Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Work and life and a general frustration with X11 has led me to reduce the Framley teams. XZ team Ghastly St Michael have been renamed in Norwegian and once the season is over will be jettisoned. GL team Wotten Plodney will follow suit at season end and hopefully I'll be able to keep the remainder going, though I'm currently far from confident. I really really don't want to let the admins down but the negativity around the game and the added stresses of work mean that I'm really struggling at present to balance the two. Sorry.

    Comment


      Originally posted by nmrfox View Post
      the negativity around the game
      That's an excellent point. Very occasionally I pop my head around the corner of the X11 forum, and over the last years it has reliably been a swirling vortex of negativity. I find that I enjoy the game much more if I avoid these public spaces, and instead just focus on private leagues run by people I know. Playing around in these remains lots of fun.

      Good luck with finding the balance, nmrfox. I chucked in a few teams (and my VIP subscriptions) a while ago, and while I still occasionally miss Iko Ka Kansai and the MLX dearly, it was the right move to make.

      Comment


        The very youthful Eintracht Eindhoven somehow managed to extract four draws out of this season, and now it's time for the best part of the year: the upcoming change report. Last year all youth players jumped, and we had five DJs, which rather puts an upper limit on what can reasonably be expected this year. DVs of the senior players are: 9, 11, 12, and 12. Distribution over the youngsters is pleasingly uniform:

        1x14
        9x15
        5x16
        2x17

        Last year's DJ-ers are all on DV 15, so I'd be more than happy with just a single jump for each of those. But maybe Christmas comes early...

        Comment


          X11 Ladies League Matchday 10.


          Code:
          Division 1a
          
          Viking South Utsira	0 - 2	Gastele
          				Diarra 54'
          				Rice 89'
          
          
          Division 3d
          
          Drakaina		2 - 1	FC MadKuts Cologne
          Heggarty 16', 68'		Bruni 55'
          
          
          Division 4i
          
          Homemaker Blues 	1 - 2	Erbil
          Toufiq 56'			Isgren 23'
          				Brundin 36'
          
          
          LNWR Locomotive		0 - 2	The Effing Blinders
          				Valadares 20', 81'
          
          
          Division 4k
          
          Dinner Ladies 		0 - 0	Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC
          
          
          Division 5:17
          
          Liverpool FCL 		1 - 1	Coxy Ladies Wulpen
          Westerlund (pen) 23'		Vandenbergh 15'
          
          
          Division 5:19
          
          Sockford Emollient	0 - 3	Mean Girls
          				Coco 12'
          				Bohnert 28'
          				Halliday 80'
          
          
          Division 5:28
          
          Menywod Maeshafn	6 - 0	Ricipetti F.C
          Boye 2', 34'
          Westerberg 7', 30', (pen) 40', 45'
          
          
          Division 5:31
          
          Real Madrid CFF 	0 - 0	Csiki Girls
          
          
          Division 6:40
          
          Ullapool Northern Star	0 - 0	Soshi FC
          
          
          Division 6:43
          
          MSV Duisburg Damen 	3 - 3	Solent Sirens
          Linné 13', 78'			Valdano 30'
          Jungmann 80'			Sander 36'
          				Lotoft 50'
          
          
          Division 6:44
          
          Riverbankers WFC 	0 - 4	Witches of Chiswick
          				Kurisawa 67'
          				Shiraishi 84'
          				Altstrand 87'
          				Black 90'
          
          
          Division 6:53
          
          BW Günthersdorf 	0 - 1	Zeugma Dostluk Spor
          				Mansiz 91'
          
          
          Division 6:57
          
          Killer Queens		1 - 2	Dublin City WFC
          Mae Mohd 68'			Kåmark 30', 75'
          Who don’t you need to face in the middle of a tooth-and-nail relegation battle? Well, the runaway league leaders sounds like a bad option. Which is exactly what confronted Viking South Utsira in the form of Gastele.
          The game went... predictably. The Blood Eagles were on the back foot from the start, though they held on at all square to the interval. The pressure told early in the second-half though, and as Velvet Android’s girls pushed for an equaliser they were hit by a late second on the counter-attack.
          This is out of the way, at least. In the aftermath, Viking find themselves seventh in the Division 1a standings, three points from safety (but only two more behind the play-off place!).

          Two of the sides involved in the chase for the Division 3d play-off place met at Delphi as Drakaina took on FC MadKuts Cologne.
          The Dragons were the first to strike, Gael Heggarty racing clear to finish in the 16th minute. That was the only chance of the opening half, and there had been few more when Cologne levelled on 55 minutes. That prompted Etienne’s side to go up several gears as they rained shots on the MadKuts net. This stratergy paid dividends in the 68th minute when a speculative strike from Heggarty found its way home.
          Heggarty’s brace was enough to claim the win and lift Drakaina back to second in the table. They only have a one point advantage over the sides behind them, whilst the gap to leaders FC Sprezzatura is five points with four to play.

