Dennis Drives Gooners On

Gooners took a step closer to the Division Three title with a 2-1 success at Morley Town. The league leaders would put on an impressive display but left it late to secure the all-important three points. Gilberto Silva would waste an early chance for them as he put a flick header off-target and this dose was repeated by Thierry Henry albeit from a more powerful header. Morley would struggle to contain the visitors but Henry’s accuracy was lacking once more from a lobbed effort and their first-half trials in front of goal were complete when Freddie Ljungberg was wayward with a driving shot. The second-half would take on a twist to proceedings when Art Boyle netted from Morley’s very first chance; showing Gooners how to finish the midfielder found the net from inside the area. Boyle might have doubled the pain on Gooners but Seaman produced a decent stop from his volley and the championship challengers regained their composure from this moment. Silva would level matters with a fine lobbed header on 73 minutes and the turnaround was complete when Dennis Bergkamp produced a brilliant free-kick seven minutes later. It would be a lead the visitors never looked like relinquishing and although Bergkamp suffered some misfortune from the spot they went away from Scatcherd Park a happy team. FMRealism gave a frank interview to RMI reporters and explained that the immediate plan was to ‘maintain our form until the end of the current season’ and then ‘take the silverware in front of our fantastic fans.’ Leeg21’s promotion hopes now look to be remote at best and the manager will have to lift his side for another crack at it next term.

Dream Team won’t have given up hope of being crowned champions just yet after recording a solid 2-0 away victory at EspAda. Adam Aspire had a powerful header saved on nine minutes as Dream Team looked for an early boost. The home side wouldn’t be without chances either but their first attempt was wasted as Sidney Motter lobbed a header over the bar. Dream Team would then take a lead as Warren Wish produced a fabulously powerful strike on 20 minutes to leave Bound with no chance in goal. The home response would be a powerful shot by Zihni Demiray but it would lack the accuracy of Wish’s at the other end. Wish would continue to pose a threat and his bicycle kick on 33 minutes looked to have doubled the lead but it cannoned back off the woodwork with Bound beaten. The second goal would duly arrive after the interval, though, as the visitors looked to put the game to bed. Kris Krafty would be the scorer as he headed home a Merry cross to the joy of the travelling fans. EspAda would make a brave effort to salvage something from the game but late chances saw Demiray put a half-volley off-target while Patric Torebring’s header brought a decent save out of Delirious. While MrJames will have been happy with the win he was well aware that he still needs help from elsewhere and joked with Gooners’ next opponents saying ‘Mojos it’s up to you, don’t fail me.’ Malteseexpert hasn’t been training with his side for quite some time now and with the end of season approaching change might be in the air.

Wortley are also just two points back from Gooners following an impressive 2-1 victory at 1863 Munich. The first-half was a relatively quiet affair with just a Paulinho Santos free-kick causing any sort of excitement; albeit not much as the midfielder’s strike was some way from causing Blacksmith any trouble in goal. However, the second-half would be much more eventful with several chances at either end. Stephane Aoudou had wasted a free-kick for the hosts by blasting high and wide before wortley took the lead; a free-kick of their own being despatched into the net courtesy of the cultured boot of Santos. However, the home side were in no mood to throw in the towel following this goal and were level on 59 minutes; Turlough Daly placing a precise header beyond Jenning following an excellent cross from Edwards. Control of the game would continue to fluctuate, though, and an excellent low shot by Santos from distance re-established the visitors' lead. Jake Shiver might have given them more comfort but his header was tipped over by Blacksmith although Jenning repaid the compliment at the other end by holding comfortably from an Eliott Malloy header. Wortley looked to put the seal on victory in injury-time but Rai Kike put his lob over although it wouldn’t cost his side any points. Thegtreatlordbags will be using the old adage of taking it one game at a time as his side look to capitalise on any slip-ups from the sides above and a draw against EspAda would, at the least, secure his side promotion into Division Two. Anderson’s focus will be turning to the off-season and the fans will await any forays into the transfer market as they anticipate a strong campaign next term.

