Amateurs in Ascendancy

A ridiculously tight Division One got even tighter following the latest round of results. Yorkshires Amateurs managed to go to the top of the section following a 0-0 draw at Hicktown Hillbillies. The first-half was a pretty dismal affair without a chance created. Hicktown would be reduced to 10-men, though, as Buddy Bailey was sent-off for a crude foul as the last man. Amateurs sought to take advantage of their extra man during the second-half but found their efforts meet with frustration. Gabriel Mohan put a diving header against a post before he curled another effort too close to Syvaluoma as chances began to arrive for the visitors. Antony Wallwork would head over the bar when well-placed while Glyn Arnold couldn’t control his strike after being teed-up from a free-kick. A further set-piece saw Cameron Kingston’s effort tipped over by the ‘keeper and the title challengers would have to settle for a point. Amateurs News referred to the end of the season as ‘four cup finals’ as they seek promotion. Hicktown News said the side has ‘taken heart that (they) have played all 4 teams sitting at the top end of the table’ and they will now look to ensure survival with games against sides around them.

Bonkers surged into second as they defeated PSV Eindhoven 4-1 at Crazy Town. Tommy McCue scored a spectacular opener on seven minutes as his bicycle-kick beat Reina to boost the home faithful. Edip Bayrak would double that advantage just a minute later as he shot through the legs of the ‘keeper and it was 3-0 on 14 minutes courtesy of a McCue header. PSV looked to strike back on 16 minutes but Rene Maslovsky put a header off-target and Stefan Beelenkamp was unlucky not to make it 4-0 as his free-kick struck wood. Yang Sheng Nanmeng suffered a similar fate at the other end as his lob header hit the angle to keep PSV well-adrift. McCue would look to complete his hat-trick but had his lob wrongly disallowed for offside although his side would still go into the break in the ascendancy. Maslovsky did pull a quick goal back for PSV at the start of the second-half with an excellent header but McCue showed that the home side were still dangerous as his header struck the woodwork. Joel Weymouth’s side-footed effort was saved by Reina but the home side would re-establish their three-goal lead as Mortimer Wainman drilled home a penalty on 70 minutes. To their credit the visitors continued to look for goals right to the end and saw Xabi Alonso strike a post before Maslovsky put a header on target only for Hawke to make a brilliant save for the hosts. Gareth Lloyd will be delighted with his side’s win but will realise the big matches keep on coming and they face third-placed White Hawk on Friday. Kadri will realise this game was a tough ask for his young side but they will look to take advantage of a home game next up as they entertain Greatness.

F.C. Greatness were winners as they knocked Kensington Boys Club from top spot with a 1-0 victory. There would only be a couple of chances in a tight first-half with Albert Finley side-footing a shot over the bar for the visitors before Harry Whitlow thought he had given them the lead with a header only for it to be disallowed for offside. The second-half began quietly but would open up more in the last 20 minutes. Finley put a volley over before Whitlow smashed the bar with a lob as the visitors continued to press. Aubrey de Vere mishit when well-placed and this allowed Rachao to make a decent stop. Greatness would finally hit some attacking rhythm in the last five minutes and they would see Faust Baronchelli brush a post from a free-kick before the forward stunned the visitors by finishing off a breakaway with some aplomb to deliver three points to the home side. Patrik found the defeat hard to ‘accept’ calling it ‘moronic’ after preparing his side for this ‘match for ages.’ It remains to be seen whether the ‘heartbroken’ coach can recover to lead his side to promotion over the next couple of weeks. Darren Calvert will have been happy with the win and has his side in the middle of the table and both promotion and relegation remain possible in an exciting finish to the season.

White Hawk put in a strong home performance to defeat fellow promotion chasers Real Madrid 1-0 at White Stadium. Adan Donahue would see Beeton theatrically save from his free-kick before Clyde Nageswar headed wide as the hosts started the stronger. Donahue would steer a further effort off-target while Madrid’s only effort of the half resulted in Aren Garabedian brushing a post with a powerful low shot. With the sides deadlocked Hawk would be the braver in the second-half as they went in search of the crucial goal. Donahue thought he had got it with a header on 48 minutes but saw it disallowed for offside. Byron Somaroe would eventually put them in front, though, on 76 minutes as he shot past Beeton after an excellent counter. Ryan Dharmsingh failed with a late attempt to make it 2-0 but the three points were secure as Hawk moved into third in the table. Hooraymee knows his side have every chance of promotion following an impressive season but with matches against Bonkers and Amateurs to come the talented coach will be taking nothing for granted. FredRizzo won’t be giving up hope of promotion either and with a favourable run-in his side have every chance of still making one of the three places at the season’s end.

AC Milan made it three wins out of three as they defeated Villarreal 2-0 at the San Siro. Rupert Massimo placed home the opener on 18 minutes after some impressive passing in a swift breakaway. Maurizio Rissi narrowly failed to make it 2-0 as Rossell denied him but the second goal did arrive as Simone Spina headed home two minutes before the break. Milan would enjoy the only chances of the second-half but Massimo shot wide before Quigley Addison hit a free-kick too close to Rossell. Xmensch now has his side five points clear of the bottom three but will know there is still more hard work to come, starting with a trip to Kensington on Friday. The defeat will have come as a surprise to Cath who ‘didn’t expect to concede a goal’ but he will be more concerned about preparing for next season’s campaign.

Pahang United and AJ Rovers couldn’t be separated as they fought out a 0-0 draw at Padang MPK. Chad Atlee missed the goal when presented with a decent chance on 10 minutes and this proved to be the only chance in a quiet first-half. The second-half wasn’t much better but it did see two chances. Kilian Strongbow would see his free-kick saved by Mortimer before a free-kick for the visitors saw Byron Simon hit his effort straight at Hussain. Rothion will be the happier of the two managers with the point as his side sit three points above the relegation zone. MrT has four points to gain on Rovers with just four games to go and having missed this golden opportunity he will need his side to improve on their travels against Madrid on Friday.