 6 points from both promotion and relegation zones. The main melee at the lower end lies between Zeugma (14pts), Gloryhammer (14) and The Gang (13), with a crunch clash coming today between Zeugma and Gang sides each on a run of 3 straight losses. Noj have edged 3pts clear of the cluster in 6th, after a remarkable sequence of results since the start of the season reading DDLLLLLDWWWWDD, though they have a tough trip to the Swifts today before facing The Gang next Monday.

OTF

---

The big summit meeting between Berkshire Swine (1st) and Four Candles (2nd) at the Stef Tolsma Arena did not quite live up to its billing, turning out a cagey affair where each side converted one of their two chances to cancel each other out and stay a point apart. Dandy Town (3rd) were thus the day’s big winners in more than one sense, after a superb fightback from 2-0 down midway through the first half at Great Ouse Town (8th); although the Dandies still trailed at the hour mark Timmu Kraft’s goal gave them a slice of hope, then two more in five minutes in the latter stages completed a stunning turnaround. They are now on the outside of the title race at 5pts behind the Candles, and are also 6pts clear of the pack behind after Vita Mortis and Eriskay Expression drew 1-1 at the Hollows to slip back a spot each to 5th and 6th. Mortis had 6 shots to 2 so will be the more frustrated of the pair, who are only 3 and 2 points respectively above the dropzone. Csiki Monkeys leapfrogged both to 4th with a dominant 3-0 home win over Banik Roystonov (9th), despite losing both teenage defender Flórián Gyöngyös (wahey, all this wait to use diacritics again and finally I get four in one name!) to injury and -- more notably -- goalkeeper Gert Bosveldt to a straight red card on 55 minutes. Even so it was an alarmingly one-sided game that gave the Monkeys’ hopes of a top-half finish a big boost but pushed their old foes Banik deeper into relegation danger at 6pts adrift.

Somers Town Sugar Imps (10th) are almost doomed meanwhile at 10 points below the ‘dotted’ line, after an incident-packed 0-0 draw at home to Kernow Kensa (7th) that had everything except goals, or indeed chances. To be more honest, between the top tier’s two sides with the lowest goals tallies and worst disciplinary records, it was a rancorous 90-minute needle-fest with virtually no football but plenty of aggro. Ref Stellan Offsajed booked five players, starting with home defender Bastjan Tomasi for a terrible 4th-minute tackle that ended young Kernow counterpart Mack Schroeder’s game very prematurely, then finally lost his patience entirely and sent off both the Imps’ sub striker Aritz Arazadi and Kensa defender Wyatt Morton in an extraordinary stoppage time.
When the dust had settled, delicatemoth’s Season 59 title-winners were left knowing that a loss at Ouse this Thursday will drop them through the trapdoor, while Scultura’s Season 60 champs are 7th and just two points above the line with a tricky run-in -- starting with a visit from the Candles this evening.

[willie1foot]

So, I'm preparing tactics for the big clash with the Kneebiters and their squad consists of a total of 14 players, all of which are 24 years of age and all but one of which are club legends. Anyone else think this is a bit odd? I'd post a screenshot but I cannot for the life of me post an image here.

[Sits]

I think Wouter is just applying the bloc method, whereby in a couple more reasons that team will start to become an absolute powerhouse, until they all click over 29.

[willie1foot]

I think Wouter is just applying the bloc method, whereby in a couple more reasons that team will start to become an absolute powerhouse, until they all click over 29.

I kind of get that, but how exactly do you manage to get a whole (albeit very small) squad (bar 1) to attain legend status (played >100 games) by the age of 24? He would have had to buy all of them 5 or more seasons ago as youngsters to get to that point.

[Sits]

I kind of get that, but how exactly do you manage to get a whole (albeit very small) squad (bar 1) to attain legend status (played >100 games) by the age of 24? He would have had to buy all of them 5 or more seasons ago as youngsters to get to that point.

