Bye Izu, Hello Paddy

Underdogz United saw Izuka bid them farewell but they couldn’t make it a winning one as they slipped to a 2-0 home defeat by title challenging Real Madrid. With United having an uncertain start to the season and Madrid flying high the visitors were favourites for another success. Nemanja Vidizuka hit an early driving shot over for the hosts while Vladimir Aleksanian lobbed over at the other end as the sides traded chances. Ashod Marderosian would come close to giving Madrid a lead with a header which struck a post while Beeton kept them level with a good stop from a Leonardo Borja free-kick. Borja would have another set-piece effort before the break but it would lack accuracy and the sides would go in goalless. Madrid would put in a much stronger second-half performance as they looked for the points which would keep them pressing at the top. Samvel Mortanian would give them a priceless lead on 53 minutes with a fine header and the same player nearly made it two but Casillas made a good stop from another header. Kevin Gabriele would continue the aerial attack with a looping header which went over but Madrid would seal the game on 89 minutes as Federico Quintana planted a header beyond Casillas and into the net. There was better news for United fans after the game as Izuka was quickly replaced as manager by Solongsuperman. The club was renamed to AFC Pop Punk and Paddy said that key players were already ‘looking forward to helping me try and drag the club away from the relegation spots.’ Meanwhile, FredRizzo has his side flying high and with a home match to come on Friday they look like setting the pace as the season reaches the halfway stage.

Totaalvoetbal continue to go point for point with Madrid following a 2-1 win at last season’s champion West Brom Strollers. With the sides in contrasting form this term but with the Strollers enjoying home advantage this game was a tough one to call but Totaal put together an impressive performance. The visitors would produce a strong first-half and might have gone in front but Johan Juffing put a lob well-over. However, Shirsh Vajpayee would give them a half-time lead as a driving shot from inside the area proved too much for Valdezuka. The second-half started in similar fashion with William Ralph Dean brushing a post with a drive. However, West Brom would stir into action as Lee Hughes tried to round Leemans but the ‘keeper somehow got his hands to it. Ramiro Verona saw a volley saved for Totaal and they would be pegged back as Cyrille Regis powered in a driving shot on 74 minutes. Totaalvoetbal would respond well to this setback, though, and Pierre van Diemen produced a bit of quality to lob in a long range shot to put them back in front. Regis tried to pull West Brom back for a second time but placed a shot wide and although Vajpayee missed a late toe-poke the away side claimed the three points. Robin Meeblind was ‘delighted with three massive points away from home’ but admitted they ‘would need another monumental away performance on Friday.’ DD will know his West Brom side aren’t in good enough form at the moment and results will remain patchy until this gets rectified.

AFC Stanley are the third unbeaten side left in the top division and they enjoyed another good victory as they edged Yorkshires Amateurs 1-0 at The Thorp Arches. The home side went into the contest on the back of a morale-boosting win last time out and with Stanley looking impressive a quality match was on the cards. The Amateurs looked to make a lightning start but Amadeo Caviedes put his lob over the bar. Stanley’s first chance came on 33 minutes and Matts Wallman made no mistake with a textbook free-kick. Per-Elvis Granander thought he had made it two moments later but had it pulled back for a 50/50 offside call. Meanwhile, Derek Naples curled a shot into the stomach of Hessbo at the other end while Caviedes also put another lob over the bar. Stanley were nearly boosted by home defender Vince Brightwell before the interval but Bicanco made good ground to tip the header over the gap remained one at the break. Amateurs had the first chance of the second-half but Brightwell got too much on his lob before Salvador Borgues smashed a lob of his own into the bar. Luke Riou would mishit Stanley’s only effort but it wouldn’t matter as they held on for the victory. Markham33 will be in confident mood as his side continue to give nothing away defensively while also looking dangerous at the other end and with the top two meeting on Friday they will see this as the perfect opportunity to gain ground with a home match against White Hawk. Amateurs News reported that they ‘have now failed to find the net in four of their opening six’ games and this will need to be rectified as they look to pick up some important wins.

Kirkbride Strollers continue to make ominous progress up the table after a 2-1 home win over Arsenal DB. With DomBrown still experimenting with his Arsenal side Kirkbride were hoping their strong home form would be enough to clinch the points. Arsenal did begin positively with Francesc Fabregas firing an early free-kick wide before Faustino Aspirlla also went close with a strike. Kirkbride had their first sight of goal on 26 minutes but Malcolm Graham’s shot was held by Aitkin. They would find the net with their next effort, though, with Stephen Robinson showing a cool head to finish well in the area. Hill would ensure their lead remained intact moments later as he gathered at the feet of Asprilla before Andrew Harrison nearly made it two at the other end with a flick header which hit the angle. Mike Bell would waste a further chance for the hosts and Darren Gibson made them pay with a fine header which levelled just before the break. The second-half tightened up with the only chance coming very late in the half. It would fall to Harrison and the brilliant midfielder steered home a shot in the area to give Kirkbride a late, late win. Jazza has his side looking as tough as ever and they will need every ounce of this toughness as they travel to Santos on Friday. Dom Brown was said to be ‘disappointed’ but Arsenal News reported that the manager remains determined ‘to try everything out at least once before he can make a call on what the current crop of players can do.’

ThunderCats continued their topsy-turvy season with a 4-2 success at struggling White Hawk. With the home side having failed to pick up a win so far in the RMI, ThunderCats were hopeful of picking up an important three points to get their season back on course. The first-half would prove an exciting contest as both sides went for the throat. An early free-kick saw Adan Donahue bring the best out of Magro in the visiting goal before a header by Charly Chan Jet Soe rattled the woodwork as Hawk made the early running. ThunderCats would reply with a Placido Polo free-kick which was off-target before the same player put a powerful low shot wide. Polo was seeing a lot of chances come his way and he had already put a diving header off-target before he put another header well-wide. Silvio Falcao would show his partner how to finish on 23 minutes, though, as he poked home a clever shot in the area to put the Cats 1-0 ahead. Hawk’s response was good, though, with Soe producing a similar finish to level on 31 minutes. This parity soon became a lead with Donahue despatching a penalty on 37 minutes much to the delight of the home fans and they would remain in front at the break. However, the second-half would prove a different story as the visitors took control. Falcao would level on 71 minutes with a stupendous volley from distance and the same player completed a simply stunning hat-trick with another volley, this time from inside the area to put ThunderCats 3-2 up. Raimundo Lange had a powerful strike stopped by Dankoi but Fabricio Cidade would make it 4-2 with another thumping hit in injury-time. Baz will be hoping to bottle the second-half performance as in that form and finishing mood they will take some stopping. Hooraymee has found little cheer so far and a trip to Stanley provides little respite for the troubled side.

Santos would pick up their first win of the season as they edged The Vikings 1-0 at Estadio do Deus. With the sides having contrasting starts to the season The Vikings went into the game with the better record but it would be the home side who would dominate proceedings. A tight first-half saw just one chance with Robbie Mitchell putting a flick header off-target. However, the hosts would find a way through The Vikings rearguard on a more regular basis in the second 45 minutes. Mitchell would have another headed chance and this time would make no mistake as he powered the ball into the net for an opener on 50 minutes. They would then see a couple of late chances with The Vikings seemingly unable to make an impact on the contest. Asmar Golkas would waste a headed chance before Mitchell put a further header wide by a clear margin. Nevertheless the win will have come as a relief to Sean7 who will now look to put a familiar run together and climb the table. Eaglesrjh admitted ‘not much went right’ in the game and will want to quickly put it out of his players’ minds as they prepare for ThunderCats on Friday.