Anime Leave Crimson Feeling Blue

Anime Allstars opened up the race for third with a 2-1 success at Crimson Tigers. With the gap at seven points going into the game, Anime knew this was their chance to exert a little pressure and they would do so in an open contest. The first chance fell the way of the visitors with Naru Narusegawa opening the scoring with a fine lob following a rapid break. Crimson responded with a Jez Stafford header but Sapienza denied him with a wonderful save. Anime had the chance to make it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time but Johnny Douglas put a free-kick over and the score remained at 1-0. Douglas started the second-half with a free-kick also but Gow made a fine save before Kendrick Osmond unfortunately hit the bar with a lob as the home side tried to level. Marcelo Argello was the next to try and level but his free-kick missed the target while Sonsaku Hakufu’s bicycle kick was easily saved at the other end. Douglas would go closer with a header for Anime but it struck the angle before Hakufu saw a drive saved. Argello responded for the hosts with a set-piece but it went wide and Douglas did double the away side’s lead with a super volley from distance. Argello did make a free-kick tell on 90 minutes but it came too late to alter the result and Anime went away the happier side. With just four points separating the sides Joshy will be hopeful of a successful chase in the final weeks of the season and a trip to Boo Boys awaits them on Tuesday. Paul will be keen for his side to put this defeat to the backs of their minds but a tough home game against EspAda follows and the talk around Crimson was about whether they could ‘cling on’ to third.

EspAda carried on their merry way at the top of the division with a routine 2-0 home success over FCR Cressex. With the sides enjoying very differing fortunes this season a home win was expected and never really looked in doubt. Herbert Stigsson opened the scoring form their first chance as he planted a precise header beyond Martinzon. Geoffrey Stiles looked to make it two with a header of his own but got underneath the ball to send it skywards but he did have better luck on 23 minutes as he guided the ball beyond the ‘keeper to double the lead. Patric Torebring missed the target with a powerful header of his own and they had an escape at the other end as Kerrigan saved from a Cabbar Saatcioglu volley. The final chance of the half fell to the hosts but Gregor Muller’s header was dealt with by the ‘keeper. The second-half saw more chances for the hosts with Andreas Sommer heading wide on 47 minutes. A free-kick just before the hour saw Sommer shoot over while Torebring lobbed over the bar as EspAda failed to add to their tally. Saatcioglu did find the net at the other end but saw it disallowed due to a foul and they fell to a 2-0 defeat. Crismorena will be taking it step-by-step as far as the title goes and a tricky away trip against Crimson will now be occupying the manager’s mind. Villan_RAS will be happy to see the back of the season and hope he can mould a side capable of challenging next term.

Morley made sure they stayed in touch with EspAda with a 3-0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur. With Spurs youthful and some way below the level of Morley nothing but a home win was expected at Scatcherd Park and it would pan out that way. Helder Velez began with a super diving header which gave Morley the lead on 10 minutes while Florian Arnautu quickly doubled the lead by rounding Gomes to slot home two minutes later. Marcus Young saw a free-kick brush a post at the other end before Luka Modric hit the bar with a thunderous drive. At the other end Art Boyle put a header over the bar before Dustin Wotton also cleared the bar with a chip. The chances continued to arrive for the home side but Angres Kafka missed the target with a free-kick while a driving shot by Arnautu also had too much on it. Gwilym Cullip did get a powerful shot on target before the interval but Gomes was well-placed to make the save and the score remained 2-0 at the break. The second-half was slightly quieter but Kafka did see a free-kick go close before Arnautu drove in their third goal on 70 minutes. Wotton would put their last chance over with a lobbed effort before Tom Huddlestone saw red for Spurs because of use of his elbow. Spurs did regroup to force one more chance but Marcus Young put his free-kick wide and they had slipped to defeat. Morley News called the win ‘routine’ before looking ahead to a match against PBSFC. Ocs will be hopeful of a good change report so his side can become more competitive next season following a tough baptism.