Sorry Willie. You’ve played this game longer than me. Looking at “Players In”, half were bought age 17, and the others age 18 a season later. So I suppose 6 or 7 seasons of 18 games each does just get you over the 100. Pretty good going.

[Various Artist]

I kind of get that, but how exactly do you manage to get a whole (albeit very small) squad (bar 1) to attain legend status (played >100 games) by the age of 24? He would have had to buy all of them 5 or more seasons ago as youngsters to get to that point.

Yeah, that's exactly what Smallcaps/Wouter has done Willie. Look at the Kneebiters' 'Players Bought' and 'Players Out' pages and you'll see he entirely broke down his last title-winning squad and restarted with an whole gaggle of kids. They naturally plunged promptly down the leagues and took a whole load of beatings while they gradually started to mature, but they were also getting a shedload of games under their youthful belts. (Hot Orange and myself recently spent about a year searching, in our respective roundups, for new variations on the regularly repeating descriptions of both the Kneebiters' and Wharfedale Generals' teams of kindergarteners getting stuffed twice weekly – a process that has now mercifully ceased as they've got a little older.) The rewards of this process though are ones Wouter now starting to reap.

[matt j]

(Hot Orange and myself recently spent about a year searching, in our respective roundups, for new variations on the regularly repeating descriptions of both the Kneebiters' and Wharfedale Generals' teams of kindergarteners getting stuffed twice weekly – a process that has now mercifully ceased as they've got a little older.)

A situation you'll have to repeat with the youngsters at Midwest now. keeping it below 7-nil is a moral victory.

[Various Artist]

Ha, indeed! I did call them a "rebuilt young side" in the roundup above, which hopefully points the way to future such descriptions.

[Various Artist]

I'd post a screenshot but I cannot for the life of me post an image here.

For this, incidentally:

• Click on 'Image' button (the one with the squarish icon of a sun over mountains) above Reply box
• Paste in URL of your image to be linked
• Untick the little 'Retrieve remote file and reference locally' box. For some godforsaken reason, this is automatically ticked as a default but if left that way will prevent the image from being posted
• Resize height/width as desired (you can re-access this dialog box to play with these numbers by double-clicking on the picture when it appears in the reply preview)

[Janik]

Xpert XI official Ladies League Season 62, matchday 6 report.

Xpert Ladies

Bruxas da Arruda           2 - 0   Drakaina
Graxas 37', 43'


Division 1b

Mauchline Belles           1 - 0   Jackie Brown
MacFillan 66'
                                   Skjoldager (sent off) 83'


Division 3e

Spicks Killiettes          1 - 3   Viking South Utsira
Tonser 75'                         N.Austrheim 21', 81'
                                   Y.Klovning 54'


Division 3f

Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC     0 - 1   Dinner Ladies
                                   Gobon 16'


Division 4i

LNWR Locomotive            0 - 3   Great Horned Owls
                                   Woodward 5'
                                   Saavedra 33'
                                   Delagarza 38'


Division 4j

Blue Belles                1 - 2   Coxy Ladies Wulpen
Älg 52'                            Beyen 28'
                                   Ntambwe 60'
                                   Kerckhoeven (sent off) 80'


Division 4p

Gaia Superior              4 - 1   Csiki Girls
Guterres 47', 70', 86'             Smet (pen) 78'
Tilak (pen) 73'


Division 5:14

Cinghiali                  2 - 0   Brisbane Roar Ladies
Millen 35'
Kajtazi 63'


Division 5:19

Rising Stars               1 - 2   Wheelies Wobblers
Veríssimo 35'                      Gillan 26'
                                   Schultz 73'

Ullapool Northern Star     2 - 2   Millwall Lionesses
Mamouni 12'                        Torto 10'
Mair 49'                           Ärlig (pen) 19'


Division 5:21

Reds                       2 - 0   Invisible Ladies
Drzewicka 42'
Drawicz 60'


