Cath and FMR On Up and Up

Bully Boys routinely disposed of Juventus to claim the second promotion spot in Division Two. With Juve condemned to Division Three football next term, the home side expected a comfortable victory and it would play out in such a fashion. Aatu Vuokki got them off to a brilliant start with a fine header in the first minute before Curt Elliott drove a shot just off-target. Elliott would get his goal moments later with a fine header before Sjunne Wenna saw a header of his own brush a post. Valio Kapiala saw a free-kick saved by Tonetto before Juve had a chance with Obadele Eliakwu looping a header off-target. Wenna duly added a third for the hosts with a looping header while Kristoffer Lindfors missed the target with a shot at the other end. Juve’s problems looked to have worsened when Elliott slotted home but his goal was disallowed and the score remained at 3-0. Jorn Fruh would lob another header over for the visitors and Elliott did score the fourth with an excellent lob to leave the hosts cruising at half-time. The second-half would see more chances with Dominic Smythe powering in a long range shot on 54 minutes to make it 5-0. Jacobo Chacros would force Tolvanen into a leg save from a free-kick but Bully Boys would then make it six with a powerful header by Smythe. Ike Dyer rounded the game off in fine fashion for the home side with a super lob just before time to start the promotion party. Cath was pleased to see his season goal achieved and will now start his transfer dealings to progress the Bully Boys onto the next level. The future for Juventus is less clear after being manager-less for some time now.

Gooners would duly take the third promotion spot with an emphatic 6-0 away win at PSV Eindhoven. With the home side fielding a very youthful side, Gooners capitalised on the opportunity to score goals aplenty and claim third. The start would be explosive as Sylvain Wiltord curled home a powerful effort in the first minute. Wiltord would then chip in a second just seven minutes later as Gooners began to cruise. Wiltord nearly completed a fast hat-trick but saw a lob tipped over while Sol Campbell struck the angle from a steered effort. Thierry Henry would also test the woodwork with a curled shot before Leonardo Borja did add a third with an excellent volley on the half-hour. Cesc Fabregas swiftly made it 4-0 from a breakaway move and although Rene Maslovsky did have a headed chance for the hosts it wouldn’t threaten and they would go in well-adrift. The second-half was more even although Henry added a fifth with a clinical strike after a corner. Claudio Collauto saw a toe-poke saved for the hosts before Campbell nearly helped them out with a misdirected back pass but it would be Gooners who would have the last say as Henry steered in his second and his side’s sixth of the day. FMR declared himself ‘impressed with Wiltord’ and can now look forward to training his side and making a signing or two ahead of life in Division One. Kadri won’t be too downcast following this defeat and will continue his project in the least demanding arena of Division Three next term.

Legends and FC Bayern Munchen would both miss out on promotion as they drew 1-1 at Stadium of Dreams. With both sides having hopes of promotion this would prove a tense and exciting encounter but would ultimately finish in frustration for the respective sides. Romario de Souza wasted an early lob for the home side before he then put a shot well-wide. The home side continued to threaten but Zinedine Zidane could only hit a free-kick over and they would be thankful to Buffon for saving from Billy Bob’s shot on 41 minutes. However, moments later Adriano Pelizzoli would find the net from distance to give Munchen the half-time advantage. Legends would push to get back into the contest after the break as they forced Munchen to defend for large periods. However, they would first be relieved to see the assistant flagging Pelizzoli offside after the forward had comfortably finished past Buffon. Ruud Gullit would smash a low drive off a post for the home side before George Best did think he had levelled with a clinical finish in the area only to see it disallowed for shirt pulling. They would then see Zidane hit a free-kick wide and looked to be heading to defeat until Paul Gascoigne lobbed home in injury-time to level the match. However, the goal didn’t affect either side’s promotion chances and both will have to go again next term. @peace will sure to have a stronger side next term and anything less than promotion will be seen as disappointing in the Legends’ camp. Dimentis will be disappointed after going so close and will also be looking for one of those top three spots in a competitive section next season.

These Charming Men rounded off their outstanding season with a 2-0 away victory at The Kings. The sides couldn’t have been going into the game on the back of more differing emotions as The Kings faced up to relegation while TCM, the excitement of going up a division. Gerard Caffery would put a header into Fitzsimmons’ hands on five minutes before Jon Hardy saw a long range shot disallowed late in the half as TCM saw the better of the action. Caffery would see a shot saved at the start of the second-half but TCM would go in front courtesy of a Jon Turnball header. Hardy then quickly added a second with a poacher’s goal from a corner while Caffery missed with a placed effort just after the hour. Hardy would also miss with a placed effort before Jamie Sinclair hit a tame shot at Avellino at the other end. The game finished with Hardy striking a post but it wouldn’t affect TCM’s mood and on the final whistle they went to the away end to celebrate their marvellous season with the travelling support. RDCM and his side will now prepare for a tougher challenge in Division One but will also have their eye on a cup challenge over the coming weeks. Hitman will need to improve his side for next season so expect a few transfer dealings in the silly season at Masters.

Wortley would finish the season on a high with a 6-1 triumph over Abu Dhabi United. With both having achieved their goal for the season an open encounter was expected and was duly delivered. Wortley took the lead on eight minutes as Brandon Hiller shot home comfortably and he might have added a second 10 minutes later but hit a tame shot at Rossell. Paulinho Santos would also be denied by Rossell from a free-kick but Karl-Ingvar Gido did lob in a second on the half-hour. United tried to respond on 38 minutes but Jack Wilshere headed wide and Rai Kike then hit the angle with a fine strike at the other end. Jake Shiver would do better as he headed home to make it 3-0 and Hiller nearly rounded off the half with a fourth but saw his header narrowly miss its intended target. Gido did curl home a shot at the start of the second-half to make it four before Dan Clooney’s toe-poke made it five on 58 minutes. Gido put a header wide as they continued to attack and Curt Pryor lobbed home a sixth on 64 minutes. United did show courage to rally late on with Claudio Moura having a shot tipped round before Amjad Abdali lobbed in to pull one back. Gido missed a chance late on for the hosts as Rossell stopped his lob while Ilppo Visavuori was also denied at the other end from his flick header. Ultimately, this would be Thegtreatlordbags’ day and he will now hope to build on his first season in Division Two next term. Tal admitted he had had his ‘ass kicked’ but was already eagerly awaiting his change report after the match.

Crimea River and Special Ones MKII would be involved in a dour 0-0 draw in the other game in the division. With managers, Ithaqua and Ajtrader enjoying history together this was an anticipated match-up but ended up a bitter disappointment. Crimea would see the first chance but Alex Song’s header was comfortably saved and that would be all she wrote for the first 45 minutes. The second-half did see more chances but neither would find the elusive goal. Rowley Forrester saw a free-kick saved for the visitors before Joshua Fisher put a shot well-wide. They continued to press but again proved wasteful on 78 minutes as Forrester hit a dreadful free-kick while Crimea’s only response was a Fran Merida header which was tipped away by Jurkovic. Aj was less than impressed with the contest in its aftermath while Ithaqua questioned Aj’s tactics as they enjoyed a bit of a tiff. Other than that I’m sure both will be looking forward to a better campaign next season.