Bob Cratchitt
Devil's Advocate
Just beaten the top team in my series 3-1, So i am now 3 points clear at the top. However hardest game is coming this weekend.
FC Gambero - Small FC 3 - 1
Date: 01/08/2004 at 18.00
Arena: Fossetts Farm
Crowd: 21730
The 21730 spectators at Fossetts Farm were in for an afternoon of sunshine. Gambero tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. They fielded: Abbot - Moustakis, MacFie, Mędrzak - Melmik, MacRankin, Dahl, Stuhr-Ellegaard, Hayes - Rahbek, Bladhult.
Small had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Lineup: Harris - Stalker, Aguado Renedo, Ares Fernández - Gough, Kelly, Salgueiro, Warren, Kullar - Clarke, Schmidt.
Gambero clearly preferred attacks in the middle. Kevin Kelly unexpectedly struck an inside out ball from no angle at all, and Miroslav Schmidt forwarded it into goal for 0 - 1 An uncontested case of handball in the penalty area gave the home team a penalty in the 31st minute, and Marius Dahl was able to score the 1 - 1 goal. Klas Rahbek gave his Gambero the lead with 2 - 1, as he successfully challenged both the guests central defenders, then placed the ball unreachably at the goaltenders right post. In the 39:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Peter MacRankin dashed through, knocking home 3 - 1 for Gambero. By now Gambero were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. With 39 minutes played Peter MacRankin could have brought this one home for Gambero, had his hooked ball gone in, but it went just a bit too high. The teams went for a half-time break at 3 - 1. Gambero held the ball, with a clear 63 percent possession rate.
Dwayne Warren had a couple of good opportunities to reply, but the home team´s goaltender Stewart Abbot just wouldn´t surrender. The referee showed Gamberos Melchor Melmik the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Klas Rahbek almost managed to score another goal for Gambero, but his header was tipped to a corner by the visitors goalie. Klas Rahbek almost managed to score another goal for Gambero, but his header was tipped to a corner by the visitors goalie. After an industrious effort down the middle Aleksander Mędrzak could have closed the game off in the 85:th minute, but his finishing shot hit the post. The home side´s Per Bladhult came close to extending the lead in the 90:th minute. His shot came in off the right hand side but Stuart Harris managed saving with a fingernail. Smalls Bernard Clarke got himself booked after a foul. Gambero held the ball, with a clear 66 percent possession rate.
The most dominating Gambero player was without a doubt Peter MacRankin. Denny Hayes on the other hand, had a terrible day. Small´s best player was Elliot Kullar. However, Stuart Harris made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 3 - 1.
FC Gambero - Small FC 3 - 1
Date: 01/08/2004 at 18.00
Arena: Fossetts Farm
Crowd: 21730
The 21730 spectators at Fossetts Farm were in for an afternoon of sunshine. Gambero tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. They fielded: Abbot - Moustakis, MacFie, Mędrzak - Melmik, MacRankin, Dahl, Stuhr-Ellegaard, Hayes - Rahbek, Bladhult.
Small had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. Lineup: Harris - Stalker, Aguado Renedo, Ares Fernández - Gough, Kelly, Salgueiro, Warren, Kullar - Clarke, Schmidt.
Gambero clearly preferred attacks in the middle. Kevin Kelly unexpectedly struck an inside out ball from no angle at all, and Miroslav Schmidt forwarded it into goal for 0 - 1 An uncontested case of handball in the penalty area gave the home team a penalty in the 31st minute, and Marius Dahl was able to score the 1 - 1 goal. Klas Rahbek gave his Gambero the lead with 2 - 1, as he successfully challenged both the guests central defenders, then placed the ball unreachably at the goaltenders right post. In the 39:th minute of the match the visitors central line of defence had to look on as Peter MacRankin dashed through, knocking home 3 - 1 for Gambero. By now Gambero were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. With 39 minutes played Peter MacRankin could have brought this one home for Gambero, had his hooked ball gone in, but it went just a bit too high. The teams went for a half-time break at 3 - 1. Gambero held the ball, with a clear 63 percent possession rate.
Dwayne Warren had a couple of good opportunities to reply, but the home team´s goaltender Stewart Abbot just wouldn´t surrender. The referee showed Gamberos Melchor Melmik the yellow card after a particularly nasty challenge. Klas Rahbek almost managed to score another goal for Gambero, but his header was tipped to a corner by the visitors goalie. Klas Rahbek almost managed to score another goal for Gambero, but his header was tipped to a corner by the visitors goalie. After an industrious effort down the middle Aleksander Mędrzak could have closed the game off in the 85:th minute, but his finishing shot hit the post. The home side´s Per Bladhult came close to extending the lead in the 90:th minute. His shot came in off the right hand side but Stuart Harris managed saving with a fingernail. Smalls Bernard Clarke got himself booked after a foul. Gambero held the ball, with a clear 66 percent possession rate.
The most dominating Gambero player was without a doubt Peter MacRankin. Denny Hayes on the other hand, had a terrible day. Small´s best player was Elliot Kullar. However, Stuart Harris made a disastrous appearance. The match ends 3 - 1.
