Brotherly Love for Bonkers

Bonkers made it two wins from two with an explosive 6-1 home victory against African Imitators. Having recorded their first win of the season in the last round Bonkers were hoping to build on this platform and they would do so in emphatic fashion. A fast start began with Garry Maynard shooting just wide before he would open the scoring on two minutes with a flick header of quality. Joel Weymouth soon had the hosts 2-0 ahead with a lucky mishit shot. The Imitators cleared their heads somewhat for the next few moments and had already seen Ronald McDonald have a header saved when Savo Milosevic shot home from a tight angle to reduce the deficit to one. However, this joy proved short-lived as Edip Bayrak headed in on 18 minutes to double the lead once more and Chris Sutton nearly added another but his lob went just over. Nevertheless the home side pressed on with Tommy McCue adding a fourth with a powerful strike from distance before Maynard’s powerful shot went well-wide. The fifth goal arrived on 39 minutes as McCue got his second of the contest, this time from a diving header. This proved the last goalmouth action of the first-half much to the relief of the shell-shocked visitors. Weymouth began the second 45 minutes with a shot which needed watching closely by Tolkien but Bonkers did add some more gloss to the score in injury-time when Stefan Beelenkamp thundered in a free-kick to make it 6-1. Bonkers’ coach GarethLloyd was said to be ‘happy with the team now and hopes they can continue with this good form.’ Gravitons will not have enjoyed his side’s performance one bit and will demand a reaction against leading side Smurftastic Smurfs on Tuesday.

The Smurfs were in fine form once more as they disposed of the challenge of Bumerang by a 4-0 score-line. All eyes were on the Smurfs and how they would cope without their talisman Ormondroyd and they would come through the game in fine style. A free-kick on eight minutes saw Craig Elliston force Stancu into a decent save while Ted Caird was also denied by the ‘keeper from a lob. Elliston would have another free-kick effort and would, once more, be denied by Stancu and a flick header which flew over from Ashton Crosby completed the Smurfs first-half frustration. Despite the score remaining at 0-0 the home side would remain composed and continued to press in the second 45 minutes. Iain Emery opened the scoring quickly with a fine header before testing the ‘keeper on 69 minutes with a driving shot. Finlay MacCleir headed in the second on 72 minutes and when Frisco Ortiz put through his own goal on 76 minutes it was game over. Minoru Hara did make it 4-0 with a clinical strike in the area and Bumerang could have no complaints. The Smurfs responded well to Thesmurfs’ challenge that they are not ‘a one-man team’ and can be very pleased with their three-point lead at the top. Coolbooy will have been unimpressed with his side’s performance but they have a chance to put it right when they return travel to face Cardiff on Tuesday.

Splott Rovers kept the gap to three at the top of the table with a keenly fought 2-1 triumph at AC Milan. With Milan struggling near the bottom of the table Splott will have looked upon this fixture as a winnable away game while respecting the home side’s ability to beat any side on their day. The first-half would prove a relatively uneventful affair with just the one chance. However, it would be a big opening as a penalty allowed Frank Punisher the opportunity to put the visitors 1-0 ahead and he would make no mistake. Milan would begin the second-half positively despite finding themselves behind but Ricardo Kaka couldn’t direct his toe-poke before Quigley Addison hit a free-kick straight at Ghostrider. Splott would then respond with a header by Bruce Hulk which needed punching away by Torricelli before they did make it 2-0 as Winston Badger curled in a powerful strike from distance. Milan were given a route back in courtesy of a penalty which Bernard Lormor deposited to halve the deficit on 67 minutes. However, Splott would go close through a Rodney Shuttlewood free-kick while Kaka couldn’t direct his header at the other end with Milan’s last chance. Carbonmonoxide will be pleased with his side’s response following their hard defeat last time out and he will hope a home game on Tuesday will result in a further three points. Xmensch will be getting worried about his side’s position and they face another difficult game next as they travel to Greatness.

Greatness themselves would pick up an important win as they edged Pahang United 1-0 at Cedar Road. With both side’s setting their sights on a top three position this term neither wanted to give any ground up to the other. Greatness would enjoy the better of the opening 45 minutes and saw Fabio Cannavaro lash them into a lead on 11 minutes from some way out. Paolo Serena would follow by placing an effort off a post and their luck would be out on 34 minutes as Fabrizio Colluato also hit the woodwork from a lob. However, they would have to settle for a one-goal lead at the break and the second 45 minutes would see a more even contest. Massimiliano Cardone would mishit the host’s first chance before Romeo Hogg flicked a header against the bar for Pahang. Harold Yates would follow by curling a shot too close to Rachao as Pahang looked for a leveller. Colluato would keep them honest, though, with a chip just over for the home side but Pahang would see Geraldo Aguiar force Rachao into another save. The final chance, though, would fall to the hosts and Colluato could consider himself, once more, unfortunate as his shot beat Hussain but not the woodwork. Nevertheless, Greatness had done enough to record an important three points and leapfrog Pahang in the table. Darren Calvert will want his side to seize on their momentum and take three points against Milan to consolidate their top-three position. MrT will be disappointed that his side took so long to get going in the match and a faster start will be expected against AJ on Tuesday.

AJ Rovers would be on the wrong end of a 3-1 score-line at Cardiff as the home side improved their survival hopes. With AJ having slipped in recent matches after hitting first they were hopeful of returning to winning ways at Cardiff but were met with a determined home side. Marco Busquets would have the game’s first chance but his header was saved by Morrell before Albert Scully’s free-kick was also held by the ‘keeper. Cardiff would earn reward for their first-half showing, though, as Tommaso Miceli shot home from inside the area on the stroke of half-time. AJ would look more positive after the break and a precise header by Daniel Craioveanu levelled the game on 68 minutes. Miceli would respond for the home side, though, with a precise header of his own to restore their advantage. Peyton would then keep their lead intact as he saved well from a Donovan Bronach header before Gordon Hogg put a flick header off-target. Cardiff would then finish well as Miceli forced Morell into a leg save before Busquets headed home in injury-time to seal a 3-1 win. Uwfb will be delighted with his side’s win as it reattaches them to the sides just above the drop zone and another home game next offers the chance to escape the bottom three. Rothion’s season has been a model of inconsistency and he will hope for a return to winning ways on Tuesday so they can begin to look up the table once again.

In the other game Kensington and Carthage fought out a 1-1 draw at Kensington Grounds. With the sides casting an eye at both ends of the table a tight contest was always anticipated and so it would prove. Caleb Spencer did think he had given Carthage a wonderful start but his curled effort was chalked off much to his chagrin. Hamilcar Barca would then hit a shot straight at Lorentzen before James Wilde put Kensington ahead from a brilliant free-kick. They would take this lead into the second 45 minutes but Carthage would continue to battle hard. Miguel Angelo would duly level with an excellent strike from distance before both sides had a chance to win it. Samson Lockwood would miss the target with a header for the hosts while Delis Eribenee did likewise for the visitors. Ultimately, that meant the sides would share the spoils in a fair outcome. Patrik won’t be entirely satisfied with his side’s performance and will know they need to improve at Splott. Blakey has his side well-placed ahead of a tricky trip to Bonkers. However, with the section still incredibly tight no side’s future seems certain one way or another.