Division 5:22

Bombay Green Rockets       2 - 1   Margo Price XI
Pöhlmann 26'                       Bøygard 73'
Stridh 90'


Division 5:26

AC Viseu                   1 - 1   Zeugma Dostluk Spor
Redondo 20'                        Manookian 85'


Division 5:27

Anonymous                  2 - 2   Cassiopeia
Göstne 74'                         Bisaku 63'
Lagos 77'                          Juric 85'


Division 5:28

Menywod Maeshafn           0 - 3   Jocvijeve Zecice
                                   Alexopoulos 5'
                                   Kabic 61', 93'


Division 6:42

Martimiano                 0 - 7   Hazeldean Inchmistress
                                   Christersson 3', 27'
                                   Lesage 10'
                                   Morgan 12'
                                   Bunton 16', 48'
                                   Bringevik (pen) 23'


Division 6:43

ASU Politehnica            2 - 3   Aveley Ladies F.C
Södergren 18'                      Machado 27'
Sãvescu 37'                        Milesson 81'
                                   Barrett 84'


Division 6:57

Green Street Hooligans     0 - 5   Dublin City Womens FC
                                   Lyktberg 15', 32'
                                   Timmermans 23'
                                   Hempel 42'
                                   Moscardi 87'

With no victories in their opening five games, it wasn’t quite now or never for Drakaina when they visited Bruxas da Arruda, but a win was needed pretty soon, please. And this one would have been ideal, seeing as the hosts started the day in fifth, i.e. the side The Dragons were targeting.
Unfortunately for Etienne’s side that win never looked on as they were rather overrun in the first half. The Greek defence, led by player-of-the-match Maria Gudlandur, produced some last gasp blocks and veteran goalkeeper Anastasia Shkolnikova some saves, but eventually the pressure told with Bruxas scoring twice late in the half.
That was enough for the home side to ease off, and also enough to deflate Drakaina so they couldn’t take advantage of the cut in pace, the second half being a complete non-event. That consequences of the result are the Xpert Ladies table looks grim for The Dragons, who are seventh with two points, winless to date and now a yawning eight points adrift of the safety line (which keeps moving forwards). If this wasn’t quite a ‘must win’, the next two definitely are as both are against the one team below Drakaina, Year Zero, who are also points zero and goals scored zero this season.

If Drakaina go down, could they pass Mauchline Belles going the other way? There was some possibility of that ahead of The Belles match against Jackie Brown, something a victory over the Ass-Kicking Flight Attendants would only add to.
A chanceless first half was also a rather defensive one for the Ayrshire Lassies as Jackie Brown bossed general proceedings. The visitors began to add chances to their possession after the break, only to be hit by a sucker punch as Michelle MacFillan gave The Belles the lead rather against the run of play on 66 minutes.
Jdsx’s girls now had something to cling on to, a task they were helped in when one of the Jackie Brown players, Jorun Skjoldager, fell foul of the law and got herself locked up (in the changing rooms a few minutes early) in the 83rd minute.
That helped Mauchline close out a win that lifted them up to third in the Division 1b table, a point off the play-off place though still six behind the leaders.

Viking South Utsira had a chance to consolidate their spot in the Division 3e promotion chase when they took on a Spicks Killiettes side a place but also three points behind them in the table.
The Blood Eagles and the Scots were third and fourth respectively in the standings at kick-off and those numbers looked about right through a first half where Viking were the better side, clearly so but also not massively that. 1-0 at the break courtesy of Nina Austrheim’s 21st minute header was about right.
A long range blast from Yasmine Klovning made it two on 54 minutes for Velvet Android’s side, who had upped their game to get to that score but now opted to sit on it. That was slightly risky and resulted in one back for Killie on 75 minutes, but The Blood Eagles responded well to the set-back, immediately raising the tempo again and restoring their two-goal advantage just six minutes later when player-of-the-match Austrheim got her second of the day, her fellow previous scorer Klovning with the assist.
That strike snuffed out Spicks resistance, the win not only opening a six point gap between the sides in the 3e standings, but also pushing VSU up to second in the table.