          Erbil’s win in the derby last week was good for Jdsx’s side, but maybe bad for OTF’s hopes of keeping at least one team in Division 4i. But maybe not if they could back it up with a win at... Homemaker Blues (OFFS).
          The hosts boss (Dipstick by name, dipstick by nature) made a misjudgement against the bottom of the table side by assuming it would be easy, and he could play his reserve goalkeeper. A header from Saga Isgren and a direct free-kick by Sandra Brundin (23 and 36 minutes respectively), and he was regretting that choice. To be fair to Erbil, the scoreline was with the run of general play as well.
          That turned after the break as Erbil wouldn’t manage another shot in the match. But two proved enough as the hosts could only net once from their four chances, compared to two from two for the visitors.
          Football being a zero-sum game, for every winner there is a loser and the side beaten in the derby, LNWR Locomotive, desperately needed to bounce back at home to fellow relegation-zone denizens The Effing Blinders.
          Unfortunately it wasn’t to be The Steamers day. They fell 1-0 behind to the Blinders first shot of the match, lost key midfielder Gayane Zakarian to an 11-day knock just before the interval, and conceded again with 9 minutes to play.
          That defeat combined with Erbil’s win pushed Viktor Boskovic’s side down to the foot of the 4i table. That means Erbil are off the bottom for the first time in many weeks, though just be goal difference. Both OTF sides are six points from safety, and still in deep trouble.

          The distractions of the Cup over, it was back to the bread-and-butter for Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC with a game at Dinner Ladies.
          The game was quite an open affair, but what was missing from the sandwich was a filling. There were lots of options, The Sea Goddesses having six shots across the match, but somehow dithering about which to chose meant both sides ended up with just their buttered bread at the end of the game... i.e. it finished 0-0!
          That was actually a decent result for SeanoftheShed’s side, given Dinner Ladies were four points and three places above them in the Division 4k standings at the start of play... and just one place ahead by the end of it (though still four points clear, of course). That was because Kanjeng climb out of the drop zone to be fourth on goal difference on the back of the draw. The gap to second is five points, though.

          Coxy Ladies Wulpen took on the Division 5:17 leaders for the second consecutive week when they travelled to Anfield and Liverpool FCL.
          Not that this was a second game-in-a-row against Liverpool, no, instead The Waders had downed previous leaders Tartan Tawties seven days prior but that hadn’t taken Janik’s side top as Liverpool simultaneously jumped past on goal difference! So Wulpen began this game trying for the win that would put them top good and proper.
          15 minutes in and it looked like they were on course when Laetitia Vandenbergh headed them ahead. However this advantage would only last for 8 minutes before referee Travis Tee handed the hosts the chance to level from the spot. Following that Liverpool were on top and would have got a winner in the 63rd minute, only for Tee to make up for his earlier call by bizarrely disallowing a long range effort for offside. Blocking the ‘keepers eyeline apparently. Dubious.
          Anyway, it meant Coxy Ladies had claimed a point away at their main title rivals. That kept them second in the table, -1 GD off top but now only one point (and inferior GD) ahead of third. It promises to be a tight run-in...

          Sockford Emollient faced a tough test when Mean Girls visited John Spencer Street.
          That was because the visitors were well clear at the top of the Division 5:19 table, and scoring freely, averaging a shade over three goals per game. Foxy265’s side were swiftly on to the back foot, but this wasn’t enough to keep Mean Girls out as they netted twice in the opening half hour.
          The Framleyshire crowd tried to lift their side, and The Gatorsharks did manage a second-half shot. But it didn’t go in, unlike Mean Girls 80th minute effort which saw them jot down a par down on their scorecard.
          As for Sockford, the rather expected defeat didn’t cost them a spot in the 5:19 standings, they remain fourth. And in fact still the same distance away from the play-off place, five points. That would be, well, whatever the exact antonym of a blessing in disguise is (i.e. something that appears good but is actually a negative) as the reason why The Gatorsharks lost no ground on second is because rapidly improving Bobek beat the team currently holding that spot. And Bobek are currently sixth, i.e. in the relegation zone, but are now just a point shy of Emollient!

