Sol y Futbol: Rojillos Bad Run Continues

Ian Lane reports for us in Araciefe as the Rojillos slip up again with a dissapointing defeat to promotion chasing Puertollano. The defeat leaves Lanzarote now needing a win like there's no tommorow, if they are to stay in the division.

LANZAROTE 0 PUERTOLLANO 1

29th March 2010

U.D. Lanzarote´s recent good form has turned sour following this home loss and only being able to gather one point in their last four games.

Neither side threatened in the opening stages with the only danger coming from dead ball situations. The side from Castilla-La-Mancha region of Spain were playing the better football and were passing the ball around with comfort. Lanzarote on the other hand seemed desperate for a goal and impatiently kept on playing the long ball looking to release striker Jonathon Torres.

The winning goal came in the 27th minute. A clearance by the Brazilian defender Andrés Gasparini was charged down by striker Acorán. The ball fell between the striker and the Lanzarote goalkeeper Vilches (pictured) who hesitated then tackled the striker.

As the ball broke loose both players raced and challenged again but Vilches just managed to get a toe on the ball but the Puertollano striker went down. Somewhat dubiously the Ref blew for a foul and a penalty kick. Acorán picked himself up and buried the ball low into the left hand corner giving the visitors a 0-1 lead.

In the 43rd minute the Lanzarote Captain Vladimir had a powerful effort blocked by keeper Calleja from eight yards and seconds before the half time whistle a long ball through the centre found Jonathon Torres, the Rojillos front man controlled the ball on his thigh whilst turning and unleashed a vicious 30 yard dipping volley which beat the keeper but unfortunately dipped too late and the ball ended up on the roof of the net.

The Conejeros (locals) began the second half a little more patiently but just could not find the killer pass through a very well organized Puertollano defence. In the 57th minute a free kick from 20 yards by Jotha flew over the wall and just when you thought the keeper was flat footed he managed to adjust himself and dived low to his left and palmed the ball away for a corner.

As the Puertollano side began defending deeper and deeper Lanzarote looked the more likely to score. The Rojillos piled on the pressure and were looking dangerous down both flanks with Rubén Rodriguez operating on the right and Juachi on the left.

In the 65th minute and following some neat passing in midfield involving Vladi and Jotha released Juachi on an over lap, the defender hit the byline and pulled the ball back for Torres but the striker, under pressure, shot narrowly wide.

Two minutes later and a great run from Rubén down the right wing fired in an even greater powerful chest height cross crying out for an Andy Gray style header but his excellent work was met by no one and another chance went begging.

With minutes remaining the Rojillos threw everything forward including their keeper Vilches and bombarded the Puertollano goal mouth. In the 90th minute Vladimir controlled the ball inside the area and beat the defender but his shot, come cross, from the right went low and beat both the flying in Torres and the left hand post.

In stoppage time and striker Carlitos was brought down inside the box and whilst everyone in the ground expected the official to blow for a penalty he simply waved play on and stunned all the Rojillos supporters. It was just one of those days...

As the Ref blew for full time a fracas broke out between both sides and their benches which led to the National police intervening. As in most cases it turned out to be hand bags at ten paces.

Fortunately for Lanzarote only one of the seven sides in the relegation trouble picked up points. That side was Lanzarote´s next opponents Alcalá, who earned themselves a priceless away point against second placed Real Oviedo in a 3-3 draw. The Rojillos will travel to Madrid next week knowing that defeat is not an option. Lanzarote remain third from bottom but still only two points from safety with 21 points still to play for.

Do You Want To Be A Wasp?

The basketball season may have ended for SportTrades favourite basketball team, the Hull Wasps who finished 6th in the NBL Division Four. However their planning for next season has only just begun.

If you want to be part of the Hull Wasps Basketball Club for the 2010/11 season now is your chance. Every Thursday for the next 5 weeks the Hull Wasps will be holding open try-outs for any players who may be interested in joining the Wasps.

You will need to bring with you a light and dark top and if you have played national League or club level basketball before bring with you any information about your former team. There are spots up for grabs in our first team and reserve team so plenty of opportunities for you to shine.

The fist try out took place on Thursday 25th March and several players turned up for their chance to play for the Wasps. Next trial is on the 1st April at Kelvin Hall School, Bricknell Avenue, Hull, where all the trials are taking place. The Time of the Try-outs will be from 8 till10 please be there ready to start on time.

So if you're a Basketball player in the North East, who fancies themselves as a Basketball player get on down. If you require any information dont hesitate to contact current Wasps player Matthew Fawcett at matt_fawcett@hotmail.co.uk.

Sol y Futbol: Cerro Reyes In Narrow Win Over Rojillos

Ian Lane reports from Spain as UD Lanzarote continue to fight against relegation. This weekend saw Rojillos travel away to fellow relegation rivals Cerro Reyes who alike Lanzarote were desperate for the three points. In all purposes it was a 6 pointer.

Cerro Reyes 2 Lanzarote 1

22nd March 2010

A defeat in Badajoz against relegation rivals leaves the Rojillos still third from bottom and two points from safety with eight games remaining. In contrast Cerro Reyes began the day two points clear of relegation and has now extended that margin to a comfortable five points after a run of seven matches with just a single defeat.

The home side began the game knowing that a victory here would go a long way ensuring another season in Spain’s third league of football. The Badajoz side were quick off the blocks and were intent on calming their nerves by scoring an early on.

The Rojillos realized that this was going to be the case and were defensively very well organized in the opening few minutes and gradually began to gain control of the ball in the centre of midfield. It was all going to plan and the away fans were in full voices early on.

Just when Lanzarote had thought they had contained the opening barrage of attack from the home team they were victim to a moment of brilliance in the ninth minute of play. A great run from winger Golo down the right flank caused mayhem within the Lanazarote defence. The winger delivered a superb pinpoint cross to the far post and striker Engo Noir finished off the move with a textbook header which beat the Rojillos keeper Vilches giving the home side a 1-0 advantage.

Lanzarote kept their discipline and edged their way back into the match. Six minutes from half time and with the help of the Cerro Reyes keeper Lanzarote were level. A corner from Raúl Torres was caught by the keeper but for some inexplicable reason the ball slipped from his hands and the Lanzarote striker Jonathon Torres couldn’t believe his luck toe poking the ball home to make the score 1-1.

For the remainder of the first half Lanzarote got to grips with the game and looked the more dangerous side but still couldn’t capitalize. In the 41st minute a 20 yard effort from the goal scorer Torres was scrambled away by the nervous keeper as the home side held on till the break.

After the interval the home side gradually began to pour pressure restricting Lanzarote to counter attacks. In the 66th minute Lanzarote defender Moncho cleared off the line following a shot by midfielder Cayado. Cerro Reyes then replaced their left and right midfielders with two wingers, one on either flank.

The Rojillos began to sit back and were looking more than content with a point. In the 80th minute sub Cristo was clean through with just Vilches to beat but his effort cleared the upright and Lanzarote drew a sigh of relief.

The relief was only temporary. With four minutes remaining a cross from Cristo found fellow sub Juanito, he passed the ball backwards to the unmarked Engo Noir and the striker made no mistake thundering the ball into the net from eight yards and putting his side 2-1 up with his second goal of the match.

The home side held on for the remaining four minutes of mandatory time and the three minutes of injury time for a deserved victory.

On a good note, none of the other sides in the relegation battle won and just six points separates the bottom seven teams with eight matches to play. Four teams will be automatically relegated and the fifth from bottom side will be forced to face a play off match with a third division club in order remain in this league.

This Sunday Lanzarote host Puertollano who will be bubbling with confidence following their 3-1 win against second placed side Real Oviedo.