Struggling Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC had a difficult match to turn their faltering season around in as they hosted a Dinner Ladies side who were third in the table with 10 points from 5 games.
The Catering Professionals had achieved that record through lots of close games, often 1-0, with few goals scored but even fewer conceded. Which, coincidentally, was where The Spirits of the Sea had been so far this season, just the other way around. A 1-0 away win would have been the widespread prediction for the game, and that is where the scoreline stood by the 16th minute after SeanoftheShed’s side conceded from a corner.
KRK actually had a decent amount of ball in the rest of the match, and made a couple of chances. But they foundered on the strong visiting defence, and their own lack of penetration up front. Which meant that, as expected, it did indeed finish 1-0 against The Sea Goddesses. It’s a result that leaves them still sixth in the Division 3f table, three points behind fifth.

[Janik]

A match against the side one place above them, with just two more points, did have a must win feel about it for LNWR Locomotive. The visitors to Mollington Street for this relegation clash being Great Horned Owls.
Did the pressure of the occasion get to The Steamers players? Because something did as this game was basically over by half-time. The score was 3-0 to GHO by then, a goal after 5 minutes shaking Locomotive and Viktor Boskovic’s side never really recovering their defensive composure, shipping two more on 33 and 38.
The second half was the Owls sitting off, because why did they need more? That allowed The Steamers to press on, which they sort of did but without any signs of self-belief.
0-3 it finished, which was a defeat painful both in terms of a missed opportunity and also the effective on Locomotive’s league position, which remains bottom of Division 4i but now six points behind fifth spot.

A run of form had lifted Coxy Ladies Wulpen to the top of the Division 4j table, but this streak was likely to face a stern examination when The Waders visited second-in-the-table Blue Belles.
The hosts through they had a breakthrough after just two minutes, only for ref Seymour Red to give Janik’s side a reprieve by disallowing the strike. This was something Wulpen took advantage of, Charlotte Beyen turning home a 28th minute corner to put her side ahead.
That goal came from Wulpen’s first shot of the day, as did the Belles equaliser on 52 minutes. Coxy Ladies took that in their stride though and restored their advantage on the hour. Once again it came from a corner, Anaïs Ntambwe the player on hand this time to poke home her first senior goal which put her side back ahead.
At this point things looked comfortable for Wulpen, but things became stickier on 80 minutes when Noémie Kerckhoeven picked up her second yellow card of the day. The Waders saw out the time with 10 with caution, but saw them out they did, to collect a win that establishes a three point cushion between themselves and second in the 4j standings.

Csiki Girls Division 4p campaign so far has run in twos; two defeats to start, followed by two wins. Which meant another defeat on matchday 5 was ominous for the Transylvanians visit to Gaia Superior for matchday 6.
Csiki Girls initially made a nonsense of such fears, ad hoc’s charges reaching the half-time break with the score still scoreless after a half of just one chance. However things changed after the break, and not in a good way for The Csikis. Gaia struck on 47 minutes, paused until Csiki Girls were forced to commit more forward, and then netted twice more on 70 and 73.
The second of these came from the spot, and may ref George Buske was feeling a bit unsure of his decision as he swiftly evened matters up, awarding Csiki Girls their own penalty on 78 minutes. Floriane Smet scored that, but rather than spark a comeback it just saw Superior put the game to bed with a fourth of the day on 86 minutes.
Defeat leaves Csiki Girls sixth in Division 4p, three points and -9 GD behind fifth.