          Timing is everything in Football. Just asked Menywod Maeshafn. Matchday 10 pitted them against Ricipetti F.C, who had been in freefall since long-term manager Sampei stopped showing up a few weeks into the season, leading to a string of 6-0 or 7-0 defeats, such as the back-to-back ones inflicted on them by Division 5:28 leaders Fossa Delle Leonesse, and indeed Maeshafn in the first meeting of the two sides on Matchday 5.
          By this return game Sampei had been sacked for absenteeism, and the Ricipetti board were busy interviewing candidates to replace him. That eventually resulted in Whizzz taking the job... on Friday, three days after this match. *phew*
          So Maeshafn got to face the directionless version of Ricipetti instead, which allowed boss IsThatcherDeadYet to go all-guns blazing. His side duly filled their boots, forwards Lisha Boye and Ada Westerberg in particular. Boye got the opening goal on 2 minutes and would get her second of the day after 34 but it was Westerberg who really ran riot, netting a personal haul of four. Each different as well. Her first, after 7 minutes was from long range, the second on the half-hour was much closer, her hattrick goal came from a precisely defined distance (12 yards) and the fourth, on the stroke of half-time, was a breakaway.
          Maeshafn effectively declared at the interval, Ricipetti having the only second-half shot (unconverted) as the game finished 6-0. It was a result that kept Maeshafn clinging to the leaders coattails (the Welsh side are four points back) and also increased their advantage over the rest to the same, i.e. four points.

          There were a decent amount of goals scored in Division 5:31 on Matchday 10. It’s just all of them came in the one game. And it wasn’t Csiki Girls trip to Real Madrid CFF.
          Some excitement looked on the cards when Madrid had the ball in the goal in the second minute, only for Robert Nixon to disallow it. The crowd didn’t know it at the time, but this was a real fun spoiler as neither the hosts nor ad hoc’s visitors would come seriously close again.
          With three of the four matches in 5:31 finishing 0-0 and the fourth being a(n unexpectedly narrow, just 3-2) win for the runaway SC Agroi at cut adrift bottom feeders Fallen Angels FC, there was absolutely no change in the table. Csiki Girls remain fifth, one point above the drop zone and four behind second place.

          Comment


            A promotion chasing side against one bottom-of-the-table sounds like it should be an easy win for the higher side. However Ullapool Northern Star’s opponents Soshi FC are actively managed and have been tight defensively all season, so a win for Delicatemoth’s girls wasn’t a given.
            Northern Star held a lot of the ball, but they struggled to do anything much with it. In fact it was Soshi who made more of the chances, though two to one are paltry numbers for both sides, really. The question in a tight game like this is whether someone can finish off an opportunity. Our answer was ‘no’ as the Minchview fans witnessed a frustrating draw.
            It’s not really possible to view this other than two points dropped for the Scots. Because of it they lost ground on the top two in Division 6:40, leaders Partizan now being four points ahead and Instinción CFF in second two points in front.

            The battle for the Division 6:43 play-off place is incredibly tight, with four sides covered by just two points at kick-off on Matchday 10. Two of these were Solent Sirens and MSV Duisburg Damen, and these sides met at the Duisburg Arena.
            Duisburg netted first on 13 minutes, but it was Andrew7610’s Solent side who had the better of the first half and by the end of it were deservedly in front 2-1 thanks to strikes from Analissa Valdano on the half-hour and Ann-Sofie Sander six minutes later. Sander’s goal was a rare one for the young defender, and even more exotic was to follow as another fresh-faced member of the Sirens backline, Paulina Lotoft, made it 3-1 on 50 minutes with a long range strike.
            That looked like it should be enough for Solent as they were well on top, two ahead, still creating chances and superstar ‘keeper Estelle Winterburn was on decent form. ‘Decent’ in her case meaning grade 19, i.e. superb for most other stoppers. It was therefore a major surprise and completely against the run of play when Duisburg netted twice in three minutes around the 80th minute mark to level it up.
            Solent tried to rectify the situation but couldn’t find the fourth they suddenly needed and left feeling mugged of two points. It cost them a spot in the standings as they dropped from third to fourth, rather than climbing into second as they ought to have done. They are still only a point from the play-off spot, though.

            Witches of Chiswick were at The Bankside Ground to take on SouthdownRebel’s former charges, Riverbankers WFC.
            The hosts have had another manager come and go since SdR’s departure, and were managerless for this one. However they, or more particularly goalie Anastasia Myznikova, have caused Chiswick problems in the past, so boss Wiblflibl was likely wary despite the 5-0 home win in the first meeting of the sides this season.
            When the half-time whistle sounded after a goalless and chanceless 45 minutes the fretting may have been amped up a notch, particularly as The Bewitched had lost forward Tomiko Matzuoka to a 10-day injury just past the half-hour. It was still all-square midway through the second period, but by now Chiswick were creating chances, and to the travelling fans relief Mari Kurisawa was cool when she was presented with an opportunity to break the deadlock.
            Uja Shiraishi made it two on 84 minutes with a close-range finish, and this opened the floodgates, two more been swiftly added after that by Sarah Altstrand and Eilís Black to take the final score up to 4-0. That was enough to lift The Bewitched back into second in the Division 6:44 table as the side who were above them were held to a draw. The advantage on third is a point, and the deficit on top is six.