The side from the Castilla- La Mancha region of Spain will be eager to improve on their good form which has brought them to within four points of the promotion places.

Lanzarote on the other hand must maintain their fantastic recent home form in which over their last seven home games the Rojillos have won five and drawn two.

A Cyclist In France: 13's Unlucky For Some

Regular visitors of SportTrades Report would know by now that we're following a Cat 2 cyclist in France called Andy Phillips. Well I think it's fair to say his first three posts have proved to be very popular with more than a few people commenting on them.

Here's Andy's fourth post which tells us how he fared in his first race of the season, which as you're find out did not exactly go to plan. However as always it's a good read, over to you Mr Phillips.

Andrew: At the moment i'm sitting here eating my French bread and having a cup of coffee wondering why I had nothing in my legs last saturday. The race was a controlled event as a warm up for the start of the season . Luckily there were no points and no prizes as i managed to finish a very dissapointing 13th which if i'm being honest with i'm far from happy about.

I can come up with some excuses, which of course count for nothing after the race has finished. I only made the decision to take part yesterday morning so I had not properly prepared but there have been other races where mentally I've not been psyched up on the way there but once I've got there I've found my focus, so I want to find the real reason.

The first 3 laps of the race were controlled behind a car. Alarm bells started ringing when I found that I was struggling even with this. At the end of the 3rd lap I rode hard up along a false flat into the wind to get myself to the front, which is where I like to be. The car then pulled away and the race started but I struggled with the pace. Perhaps I had used too much energy getting myself to the front. I don't know. All I know is my legs were burning and thats not a good sign towards the end of the race.

In the Charente the 1st cats and the 2nd cats start together so the pace was being set by the 1st cats. Not a problem I thought, I have kept up with it before. But this time I had nothing. I have never felt like quitting before but yesterday was the first time I have felt like it, albeit only briefly. Once I was dropped off the back I recovered, got myself riding to a good rhythm, and rode the race on my own to the end picking off a few guys that had also been dropped on the way.

As I was going around the circuit I saw more and more guys at the side of the road who had packed. In fact only a few finished. For me the most annoying part was after having riden 3 laps on my own pushing myself into the wind a guy that had packed and was having a chat with one of his mates at the side of the road decided to get on my wheel and have a free ride.I was not having that so I had to ride even harder to drop him.

Well why was I so tired? Last week was our club test ride. It was a very hard event. 100kms in the freezing cold with very strong winds but I was strong. I came 6th in the club, having ridden with and kept up with 1st cat riders. I could have done even better if I had not got cramp. Again why did I get cramp? I have never had cramp before. At one stage when I first got it I was dropped but I managed to get back to the group I was riding with.

Towards the end of the race I tried to get on the wheel of someone who was riding away from the group I was in. Unfortunately I got cramp again lost a few metres which I could not get back as we were cycling into a very strong northerly wind. Nevertheless, I finished ahead of all the other 2nd cats in the club and rode most of the way with 1st cats, and felt positive about the start of the season.

So the big questions are why was I so useless yesterday? And why did I get cramp last Sunday? Why were my legs burning? Am I not doing enough training? Or have I done too much training? Come on guys help me. Any comments and advice would be much appreciated.

Well that is enough from me for now. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @ cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me.

Upton Park To Host Mitchell WBO Fight

In great news for East Londoners and British boxing fans in general, Kevin Mitchell is set to fight Australian Michael Katsidis for the WBO interim lightweight title at the real home of the east-end West Ham United's Upton Park ground.

However the fight could have an added twist as Dagenham fighter Mitchell, 25, is likely to end up fighting for the full WBO crown, with current champion Juan Manuel Marquez expected to vacate.

That would be even better for Mitchell and would help cap a spectacular moment early on in his boxing career, in which he has already recieved praise from ledgends such as Barry McGuigan and Ricky Hatton.

Speaking to the BBC, Mitchell spoke of his pride at fighting at ground where he used to go as a boy supporting the Irons. "I grew up watching West Ham play and I still can't believe I'm going to be fighting there," said Mitchell.

"The fans in the East End are very special people, and to get the opportunity to fight in front of them is a dream come true," added Mitchell, who is unbeaten in 31 pro bouts. Boxing and football are a way of life around here, and I think you are going to see an amazing event on 15 May with everyone turning out to see it."

Mitchell has come up the ranks quickly and has had several televised bouts on sky and itv4 over the last couple of years so winning a World Title would be brilliant for him. Boxing has suffered great criticism in the last 4-5 years with the heavyweight division in decline with very few talented fighters.

At cruiserwieght, flyweight, welterweight - basically the other divisions aside from heavyweight, the sport has great stars and we're blessed in the UK to have so many top class boxers gaining national publicity. The bout was set up when Mitchell knocked out Ignacio Mendoza at Wembley in February, having previously beaten Colombian Breidis Prescott, who in turn had knocked out Khan inside a round.

The Upton Park show will be Frank Warren's biggest since Joe Calzaghe's super-middleweight unification fight against Mikkel Kessler at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in 2007. Warren added: "There is a long history of boxing in the East End stretching back to the days of Ted 'Kid' Lewis and London has a great history of producing boxers. "The response from all over London has been fantastic. We've waited a long time for a London fighter who can fill stadiums, and Kevin can be that man."

Mitchell's opponent, Katsidis though will not be a pushover with a record of 26 wins out of 28 fights. 21 of those wins have come from knock out with the Aussie only losing two of those fights.
Those losses came in 2008 againgst respected fighters Joel Casamayor from Cuba and Mexican-American Juan Díaz. British fans are familiar with Kastidis after his five-round slug-fest against Luton's Graham Earl at Wembley Arena in February 2007. Katsidis recovered well to beat former two-weight world champion Jesus Chavez last April and claim the WBO interim belt from Vicente Escobedo last September on a split decision.

And Mitchell added: "Katsidis is a great fighter but he better bring a good cutsman because I'm planning on busting him up real bad. It will be a proper tear-up on the night, then we'll have a good old knees-up afterwards." Everyone at SportTrades hopes that the local boy will do good and bring the world title back to the East End. After that perhaps Las Vegas may be The Dagenham Destroyer's next destination for a fight in the States.

England 2018 WC bid puts business case, BBC Bill Wilson reports

England 2018 WC bid puts business case
By Bill Wilson
Business reporter, BBC News



In a long career in business, Andy Anson, the chief executive of the England 2018 World Cup bid, has been involved in selling such English icons as Winnie the Pooh and Manchester United.

The first came when he was employed at Disney's consumer products division, and the latter when he was in charge of commercial director at Old Trafford.
But he has perhaps never faced such a challenging nine months as the ones ahead, which lead up to the decision by Fifa this December about which country will stage the 2018 World Cup.

During that time he has to convince the 24 Fifa executive committee members that England can stage a commercially successful, safe World Cup, that will leave a sporting and social legacy.

Oldham-born Mr Anson also has to show there is public backing from the grass roots, through the professional club football, right up to the business sector.
"It is going to be really hard work from now on, it is going to be very competitive, so we have to be very focused," Mr Anson said at a Sport Industry Group get-together of top business people in London.

"We have our strategy, and I am confident we can do it."

Business partners wanted

Part of that strategy is showing Fifa that the England bid will not only be commercially successful, but has an engaged business sector backing the bid.
So far PriceWaterhouseCoopers, BT, Morrisons and NPower have signed up as corporate partners

"We would like to have a couple more top level partners… ahead of the bid decision," Mr Anson says.

He says it is not about bringing in more money for the bid, but that gaining extra commercial partners would further "show a commitment" from UK business.
"We have already signed up people who have helped us an awful lot," he says.
"And we are making Fifa aware that we have these companies that want to be a part of our bid."