Alsancak enjoyed a positive home performance to move into fifth in the table, replacing beaten opponents AFC Boo Boys. With both sides fielding young sides an open contest was always possible and it would be the home side who would throw caution to the wind. Danny Rose put a powerful shot close on two minutes before Jack Rodwell had a steered shot saved by Ersberg just three minutes later. Mark Noble would see a chip go over the bar while Andrew Taylor also put too much weight on his free-kick as the score remained goalless. Fabrice Muamba was the next to try his luck but his toe-poke went into the arms of Ersberg before Rose looped a header over. A side-footed shot by Nedum Onuoha didn’t trouble the visiting goal and Dan Scuderi nearly stunned them with a side-footed shot at the other end which demanded a fine reflex save out of Frost. The resumption would see a similar pattern to the play with Gabriel Agbonlahor finally breaking the deadlock with a clinical strike in the area for the hosts. Agbonlahor would then power in a fine header to double their advantage although Torben Kummel’s diving header did reduce the deficit shortly afterwards. Taylor would see a free-kick go wide before Agbonlahor smashed an effort against a post. Muamba would make it 3-1 on 83 minutes, though, as he shot through the legs of Ersberg but once again Boo Boys struck back; Sam Harding flicking home a header to make it 3-2 and game on. However, Alsancak would remain on top with Ersberg needing to save from a Rodwell header before Noble shot home to make it 4-2 on 90 minutes. This proved the last action of a breathless encounter and Wienersnitzel will be delighted with the attacking intent of his side and hopeful they can keep it up for the remainder of the term. Skoolyou will be disappointed by his side’s inability to defend and he will be looking for a tighter showing on Tuesday against Anime.

Pink Bus Riders FC enjoyed a fine road trip with a 6-0 success at St Omer. With Omer getting to the interesting part of their season they looked for a positive result to keep spirits high but it was not to be on this occasion. Turlough Daly placed a shot just wide in the very first minute for the visitors before Fabrizio Gualtieri did open the scoring with a powerful drive from distance on 21 minutes. Millivoje Berber saw a header blocked before Seth Eaves mishit a shot wide when well-placed. However, Gualtieri would make it 2-0 with a fine chip on 41 minutes to give his side a comfortable half-time lead. Gualtieri would begin the second-half in fine fashion also by producing a diving header of the highest standard to make it 3-0 on 46 minutes. He would then add his fourth of the day with another powerful strike some 17 minutes later and his day got better when he flicked home a header to make it 5-0 on 67 minutes. Daly got his goal with a poacher’s finish in the area following a corner and completed a comfortable day at the office for Killie’s side. With form like this fans of the club will be optimistic ahead of the new season and the manager’s first full one in charge. CT will be looking at plans for the next stage of his side’s development following another tough season at Five Percent Stadium.

Rolling Thunder won the other game of the day as they overcame Reggae Reggae Sauce 2-0 at Cloud Nine. With Sauce at the bottom of the table none of the travelling faithful expected much out of the contest and it would transpire in that way. Jovan Gagic had an early header saved by Mullen while Burim Mejdani forced Selbu into a save at the other end from a fine half-volley. The second-half began positively for Thunder with Marcel Holub putting a header just over before Erland Hangeland flicked a further header against a post. Gagic would see a header of his own saved by Mullen and Sauce looked to strike with Wayne Mardle heading wide at the other end. Thunder would finally get their goal on 77 minutes with Dirk Beast powering a header through Mullen and when Gagic chipped in a second on 82 minutes it was game over. Sauce did threaten once more through a Shivan Preetnav free-kick but it went over and they slid to another defeat. Vehusheia will be pleased with his side’s win and will also be hopeful of making it back-to-back wins with a home match against Omer to come on Tuesday. Xpertelevener will be looking at how to make his side more competitive next season to offer long-suffering fans hope.