Cats Turn up Title Heat

ThunderCats F.C put in a champion performance to defeat Santos FC 4-1 at Thundera Grounds. An early diving header by Jake Sephton brushed the post and served warning that the home side were on their game. Paulino Ornelas then forced Alvar Rodenas into a smart save before the visitors hit back with a fine header by Rico Raffaelli which needed saving. The home side would continue to look the more dangerous of the two sides, though, as the half progressed with Leonardo Borja only being denied by the woodwork from a free-kick. The opening goal came minutes later as Fabricio Cidade let rip with a powerful long range shot which had too much on it for Rodenas. Santos did rally before the break but Richardo Ferrari and Patricio Bento couldn’t make their opportunities count and they would go in a goal behind. ThunderCats doubled their lead with the opening chance of the second-half with Ornelas toe-poking home and it might have been three but for a mishit shot by Sephton when well-placed. Juliano Leite did head in number three on 77 minutes before Borja hit a free-kick wide. Goal number four did come courtesy of Cidade who placed his header beyond Rodenas and although Benicio Correa did hit a consolation for the visitors the home side were worthy winners. ThunderCats News reported that everything seems ‘suspiciously okay’ as the side return to goal-scoring form and they will need that to continue to fight off a hungry chasing pack as the season progresses. Sean7 will undoubtedly be disappointed by the performance and his side must respond to have a good finish to the season.

AFC Stanley took sweet revenge on New York City as they remained in the title hunt with a 3-0 victory. A sixth minute free-kick by Matts Wallman demanded the very best out of David Sattler and the City ‘keeper would be the busier of the two throughout the contest. The opening goal would arrive ten minutes later as Kirk Armitage placed a header beautifully into the net to the delight of the Stanley faithful. City did try to respond but Benjamin Foran hit straight at Hessbo and their chances took a further knock with an injury to Lukas Buhr. Garry Molseley uncharacteristically shot wide with the only other chance of the half and Stanley went into the break with a narrow one-goal advantage. Wallman couldn’t test Sattler with the opening free-kick of the second-half and Alan Martindale also headed wide as Stanley struggled with their finishing. City responded to have a good spell in the game with Eugene Kameni Idriss testing Hessbo before Demetrio Delpiano had the ball in the net only for it to be disallowed for a doubtful offside. Molseley would rub salt into the wounds with a brilliant lob to make it 2-0 and Thorbjorn Lind nearly made it 3-0 with an excellent half-volley moments later. City gallantly tried to reply with a header from Henk van Huijksloot but his effort was saved and after Fagregren saw red for elbowing, Molseley added the third with a cool strike in the penalty area. Martindale had a late header saved while Wallman wasted a free-kick chance but Stanley ran out convincing winners. Markham now takes his side into a match-up with ThunderCats knowing that a win will put them on the top of the table and in the perfect position to win their first title. Jimmy was quick to congratulate Markham on ‘getting his own back’ and will now look for his side to bounce back against Totaalvoetbal.

West Brom Strollers enjoyed a comfortable away day at Totaalvoetbal to complete a simple double over the former champions. Brendon Batson toe-poked over early on and Tony Brown had a header saved as West Brom continued where they left off in the previous meeting between the sides. The opening goal eventually arrived on 23 minutes as Robert Koren drilled in a strike from distance and a header from Cyrille Regis on the stroke of half-time gave Totaal a mountain to climb. Shivan Preetnav did give the home side an early boost in the second-half with a brilliant header to halve the deficit but they were to suffer a blow when Rodney Shuttlewood was hit by a serious injury. Brown was denied by Rimmer as West Brom looked to re-establish their lead whilst at the other end Preetnav’s curled shot was saved excellently by Godden. West Brom would seal the win on 82 minutes as Regis placed a calm shot beyond Rimmer and the visiting fans would go boing mad. DD was pleased with ‘the way his side have gone about' their recent displays and they look in good shape as the leading three try to separate themselves from the pack. Robin Meeblind, meanwhile, admitted his side are in ‘shocking state’ ahead of their next match and admitted things ‘could get worse before they get better.’

Three Lions continued to hang onto the leaders with a 5-1 home triumph over struggling AC Milan. Luca Tonizu opened the scoring with a toe-poke on five minutes and the Lions would never look back. Luis Carlos Almeida went close with a powerful shot from distance and the second goal quickly followed as Robin van Izu calmly took the ball round Speroni on 26 minutes. Cesc Izukas powered home goal number three two minutes later and they kept Milan at bay as Valdezuka held a Kaka free-kick. At the other end Speroni also did well to hold a free-kick by van Izu but the Lions would be well-placed with a 3-0 half-time lead. Fernando Mello quickly added number four at the start of the second-half as he also rounded Speroni and it was 5-0 moments later as Izukas headed in clinically from a Tonizu cross. Milan bravely responded on 81 minutes as Victor Moses got some fortune with a mishit shot which found the net but they would ultimately be well-beaten. Despite his side sitting in fourth and only six points back Izuka said that they ‘must keep working hard’ to remain ‘in the top flight’ so it is clear a championship challenge may not yet be at the forefront of the talented manager’s thoughts. MarkieRich will be worried about his side as they sit six points from safety and in terrible form making their trip to Tranmere very important on Tuesday.

Tranmere warmed up for that contest with a 2-1 home success over Yorkshires Amateurs. It would be the Amateurs who would start the quicker of the two sides but Amadeo Caviedes couldn’t make the most of a fourth minute opportunity. Tranmere responded with a free-kick by Jari Sjoholm but Bicanco was well-placed to block the ball. Raymond Jillhed would also force Bicanco into a fine stop on 21 minutes following a power strike while Caviedes didn’t really trouble Sjolund at the other end with a tame shot. Jillhed completed a frustrating half for the attacking players with a lob which went over and the sides would go in goalless. Caviedes wouldn’t be able to break the deadlock with an ambitious volley and a powerful strike by the forward was also claimed by the ‘keeper. It would be Tranmere who would strike first as Jillhed smashed home a half-volley but the lead would last just five minutes as Hugo Smallwood headed home brilliantly from a Mohan cross. However, Tranmere would not be denied and although a side-footed shot by Sandro Bucchi was saved they would get the winner through the forward on 89 minutes with an excellent strike from distance. The win takes Baz’s side five points clear of the relegation zone and the manager is already ‘looking for 6 points’ from their next two home games. Danlufc13 will be expecting the worse following this latest setback but they will be a stronger force in the future.

Hun Haters and F.C. Greatness fought out another draw in a 1-1 stalemate at Scotlands Shame. Greatness would start fast thanks to an excellent lob header by Fabio Cannavaro on 11 minutes and they would remain in control of the half. They might have added a second but Faust Baronchelli’s chip was saved by Boruc and the half-time break would see Greatness with a goal advantage. The Haters were much improved after the break and Craig Elliston equalised instantly with a brilliant free-kick. Another set-piece minutes later might have put them in front but Elliston fired wide while Ted Caird also had a header saved. Don MacArthur was unfortunate not to give the hosts the lead when his shot struck a post but Greatness hit back through Baronchelli whose effort also grazed the woodwork. MacArthur wasn’t finished and would strike another post as he continued to be frustrated while Caird also went close as the hosts finished strongly. Despite this, Greatness thought they had won the game through Baronchelli but his effort was chalked off for a dubious offside and the points were shared. The draw keeps the status quo between the two sides but Celticchris will be hopeful of changing this with a trip to the Amateurs on Tuesday. Darrencalvert will recognise his side are too close to relegation for comfort and will want them to start picking up victories sooner rather than later.