And, despite Fifa having its own roster of big name sponsors, Mr Anson says that the world football governing body is open to the idea that the England bid team is putting together its own group of sponsors.
"They are pretty relaxed about that, as long as there has been no history of ambush marketing," he says.

And he says it is to England's advantage that there is already legislation in place for the London 2012 Olympics to tackle ambush marketing, which is when a firm tries to create a commercial connection with a sporting event even though it is not an official sponsor.

'Stadiums in place'

Meanwhile, the England bid - whose final document has to be with Fifa by May - starts from a "fantastic position" believes Anson.

"The stadiums are in place, and extensions to stadiums are going to be done by the clubs themselves, who are paying for the work," says the keen Manchester United fan.
Among other advantages he also feels that England's diverse cultural make-up means that every country playing in the World Cup here would have a "home from home".
"We are a very welcoming society too," he says, pointing out the potential tourist benefits of securing 2018.

"The more people we can get to stay in our country for longer, the more money our country will make."

He also says the bid will have a sustainability strand, with ticket holders able to attend matches by public transport, among other green initiatives.
And, as well as a legacy of upgraded stadiums and city infrastructures, he also hopes to see football development and social development programmes spring up around a World Cup in England.

Ticketing 'stretch'

While there is no central government funding around the event each host city has undertaken to meet the bill for the event in their area.

For a city with one stadium, such as Newcastle, that cost is estimated at £15m, which includes the cost of everything from fan festivals to "overlaying" the stadium - putting in media centres and seating, hospitality areas, accreditation centres and signage.

The stadium owners - in almost every case the professional football club which plays there - will get 10% to 15% of ticketing revenues returned to them.
Mr Anson also says that as part of its bid the England team is going to try and get as much "stretch" into its World Cup ticket prices - that is, have a broad difference in terms of cost between the cheapest and most expensive tickets.
"We have to show Fifa that we can make a lot of money from ticketing," says Mr Anson.

"There will be a big chunk of tickets at 'entry level', going up to higher pricing - we are trying to come up with a good mix."

He said that the average Premier League ticket price of £39 would be used when calculating ticket prices, with ticket monies being used towards the cost of staging the World Cup.

Meanwhile, each host city has also put between £10,000 and £15,000 into a joint marketing pot for the bid.

Beckham 'magic'
Mr Anson believes that with two high-cost, demanding World Cups in South Africa and Brazil in 2010 and 2014, that when it comes to 2018 and 2022 Fifa will be looking for a significant commercial return.

"A World Cup in England would be the most commercially successful ever," he says.
"That is very important for Fifa, as the World Cup is how they fund all their other events."

The England bid document has to be in by 14 May with Fifa, and Mr Anson says that, with a General Election likely before then, he has secured the backing of the three main political parties for the bid.

There is also support from the FA, Premier League and Football League.
However, what about that most iconic of bid supporters - the recently crocked David Beckham?

"He is a major, major sporting icon, who has done everything we have asked of him so far.

"We won't get in the way of his recovery. We also don't want to overuse him, but want him to come in at key moments to work his magic."

Sol y Futbol: Points Shared In Canary Derby

Ian Lane reports from Arrecife as UD Lanzarote continue to fight against relegation. The battle heats up, as only 3 points seperate six teams battling the drop.

LANZAROTE 2 TENERIFE B 2

The Rojillos fight back from 1-2 down with 10 men to draw level in the final minute of play with a penalty converted by Lanzarote´s top scorer Rubén Rodriguez.

The opening stages of the game did not flow well with the Referee stopping and starting the game with unnecessary free kicks being awarded to both sides. The Conejeros (locals) then began to start enjoying the majority of the ball and in the 9th minute the home side took the lead. A free kick swung into the six yard box from Rubén was chased by Carlitos, without touching the ball his run deceived both defence and goalkeeper and the ball ended up in the bottom left hand corner giving Lanzarote a fortunate 1-0 lead.

The Rojillos were now looking to increase their lead. In the 25th minute an inch perfect through ball from Jotha found Carlitos but the striker got the ball stuck under his feet and he was crowded out of the way by a host of Tenerife defenders. A minute later and a 20 yard effort from left back Juachi looked destined for the top left hand corner but the Tenerife keeper acrobatically dived and brilliantly saved with his right hand and only conceded a corner kick.

The Tenerife manager was not happy with what he was seeing and on the half hour he ordered two of his subs Airam the leagues top scorer, and ex- Rojillo Oscar Martin to warm up. This seemed to do the trick as the Primera Liga´s B side gradually edged back into the game and went into the half time break trailing by a single goal.

One minute into the second half and Tenerife made the move of the match by introducing the ex Lanzarote favourite Oscar Martin and the leagues top scorer with 24 goals Airam. Oscar Martin immediately was causing problems flying down the right wing leaving the Lanzarote defence in pieces.

In the 54th minute the away side was level. Inevitably a break down the right wing by Oscar Martin caused havoc which the local fans have been familiar with over the last three years. His powerful cross was only palmed away by the Lanzarote keeper Vilches and the rebound fell to Airam, his strike was blocked inside the six yard box but first to react was midfielder Jonay who clipped the ball over Vilches and into the roof of the net.

With the score at 1-1 the Tenerife side looked dangerous in every attack and the lighting pace from either flank was causing mayhem in a tiring Lanzarote defence. In the 67th minute Jonay broke down the left and raced in between two Rojillo defenders but keeper Vilches read the danger and beat the midfielder to the ball clearing the danger by hoofing the ball up field.

Five minutes later and a clever through ball from Tenerife midfielder Juan Ramón was met by an equally clever run from danger man Airam. The striker coolly went round the Lanzarote keeper and fired the away side 1-2 in front from a narrow angle notching up his 25th for the season, nine goals clear from the second placed top marksman in the league.

Three minutes later and a shot from Airam was well saved by the feet of the Lanzarote keeper. The Rojillos had no choice but to put bodies forward which would leave the Conejeros open to the counter attack.

In the 80th minute a cross from winger Toñito was controlled well by Rubén, he beat the right back leaving himself with a free strike at goal but his tame effort fell into the arms of the Tenerife keeper.

In the 84th minute Lanzarote centre back Faruk was unlucky to be shown his second yellow card for a high foot and if Lanzarote were going to save themselves it was going to be with 10 men.

In the final minute the ball was launched into the Tenerife box, Carlitos controlled the ball and was unfairly pushed in the back and fell to the ground albeit in spectacular fashion. The Ref was instantly convinced and awarded Lanzarote a life saving penalty kick.

Rubén stepped up and planted the ball into the bottom left hand corner notching up his 10th strike this season and earning his side a valuable point and more importantly keeping the distance between the two sides to only two points rather than five.

Lanzarote drop a place and are now third from bottom. Next week Lanzarote will travel to Badajoz and face Cerro Reyes who look comfortable in 13th place but are still only three points ahead of Lanzarote. This emphasizes how close things are in the relegation zone with only three points separating six teams.

Part 2: The Evolution of Philadelphia Union by ANDY JASNER

Andy Jasner from www.philadelphiaunion.com continues with Part 2 of his report about the clubs evolution.

A number of incredible milestones were recapped in Part I of Philadelphia Union's ongoing evolution. Well, those milestones continue today in Part 2 for the 16th franchise in Major League Soccer.

November 25, 2009: What a Thanksgiving feast!

