Hawk Hit League Summit

White Hawk hit the top of Division One following a professional performance in a 2-1 away victory at F.C. Greatness. The title chasers looked to start in positive fashion and created an opening for Jazmique Lattizze only for the defender to head over. Ryan Dharmsingh wouldn’t fare any better as he chipped too high but they would take the lead as Adan Donahue struck home from the spot after some clumsy home defending. Cianan Cathan swiftly doubled that advantage by heading home on 34 minutes and they would go into the sheds fully in control of the game. The second-half saw more chances come their way and they were unlucky not to make it 3-0 as Matts Perman brushed a post with a cute finish. Perman would also have a headed opportunity but put it well-wide before a free-kick by Donahue proved easy for Rachao. Unbelievably Greatness were gifted a way back into the contest as Luke Bribe awarded them a penalty; Fabio Cannavaro coolly sending the ‘keeper the wrong way. Hawk had chances to further their lead again but Dharmsingh’s shot was caught by Rachao while Clarence Ong A Fat hit the bar with a lob. They were nearly made to pay for their profligacy but Mario Balotelli’s half-volley proved tame and Jeso held comfortably in goal. Hooraymee’s side are now in the box seat and with two home matches to come promotion looks well within their reach and maybe the title as well. Darren Calvert’s side are now flirting with relegation as they sit just three points above the trapdoor and things don’t look like improving on Christmas Day as they travel to Bonkers for a tough looking match-up.

Kensington Boys Club won the big battle at the top of the table as they overcame Yorkshires Amateurs by the narrowest of 1-0 margins. Aubrey de Vere hit an early free-kick just wide for the hosts before a lob header by Antony Wallwork would go over at the other end. These proved the only couple of chances in the first-half but the second 45 minutes would see more action. The home side would score the crucial goal with the first attack of the half; de Vere heading past Bicanco to send the home fans into raptures. Wallwork tried to drag his side level but saw his shot saved by Lorentzen while de Vere hit a free-kick wide for the hosts. Glyn Arnold would put a header over the bar while Hugo Smallwood did likewise as the visitors struggled badly with their finishing. Ultimately this would cost the visitors and they would be overtaken by Kensington in the table. Patrik is a determined man at the moment declaring he is ‘going to be promoted like it or not’ and this will have gone a long way to help matters. Despite the defeat the Amateurs still occupy a promotion place and a home match against PSV will be looked upon as a must-win game at this stage of the season.

Real Madrid boosted their own promotion hopes while denting Bonkers’ aspirations in the process with a 3-1 victory at Santiago Bernabeu. In a fairly open contest Madrid had the first chance with Mao Wannasathit shooting through the legs of Hawke to put the home side in front. Aren Garabedian’s header then brought a fine save from Hawke before a lob by Joel Weymouth went over at the other end. Madrid would force further chanes before the break and Garabedian might have done better with a shot before Kevin Gabriele headed them into a 2-0 lead. Samvel Mortanian then powered in a header on 37 minutes to make it 3-0 to leave Bonkers with it all to do. Edip Bayrak missed a diving header which might have given them hope and they went into the interval looking fairly despondent. Madrid wouldn’t be as effective in front of goal after the break with Stu Mackay wasting their first chance by lobbing a header just over. They would win a free-kick on the hour but Mortanian’s effort was theatrically saved by Hawke before another effort four minutes later went over the bar. Stefan Beelenkamp showed him how to do it by thumping Bonkers back to within two goals on 70 minutes but when he missed a lobbed header on 87 minutes the visitors’ hopes were over. Bayrak would waste their last chance deep into injury-time by heading against the bar rather unfortunately and they now have it all to do in their two remaining games. GarethLloyd will be hopeful of his side bouncing back at home to Greatness on Christmas Day but this will then leave a massive away clash with Milan on the last day of the season. FredRizzo will be happy with his side’s response to his fiery words earlier in the week and with six points still to play for anything could happen for this talented team.

