Rivals Ready for Title Crunch

West Brom produced a stunning performance to defeat New York City 6-1 at The Hawthorns. Richard Sneekes set the tone by hitting a post with an excellent diving header and shortly afterwards Sattler had to be alert to tip a Bobby Taylor header over the bar. Lee Hughes would be the next to try his luck but his header went wide. Billy Bassett’s free-kick then smashed into wood before Sneekes did open the scoring with a telling lob header. Bassett had another opportunity from a free-kick and he wouldn’t disappoint to make it 2-0 on 23 minutes. 3-0 wasn’t far away as Taylor placed a shot beyond Sattler and a chip by Bryan Robson made it 4-0 on 39 minutes. Robson would hit the bar after the break with a lob effort while Demetrio Delpiano finally had an effort at the other end but wasted it as he put his diving header off-target. Eugene Kameni Idriss then hit a free-kick over and they would fall further behind as Taylor finished a breakaway move on 71 minutes. Taylor then had an effort held by Sattler and Delpiano pulled one back with a fine finish at the other end. However, it would be the hosts who would have the final say as Taylor completed his hat-trick with a clinical strike in the penalty area. DD was happy with ‘a fairly convincing win’ before adding that Friday’s match is ‘massive.’ Jimmy will be hoping to finish his spell as boss of New York on a high and he will undoubtedly enjoy his battle with Izuka on Friday.

ThunderCats stayed on West Brom’s heels with a 4-1 away win at Hun Haters. Hun actually started the stronger of the two and were unlucky not to take the lead as Ted Caird’s shot hit a post. ThunderCats would be the more clinical side throughout the afternoon, though, and Juliano Leite powerfully shot home to put them in front on 12 minutes. The second goal would arrive on 35 minutes with Leonardo Borja flicking in a header and they would retain this league at the break. HH saw Finlay MacCleir have an effort saved after the break before Iain Emery headed in to narrow the deficit to just one. A free-kick threatened to bring them level but Craig Elliston’s strike was saved by Magro before the ‘keeper also denied Emery from a rather miscued effort. Borja scored his second of the game from a free-kick to make it 3-1 on 86 minutes and Leite followed suit with his second to make it 4-1 in injury-time with an excellent finish from a corner. Meelas will take his side into their clash with West Brom knowing that they probably have to win the game due to their inferior goal difference. Meanwhile, CC continues his quest to keep the side in the division with an away game at Santos but will want to take matters into their own hands rather than rely on Greatness failing to pick up wins.

AFC Stanley kept their outside hopes alive with a 6-1 demolition of crisis club Milan. Dijedon Betimaj opened the scoring with a strike of quality in the penalty area before Julien Motson wasted a chance to make it 2-0 as his lob went over. It would be 2-0 on 17 minutes, though, as Jon MacClintock shot past Hindle and Alan Martindale headed in on 21 minutes only for it to be disallowed for shirt pulling. MacClintock would quickly have a shot turned round by Hindle as the pressure continued and the ‘keeper was also alert enough to deny Garry Molseley on 27 minutes. Milan surprised everyone by pulling a goal back through a Savino Pavanelli lob only for it to be disallowed for offside. Stanley would add a third before half-time as Cal McMac made the most of a headed opportunity. The second-half saw Andrea Pirlo sent-off for brutal play before Dexter Warner wasted a free-kick for the hosts. Martindale would make it 4-0 by finishing through the legs of Hindle and it would be 5-0 as Molseley headed in with some aplomb. Molseley hit a free-kick wide before Ron Aldinho gave the visiting support something to cheer with a fine strike in the area but it would be Stanley with the last say as Betimaj made it 6-1 on 89 minutes with a shot after a corner. Markham will keep his side working hard until the final game as they look to secure third spot at the very least. Milan are now manager-less and will hope someone will be up to the challenge of turning them round ahead of the new season.

Three Lions kept F.C. Greatness deep in relegation trouble with a 1-0 victory at Wembley Stadium. Luis Carlos Almeida forced Rachao into a fine stop on 12 minutes after powering a header in on goal. Following a quiet period, Greatness would have the only other chance of the half but Faust Baronchelli couldn’t find the net and the sides went in at the break level. Greatness would open the second-half with a header from Martinus Benfari which was smartly stopped by Casillas. The Lions response was a positive one and they took the lead from a Fernando Mello shot from distance. Greatness missed an opportunity to level as Cristian Dagostino hit a free-kick straight at the ‘keeper while Robin van Izu hit a set-piece wide at the other end. Zlatan Izuhimovic would also lob an attempt high over the bar but they would still take three points after a competitive match. While the win has Izu’s side up to fifth it leaves Greatness two points adrift of HH and in desperate need of a victory against the Amateurs on Friday.

Yorkshires Amateurs warmed up for that game by going down 2-0 at Totaalvoetbal. The home side began well with Alexis Barrere having a lob tipped over by Bicanco before Johan Juffing stuck a post with a stinging shot. Bicanco pulled off a dramatic save to deny Shirsh Vajpayee a goal from a diving header before Rodney Shuttlewood did put the hosts ahead as he drove a shot past the ‘keeper. Allan Akerboom swiftly made it two as he miscued an effort past Bicanco and Juffing narrowly failed to make it 3-0 moments later. Shivan Preetnav hit a low shot horribly wide as the chances kept coming and Shuttlewood saw a header gathered before the break. The second-half saw Preetnav head over and Juffing do likewise with a lob. Juffing would have a final shot saved before Andrew Potts had the visitors’ only chance in injury-time but couldn’t make it count. Meeblind was ‘happy with the victory’ but spared a thought for visiting coach Danlufc13 who he ‘hoped would be back in the top division soon.’ Some strengthening might be needed in the silly-season if the Amateurs are to achieve this but the foundation of a good squad is already in place at The Thorp Arches.

Santos brought an end to Tranmere’s recent good run with an impressive 1-0 win at Prenton Park. Santos started positively with Robbie Mitchell getting a free-kick on target only for Sjolund to make the save. Richardo Ferrari would follow by hitting the bar with an excellent lob while Mitchell had another free-kick but missed the target this time. Their fine start continued and Ferrari’s chip needed saving by Sjolund. Tranmere emerged as an attacking force on 36 minutes with Marten Wessman got in a header but it didn’t have the pace or accuracy required while Mitchell hit a free-kick at Sjolund at the other end. Wessman would hit a shot well-over before Sandro Bucchi hit a half-volley at Rodenas as the home side started the second-half strongly. This continued with Jari Sjoholm hitting a free-kick over and they would pay for the missed chances when Ferrari lobbed home for the visitors. Sjoholm’s next free-kick was comfortably saved as Tranmere’s last chance went while Mitchell also wasted another set-piece for the visitors. Ultimately it was Sean7 who would celebrate the three points but both he and Baz will be satisfied with a mid-table finish which could lead to brighter things next term.