Philadelphia Union selected the first 10 players in franchise history in the expansion draft:

The 10 players selected included: Brad Knighton (goalkeeper, New England Revolution); David Myrie, (defender, Chicago Fire); Shavar Thomas (defender, Chivas USA); Jordan Harvey (defender, Colorado Rapids); Shea Salinas (midfielder, San Jose Earthquakes); Stefani Miglioranzi (midfielder, Los Angeles Galaxy); Andrew Jacobson (midfielder, D.C. United); Nick Zimmerman (forward, New York Red Bulls); Alejandro Moreno (forward, Columbus Crew); and Sebastien Le Toux (forward, Seattle Sounders FC).

I am excited,” Philadelphia Union Team Manager Peter Nowak said. “I did talk to the players after the selections. All of them are excited about the work ahead of us. They are excited to see the stadium and facility and to work with us. We look forward to them coming to the City of Philadelphia.”

January 14, 2010: What a day at the Convention Center! Imagine the MLS SuperDraft in Philadelphia the same year the region gets a team. Well, it happened and the passionate Philadelphia Union fans made plenty of noise at the draft.

The SuperDraft came and went, and Philadelphia Union supporters were treated to some fireworks with two pre-draft deals that yielded Brazilian midfielder Fred and three of the top seven picks in the SuperDraft. In the end, the club picked up an incredibly strong crop of talent, drafting Danny Mwanga, Amobi Okugo, Jack McInerney, Toni Stahl, Kyle Nakazawa and Brian Perk.

Philadelphia Union selected Mwanga from Oregon State University with the first overall selection. Okugo and McInerney went sixth and seventh, respectively, in the first round.
January 26, 2010: Most of the players arrived at the Healthplex Sports Club in Springfield, Pa. on this morning for the first session with Nowak. The sessions were to continue Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the players running laps and going through a series of weight training exercises.

“It was a lot of running, like I expected," said Mwanga, the club's first pick and No. 1 overall in the MLS SuperDraft from Oregon State. “It was good. It's a lot different in college because it's a very short season. Guys are trying to train the right way. I know I have to stay fit and focused the whole time. I'm definitely going to have to make some adjustments.”

January 28, 2010: Philadelphia Union President Tom Veit and WPVI / 6abc General Manager Bernie Prazenica jointly announced that entering their inaugural season in MLS, the club has entered into a multi-year partnership with the long-established leader among local television stations.

The Philadelphia Union / 6abc partnership will give WPVI broadcast rights to many of the soccer club’s games, starting in March. The commitment is for as many Philadelphia Union games as possible to be carried live on 6abc, and all games will re-broadcast on 6abc’s digital channel – 6.2 (also known as the Live Well HD Network). Calling the games will be JP Dellacamera, the long-time MLS and ESPN commentator, considered by many to be best in the business in the United States.

February 24, 2010: Philadelphia Union and PPL Energy Plus announced an 11-year naming rights partnership. The stadium, currently under construction on the banks of the Delaware River, will be known as PPL Park. A soccer-specific stadium, PPL Park will also host a variety of additional events, including concerts, festivals and other sporting events.

“With our partners at PPL EnergyPlus providing us cost effective and environmentally friendly energy, they are enabling us to create a stadium that is efficient and supports ‘green and clean’ power sources,” added Sakiewicz. “That’s a good formula for us and other businesses that want to work with PPL EnergyPlus to save money and be good to the environment at the same time.”

March 1, 2010: Philadelphia Union added yet another valuable piece to its player development model, partnering with the Harrisburg City Islanders. The USL-2 club joined a roster that already included Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA), Delaware Youth Soccer Association (DYSA), YSC Sports and Reading United AC of the USL Premier Development League. With five different organizations encompassed within Philadelphia Union's player development strategy, the future looks bright for the expansion club.

“Player development is a key component to building the quality club and organization we will be,” explained Sakiewicz. “With the Harrisburg City Islanders and our previously announced relationships with Reading United AC, EPYSA, DYSA and YSC Sports, Philadelphia Union Team Manager Peter Nowak will instill ‘first team’ principles in training and playing attacking, attractive football throughout Pennsylvania that our supporters will truly enjoy. We’re eager to get going.”

March 25, 2010: Ah, First Kick. Amazing, isn’t it? Philadelphia Union will travel to Qwest Field to take on Seattle Sounders FC at 9:30pm ET. Get ready because this will be the beginning of a wild ride.

April 10, 2010: This will be another huge day in club history – the home opener at Lincoln Financial Field against D.C. United. The crowd will be psyched long before the game starts. That much is to be expected.

June 27, 2010: Now, this may just top everything – the debut at PPL Park against Seattle Sounders FC. With a sold-out crowd cheering like crazy for Philadelphia Union, all the hard over the past four years will be totally and completely worth it.

That's all for now. Only the future will tell what other milestones are in store for Major League Soccer's newest team, Philadelphia Union.

Wasps Feel The Heat In Season Finale

As visitors to SporTrades Report should know, we've been following the Hull Wasps basketball during the season. After a tough season Wasps have not let themselves down and finished fifth in the National League 4 North this year. After ending the season with a good run of results despite being short of players due to a fixture pileup and several players having work commitments the Wasps finished in a respectable sixth.

In their final encounter of the season, Chris McKenna's men travelled to the undefeated NBL Division Four champions Huddersfield Heat their toughest game of the season, but came up short last week 96-84.

Huddersfield were again led by the incredible shooting talents of Jason Swaine, who scored 42 points for the hosts, which is some feat for a player at any level in Basketball. Suprisingly it was the Wasps who led at half time 46-45 in a thrilling end to end encounter. And the Wasps trailed by just a single point well into the final quarter until the pivotal moment of the game.

Forward Rob Birchmore, who had performed immensely in restricting Swaine’s offensive output to 23 so late in the game, was called for a foul on the former Sheffield Sharks guard, despite receiving what looked like a clear offensive foul.

His brief remonstration with the referee at the apparent elbow earned him a harsh technical foul, his fifth personal, forcing him to leave the game. Swaine hit all four free-throws the men in grey had gifted him. And, without the tough Scot as his shadow, he proceeded to swish three three-pointers in quick succession to leave the visitors suddenly staring down an eight-point deficit.

It was part of a run that saw him score the Heat’s final 19 points after that turning point, allowing his title-winners to coast to a comfortable-looking victory that, in reality, was anything but.

Captain Jamie Goodwin led the visitors with 22 points, 15 coming in the second quarter, and shooting guard Adrian Blatherwick hit 21, including five three-pointers.
The team could have finished fifth had Bury Blue Devils beaten Team Durham by 23 or more for, but sadly the boys from up north won, knocking the Wasps down to sixth. SportTrades would like to thank Geoff Brown of the Hull Wasps for providing us with results and news to do with the team and we look forward to hearing from the team next season!

Leagues Go Red with NIKE

They’ve spent the last few days pitting their champions against each other but this weekend leagues across Europe come together for a common goal.

Exclusive games across England, Spain, and Italy will introduce the special edition (NIKE) RED T90 Ascente ball in a unified show of support for the Lace Up Saves Lives partnership designed to raise funds and awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The (NIKE) RED ball is a specially designed T90 Ascente - the same ball currently used by all three leagues - but for one weekend, it becomes more than a tool for victory.

Spiralling RED around the field, the ball becomes a symbol bigger than any game, team, or league.

The global battle to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS is greater than any trophy.

Watch the games. Learn more about Lace Up Save Lives

Text and Images supplied by nike. www.nike.com/football/RED

Cheltenham Festval 2010, SportTrades Turf Club

The Cheltenham Festival 2010 starts next week.

While SportTrades don’t have our own herd of tipsters that will win you a fortune, we do have a place where you will find the experts providing you with the best tips, prices and the updated news. Check us out at our Twitter site, SportTrades Talk, click on horse racing and get up to the minute information, sources ranging from the Racing Post to Bash the Bookie.