Cinghiali arrived at their game with Brisbane Roar Ladies in better form than their visitors as The Boars were pushing hard at the top end of the Division 5:14 table. Not that Brisbane were doing badly, the Roar were mid-table, but they kicked off notably shy of SitsWithRemote’s girls in terms of points previously picked up (6 versus 10).
There proved to be very little between the sides, but what difference there was was a very telling one – finishing. Cinghiali made a much better job of this than their visitors. A perfect one in fact, creating just two chances in the entire match, but seeing Susanna Millen slam in the first from close range on 35 minutes and Izabela Kajtazi do likewise from far greater distance on 63.
That was the high point of veteran Kajtazi’s day. The low came in stoppage time when she picked up a 17-day injury that the 36 year-old will take a while to recover her form after, even once she has returned to full fitness. Kajtazi will hope her side’s position is as good on her return to full effectiveness as it was when she picked up the knock, which was second in the 5:14 standings, three points adrift of the leaders but also three clear of third place.

A key clash around the Division 5:19 drop line pitted Rising Stars who kicked off just above it, against Wheelies Wobblers, who arrived at The Ascension Arena on the wrong side of the line.
The Stars attempt to keep their visitors behind them wasn’t fully effective as Wheelies had a lot of the ball, something they made use of by taking the lead in the 26th minute. Érica Veríssimo responded with a direct free-kick on 35, and Rising reached half-time having out-shot their opponents 3-2, but there were worrying signs for Ascenders boss Blamb in his side’s 43% possession.
Sadly for Rising this number only went down after the break, whilst the chances the Wobblers created went up… at the same time as The Ascenders own dropped. The consequences of all this was Wobblers pressure that resulted in a 73rd minute winner that they probably merited (admitted though gritted teeth).
Elsewhere in Division 5:19, third placed Ullapool Northern Star hosted leaders Millwall Lionesses, but with both teams also aware of the chasing pack very close at hand.
Millwall were the first to try and edge away from the hunters, taking the lead on 10 minutes, only for Polaris to respond immediately as Inès Mamouni converted a breakaway on 12. There was no time to relax for Delicatemoth’s side though as they were behind again on 19 minutes after Ann Onym awarded the Lionesses a 19th minute penalty.
Ullapool came back again however, Mary-Leslie Mair firing in another equaliser from range four minutes after the restart. Both teams probed for a winner after that, or they did until injury forced Northern Star down to 10 on 81 minutes, a 7-day knock forcing Avril Weatherhead to leave the field after all the Polaris subs had already been made.
Despite that Ullapool held on for a point, but this wasn’t enough to preserve their second place in the 5:19 table as one side jumped past them to shift the Scots down to fourth (Millwall fell from first to third). As or Rising Stars, defeat to the Wobblers seems them drop back the wrong side of the cut-off line to be sixth, currently two points shy of fifth.

Another great escape looks like it might be needed by Invisible Ladies. That is unless The See-Throughs begin winning games like their matchday 6 visit to Reds.
Unfortunately PebbletheFish’s girls never looked like doing that in this one as the hosts were in control from the outset. And that holds even though Invisible did make them wait until 42 minutes for a first goal.
Having shipped one, The See-Throughs then conceded another on the hour mark, which pretty well put a seal on their loss. One that positives were hard to draw from after a day when Invisible didn’t have a single shot.
To make matters worse, results elsewhere sent the San Seethrough side to the foot of the Division 5:21 table. The one silver lining to all this is four teams are struggling, so even propping up the standings The See-Throughs are still only two points behind fifth place.

[Janik]

Bombay Green Rockets suffered a bit of a stutter last week (a blockage in the fuel line, maybe?), so were looking to fire their boosters again against the Margo Price XI, which sounds more like a cricket team to be honest.
The visitors to The Common had a lot of the first half ball… but it was The Green Rockets who were doing useful things with what possession they had. In fact, despite only 39% possession in this period HKS3’s side outshot their visitors 4-0 as they played counter-punching Football to perfection. Perfection obviously including taking the lead, Eileen Pöhlmann heading home in the 26th minute.
Margo Price finally managed to convert ball retention into some attacking threat after the break and levelled on 73 minutes. But Bombay were having none of this, continuing to use their limited ball effectively to the point where Eva Stridh netted the winner when she headed home in the 90th minute.
The win edged The Rockets back up to second in the Division 5:22 standings. They are a point behind the leaders. But then so is the sides in second place. And the one in third. And fourth. And fifth! There is then a large gap to sixth, with this section looking set at the minute for a major bunfight for the promotion and play-off place, but with three teams far adrift at the bottom.