            Zeugma Dostluk Spor would not have been expecting much of a problem seeing off strugglers BW Günthersdorf and their absentee manager.
            The visitors started off slowly, though, only creating one chance in the first 45 minutes despite an abundance of possession. Zeugma slowly upped the ante after the break, but it remained somewhat stilted possibly due to the players trying to get their heads around the highly attacking formation that manager Antepli Ejderha had employed, which was rather against type and presumably an attempt to harvest DVs.
            Timed ticked down with the score still at nil-nil, with both manager and fans becoming increasingly concerned that the side was going to let two expected points slip away as the Turks failed to convert their more abundant but still not overwhelming number of second-half opportunities. Tension had almost transformed to resignation as the match entered injury-time but there would be one final opening to seal the win, and glory be Latife Kurt’s corner perfectly picked out young forward Makbule Mansiz and she headed home, wheeling away in relief as much as celebration.
            That last gasp winner kept Zeugma five points adrift of Division 6:63 leaders K2O3 and six point in front of third-placed side Aguilasdelzulia.

            Dublin City WFC manager MortalJoe was present for his side’s trip to Killer Queens. This proved to be vital as if he had been absent Dublin would have had no subs, so would have been playing with 10 from the 11th minute onwards when Moira Brennan had to leave the field with a 7-day knock. That would have surely led to defeat, but with subs selected Brennan was replaced by Adelina Ciutacu, which kept the visitors in the game.
            And more than that in fact, as Dublin went ahead on the half-hour when Veronica Kåmark headed home from Britta Normstedt’s delivery. That was no more than the visitors deserved for a good first half, and they continued their good play after the break. Ciutacu looked like she had put them two clear in the 57th minute only for infamous ref Tony Nolan to rule it out. However, such was Dublin’s control, a second goal was only a matter of time, surely?
            Well yes, but when it came it was Killer Queens who scored it. That was completely out-of-the-blue, and indeed would prove their only shot of the day. It looked like Dublin were going to be denied a win, but just 7 minutes later Kåmark put her stamp back on the game with another header, this time from Rita Cruz’s centre.
            That sealed the win, which kept Dublin involved in the Division 6:57 play-off chase, despite it not lifting them any spots above the fifth place they started the match occupying. They are, however, level with third and only three points adrift of Inter Petrila, who currently hold second. The gap to leaders Danis Ladies is six points, which might be too much to ask at this late stage of the campaign.

            Comment


              Thanks Janik. Yes it was an attempt to harvest development values as I've just been shopping and picked up some bargains in the transfer market.

              Comment


                My VIP sub runs out in three weeks and I'm not going to renew it so that will be the end for Demolition Dogs in MLX. Happy to stay on until start of the new season if that helps.

                Generally the time spent on X11 is feeling more like a chore than fun. Think I'll have a team cull to see if I can rekindle some enthusiasm. Are there any downsides to not having a team in the official leagues?

                Comment


                  You just don't get a ranking any more. Have a look at Hot Orange's profile page.

                  Comment


                    It's the festive season so I will bore you about Kakanui KuneKune's CR in the MLX where VA is doing a brilliant job. Relegation to the GLX last season gave my Kiwi hogs a shot in the leg:

                    3 doubles
                    6 singles (including 35 year old defender Derrick Gall)
                    5 flat

                    Ancient midfielder Juho Eloniemi, 37 drops two bars but still won't retire.

                    Comment


                      Sweet Mother of Jesus.

                      Comment


                        Having got ourselves into an almost unassailable position in the Xpert Zone title race, we spent the final week dismantling the defences as we tried to give teenagers Hugues and Fanon some crucial match play. In particular, junior keeper Hugues struggled as we conceded a goal from every shot we faced in the last two games.

                        First we played bottom placed Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men. With seven minutes to go, we led 1-0 and were on the verge of claiming silverware. Then we conceded a free kick, the only opportunity that DDDM created in the match - and they scored.

                        The draw meant we went to the last match leading by 3 points and a +4 goal difference over the Riff City Tigers. We took on Estonia at home. We dominated most of the first half without scoring, with the tension mainly coming from our steady accumulation of yellow cards. Then Estonia got two chances in quick succession, which the hapless Hugues flapped past him. At half time, Riff City were level at 0-0 and thus 2 points and -2 GD behind. In the 61st minute Riff City scored. In the 78th, they scored again.