AC Milan continue to surge into contention as they disposed of PSV Eindhoven 6-1 at the San Siro. With PSV fighting against the drop while Milan were trying to maintain their run as unlikely promotion candidates the game had plenty riding on it. This would result in an open game with plenty of chances; the first falling to the visitors as Rory MacFinlay headed them into an eighth minute lead. Simone Spina volleyed over for the hosts before Jose Fonte nearly put PSV 2-0 up but his free-kick struck the woodwork. The leveller would come on 20 minutes as Quigley Addison defied a tight angle to lash past Reina. Spina would then head Milan into a 27th minute lead while Jeremiah McNally couldn’t trouble Hindle from a header at the other end. MacFinlay would be the next to try and bring PSV level but his curled shot failed to curl enough and went wide. Their troubles then worsened as Victor Moses headed in for 3-1 before the break to leave them with a massive task in the second-half. Moses started it by heading straight at Reina before heading wide with another effort moments later. Reina would then save from a Jonte Sandholm driving shot while Spina lobbed against the angle as the hosts dominated. PSV did briefly rally and Claudio Collauto was unlucky not to pull a goal back from a well-placed shot before Desmond Moss hit a post with a fine header. An incredible injury-time would follow as Milan showed no mercy for their relegation-haunted visitors. Bernard Lormor curled in a powerful strike for 4-1 on 90 minutes and a lob header by Lorenzo De Gasperi made it five a minute later. Still they weren’t finished and Savino Piovanelli placed in a quality header to complete the rout. Xmensch had declared earlier in the week that they have ‘chances to get promotion’ and this will have only furthered that belief. Kadri was devastated by the defeat which he called the ‘worst result (he’s) ever had’ but he can’t afford to dwell on it as they hope to produce the great escape over the next week or so.

Pahang lifted themselves out of the relegation zone by defeating Hicktown Hillbillies 3-0 at Padang MPK. A vital encounter saw Kilian Strongbow have an early free-kick saved before the same player hit the angle with a nearly brilliant lob. Tom Hording would have a shot from a tight angle saved by Syvaluoma as the home side searched for the opening goal. Sam Jakestown thought he had scored it for the visitors on 41 minutes but had his effort ruled out for offside and Strongbow would then give the hosts a 1-0 lead with a fine header. Hank Marvin would fail to level matters before the break as he couldn’t quite connect sweetly enough with a diving header. The second-half would start quietly with the first chance coming on 71 minutes; Billy Bob hitting a free-kick over the bar. Two minutes later and Franck Saur had a powerful strike well-saved by the ‘keeper while a free-kick by Strongbow hit a post as the hosts pressed. Strongbow would enjoy more luck with his next effort as he curled it beyond Syvaluoma to double their lead. Marshall Mayhem would fail to pull a goal back as his diving header was gathered by Hussain and it would then be 3-0 as Ray Eastwood rounded the ‘keeper to slot home. The win will have come as a massive relief to MrT as he looks to save his side late in the season and an away trip to Villarreal gives them a real chance of more points on Christmas Day. Gary_C’s side have replaced Pahang in the drop zone and they will place great emphasis on gaining points at home to Madrid on the same day.

Villarreal dented AJ Rovers’ hopes of survival by holding them to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio El Madrigal. The game was tight and you could sense the pressure the away players found themselves under. This would only intensify during a tough first-half which saw Leigh Roberts half-volley their chance wide before Claudio Moura flicked home a header for the hosts to put them 1-0 ahead. It might have been worse had Johnny Douglas’ header had not been disallowed for a dubious offside call on 27 minutes. Roared on by their away following Rovers fought back after the break and made the most of the chance they created. It would come on 59 minutes courtesy of a penalty and Phil Marsh made no mistake by blasting home. No more chances would be created, though, to leave Rovers nervously looking over their shoulder for the last two games of the season. Rothion said he is ‘happy enough just to avoid relegation’ but with a home game against Kensington followed by an away game it is not to be considered a foregone conclusion just yet. Cathal told the fans that his future relies on ‘how the change report goes’; whether this has gone down well with fans is another matter.