Alsancak moved back into fifth courtesy of a 5-0 triumph at basement boys Norfolk N Chance. As has often been the case this season Norfolk succumbed in a one-sided first-half and only started playing once the game was out of sight. Fraizer Campbell flicked an early header wide for Alsancak before a more precise aerial attack by Gabriel Agbonlahor gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on five minutes. Campbell would waste another headed chance by putting it too close to Clemens but they would go 2-0 ahead as Fabrice Muamba powered in a shot from inside the area on 11 minutes. The chances would keep coming and a header by Rory Burston made it 3-0 before Klyde Krippner nearly helped the away side with a dangerous back-pass; fortunately for Norfolk it wasn’t near the goal. 4-0 would arrive on 28 minutes as Campbell had better look with a long range lob which left Clemens helpless. Mark Noble would benefit from some fortune when he made it 5-0 on 33 minutes as he looked to have mishit his effort on goal only for it to wrong-foot Clemens and add to home woes. Norfolk were competitive in a quiet second-half which saw only two chances. Alsancak might have added another goal but Muamba’s driving shot went wide while a bicycle effort at the other end saw Andy Howe put the ball just over. Ultimately it was another successful round for Wienersnitzel’s side as they look to finish a very creditable fifth although a tough trip to Dream Team awaits on Christmas Day. Howemiester takes his team to Rolling Thunder on the same day with Bookmakers being asked to price up who will score the 100th goal past Norfolk this season.

Rolling Thunder might not be too confident going into that clash, though, as they suffered a 4-1 defeat at Cressex on their travels. Cressex were true to form once more as their game produced a host of chances. Emil Rojas would start things off by heading off-target on three minutes and they would take the lead 10 minutes later as Dan-Ake Rothflod produced a superb diving header to beat Jorquera. Lauro Poggi would then flick a header over while Emil Rojas put a lob against the bar as Cressex dominated the first half-hour. Thunder’s first chance came on 32 minutes but Clooney was on hand to tip Jovan Gagic’s header over the bar. Meanwhile, Rojas went close once more at the other end as this time he saw his header hit the crossbar. More chances would follow in the second 45 minutes as both sides looked to attack. Tomas Tiribocchi nearly followed Rothflod’s opener by putting in a diving header but it would go just wide of the target. It would be Rothflod who would make it 2-0 as his fine finish from a breakaway saw Cressex take a firm grip on the game. Thunder responded quickly, though, and a powerful strike from Gagic would have the deficit back to just one. Cressex wouldn’t seem too concerned with this goal and were back on the front foot straight from the resultant kick-off; Douglas Wallberg’s chip again testing the goal frame. Wallberg would follow by placing a header just wide while Gagic fired a warning at the other end as his shot beat Clooney but struck a post. Indeed, Thunder were seemingly growing in confidence and Danilo Bauza saw a header thump against the bar. Cressex would capitalise on this good fortune and a thumping free-kick from Rojas made it 3-1 on 68 minutes. Just three minutes later and it would be 4-1 with Tryggvi Valsson smashing home following a dangerous corner by Rothflod. Still they would search for more goals and Rojas had a free-kick excellently saved by Jorquera. Thunder would suffer more disappointment in injury-time as Gagic received a red for elbowing and will miss their next match. Villan_RAS’s side continue to be involved in entertaining matches and the fans will be hopeful they can match this style with more consistent results next season. While Vehusheia will be disappointed with the defeat he won’t let his players dwell on it at this late stage in the season.

Mighty Mojos had a successful evening as they defeated Jammas AllStars 3-1 at Mojo Arena. They were given a flying start as Ledley Hodson rounded Frezzolini in the very first minute to slot home the opening goal. Six minutes later and it was 2-0 as Phillip Williams produced an excellent diving header to leave the AllStars stunned. Williams tried to repeat the dose later in the half but was this time denied by Frezzolini while Amadeo Larreina’s lob at the other end was saved by Housham. The visitors would pull a goal back before the break, though, as Teobaldo Bispo got a clever header in on target which fooled Housham. They appeared to still be buoyed by this goal at the start of the second-half and were nearly level as Margrott Ashdown’s free-kick struck a post. However, this would be as close as they would get for the remainder of the game and they would soon find themselves 3-1 down. Michel Montolio delivered a precise header to meet Buta’s cross and give the home side some breathing space. Timotei Buta himself might have added a further goal but his header was repelled. However, it would be another big win for the Mojos and Joshy was already looking forward to his big clash with Gooners who he said they ‘don’t fear but are respectful of them.’ Jamma will be keen to see the back of this season and he will be hoping the change report is kind enough to allow him a platform from which to build for his next campaign.