Strollers on March

West Brom Strollers continued to become more comfortable in top-flight football with a 3-1 home victory over Tranmere Rovers. They would be given the ideal base from which to build as Lee Hughes volleyed in from a corner on five minutes to put them 1-0 in front. A free-kick from Bryan Robson went wide before Rovers had their first effort of the day as Jari Sjoholm ballooned his free-kick over. The set-piece theme continued with Robson again missing the target before Richard Sneekes hit wide when well-positioned to do better. Tranmere finished the half in buoyant mood as Raymond Jillhed shot home in the penalty area to equalise before Onyszko foiled Cyrille Regis just before the break. The ‘keeper would again deny Regis in the first action of the second-half before the big forward finally got his name on the score-sheet with a brilliant lob just after the hour. Tranmere again looked to respond but Jillhed found Godden in the right place to make the save before Tony Brown shot wide for West Brom. Aaron Armfield would be the next player to try his luck for Rovers as they kept plugging away but Godden made the stop and from this point on West Brom took a hold on proceedings. Robson would make it 3-1 from a brilliant free-kick and it would have been four but for the woodwork denying Hughes. Dinky now has his side in second just two points behind the leaders but the manager was calling for his side to put ‘some of these easy chances away’ as he seeks to improve further. Baz will know that his Tranmere side need to make the most of a home match against Hun Haters next to avoid being caught by the bottom two.

ThunderCats made the most of their chances to stay top with a 2-1 victory at Yorkshires Amateurs. Their first goal arrived somewhat fortuitously as Fabricio Cidade completely mishit his shot but it deceived Bicanco to give the visitors the lead. The remainder of the opening half turned into a battle for supremacy and neither side could produce any further chances. ThunderCats began the second-half in similar fashion to the first and, after the award of a penalty, Matias Rascao made it 2-0 to leave the Amateurs with an uphill battle. To their credit, the Amateurs met this battle head on and Fred Franklin’s header needed saving by Amarante. Franklin would be frustrated again by the ThunderCats’ keeper as another header was turned away but the Amateurs did manage to pull one back. Micky Cox would be the scorer as he met a Raymond Simons cross with an expertly taken diving header but it wouldn’t provide the platform for the home side to complete a comeback. Meelas admits to being ‘confused’ with his side’s home form but their away form has left him ‘satisfied’ and in the position he expects from his side, top. Danlufc13 admits that the ‘alarm bells’ are ringing and that they need to ‘start picking up points soon’ to avoid being ‘cut adrift.’

AFC Stanley sent Totaalvoetbal to a second consecutive 1-0 defeat as they kept in touch with the leaders. A strong first-half showing from Stanley left them in a strong position as the visitors toiled. They would open the scoring from their very first chance as Thorbjorn Lind headed home precisely from an excellent Per-Elvis Garanander cross. Lind might have made it 2-0 moments later but Rex Rimmer was alert enough to kick away the forward’s shot. Totaal did stir from their slumber after the interval but Johan Juffing couldn’t overcome a tight angle as Hessbo made a decent save. Garry Molseley produced an excellent half-volley which left Rimmer stationary in goal but, unfortunately for the front man, it hit a post and went safe as Totaal escaped. The visitors did manage one late chance but Edwin Hayter hit his curled shot too close to Hessbo and they fell to a deserved defeat. Markham33 was heard building up the pressure on his side with a ‘now or never’ attitude in their quest for the title. He will be hoping this will have the desired effect on his players in the coming weeks as they definitely look well-prepared for a shot at the title. Robin Meeblind spoke of ‘enjoying his battles with Markham’ and admitted to having been ‘done’ in this game as he looks for his side to start scoring again soon.

