Woeful Totaal Whipped at WBS

West Brom Strollers leaped into second following a thoroughly dominating 3-1 home win over Totaalvoetbal. The Strollers had early free-kick chances to take the lead but Billy Bassett hit the crossbar with his first effort while miscuing his second high and wide. Totaal would then stun the home side as Pierre van Diemen casually tucked home a penalty to give them a ninth minute lead. West Brom were quickly back on the front foot but Bassett fired just wide from a set-piece before Cyrille Regis couldn’t find the target with a driving shot. The hosts finally got their equaliser as Totaal didn’t close down Robert Koren quickly enough and the midfielder toe-poked past the advancing Rex Rimmer. Bassett continued his own personal duel with Rimmer from free-kicks but the ‘keeper was more than equal to the midfielder’s 35th minute effort. They would take the lead before half-time, though, as Richard Sneekes found his range from distance before Bassett failed again just before half-time. The second-half was more of the same but Koren missed a chance with a diving header when well-placed. Bassett continued his frustration as he hit another free-kick wide while Sneekes also missed the target just after the hour with a strike. They eventually extended their lead from the spot as Tony Brown scored with ease and despite Brown seeing a late header stopped by Rimmer it proved an easy win for the hosts. Pierre van Diemen did have a late goal chalked off for hand-ball and it was clear the forward was annoyed at what he deemed an unacceptable performance from his teammates. Dinky was ‘delighted with the performance levels’ as his side moved to within two of the ThunderCats and if they play like this for the rest of the season a title might be round the corner. Meanwhile Robin Meeblind has admitted his own performance has not been ‘up to standard’ recently and has apologised to the fans for ‘a poor season to date.’

ThunderCats F.C dropped two points as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Santos. The home side were the more progressive in the opening half and had already seen Marcelo Afonso force Magro into a save before Robbie Mitchell headed home on 14 minutes only to see it disallowed for offside. Santos would force the other chance of the half but Cesar Ferrari fired well wide of the target and it would be goalless at half-time. The visitors did emerge as an attacking force after the break but Jake Sephton’s toe-poke flew over the bar to waste their first effort. Juliano Leite also missed the target with a header on 79 minutes while at the other end Fredrick Winnerljung came closest to the opening goal of the day as his free-kick smashed off a post. Each side had a late chance to win it but Leonardo Borja missed the target while Winnerljung saw Magro block the ball from another set-piece. The relatively disappointing finishing in the match meant that the sides would take a point apiece and the six-point gap between the sides would remain. Sean7 will recognise the need to take three points from the return fixture if he is to propel them into the title race while Meelas will know there are a couple of sides taking close order at the top as the season reaches the second-half.

New York City provided one of the shocks of the round with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over AFC Stanley. They were off to the ideal start when Elvis MacCaran planted a precise header beyond Hessbo after only two minutes. Emirates Stadium was then in a dream-like state when Ralk Kron curled home a free-kick on 17 minutes to double their lead and leave Stanley wondering what had hit them. The visitors tried to bring themselves back into the contest but Dijedon Betimaj couldn’t keep his header down and they might have been in further pain but for the post stopping another Kron free-kick. The second-half saw City remain on top with Kron brushing the post with another set-piece. The free-kicks kept coming as Stanley didn’t seem to learn their lesson but Kron disappointed with an effort which went wide before teeing up Demetrio Delpiano from another one but the forward also missed the target. MacCaran headed straight at Hessbo when well-placed and he also had a shot from a tight angle go over as City finished in the ascendency. New York News called this the ‘best performance yet’ and claimed that it ‘really could have been more.’ City sit just three points behind their beaten foes now with Markham openly admitting that he ‘didn’t for one minute expect them to play that formation.’ Expect an intriguing encounter in the return at Stanley.

Three Lions moved to within six points of the top with a 2-1 away win at AC Milan. Milan missed an early chance at taking the lead when Bernard Lormor fired wide with a half-volley before the Lions did strike; Izu Casillas making no mistake from the penalty spot. Luis Carlos Almeida was unlucky not to make it two as his shot hit the post while a Cesc Izukas effort was saved by Speroni. Despite being under pressure Milan were able to regroup and brought themselves level with a beautiful lob by Jonte Sandholm. Zlatan Izuhimovic nearly restored the visitor’s lead before the break but his header was saved and the sides went in level. The Lions came out strong after the break with Robin van Izu hitting the bar before Izuhimovic did put them back in front; a well-flighted lob giving Speroni no chance. Ron Aldinho hit a half-volley straight at Casillas and the ‘keeper was also down quickly to save at Andrea Pirlo’s feet as Milan tried to hit back. This proved to be their last efforts and van Izu might even have made it 3-1 but Speroni saved well to deny him. Nevertheless Izu will be pleased with another win which keeps them more than in the running for a top half finish and maybe better. MarkieRich knows that games will run out quickly now they have reached the halfway point and a couple of victories are vital to keep them in touch with the sides in safety.

Yorkshires Amateurs scored late to take a point away from a 2-2 home draw with Tranmere Rovers. The Amateurs were nearly gifted an early lead but Leroy Upson’s dangerous back-pass rolled wide much to the defender’s relief. Cristian Campagnolo then had the ball in the net at the other end but was infuriated by a dubious offside decision which kept the score at 0-0. Murray Davis lobbed over before Micky Cox gave the Amateurs a 1-0 half-time lead by sliding home well from a quick breakaway move. Amadeo Caviedes forced Onyszko into early work in the second-half as the cat punched away a powerful shot while Manuel Bonda demanded something similar from Vadge at the other end. The game continued to go from end-to-end as Caviedes lobbed over before Tranmere levelled through a Gabriel Dolff lob on 67 minutes. Tranmere would attack their hosts and had already gone close through a Jari Sjoholm free-kick before Campagnolo cheekily put them in front with a back-heel on 84 minutes. Cox immediately tried to restore parity but narrowly put his shot wide but the Amateurs weren’t finished. A flick header in injury-time by Caviedes got the hosts the point they deserved from a richly entertaining encounter. Despite this point Danlufc13 will know time is running out on his side’s chances of survival and nothing but wins will help them in with a chance. Baz will be happy to keep picking up points while his new team develops and starts heading in the right direction.

Another 2-2 draw was fought out at Cedar Road as F.C. Greatness and Hun Haters enjoyed a rare old battle. Martinus Benfari forced Boruc into early work from a fine header and it wouldn’t take long for Greatness to take the lead; a well-placed shot from Fabrizio Colluato proving out-of-reach for the ‘keeper and giving the home fans a boost. Iain Emery didn’t pose Rachao any problems from HH’s first effort of the game and they would go into the break a goal down. Haters were level at the start of the second-half, though, as Craig Elliston netted superbly from a free-kick. Amazingly, they were in front from their next effort as Emery placed beyond Rachao to turn the game on its head. A precise header by Alvaro Recoba was comfortably gathered by Boruc and a Faust Baronchelli lob smashed into the bar as Greatness tried to draw themselves level. They might have been beaten on 71 minutes when Emery defeated Rachao but his shot struck a post and Greatness could breathe again. Indeed, they took full advantage when Benfari headed home a free-kick delivered by Baronchelli to put the match back in the melting pot. Don MacArthur missed a late chance for Haters while Baronchelli did likewise with a free-kick at the other end as the match finished in a deserved draw. Calvert will know how important it was not to lose to the Haters and while his side remains in terrific form they will need to keep picking up wins to maintain their position of safety. Celticchris has his side on a decent run following their slow start to the season and if they can win the rematch on Friday will be looking at brighter things to come.