                        We were now level on points and goal difference, though we did still lead on goals scored but the tension was now strangulating. Somehow we managed to respond to the urgency from the crowd. Our youthful captain Toussaint L'Ouverture netted from Pelloutier's pass. We led the league again by one goal.

                        And that was how it stayed through 11 minutes of desperation and seemingly endless injury time.

                        ​Sans Culottes are champions.

                        Comment


                          I don’t know how you were able to watch that Etienne, I’d have passed out.

                          Brilliant effort though in a very tough league and an unprecedented three trophies at once. Guzman.

                          Comment


                            Congratulations Etienne. Traktor Volgograd are looking forward to taking you on next season.

                            Comment


                              And Sean’s Traktor Volgograd are promoted, maintaining the OTF quota as Noirs de Bigore fall.

                              Comment


                                Crossed

                                Comment


                                  Thanks guys, and commiserations ongoing down Sits - can't believe Tiree didn't roll over on the last day!

                                  Comment


                                    Well you'd think...

                                    Comment


                                      I think my latest message at Æthelflæd made interesting reading
                                      Subject: Player absence
                                      Patsy Canham has gone into labour and is due to give birth to her first child. Patsy Canham has therefore gone on maternity leave for 2 days. The club wishes Patsy Canham all the best.
                                      That is some recovery, coming back to play just two days after childbirth, and that's without taking into account the fact that she came on as a sub midway through the second half of the last game and set up a goal. I can only assume that the person who wrote this has very limited knowledge of the female anatomy.

                                      Comment


                                        She'll be back on the bench for the friendly with Les Sangliers, so tell your players to go easy on her, eh Sits?

                                        Comment


                                          Hmmm, maybe.

                                          Meanwhile if Kev, Gawpus or others fancy helping out, we need some help getting the Human League season going please. If you are able to step in, SDR's old team Hammerpot are first choice, then Black Mambass. If necessary I can reactive Daleton Tigresses.

                                          Thank you.

                                          Comment


                                            I usually direct message them through the X11 site in case they don't visit here very often. Also feel free to put a message on the Heineken league scribble if you wish.

                                            Comment


                                              X11 Ladies League Matchday 11. Coming to the crunch.


                                              Code:
                                              Division 1a
                                              
                                              Global Domination 	1 - 0	Viking South Utsira
                                              Eremie 76'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 3d
                                              
                                              FC Sprezzatura		1 - 0	Drakaina
                                              Norrstedt 38'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 4i
                                              
                                              Erbil			1 - 1	Chelsea Ladies FC
                                              Sharpe 26'			Pepper 1'
                                              
                                              LNWR Locomotive		0 - 1	Homemaker Blues
                                              				Toufiq 83'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 4k
                                              
                                              Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC	4 - 1	Beta Andromedae
                                              Pailloux 7'			Elsner 58'
                                              Senduk 39'
                                              Azeite 64'
                                              Dalmiya 79'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 5:17
                                              
                                              Coxy Ladies Wulpen	4 - 1	Vila Verde FC
                                              Wostijn 1'			Robillard 56'
                                              Vandenbergh 7'
                                              Baert 71'
                                              Leroy 82'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 5:19
                                              
                                              Invictus Ladies FC 	2 - 3	Sockford Emollient
                                              Rioch 13'			Ericson 2', 71'
                                              Flack 81'			Mullins 69'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 5:28
                                              
                                              Jackie Brown 		1 - 4	Menywod Maeshafn
                                              Risyad 20'			Kubil (O.G.) 40'
                                              				Boye 69', 76'
                                              				Westerberg 89'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 5:31
                                              
                                              Csiki Girls		0 - 0	Universitatea Cluj
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 6:40
                                              
                                              Ullapool Northern Star	3 - 1	ŽFK Partizan Beograd
                                              Kha 52'				Milovanovic 81'
                                              Menashi 56', 79'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 6:43
                                              
                                              Aveley Ladies F.C	2 - 1	Solent Sirens
                                              Burén 27'			Stieglecker 74'
                                              Strängby 41'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 6:44
                                              
                                              Witches of Chiswick	2 - 0	Objectification is not OK FC
                                              Black 10', 48'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 6:53
                                              
                                              Ameixas Pechas		0 - 4	Zeugma Dostluk Spor
                                              				Lacerda 7'
                                              				Haywood (pen) 33'
                                              				Mansiz 79'
                                              				Fetele 94'
                                              