F.C. Greatness fell to a third consecutive defeat as Santos raided Cedar Road to emerge 2-1 victors. Greatness had enjoyed the perfect start as Fust Baronchelli went close with a header before a powerful low shot by Martinus Benfari gave them a second minute lead. Santos thought they had hit back immediately as Torbjorn Alshammar rounded the ‘keeper with ease to slot home but could only look on in amazement as the assistant flagged for offside. Marcelo Afonso tried to make amends but Rachao made a comfortable save. Rogerio Franca hit the woodwork with a header as Santos continued to be disappointed and Greatness might have made this worse had Angelo Foggia’s header not missed by inches. Foggia would also see a power shot on goal saved by Rodenas as the game continued at a rapid pace. Helmer Hedberg and Baronchelli exchanged chances but neither could find a goal and Afonso also wasted a chance in the last act before the break. The second-half would see Santos take a hold on the match as Greatness were becalmed. Asmar Golkas would equalise for the visitors with a powerful long range shot and they would have taken the lead but for some good ‘keeping; Rachao diving at the feet of Patricio Bento when he looked destined to round him and slot home. Bento found Rachao his equal once more as the cat saved his header but Santos would eventually hit the front. It came from an exquisite volley from Adriano Ribeiro as the forward connected sweetly from a Bento cross. Alshammar would waste a late free-kick chance and Greatness saw Cannavaro sent-off as their frustrations were evident. The victory sees Santos sit in fourth just four points from the top and they now look to have clicked into gear as the season progresses. Darren Calvert might be worried about his free-falling side and will want them to respond with a victory soon although it doesn’t get much tougher than a trip to face the ThunderCats on Friday.

Hun Haters picked up their first victory of the season to leave Three Lions on the wrong end of a 2-1 score-line. There was no indication of what was to come as the Lions largely dominated the first-half. Robin van Izu might have done better with the opening chance of the game but fired wide on five minutes. The Haters had their only chance of the half moments later but Casillas claimed Craig Elliston’s effort with the minimum of fuss. Cesc Izukas lobbed an effort well over before he gave his side a deserved lead with a textbook header from a corner. Luis Carlos Almeida looked to make it 2-0 just before the break but Boruc produced an important stop and HH would emerge a much improved side after the interval. A diving header from David Mailer would have the Haters level on the hour-mark and the home crowd responded to their side’s efforts. They would hit the front with only their second chance of the half as Nigel Bruggink steered a Jimmy Meire pass beyond Casillas to put them 2-1 ahead. The Lions did try to respond and Izukas couldn’t have come any closer without scoring as his lob hit the angle of post and bar. A further chance came and went as van Izu missed the target and they might have conceded another goal but Elliston could only hit his free-kick straight at Casillas. The win will have come as a relief for Celticchris whose side can further bridge the gap with a win at Tranmere on Friday. Izuka will know this match would have had a different outcome had they made more of their opportunities while on top but he will be pleased with his side’s beginning to life in the top division.

New York City put in a strong home display to defeat AC Milan 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. Demetrio Delpiano set the tone for the day as he unleashed a powerful low shot which brushed the outside of the post after only two minutes. Carl-Gunnar Fagergren would go one better moments later as he lobbed the ball over Speroni for the opening goal. Incredibly, it was 2-0 after six minutes following a great volley from Ralf Kron from some way out. The half inevitably calmed down after such a ferocious start and an injury to Frisco Ortiz stifled home momentum somewhat. Milan would finally see some penalty area action at the right end as Sean Scannel shot home but he was to be disappointed as it was chalked off for a doubtful offside. Andrea Pirlo then had a header brush the outside of a post as Milan made a fight of things but City would respond. Delpiano had a lob go just over and Henk van Huijksloot got his header all wrong as they looked to add a killer third goal. Midfielder van Huijksloot would also brush a post but it wasn’t to matter as Kaka wasted Milan’s last chance and City emerged 2-0 victors. Jimmy seemed surprised by the result saying ‘I actually won’ with a surprised look on his face before adding more seriously that he hopes he ‘can keep the momentum going.’ MarkieRich has seen his side drop alarmingly to ninth and will want his side to make the most of playing at home on Friday as they look to move up the table.