Yorkshire Grit Wins Day

Yorkshire Amateurs are the last remaining team unbeaten in Division One after their latest triumph; a 1-0 victory over Hicktown Hillbillies. Antony Wallwork had an early header held by Boston before toe-poking the opener on 24 minutes. Hicktown had no response before the break but were better in the second 45 minutes. Billy Bob fired a speculative volley just wide and after Boston had saved comfortably from Micky Cox at the other end Billy Ray Bongle wasted another chance as he chipped the ball over the bar. However, the comeback was not to be which left the Amateurs celebrating the three points. Danlufc13 appears to have his side effective in both halves of the field ahead of their top of the table clash with Pahang on Tuesday. Gary_C sees his side slip out of the top three as a result of the defeat but they are sure to be in the race for the top spots as the season develops.

Kensington Boys Club won their second successive match-up by a 4-2 score-line as a devastating comeback left F.C. Greatness broken at Kensington Grounds. After a slow start Gilbert de Clare was denied by Rachao before Agostino Filippinetti shot home at the other end to give Greatness the lead. Niles Worthington fired over as Kensington went into the break still trailing. The second-half would prove to be full of incident; de Vere having the first chance from a free-kick which Rachao did well to save. Greatness responded through an Angelo Foggia shot but it went well-wide and they were pegged back as de Vere struck from distance for the hosts. Greatness saw Faust Baronchelli hit a free-kick over before Foggia headed poorly when presented with a decent chance. Kensington saw de Vere go agonisingly close as his free-kick hit the angle and their woes increased as Fabrizio Colluato drilled in a low shot to give Greatness a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute. However, the home side weren’t done with Adrian Gray hitting a powerful warning which needed tipping over by the ‘keeper. Agostino Filippinetti then aided the home team as he needlessly got himself sent-off for Greatness. KBC would then draw level as the game entered injury-time with Gray going one better with an excellent header. This swiftly became a lead as an inspired Gray then powered in a spectacular shot and when a flick header by Worthington found the net the Greatness players fell to their knees with Calvert looking on despairingly. The win sees KBC climb into fifth with an understated Patrik saying ‘how about that for overtime?’ Meanwhile, Darren Calvert described the ending as ‘a load of bull’ before quickly adding, ‘bring on the next game!’

Pahang United suffered their first defeat as AJ Rovers edged them out 1-0 at AJR Arena. The home side started well but Hussain dealt with Sonny Vickerman’s volley comfortably. Taylor Grape was then denied by the ‘keeper as he fired in a super volley while Jeremias Lindeman had Pahang’s only chance of the half but it was saved by Mortimer. A free-kick by Vickerman at the start of the second-half went straight to Hussain before a free-kick by the ‘keeper forced Mortimer into a save at the other end. Rovers would finally get their lead on 70 minutes as Grape fired in a low shot and it might have been two but Vickerman lobbed over. Pahang tried to respond but Tajo Cuevas shot straight at the ‘keeper while a penalty by Hussain was woefully wide to the agony of the visiting fans. Rano Pantow couldn’t trouble Mortimer with what turned out the last chance of the game as Rovers held on for the win. The win gets Rothion’s side moving in the right direction again with a trip to Madrid next up. MrT will have been disappointed with the defeat but will recognise they did enough to get something out of the contest and will look to bounce back on Tuesday.

Villarreal and AC Milan were involved in an entertaining battle down at the bottom of the table as they fought out a 2-2 draw. The home side had the first chance but Errol Beddoe missed with a volley before Milan took the lead; Savino Piovanelli powering in a header on eight minutes. A free-kick from Humphrey Biehn might have made it 2-0 but it went wide before a volley by the same player also lacked accuracy. Ricardo Kaka had a header saved as Milan looked the more progressive side but Villarreal would hurt them by equalising against the run of play; a swift breakaway leading to Ger Wattamaleo chipping over Levein. The second-half opened with Milan regaining the initiative as Biehn slotted home. Villarreal would attempt to hit back but Beddoe would brush a post with a fine strike before they escaped at the other end with Andrea Pirlo having a header ruled out for offside. Villarreal capitalised on this let-off as Jonathan Boulding shot home following a corner to level matters and they might even have won the game but Richard van Mosen’s shot was saved by Levein. The point will hopefully signal the return to form of Cathal and his Villarreal side as they look to regain their focus and lift themselves off the bottom of the table. Xmensch will be happy his side have picked up a point on their travels and will want to build on this when they return home on Tuesday for the visit of the Hillbillies.

Real Madrid finally got their first points with a 2-0 home win over White Hawk FC. Madrid were the dominant side and Kevin Gabriele might have done better with an early volley on goal. A header by Pasi Lintu was also saved by Dankoi before Gabriele shot wide from another chance. The striker would finally get his goal on 24 minutes as he side-footed home with some aplomb. Aren Garabedian tried to do likewise but got it horribly wrong before Cianan Cathan also missed a chance at the other end. The second-half saw a similar pattern and Samvel Mortanian scored the second with a fine strike in the area. Gabriele found the post in his way as he looked to add to the lead and a penalty would also be wasted as Kapo Kachadorian hit the spot-kick wide. It wouldn’t matter, though, as Madrid saw out time on an easy victory over an out-of-sorts Hawk. FredRizzo will hope this is the start of better things and another home game against Rovers gives them the chance to move out of the bottom three on Tuesday. Hooraymee will be disappointed by his side’s lacklustre showing and will demand an improvement against PSV.

PSV Eindhoven warmed up for that clash with a dull 0-0 draw against Bonkers. The game would seriously lack excitement as the sides seemed to cancel each other out. The two chances that did come fell to the visitors but didn’t come until the second-half. Henrik Larsson headed one chance over the bar while a late free-kick by Mortimer Wainman needed blocking by Reina. Kadri will see this as another game in the development of his side and another point gained. GarethLloyd admitted that he ‘can’t seem to get (things) right at the moment’ but they will still look to be in contention for a promotion spot as the season progresses.