                                              
                                              Division 6:57
                                              
                                              Red Rose Bloody Thorns 	0 - 5	Dublin City WFC
                                              				Ciutacu 12'
                                              Rundberg (sent off) 65'		Isabel Carreto 16', (pen) 47', 54'
                                              				Bonnal 76'
                                              Viking South Utsira’s position, three points from safety with four matches to play, made their game at Global Domination close to a must-win encounter. That is a tough position to be in away to the side currently second in the table.
                                              The Blood Eagles responded well to the tension, and looked like they had gone ahead after 15 minutes, only for Birgit Austrheim’s strike to be mysteriously disallowed. This took the wind out of Viking’s sails, which left the match becalmed up until half-time.
                                              The second period was nearly as tight, but finally a (legitimate) chance or two appeared. Two, in fact, one to each side. Sadly, The Blood Eagles didn’t convert their opportunity and Global Domination did.
                                              Defeat, whilst not catastrophic to VSU’s chances of staying in Division 1a, was rather damaging. They are now five points from safety with three to play, and could go down next week if they fail to win and other results go against them. Looking at the fixtures, defeats for the sides in fourth and fifth are more likely than victories, meaning that if Utsira can overturn Van Helsings GLS, Velvet Android’s side will be right back in it.

                                              A top-of-the-table clash sent Drakaina to leaders FC Sprezzatura.
                                              The hosts don’t score very many, averaging only just more than a goal per game, but are top due to an extremely stingy defence which has seen them stay unbeaten so far this season. That put a lot of pressure on The Dragons to play tightly themselves, something they managed well for 37 minutes, denying Sprezzatura a chance in this period. It all went wrong in the 38th minute though, a defensive slip allowing one of the home midfield the fraction of a second she needed to fire home.
                                              That put Etienne’s side in an extremely tough position, one that, like many others in Division 3d before them, they couldn’t recover from as Sprezzatura picked up their sixth 1-0 win of the campaign. Defeat cost The Dragons a place as they slipped from second to third in the table. They are now two points back of the play-off place. And far too far behind to think about automatic promotion any more.

                                              Two straight wins had given Erbil late hope of avoiding the drop, but keeping the run going was going to be difficult against Division 4i leaders Chelsea Ladies FC.
                                              Jdsx’s side’s task got even harder just seconds into the game when Chelsea went ahead. Recent results have generated new confidence in the Erbil ranks though, and they kept playing their football, levelling through Rosaline Sharpe on 26 minutes.
                                              Erbil’s set-up worked well, allowing their visitors the ball in non-dangerous positions and then catching them on quick counter-attacks to create chances. Indeed, the hosts had comfortably more opportunities in the game. Sadly though, they couldn’t convert a second one to make it three-in-a-row.
                                              A similarly challenging match confronted LNWR Locomotive as they took on Homemaker Blues, but without the boost of positive recent results in The Steamers case.
                                              Viktor Boskovic’s team were soon forced back, and though they never went completely defensive, a nil-nil did look to be the summit of their ambitions as they found goalscoring openings at a premium. That was true only at one end, as Ahu Gültag in the Locomotive net was having a pretty busy day. She held out for 83 minutes but no longer as the Blues struck to deflate the Mollington Street crowd.
                                              Where does this leave our sides in the 4i standings? Still seventh and eighth, unfortunately. Erbil are seven points from safety and LNWR eight, which, with three matches to play, means the only way a Great Escape can be pulled off is by winning every remaining game. It’s not likely...

                                              All the predications ahead of Kanjeng Ratu Kidul WFC’s match with Beta Andromedae were for a low-scoring game.
                                              The pre-match league table gave all the indications why. Kanjeng’s record stood at 2-6-2 with just 6-5 on goals, which implies a fair number of nil-nils, whilst Andromedae sat bottom of the table due to drawing too many, 1-5-4, 6 scored, 10 conceded. You can see why a goalless draw was the clear favourite with the bookies.
                                              Anyone with money on that had lost it by the seventh minute, as that was when Adèle Pailloux opened the scoring for SeanoftheShed’s charges. On 39 minutes it was two, Ati Senduk firing home. And with that, all bets were off.
                                              Andromedae pulled one back on 58 minutes, and arguably had the better of the second-half. The Sea Goddesses were in ruthless mood in front of goal though, and clinically finished off the two chances they created after the break, Leila Azeite netting a direct free-kick on 64 minutes and Diksha Dalmiya breaking away for a fourth after 79.
                                              The Sea Spirits reward for nearly doubling their goal total for the season was... to stay fourth in the Division 4k table! They did put clear blue water between themselves and their bottom-of-the-table opponents though, opening up a seven point lead rather than the previous four point gap. More importantly Kanjeng are two points behind second... though also only two ahead of sixth!