Our very own Turf Club with top tips, your next win is only a click away. If you are confused of how to spend your winnings, contact us at info@sporttrades.co.uk, and find out more about sponsoring a race or trackside advertising at a number of UK racecourses. Good luck at the festival and remember for great deals involving horse racing we're here to help.

Part 1: The Evolution of Philadelphia Union by Andy Jasner

The 2010 MLS season starts on 25TH March. Philadelphia Union travel to Seattle Sounders. Andy Jasner reports on the creation of the 16th MLS franchise. Details of Philadelphia Union can be found at www.philadelphiaunion.com Part 2 of ANDY JASNERS report will be posted on Sunday.

PART 1: THE EVOLUTION OF PHILADELPHIA UNION
By Andy Jasner

There have been so many key moments in the development of Philadelphia Union from a dream to sweet reality as the 16th franchise in Major League Soccer.

There have been so many key meetings and so many key milestones. Let’s take a look back at a timeline of big moments in the ongoing evolution of Philadelphia Union:

February 28, 2008: None of the following dates would be meaningful for Philadelphia Union fans if this date didn’t kick everything off. At Turbine Hall in Chester, PA, MLS Commissioner Don Garber officially introduced the league’s 16th club at 2:10 p.m. ET. There wasn’t a name at the time, but that didn’t matter. A team was on the way.

The fans, many of whom were part of the Sons of Ben, gathered and celebrated as the string band played and chants erupted. Wow, was this a day to remember.

“This is a day to celebrate after all of the hard work that so many people put into this project,” Nick Sakiewicz, Philadelphia Union CEO & Operating Partner, told the assembled media after the landmark announcement. “From the very beginning, this ownership group has had one goal and that's to bring a team to this area. There is so much history with soccer in this region and so much passion as well. Now, we'll work toward putting together a first-class team which can bring some trophies home.”

This was the start of a string of events that would lead up to First Kick on March 25, 2010, over two years after the expansion announcement.

September 2, 2008: General contractor and construction manager T.N. Ward, based in Ardmore, PA., was selected by Keystone Sports and Entertainment, Philadelphia Union's ownership group, to build its $120 million stadium in Chester, PA.

“In choosing T.N. Ward, we not only picked a great builder, but also held true to our commitment of staying local and reinvesting in our community,” Sakiewicz said. “At the end of a long and rigorous process that included more than 20 companies, we went with the home team. There were a number of well-qualified companies but T.N. Ward’s proposal rose to the top. We were impressed by T.N. Ward’s credentials and track record of outstanding projects. For them, this is going to be a groundbreaking project in the truest sense of the word.”

October 17, 2008: Two regional health care leaders joined forces to sign a multi-year agreement with the franchise, becoming the first “Keystone Founding Partner” and creating a unique partnership that expands well beyond the new 18,500-seat waterfront stadium. Crozer-Keystone Health System and Premier Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Associates, LTD. teamed up to create a dynamic ‘Chester-to-Chester’ partnership with Philadelphia Union that will benefit the community and entire region.

December 1, 2008: Groundbreaking ceremonies for PPL Park in the historic City of Chester initiated the construction of Philadelphia Union's home stadium. As part of the ceremonies, Panasonic was announced as the club's second "Keystone Founding Partner," an important partnership for providing fans with a world-class guest experience.

“The groundbreaking of this new, first-class soccer stadium (the ninth such stadium in MLS after Red Bull Arena opens as the eighth this month) is a historic moment for the City of Chester and soccer fans in the United States,” Garber said after the groundbreaking ceremony. “Philadelphia is one of the most passionate sports markets in the country and we are excited that they will be joining the league in 2010.”

May 11, 2009: Philadelphia Union was officially unveiled on this day as the name of the league’s 16th franchise by Mayor Michael Nutter, with City Hall serving as an appropriately historic backdrop for the momentous announcement. The region's newest professional sports team simultaneously revealed its logo and colors as the countdown to First Kick continued.

“This is a special day for our devoted fan base and the people of the Greater Philadelphia Region,” Philadelphia Union Chairman Jay Sugarman said that day. “We're incredibly fortunate to have fans who understand the power of loyalty and unity, and our team identity draws its inspiration from them and from the importance these qualities have played in the history of Philadelphia.”

Union references the original Thirteen Colonies, which established the foundation of the United States of America. The clubs colors wer unveiled as navy blue and gold, symbolizing the uniforms of the American Continental Army, accented by the lighter shade of blue found in the Philadelphia Flag. The primary symbol of a rattlesnake is derived from Ben Franklin's political cartoons and was featured in multiple editions of the Pennsylvania Gazette during the 1750s. The rattlesnake was utilized to emphasize the necessity of colonial unity and serve as a reminder of the danger of disunity. Franklin's rattlesnake gained enormous popularity and evolved into a primary symbol of the American Revolution.

A brand was officially born.

May 29, 2009: Philadelphia Union announced Peter Nowak as the club's first ever Team Manager. Nowak has won MLS Cups as both player and coach, the only individual to have accomplished the feat in league history. A captain of the Polish National team for three years, Nowak previously served a dual role as Head Coach of the Under-23 U.S. Men's National Team and Assistant to Bob Bradley with the full national team. Nowak became responsible for all facets of the club's training and on-field performance and embarked on the mission of building a roster from scratch.

“I am extremely grateful for my time with U.S. Soccer, but the chance to join an organization that is in the process of defining its identity was an opportunity I could not turn down,” Nowak said. “Our supporters are already notorious for their passion and it is our mission to put a team on the field that is worthy of their loyalty. Our responsibility is to build a club that leaves everything on the field and represents the Philadelphia region proudly.”

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Philadelphia Union's evolution in the coming days. Just think, all this before a single player!

Shout! Issue 4 - Clubs Chasing Unreachable Goals

Apologies for Shout being late this month. SportTrades is currently going through a dramatic change in structure and operational procedures. We are also close to announcing agreements with high profile clubs and organisations. We will soon be welcoming new National Account Managers to the team, we will introduce them once the ink has dried on their incredibly lucrative deals. It is a very exciting time for SportTrades, with opportunities to compete at the highest level with a team full of quality, commitment and professionalism.

The issues of Sunday Newspapers are decreasing as we head fast towards the World Cup Kick off in South Africa. Fabio will then no longer read about our stars private lives, but instead can look forward to debate about his final squad selection. The areas of concern have been highlighted by all experts and the certainty is the only men who will be 100% happy are those involved with selection.

We are after all a Nation of Football Managers. So money where my mouth is and here goes. SportTrades England World Cup Squad:

GK David James, Robert Green and Joe Hart

Def: Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole*, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Joleon Lescott, Matthew Upson and Stephen Warnock
• If Cole fails to recover from injury, replaced by Leighton Baines.

MID: James Milner, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Aaron Lennon*, Stuart Downing
• If Lennon fails to recover from injury replaced with Shaun Wright – Philips

Att: Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey

What would be your squad for your World Cup?

* The original squad included David Beckham, who has subsequently being ruled out of the World Cup with a torn Achilles. Good luck Becks on your recovery.

The last month has been a poignant month for English Football Clubs. The well documented troubles at Portsmouth, the court battles of Cardiff City and Southend United. Clubs have succumbed to the pressure of the financial plight; Chester City and Farsley Celtic are no longer able to compete in their respective leagues. Both clubs hope to be reformed in leagues lower down the football pyramid, and we wish them success. For different reasons, although financial management is an issue, the Red Knights are reported to be preparing for a take over at Manchester United and dissatisfaction is widely reported at Liverpool with their owners.