The gauntlet was thrown down to Zeugma Dostluk Spor as the fixture list sent them to Division 5:26 leaders AC Viseu.
There was little to choose between the sides in the opening half. Apart, that is, from a Viseu goal on 20 minutes. A minor detail that. Being behind to a side used to winning was not a great position for AntepliEjderha’s charges to be in, but Zeugma kept believing and so kept playing, even after losing defender Nazan Cankut to a 10 day injury on 74 minutes.
The ZDS defence limited Viseu to just a further two chances, neither of which they took. That meant Zeugma could fight back with just one moment of clear thinking, which was exactly what Aghavni Manookian produced when she stroked home in the 85th minute.
That sealed a draw for the Anatolians that was enough to move them up to second in the 5:26 reckoning, though only goal difference ahead of second and still four points behind the leaders.

Cassiopeia have been making waves so far this season, which was in contrast to their matchday 6 opponents, who, in case of nominative determinism, have been Anonymous. By which I mean in the bottom three, whilst The Vainglories have also been living up to their nickname by trumpeting their third place in the table at kick-off.
Despite the contrasting attitudes of the two teams, they put on a closely fought match. But even in this there were two distinct elements, a first half of limited chances and excitement being quite different from a see-saw goal-filled second period. Anita Bisaku got the scoring underway when she stabbed in a corner to out Cassiopeia ahead in the 63rd minute, but this goal was cancelled out by Anonymous in the 74th.
The hosts then moved ahead with a free-kick on 77 minutes that looked like it might give them the win, only for Gordana Juric to rescue a point for Stormstopper’s side when she headed home with 5 minutes (plus stoppages) to play.
Despite the point rescued, this was something of a missed opportunity for The Vainglories as other result would have seen a 3-2 win take them top (just) of the Division 5:27 standings. As it is they sit third, two points and -1 GD behind the leaders and level on points and GD (but not goals scored) with second.

Third against second was the fare in North Wales, with both hosts Menywod Maeshafn and their visitors Jocvijeve Zecice level on 10 points at kick-off.
But if an even match was expected, that isn’t how things worked out. And sadly for IsThatcherDeadYet and co, it wasn’t them dominating. Maeshafn had less than 40% of the ball in each half in fact, and didn’t create a single chance whilst Zecice made three per period. The visitors stuck one away very early on, which may have had a pscyologically dampening effect on Maeshafn, and then a second on 61 minutes to kill off the contest, a third with virtually the last kick just rubbing it in.
Maeshafn are still third in Division 5:28 after the reverse, but are now three points adrift of second and actually closer in points to sixth (two) than any potential promotion place.

The latest stop on Hazeldean Inchmistress promotion push was at zombies Martimiano.
It proved to be a completely routine kill for Foxy265’s side as The Imperials ran in six in the first half hour. Göta Christersson got the first of them after just 3 minutes, and also netted number six on 27. In between Simone Lesage (10 minutes), Jacqueline Morgan (12), Karen Bunton (16) and Jennie Bringevik (27) struck.
The day was actually a mixed one for Bringevik as soon after her goal, which came from the penalty spot, the midfielder went down with a 15-day injury. But that didn’t stop Inchmistress, who added a seventh in the 48th minute, Bunton getting her second of the day, and then called it quits at that.
The win, however routine, was also a good one as elsewhere Division 6:42’s top two were meeting. That game finished with leaders Haydock (the only team to beat Hazeldean so far this season) topping Aston Villa, a result that opened the door to The Imperials climbing up to second in the Division 6:42 table.