                                              Coxy Ladies Wulpen faced Vila Verde FC with a 4-3 defeat in the first meeting of the sides fresh in Waders supporters minds.
                                              Wulpen had been marginally the stronger side in general play that day, but hadn’t managed to translate that into a decisive lead at any point during the 90 minutes. The Curlew’s Nest fans were therefore not going to get too excited about Aurelie Wostijn firing in from range inside the first 60 seconds to put the hosts in front. Laetitia Vandenbergh doubling the advantage on 7 minutes did lead to a little more relaxation in the stands, though.
                                              The nervous tension returned a little as a host of chances to make it three were spurned, and was back with a vengeance when Vila Verde closed the gap to 2-1 with their first shot of the game after 56 minutes. The next goal now left crucial, and there was an outpouring of relief when Emilie Baert scored it on 71 minutes.
                                              Could Janik and co finally relax? No, because just four minutes later Vila Verde had the ball in the Wulpen net again. Seymour Red was not happy about how this happened, much to everyone connected with the home side’s relief and then, on 82 minutes, the decisive gap was finally found when Zoe Leroy fired in direct from a free-kick.
                                              That goal proved to be more important than simply making the last 10 minutes of this match a little more comfortable, as it was just enough to return The Waders to the Division 5:17 summit by the wafer-thin margin of goal scored. The top three teams are just covered by a point.

                                              The sides sitting in fourth and third respectively in Division 5:19 clashed when Sockford Emollient travelled to Invictus Ladies FC.
                                              Foxy265’s visitors got off to the perfect start when Lotta Ericson fired them in front from range after just 2 minutes play. The Gatorsharks’ lead was short-lived though, Invictus equalising with a very similar goal after 13 minutes.
                                              The visitors had the better of the rest of the first half without registering again, and continued to make more of the game after the break. They finally got their reward in the 69th minute, Kayley Mullins heading home. The Framleyshire outfit took advantage of some dropped heads from Invictus to add a third just two minutes later with another header, Ericson getting her second of the game.
                                              That goal was not mere embellishment. Rather, it would proved crucial to the outcome as the hosts got to back within one on 81 minutes. But no closer thanks to Eriscon’s second strike, Sockford taking the win and leapfrogging back to third in the 5:19 standings. They are five points off the play-off place and four ahead of relegation with nine left to chase.
                                              Last edited by Janik; 27-12-2018, 12:25.

                                              Comment


                                                The latest stop on Menywod Maeshafn hoped for promotion ride was at Jackie Brown.
                                                The hosts had scored unusually many goals for a side stuck in the relegation zone (16), and only a few more conceded. That implied they have narrow games with a decent amount of goals mixed in with the occasional heavy defeat. It was hard to tell what way this one would go during a first-half when Jackie Brown took the lead and Maeshafn, for all their chances, only levelled in the 40th minute, and did so via an inadvertent touch by Brown’s Rahma Kubil.
                                                The game remained in the balance until the 69th minute, but at that point Lisha Boye headed the Welsh ahead and the opening question swiftly resolved itself. From being an even battle, it was suddenly one way traffic in Maeshafn’s favour, Boye (76) and Ada Westerberg (89) adding further strikes for IsThatcherDeadYet’s girls.
                                                The top three in Division 5:28 all won, so everyone holds station. That leaves Maeshafn second, four points back of the leaders but four points ahead of third.

                                                Only four points separated Csiki Girls and Universitatea Cluj ahead of the sides meeting at A kertem, but those four points corresponded to three important places in the Division 5:31 table, the visitors sitting fifth to Cluj’s second.
                                                Clearly this was a gap that ad hoc’s team wanted to close. However, doing so proved a difficult proposition as the match got completely bogged down in midfield. Such was the stagnation that serious injuries (two) outnumbered chances (one, for Cluj), which in turn was more than goals (zero). The Csiki Girl heading to the treatment table was Mirja Hinz, who picked up an 11-day knock late on.
                                                The draw was the Csiki’s sixth in eleven games, a run that has seen the side drop to sixth in the 5:31 standings, a point from safety. But still only four off the play-offs as well, though...

                                                It was crunch time in Division 6:40 as Ullapool Northern Star hosted leaders ŽFK Partizan Beograd.
                                                The Scots had the better of a goalless first half in terms of possession, but it wasn’t until after the break that this game really sparked to life. The player who set it going was Ninorta Kha, who fired in a direct free-kick on 52 minutes to give Ullapool the lead. Four minutes later it was two, Sonia Menashi breaking clear to give Delicatemoth’s side some breathing space.
                                                Menashi headed in a corner on 79 minutes to put a further stamp on things and although Partizan pulled one back just two minutes later, the match had already been decided. Victory didn’t lift Northern Star ahead of their conquered rivals, but it did bring them back to within a point of the Yugoslavs and two of new leaders Instinción CFF. They are right back in the fight.

