Tigers Keep Anime at Bay

Crimson Tigers picked up a crucial away win to keep hold of the last promotion spot in Division Three. With Anime showing no signs of slowing down in fourth, Crimson knew they had to dispose of Tottenham to stay ahead of the game. The first-half would be a relatively quiet affair although Crimson would force a couple of chances. Miroslav Burkhart would make the most of their first one by slipping the ball through the legs of Gomes to put the visitors 1-0 ahead. However, he would then find a tight angle too much to overcome on 33 minutes and Crimson would have to settle for a 1-0 half-time lead. Spurs would have their first chance on 63 minutes but Niko Kranjcar’s volley was easily gathered by Gow and Crimson then finished much the stronger of the two sides. Burkhart would toe-poke home a second on 73 minutes before Marcelo Argello hit a free-kick over the bar. Dan Ruffer would also be denied by Gomes before Dante Allegri did power in a brilliant header to make it 3-0. Burkhart would miss a chance for a hat-trick by chipping over but they had done more than enough to secure three crucial points. Paul was happy with the result and also pleased that ‘promotion is still in our own hands.’ Ocs won’t be fazed by his side’s results at this stage and will be happy to wrap up the season.

Anime kept the pressure on with a routine 5-0 home success over St Omer. With Omer not enjoying the best of times recently, Anime had the perfect chance for three points and wouldn’t disappoint their fans. Johnny Douglas forced Hamshaw into an early save from a free-kick before the ‘keeper also saved comfortably from Kuriko Kazetsubaki’s driving shot. Douglas would then lob a header over before he did manage to put the hosts ahead with an excellent diving header. Asuna Kagurazakaa then went close with a placed shot while Jorn Schone had a header saved at the other end in a rare foray forward from Omer. Colin Crouch would resume normality moments later by heading in the second for the hosts and the second-half would see more of the same. Omer did start brightly, though, but Rutger Graflund shot over before Roderick Jacobs’ volley was held by Sapienza. Anime then took control with Douglas adding a third from another diving header while he then saw a looping header turned over. Kazetsubaki would loop a header over of his own before Douglas shot wide from a tight angle. Crouch would be unfortunate with a chip which hit the angle but a fourth goal would be added courtesy of a Kugen Tenko Li header. Crouch quickly added a fifth with an excellently placed shot and Anime had ensured the pressure would remain on Crimson for another round. Joshy will now gear his side up for a tough trip to Morley knowing that anything other than a win will probably result in their challenge being over. CT will be pleased to see the end of the season ever nearer although he won’t expect much from a home match against EspAda on Friday.

EspAda continued to forge towards the title with a 3-0 win at Reggae Reggae Sauce. With Sauce having endured a troubled season all the signs pointed to a comfortable win and EspAda wouldn’t disappoint. Diego Maradona opened things well for the visitors with a nicely placed shot on five minutes to give them the lead before Andreas Sommer hit a free-kick well-over. Wayne Mardle nearly put through his own goal on 25 minutes but saw his header come back off the bar while Sauce’s only chance saw Fernando Ronaldo head off-target. Sommer would then hit the bar with an excellent free-kick before the break as the visitors had to settle for a one-goal lead. Maradona quickly made it 2-0 at the start of the second-half, though, by shooting home clinically from inside the area while his strike partner, Patric Torebring, had a shot saved by Mullen. Sommer would add a third with a precise header and although Andrea Gualco had a shot saved, the result was a comfortable victory for the would-be champions. Crismorena will now expect his side to clinch the title as they make the trip to Omer on Friday while Xpertelevener will be looking forward to a silly-season break.

Morley virtually handed the title to EspAda after being held to a 2-2 draw at Alsancak. With Alsancak having enjoyed a progressive season this always promised to be a tough encounter for Morley and so it would prove. Angres Kafka put an early free-kick against a post before Zacharias Ashe did give Morley the lead with a super diving header. Miles Beckett responded by shooting against the bar for the hosts while Florian Arnautu had a toe-poke saved at the other end. Andrew Taylor would waste a chance to level for Alsancak by putting a free-kick off-target and the score remained 0-1 at the break. Lee Cattermole nearly levelled at the start of the second-half but saw his header brush a post while Gabriel Agbonlahor went close with a placed shot. Taylor would see another free-kick saved by Gaughan and Gwilym Cullip nearly made it 2-0 but his lob was tipped over by Frost. Danny Rose would put a lob over at the other end and when Miles Beckett put through his own goal it looked like game over in favour of Morley. However, Taylor quickly rasped home a free-kick to halve the deficit and when Jack Rodwell placed in a header the scores were level. This proved the last of the action as Leeg21 saw his title hopes fade. He will hope Omer can do him an unlikely favour while they have the tough task of seeing off Anime at home. Wienersnitzel will have been pleased with his side’s never-say-die attitude and it bodes well for a positive future for the young side.

Pink Bus Riders continue to impress and they won another three points by despatching Rolling Thunder 4-1 at Gents WC. With Thunder looking ahead to next season the home fans came expectant of another three points and they wouldn’t be disappointed. Lois Farrington saw an early drive saved by Selbu before Eliott Malloy did put them in front with a neat finish in the area on 18 minutes. Malloy quickly added a second with a diving header although Arne Karlstrom did give them a scare by netting at the other end only to see his effort disallowed. The second-half saw the home side continue to dominate although they had to recover from Murilo Varinho heading home to halve the deficit. Malloy would complete his hat-trick to restore the two-goal lead with a fine finish before Frankie Ludden placed a shot beyond Selbu to make it 4-1 on 88 minutes. There was still time for Seth Eaves to be denied by the ‘keeper but Pink had secured an easy three points. Kilie will want his side to finish strongly with two more wins before embarking on their first full season together. Vehusheia, meanwhile, will be hopeful of better times ahead following a testing campaign.

In the other game AFC Boo Boys defeated FCR Cressex 4-1. With the sides in mid-table an open contest was anticipated and it would duly materialise. Ferran Roteta put an early shot wide for the hosts before Gavril Rasvan saw a free-kick saved as they started strongly. Torben Kummel would also see a shot saved before Dan Scuderi had a goal disallowed as the pressure continued. Kummel would only be denied by some last-ditch ‘keeping by Martinzon who then saved well from a Roteta header. Cressex would then see Ubaldo Andre see a powerful shot disallowed for them before Roteta lobbed home to finally give Boo Boys the lead. Dan-Ake Rothflod would chip over for the visitors and their task became doubly difficult as Roteta chipped in a second from inside the area to give Boo Boys a 2-0 half-time lead. Cressex would begin the second-half strongly, though, and Tomas Tiribocchi had already seen a lob tipped over by the time Andre placed home a shot to reduce the deficit to one. Alexander Frolov would respond by hitting a post for the hosts before Rothflod fired a volley close as the game remained open. Carasario Falcioni steered a shot off-target for Cressex and they were then grateful to Martinzon for saving from Rasvan to keep them within one. Roteta would lob over moments later but Frolov did shoot home on 73 minutes to give Boo Boys full control once more. Frolov nearly added another but was denied by Martinzon before the ‘keeper also stopped a Scuderi shot. Boo Boys would get themselves another goal, though, as Sancho Tamudo headed home in injury-time to cap an entertaining win for the home side. Skoolyou will be pleased with his side’s attacking intent and more of the same can be expected in the last two games. Villan_RAS will be hopeful of three points against Sauce next as they look to end the season on a high.