The core to the problem is finance, clubs over stretching to compete in or reach the top. Many clubs do not have the correct financial structure or catchment area to achieve their dreams, for others it is simply mismanagement. The only solution to sustain the current level of investment and wages is unbearable and will rip the heritage from our clubs and sport. The Premier League, to become franchised and regionalised, with no promotion or relegation but licenses been awarded, and renewed on a regular basis. The Premier League being reduced to 18 clubs, the top 3 qualifying for the Champions League with the F.A.Cup winners claiming the 4th place, if they meet the restrictions of the competition. I almost feel sick writing it. One alternative is salary quotas, equal for each team. You can pay a player as much as you want within the set quota. Youth team players, who have been brought through that particular clubs system from a pre-agreed age and born within an agreed area from the club base, will not be added to the salary quota for the first 3 years of their professional contract. The benefits, the league will become more competitive and the development of our young players greatly increased. The quota will have to be realistic for each League. This is a very simplistic idea, and a more detailed structure would have to be built in, but not to complex. I would be interested to here your thoughts. I am afraid to save our clubs financial and operational restriction have to be in place. By all means pay a player a huge salary, but you will be unable to have a squad full of high earners, you can still have a squad packed with talent.

Let us be realistic, there are Club owners and Directors who are responsible in their actions and are more than familiar with the clubs heritage and passion within the community. There are international owners of our clubs, who are more than aware of the history, Mr Randy Lerner being one. We are only too aware of those who are not and sympathise with fans whose clubs are currently been torn apart by owners out to make quick profit and other agenda's. So the F.A. should be encouraged to follow the fitness test for club ownership that it has created but urged to be more stringent and equal for all in the process.

There are systems and procedures in place that allows for the vast sums of money received by the F.A, for image rights and broadcasting etc, to help fund the rest of footballs pyramid and its development in ALL areas. Remember talent does not just come from deprived areas, although I agree more intense assistance is needed for social as well as sporting reasons in those cases, but help is needed at clubs across our society. The procedure of funds filtered down from the Premier League and other sources of income should be even more accessible to grassroots of our sport. The fund, boosted by proceeds received for Football League competitions and private funding, will continue to help football grow, Total Football. Total administration. Again, structures for the process will need to be reviewed, made more efficient and affective and managed so that help is received at all levels.

The question of a play-off place for the 4th Champions League place has been floated and disappeared, probably never to be seen again. I mentioned the F.A.Cup in a moment of madness above, how is this for an idea? The winners of the F.A.Cup gain the 4th Champions League spot, as long as they finish the season within the top 16 of the Premier League, if not it reverts back to 4th place.

This has been dominated by Football this month, next edition we will look at the Super League, BBL and the 6 nations. Look out for the sport of Ringette, Adam will have more details soon. Finally it was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Keith Alexander. I never had the privilege of meeting Mr Alexander, but from all those who had and those who knew him well, he was one of life’s good men, sadly missed. Our thoughts go to his family and friends and the players, staff and fans at Macclesfield Town FC.

IN MEMORY OF KEITH ALEXANDER.

High Court wind up Chester City

Our friends at BBC Sports have announced the demise of Chester City FC.

Chester City have been wound up at a High Court hearing in London.
The 126-year-old club, who were without a league after being kicked out of the Football Conference, owed HM Revenue & Customs £26,125 in unpaid taxes.

City failed to fulfil their last two Blue Square Premier fixtures and were initially suspended, then kicked out of the league last month.
Supporters group City Fans United are now likely to start a new club in a lower league.

Sol y Futbol: Rojillos back into the Relegation Zone

Ian Lane reports from Northern Spain where the Rojillos slip back into the relegation zone.

SPORTING GIJÓN B 2 LANZAROTE 1

7th March 2010

The Rojillos come off second best and slip back into the drop zone after defeat in the top north of Spain against a direct relegation rival.

The home side opened the scoring in the 7th minute. A corner viciously swung in from the Lanzarote´s keepers left found Borja Navarro. The striker’s neat header left keeper Vilches motionless as the ball flew into the roof of the net.

With the score 1-0 to the home side Lanzarote looked nervous about conceding a second goal. The Rojillos bolted its doors in defence but lacked any real threat up front offering only a couple of long distance efforts.

Meanwhile the Asturias side looked hungry and dangerous. In central midfield the Rojillos were without their suspended inspirational Captain Vladimir. Gijón dominated this area with youngsters Sergio and Juan Muñiz controlling proceedings.

Just before half time these two players combined with Sergio laying the ball across the goal but team mate Juan Muñiz was just inches away from connecting with the goal at his mercy. Lanzarote were glad to hear the half time whistle with only the solitary goal separating the sides.

Lanzarote came out from the break looking a much fresher side. They were first to the ball, winning the tackles, and put pressure on the home defence. Nine minutes into the second half and all this good work was in tatters.

A free kick by Juan Muñiz taken from long distance was launched into Lanzarote´s danger zone and got caught in the strong wind which deceived the Lanzarote keeper into a rare mistake and gave the home side a fortunate 2-0 lead.

On several occasions this season Lanzarote have only got themselves going when they are two goals down. Fifteen minutes after conceding the second goal the Rojillos pulled one back. A foul on Carlitos in the six yard box and the referee ordered a spot kick. The ever reliable Rubén Rodriguez stepped up and stroked the ball with force into the right hand corner but the keeper tipped the ball onto the post but the rebound fell kindly back to Rubén and he stuck the ball home with ease reducing the deficit to 2-1.

With 20 minutes left to play Lanzarote were now seriously looking to salvage a point and more importantly not allowing the side below them in the league to claim all three points.

As much as Lanzarote huffed and puffed, Gijon’s defence held firm not allowing the Rojillos a clear chance and the Rojillos flew back to Lanzarote via Madrid empty handed and back into the last automatic relegation positions, fourth from bottom.

Sporting Gijón B leapfrog Lanzarote with this win and climb out of the drop zone and up to 15th.

Lotus Gearing Up For Bahrain

SportTrades like Formula 1, after all it's one of the biggest sports in the world. Formula 1 attracts huge television figures and is one of the richest sports in the world with drivers earning their salaries by driving faster than anyone 'normal' would ever dream of. The season starts next weekend in Bahrain.

For the 2010 F1 Season, we're going to be following the new Lotus Racing team on the blog. The Lotus name has great history in the sport, with the original team founded by Colin Chapman winning six drivers championships, dominating the sport in the 1960's and 70's. Great British drivers like Graham Hill and Jim Clark won titles for the team and although the team declined in the 1980's and 90's drivers like Nigel Mansell, Artyon Senna, Nelson Piquet and Johnny Herbert all drove well for the team.

Driving for the team in 2010 will be experienced Italian Jarno Trulli, talented Finn Heikki Kovalinen and young Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy who is the team's test driver. Trulli comes to the team with experience under his belt having driven for Minardi, Prost, Renault and Toyota in an F1 career that has spanned 13 years winning one race. Kovalinen comes to the team after two dissapointing years with McLaren as team mate to Lewis Hamilton. During that time he gained three podiums, one of those being a win after he won the Hungarian GP in 2008.

Fauzy comes onboard thanks to the Malaysian involvement in the team, although he has good experience in single-seater motorsport having driven in British Formula 3, A1GP and the GP2 series. As test driver for the team his work will be limited this season due to the fact there is little testing involved in F1 thesedays although he will be present at all the races in the season operating as the third driver for the team should anything happen to Trulli or Kovalinen.

