Pearler from Pirlo as Milan Win

AC Milan picked up a crucial win in their fight against the drop, edging Smurftastic Smurfs 2-1 at the San Siro. With the Smurfs in second prior to the game it looked a tough ask for the home side but they produced some fine football to collect three massive points. The Smurfs opened up with a powerful strike by Chris Tretton but Mathis made the save before Simone Spina missed the target with a header at the other end. Milan continued to create chances but Quigley Addison couldn’t direct a free-kick on target and the Smurfs finished the half on the front foot. Tretton would give them the lead just after the half-hour with a drive which proved unstoppable and it might have been two but Craig Elliston shot too close to Mathis. The second-half saw the home side take over proceedings. Andrea Pirlo put an early diving header wide before the same player did level matters with a cool side-footed finish on 52 minutes. Milan continued to impress and a breakaway saw Caj Rundqvist only denied by some brave ‘keeping from Moss. Addison would then see a free-kick steered round the post but Milan would find their reward when Pirlo shot home after a corner in injury-time. Xmensch will be delighted with the win which puts his side level on points with the safety mark and they now face a crucial trip to Bonkers on Friday. Thesmurf admitted ‘promotion looks unlikely now’ but his side still hold one of those three spots.

Splott Rovers would open up an eight-point gap at the top as they defeated Cardiff City 2-1 at home. With Splott within touching distance of promotion they were in confident mood ahead of the match with relegation-threatened Cardiff. The game would prove a tense affair with Leroux Calabuig narrowly missing with a powerful shot for the visitors before Splott also threatened in a bright opening. Matt Daredevil had already gone close with one header by the time a looping header smashed against the bar on 11 minutes. This was followed by a brilliant free-kick from Reed Fantastic which would put them ahead although they were then grateful for Ghostrider’s positional sense as he held an Arsim Kule header. Ghostrider would also save well with his legs from a Chano Paya shot before Peyton was called into action at the other end to deny Frank Punisher’s drive. Splott would have the last chance before the break and Paul-Phillip Ravage’s header flew into the net to give the champion-elect side a 2-0 half-time lead. The second-half would see Cardiff look strong for large periods and Norris Shipton put an early toe-poke wide in a warning to the hosts. Splott would see Ravage waste a headed chance before Cardiff had two late chances. Paya would put a breakaway effort wide before Calabuig did power in to halve the deficit in injury-time. However, this goal would prove too late and Splott could celebrate the points. Carbonmonoxide will know his side have the title in their grasp and a home match against Carthage could seal it. Uwfb will be heartened by his side’s performance and will hope they can build on it in their home match against Kensington next.

Pahang pushed into second in the table with a strong 2-0 away success at Bumerang. With the home side threatened with relegation, Pahang did little to help their cause with a professional away performance. Kilian Strongbow saw an early shot saved by Stancu before he was also denied from a brilliant free-kick. Ray Eastwood would find the net on 40 minutes, though, but was denied by the assistant’s flag and the sides would go in level. The second-half saw more Pahang pressure and Strongbow had an early header saved before Romeo Hogg powered a shot wide. Pahang would finally get their reward on 79 minutes with Eastwood shooting home from inside the area and the home side’s troubles deepened when Benjamin Foran was sent-off for brutal play. The win was then sealed when Strongbow curled in a beautiful free-kick on 86 minutes to the delight of the travelling fans. MrT explained that the ‘chances of promotion are bright if (we) defeat Smurf next.’ Coolbooy’s side look in real trouble following this defeat and a trip to AJ Rovers looks tough at this stage of the season.

F.C. Greatness moved ominously close to the top three with a 3-1 away success at Carthage. With Carthage looking for points to stay clear of the bottom three this clash had all the makings of a tense encounter but ultimately it would prove open and entertaining. Greatness would see Faust Baronchelli place an early effort wide while Hamilcar Barca’s drive was saved at the other end. Carthage would hit the front on 20 minutes, though, as Fabius Maximus made the most of a penalty to slot them ahead. The penalty count would even up on 36 minutes but Dunstan Valenzia was less successful with his kick which struck the angle and went safe. Carthage could then have rubbed salt into the wound but Hanno The Elder couldn’t direct his header into the net and the hosts had to settle for a one-goal half-time advantage. The second-half would open up even more as the visitors sought a way back into the contest. A free-kick on 48 minutes would see Baronchelli curl Greatness level and minutes later a breakaway ended with Agostino Filippinetti chipping over Aurelius to turn the game round completely. Martinus Benfari would then power in a low drive to put Greatness two ahead and things might have improved even further but Fabio Cannavaro’s toe-poke missed its intended target. At the other end Amin Mansourian drove a shot too close to Calvert before Paul Glimsjo hit the bar for Greatness as they continued to look dangerous. Indeed, Fabrizio Colluato had a powerful shot held before Carthage came on strong towards the end of the game. Kenneth MacKenna would place a header wide while Ham Barca was denied by Calvert as Carthage’s efforts yielded little reward. Ad Herbal would complete a miserable day for the hosts with a fine free-kick which brushed a post and went safe and Massimiliano Cardone might have made the score even more emphatic but Aurelius made a fine save from his diving header. Darren Calvert will be urging his side to win all four of their remaining games as they look for promotion back to the promised land. Blakey, meanwhile, will be keen for his side to pick up a win as a matter of urgency as things tighten up at the bottom end of the table.

Kensington Boys Club gave their survival hopes a shot in the arm with a 1-0 success over relegation rivals Bonkers. With both clubs desperate for points a tight contest was expected and it would play out this way. Gino Calacone put a header over for the visitors while Adrian Gray also put his lobbed effort over as the sides traded early chances. It would be Bonkers who would come closest to breaking the first-half deadlock but Joel Weymouth’s powerful shot struck a post and the half-time score would remain 0-0. The second-half would begin quietly but Gray managed to put KBC ahead from the half’s first chance; heading home accurately on 75 minutes. Bonkers had two late chances to pinch a point but Garry Maynard hit the bar with an unlucky headed effort before Claudio Silvestri was denied from his shot by a somewhat theatrical save from Lorentzen. Patrik will have been relieved with the win but will urge his side to make themselves even safer with a victory at rivals Cardiff on Friday. GarethLloyd’s response to this defeat was to tell the world he is ‘crying’ but his side will need more from their manager in the last few games to help them.

AJ Rovers were involved in yet another 0-0 draw as they were held at African Imitators. With AJ looking to make a challenge on the top three an open game was expected but it would not materialise. AJ would force a couple of first-half chances but Chad Atlee’s header proved easy for Handez before Donovan Bronach’s placed effort hit the bar as they were frustrated. The second-half proved a non-event for the visitors but the Imitators did have the chance to pinch an unlikely win. It came via Percival Horsfield but he would mishit his shot when well-placed and Hodges made the save. Rovers News declared there would be ‘no excuses’ if they didn’t win their next match against bottom club Bumerang. Meanwhile, there appears to be trouble at the Imitators with the manager declaring they are ‘in financial trouble.’