As previously noted, Division 6:43 is essentially just a four team league, there being four human managed sides and four zombies. This makes clashes between the actively managed teams, such as the one pitting ASU Politehnica and Aveley Ladies F.C even more important to the destination of the promotion places than usual, as none of the top four are going to drop points elsewhere.
The Scholars appeared to realise this as they put in a very strong first half showing, scoring first on 18 minutes through Evelyn Södergren header and then retaking the lead on 37 minutes when Elena Sãvescu fired home. Unfortuantely, though, Granthamian’s side hadn’t managed to shake Aveley off, as evidenced by the visitors bringing it back to 1-1 on 27 minutes and still being in touch at the break.
This became crucial as the tables turned after the interval, Aveley now making comfortably more of the chances. The Scholars tried desperately to hang on, but conceded an equaliser on 81 minutes and then, dispirited, buckled completely as Aveley struck the winner on 84.
That meant it was two defeats out of two in these decisive matches for Politehnica, a record that leaves them currently fourth of 6:43’s big four. And makes the two games coming up against leaders London Ladies massive for the students. Four points is a minimum requirement from these fixtures.

As always we finish up with Dublin City Womens FC, who this week were up against zombies Green Street Hooligans.
Despite lack of a manager Green Street retain some of the players that had them in Division 2b just four seasons ago, albeit that was already an ageing side back then which is why their boss abandoned them and no-one has been interested in the rebuilding task. Even so there was still the veteran nous in the team to at least slow Dublin’s flow of goals, it taking a full 15 minutes before Maria Lyktberg netted the opener.
Emma Timmermans headed a second for Mortal Joe’s side on 23 minutes to essentially seal victory, with Lyktberg getting her second of the day from range 9 minutes later. Michelle Hempel turned home a corner in the 42nd minute to make it four by the break, and after both teams had had an effort disallowed, there was a fifth tagged on to The Molly Malones total by Aline Moscardi late on.
All very mundane, but also important to get the win registered. However the main good news of the day for Dublin was from elsewhere in Division 6:57 as the leaders dropped their first points of the campaign, which means The Dubs are now only three adrift of them as they sit in third. Second place is two points distant.

[Various Artist]

Bombay Green Rockets suffered a bit of a stutter last week (a blockage in the fuel line, maybe?), so were looking to fire their boosters again against the Margo Price XI, which sounds more like a cricket team to be honest.

I can't help but read it as the Margo Leadbetter XI, meanwhile...

Many thanks Janik for another superb effort! It feels like VSU are finally starting to turn something of a corner with results at the moment, after one major early-season setback – which followed a very poor spell last that ruined a bright start, and of course three relegations over the previous couple of years. We also pulled out an unexpectedly fine result today against Careerwoman Blues that I think you'll enjoy writing up...

[Sits]

Thanks Janik, great reports.

So, over in the Human League we have one game before season’s end and I seem to have an absentee manager. So if you’re not Human and would like to be, this is your chance. Either Warriors of Ashra in the bottom tier, or a new team. We don’t boost.

[willie1foot]

For this, incidentally:

• Click on 'Image' button (the one with the squarish icon of a sun over mountains) above Reply box
• Paste in URL of your image to be linked
• Untick the little 'Retrieve remote file and reference locally' box. For some godforsaken reason, this is automatically ticked as a default but if left that way will prevent the image from being posted
• Resize height/width as desired (you can re-access this dialog box to play with these numbers by double-clicking on the picture when it appears in the reply preview)

The second point is only relevant if the image is on the web, correct? What if I want to post an image stored on my own hard drive?

[Antepli Ejderha]

The second point is only relevant if the image is on the web, correct? What if I want to post an image stored on my own hard drive?

Click the camera button at the top of the box where you type the text. It should then come up as a dotted box which will take you to your hard drive. A couple of clicks and done.

[Antepli Ejderha]

[Antepli Ejderha]

Something like this, click in the box and that should take you to your drive. Hope this works willie1foot