The new Lotus team will initially be based in Norfolk, though its future design, research and development, manufacturing and technical centre will be purpose-built at Malaysia's Sepang International circuit. In its new incarnation the team is a partnership between the Malaysian Government and a consortium of Malaysian entrepreneurs.

Team principal of the team is Malaysian Tony Fernandes, who is the founder of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, which owns the Air Asia airline. Bringing experience to the team is Mike Gascoyne. Gascoyne has 20 years' experience in the sport after working with Jordan, Renault, Toyota, and most recently Force India. For a new team his experience and know-how will be priceless and will defiently be of great value to the team.

On February 12th the team unveiled its 2010 challenger, the Lotus Cosworth T127, at a glittering event in London’s Royal Horticultural Hall. Team Principal Fernandes was joined on stage by Gascoyne and drivers Trulli, Kovalainen and Fauzy to take the wraps off the car in front of a 500 strong live audience. The car's livery is green and yellow, which pays tribute to the Lotus name of the past.

Fernandes gave his thoughts on the astonishing achievement the Lotus Racing team has accomplished in launching the car just five short months since the team was granted its entry to the FIA Formula One World Championships, saying: “I am extremely proud to be here today and to be able to show the world the fruits of the team’s hard work over the last five months. It’s humbling for me and my fellow shareholders, to see how a team that five months ago didn’t even exist is now a thriving workforce, full of enthusiasm and passion for Lotus Racing and the challenges ahead and capable of producing such a machine in such a short time.

“Now we’ve achieved two major milestones; confirming our entry and unveiling our car, but now the real work starts. Next we move on to testing and the season ahead and I’m confident that the team will exceed expectations wherever we go, building on the support we've gathered so far."

Mike Gascoyne added his thoughts, saying “The last few months have been some of the most challenging of my career, but it’s been a challenge the whole team and I have thrived on since we first started work on the car up in Norfolk. I’m delighted that we’ve reached this point, and now we have a beautiful car that gives us a great base to work from for the season ahead and a fighting chance of going racing in the right way, with a winning mentality. The hard part starts now, and I know everyone in the team and I are up for whatever lies ahead. We want to be racing some of the established teams and be in with a chance of scoring points later in the season. It's a big challenge, but I like a challenge."

Both Trulli and Kovalinen are hopeful of a good season. Although the team will be competiting this season under a Malaysian licence, the Lotus group has great prestige in Britian and alike the new Virgin team look well equipped to have a good season where they will be hopeful of scoring points. The F1 season starts next month in March and with the team undergoing the current test at Jerez this week and the test in Barcelona next week, we have an inkling that the team can cap a dream start to the season with a points finish.

Team principal is Tony Fernandes, the founder of the Malaysian-based Tune Group, which owns the Air Asia airline. Vast experience also comes into the team on Mike Gascoyne's shoulders. Gascoyne has 20 years' experience in the sport after working with Jordan, Renault, Toyota, and most recently Force India. He returns to F1 as the team's technical director and will be of great help to the team.

On February 12th team unveiled its 2010 challenger, the Lotus Cosworth T127, at a glittering event in London’s Royal Horticultural Hall. Team Principal Fernandes was joined on stage by Gascoyne and drivers Trulli, Kovalainen and Fauzy to take the wraps off the car in front of the awaiting media. The car's green and yellow livery, pays tribute to the Lotus name of the past.

Fernandes gave his thoughts on the astonishing achievement the Lotus Racing team has accomplished in launching the car just five short months since the team was granted its entry to the FIA Formula One World Championships, saying: “I am extremely proud to be here today and to be able to show the world the fruits of the team’s hard work over the last five months. It’s humbling for everyone involved to see how a team that five months ago didn’t even exist is now a thriving workforce, full of enthusiasm and passion for the challenges ahead.

“Now we’ve achieved two major milestones; confirming our entry and unveiling our car, but now the real work starts. Next we move on to testing and the season ahead and I’m confident that the team will exceed expectations wherever we go, building on the support we've gathered so far."

Mike Gascoyne added his thoughts, saying “The last few months have been some of the most challenging of my career, but it’s been a challenge the whole team and I have thrived on since we first started work on the car up in Norfolk. I’m delighted that we’ve reached this point, and now we have a beautiful car that gives us a great base to work from for the season ahead and a fighting chance of going racing in the right way, with a winning mentality. The hard part starts now, and I know everyone in the team and I are up for whatever lies ahead."

Their testing has had its up and downs, which of course is to be expected as any new team will have things to work on. All three drivers got time driving the car but there were still problems with Kovalinen having a crash at Jerez and Trulli suffering from minor technical issues at Barcelona. However those minor problems aside, both Trulli and Kovalinen are hopeful of a good season. Although the team will be competiting this season under a Malaysian licence, the Lotus group has great prestige in Britian and alike the new Virgin team look well equipped to have a good season where they will be hopeful of scoring points.

The F1 season starts next week and SportTrades are hoping that the team get of to a good start with both Jarno and Heikki both getting the Lotus T127 to the finish. Starting the season with points would be great, but with the established teams looking strong it might be too much of an ask. Lets just hope that the team start the season with good reliability so they can learn more about the car and get some good early season performances.

Catch Up With The Wasps

It's been over a fortnight since we last updated you on the Hull Wasps. If you count your minds back you're remember that the last time we reported on the Wasps, they beat the Middlesborough Lions 69-63 in front of more than 850 fans in attendence. Thats a record breaking crowd by the way.

After defeating the Lions, Wasps travelled to Woodchurch High on February 21st to play the Wirral Hornets. After losing to the Hornets at the Gemtec earlier this season, the team wanted to avenge that defeat. After a mix-up in fixture dates with the league, the Wasps travelled to Wirral on Sunday afternoon with only 7 first team players available. Kamil Pilarski, Jamie Goodwin, Jason Munro, James Rayner, Adrian Blatherwick, Rob Birchmore and Miles Anderson all made the trip and almost took the points after a great opening quarter.

Wirral Hornets pulled out the stops and brought themselves back into the game and took the lead at 39-37 going into half time. A dominant display in the third allowed the hosts to pull clear but a great fightback from the Wasps in the final quarter brought the scores a lot closer but it wasn't enough to take the points. Kamil Pilarski top scored in a great all-round team performance with 25 points. Jason Munro scored 14 with Jamie Goodwin scoring 9.

Last Saturday the Wasps travelled to the Greenbank Sports Academy to play Liverpool. This time only a staggering 6 players travelled to the game due to injuries and other committments. Matt Fawcett, Chris McKenna, Jamie Goodwin, Rob Birchmore, John Kelsey and Jason Munro were all fantastic. The team shone the second quarter where the Wasps outscored the home side 28-10. After that, the hard work was over and it was very much an even contest in the third and fourth quarters. Jason Munro top scored with 22 points. Jamie Goodwin scored 17 with Matt Fawcett on 13. A good win for the Wasps 76-57.

Sunday saw the Wasps back at the Gemtec Arena where they made it two wins out of two over the weekend as they edged out the Stockport Falcons II 91-86. It was the Wasps final home game of the season and a final performance they can be proud of after leading for most of the game. It's also a record season total for the Wasps who made it their 10th win of the season totalling 20 points with a game to spare, much to the delight of everyone involved at the club.

In a game that saw offences on top and good defence at a premium, Hull never looked in real danger of losing despite the narrow winning margin. The sides traded baskets throughout until the Wasps pulled away 70-58 with a definitive third quarter they won 29-22. Two late, late three-pointers by Stockport, with the game out of reach, made the final scoreline look more respectable for the visitors.