                                                After two straight good draws, Solent Sirens were looking for another positive result at Aveley Ladies F.C to keep themselves in the play-off hunt. Aveley were The Sirens target as the side currently holding second place in Division 6:43; they began the game only one point ahead of Andrew7610’s side.
                                                Solent had three-fifths of the ball in the first half, but struggled to do much with it and somehow found themselves 2-0 down as both of Aveley’s chances before the break were converted (despite this Sirens ‘keeper Estelle Winterburn would still be their man-of-the-match).
                                                Aware of where this left them, The Sirens upped the ante considerably after the break, and created a number of goalscoring opportunities. Sadly, however, the hosts goalie was in fine form. She was finally beaten in the 74th minute, Marlene Stieglecker firing home from close range.
                                                Stieglecker had the ball in the net again deep into stoppage time, but her ‘equaliser’, which The Sirens completely merited on balance of play, was ruled out by the blind and inflexible George Buske.
                                                That meant the one point gap grew to four as Solent found themselves drifting away from the 6:43 promotion picture.

                                                Witches of Chiswick were strong favourites to win their game against Objectification is NOT OK FC [may not be their actual name]
                                                That was because the Field Lane visitors were struggling in the league, with just three points and three goals scored all season. They were, however, tight at the back, setting sides the weary challenge of breaking down a massed and well-organised defence. It actually only took The Bewitched 10 minutes to do this for the first time, Eilís Black heading home a corner.
                                                That took the pressure off Wiblflibl’s side, and Black was able to add another just after the break to make the rest of the match a relative cruise given the visitors anaemic attack. Victory kept Chiswick second in Division 6:44, three points and +7 goal difference ahead of third but six points behind the leaders, who are unlikely to drop enough points to be caught.

                                                The latest leg of Zeugma Dostluk Spor’s dogged pursuit of the Division 6:53 leaders took them to Ameixas Pechas.
                                                The hosts were bumping along in lower mid-table, and normal service was soon underway when Peg Haywood’s free-kick picked out Adelaide Lacerda to flick home the opener on 7 minutes. That was young forward Lacerda’s first goal for the Turks since her recent purchase. Another set piece on 33 minutes didn’t give Haywood much option to defer, as it was from 12 yards and she had recently watched a YouTube clip of Robert Pires and Thierry Henry so wasn’t going to make a fool of herself like that. Instead she calmly rolled the ball into the corner of the net, as any good professional would.
                                                With the home side offering no threat to Aisa Rijssel’s goal, AntepliEjderha’s girls were free to push for further goals. The return from that was two more strikes, Makbule Mansiz firing home another Haywood assist on 79 minutes and Asabe Fetele heading home a corner with nearly the last touch of stoppage time.
                                                The big news in 6:53 was elsewhere however as leaders K2O3 dropped their first points of the season as they were held 0-0 by Hammer Girls DF. That meant Zeugma edged towards their opponents, cutting the gap to three points and -9 GD. It’s still a big gap to bridge, but after this week it does seem vaguely plausible that a chance to do so might arise especially as Zeugma still have a match against K2O3 to play.

                                                After many matches played without boss Mortal Joe, the boot was on the other foot when Dublin City WFC met bottom-of-the-table Red Rose Bloody Thorns. Or at least with just one substitute named by the hosts, it doesn’t look like they were prepared for the game.
                                                Dublin set about taking advantage, particularly Ana Isabel Carreto who followed Adelina Ciutacu’s 12th minute long-range opener by netting a hattrick. Carreto’s first on 16 minutes was a header, her second came from the spot two minutes into the second-half, the match-ball claimer coming along not long after with a second with her head.
                                                Red Rose’s task got even tougher when Magda Rundberg was shown a straight red in the 65th minute, but fortunately for the hosts Dublin were in cruise control by now and only bothered adding one more, Alice Bonnal heading in in the 76th minute.
                                                Victory lifted Dublin up to third in the Division 6:57 table, just -1 GD off the play-off spot and only six points behind leaders Danis Ladies.

                                                Comment


                                                  Thanks for the tips on stop-gap recruiting Sean and VA. Thanks also to Gawpus for stepping in; and so the Human League is up and running for Season 15. And lo and behold - MLX and Xpert Zone have also triggered new seasons. It's all happening.

                                                  Feliz Navidad

                                                  Comment


                                                    Framley Imaginaire and Whoft Fluffopolis; both (kind of) living the dream. With Nyth Wobbegong starting the season well and Flapton Nogley and Sockford Emollient being pretty resilient and stable, these are relatively heady times in Framleyshire. Just a shame that Gaffney Globular can't figure out themselves. Still the pared down roster seems to fit at present so that can't be a bad thing. Seasons Greetings to the OTF X11 collective.

                                                    Comment

                                                    Working...
                                                    X