Hull, who went 16 for 20 from the free-throw line, were led by guard Kamil Pilarski and captain Jamie Goodwin, who both scored 18 points. Jason Munroe added 13 to cap an impressive weekend after his 22 in the win in Liverpool the previous day. The Wasps end the season in midweek away to the Huddersfield Heat, and SportTrades hope that they can end the season on a high.

Redskins Undone By Chieftains!

After their comprehensive win over the MK Thunder last week, Chelmsford Chieftains knew that that result would mean nothing unless they could win their next game. Their oppenents the Streatham Redskins are well known for being a tricky team to beat and have taken points of the leading teams this season. Our IceMan Pete Lewis was there to report on the action.

Chieftains started the game like a house on fire as their forwards peppered Stefan Nubert in the Redskins net with a number of shots inside the first two minutes. Once the South Londoners got control of the puck they showed some good skills and were able to take the game to the Chieftains. The Chieftains defence was made to be alert and Alex Green made an excellent poke check on Louis Lockwood who was bearing down on Ben Clements in the Chieftains goal. It was Danny Hammond who put Cheiftains ahead just after 6 minutes when he struck a powerful shot from the blueline that Nubert stood no chance with. Sean Easton getting the assist on the goal.

Slovak forward Jerry Pavlus doubled the advantage for the Chieftains on twelve minutes when his shot trickled through Nubert's legs. Nubert's confidence had clearly dropped and up popped Ross Brears to put the hosts 3-0 up when Aaron Connolly's shot bounbed back off Nubert and Brears had the simple to task to put the puck into the empty net.

Sadly this was the last we saw of Brears as he was helped off the ice moments later with what looks like a badly twisted knee. The Redskins did get on the scoresheet with a powerplay goal 15:58 when Perry Richardson slotted the puck home. Minutes later and it was 3-2 when Louis Lockwood put the puck in the roof of the net from close range. So much for a comfortable lead!

It was almost half way through the game before the next goal went in and this time the Chieftains put a bit of daylight between them when Blaho Novak looped the puck over Nubert to make it 4-2. Just before the end of the period and it was back to 1 goal when Lockwood notched his second of the night with a controversial goal as the Redskins had more players on the ice than allowed, but none of the officials picked up on it. It was quite a shocking decision by the officials and it shocked the crowd in attendence who all picked up on the official's mistake.

The third and final period started with a bang as barley a minute had passed and the Redskins had tied it up at 4-4. Lockwood rounding of a fine team move by completing his hat-trick when he scored past Clements after breaking clear. Things began to get feisty on the ice with a cross-check on Connolly that went unpunished by the officials, so captain Richard Whiting took it upon himself to fire a big hit back at the Redskins seconds later in retaliation and flattened the South Londoner. As he was being led off the ice, other players were involved in a pushing and shoving match with various Redskins players, but things didn't spill over. Who needs the WWE?

Just over 10 mins remained in the game when the deadlock was broken again and once again it was the Chieftains who took the advantage. Man of the match Connolly got the puck in the middle of the rink and skated to just inside the Redskins zone and he fired the puck into the top corner past a stranded Nubert. Less than a minute later it was 6-4 when Easton looped the puck high over the neutral zone and Hammond skated onto the puck and took it in close and shot it past a dejected Nubert. Jerry Pavlus scored moments after to make it 7-4, finishing cooly after a good pass by BT Williams.

Frustrations were boiling up by now and Lockwood was again the centre of attention as he took a 10 minute misconduct penalty and in doing so killed off any hope of a comeback for the Redskins. The last piece of action was a minor scuffle on the final buzzer when BT Williams and Peter Molnar had words, but when offered more, Molnar skated away not wanting to mix it with the Chieftains tough guy.

After the game, Dean Birrell had this to say: "The ref tonight was awful. He let far too much go and called some silly things and when things were getting heated, he very nearly lost control of the game. Onto playing matters and we knew we wouldn't have it easy tonight and we had to work very hard to get the win. The Redskins have taken points off of the other 'big' teams and will be a banana skin in the run-in to the playoffs and will certainly get a few more results and take some big scalps.

"I am disappointed that it looks like Ross Brears won't be training at least for the next week. I'm hoping he won't be missing heading into next Sunday's tough and physical game against Cardiff at the Riverside. We are going in as underdogs, but we're one of the few times to go to their place and get points, so we know we can take points off them. They still have aspirations for the title and will be wanting to beat us. Of course though, we're looking to cement our place in the groupings for the playoffs and we're not going to want to be bullied or pushed around in front of our own fans. It's going to be tough, but I believe the boys can do it and have the capability to win it".

We're more from Pete next week, where he'll be reporting on what we hope is a memorable Chieftians win over Cardiff Devils. Fingers crossed.

Lyndsey Bradshaw's China Trek

Friend of SportTrades Lyndsey Bradshaw, is taking part in Heart FM's China Trek on 5th March, where she'll walk the Great Wall of China.

Lyndsey says ' Walking the Great Wall of China will be the greatest achievement of my life, but Have a Heart is such a great charity'. Only days to go before Lyndsey laces up her boots and goes for a stroll, but enough time for you to donate online and help her cause http://www.doitforcharity.com/lyndseyschinatrek

Sol y Futbol: Rojillos Move out of Relegation Places

Our Man in Lanzarote, Mr Ian Lane witnesses the Mighty Rojillos move out of the relegation and play-off places. They will be dancing on the streets of Arrecife tonight.

LANZAROTE 2 CACEREÑO 1

1st March 2010

Astonishing! U.D. Lanzarote have been in the relegation positions since September and hit rock bottom on the 11th of October when the Rojillos were thrashed 5-0 by this same side.

With this victory the Conejeros (locals) not only move out of the four automatic relegation positions but have avoided the 5th from bottom spot which entails a horrible two legged affair with a hungry third Division side in a play off to remain in Spain’s bronze league.

The game kicked off at an amazing pace and within the first minute Lanzarote believed they had taken the lead. Striker Carlitos flicked on the ball in the heart of the oppositions 18 yard box and Toñito latched onto the pass and fired it home only for the linesman to wave his flag for offside.

The Rojillos dominated possession in the opening stages but rarely threatened. The side from the Extremadura region of Spain seemed happy to sit back and soak the pressure and try and catch the Conejeros on the break.

The first strike in anger was hit sweetly from 25 yards by Jotha. The Cacereño keeper was alert and tipped the ball over for a corner.

In the 38th minute Jotha floated in an inch perfect free kick into the danger zone and Carlitos´s guided header was finger tipped onto the inside of the post and away to safety by the visitors keeper, Polo.

Only a minute had lapsed and the Lanzarote Captain Vladimir unluckily picked up his second yellow card and the Rojillos were forced to play more than half the match with only 10 men.

Importantly Lanzarote saw out the remaining six minutes of the half and went into the break with the game scoreless.

Ten seconds into the second half and the Lanzarote defence were caught napping. Midfielder Rocha found himself through with only Vilches, the Lanzarote keeper to beat. The captain of his side calmly stuck the ball away low into the bottom left hand corner giving his side a 0-1 lead.

These days, the Rojillos rarely crumble and the ten men with temperatures topping the mid 20´s battled on and looked the more likely to score the next goal.

In less than five minutes the Conejeros were level in spectacular fashion at one apiece. Following a corner, the ball fell to Lanzarote´s vice captain Jotha and the ex Real Madrid star hit a dipping volley into the top right hand corner leaving the keeper motionless and sending the home fans into a wild frenzy.

Those two years Jotha spent with Real Madrid’s first team training day in day out with the likes of Beckham, Raul, Figo and the master Zidane was evident to see as that goal was worthy of any match.

Lanzarote had the grit between their teeth and only two minutes later winger Toñito was brought down in the box and the man in black awarded the Rojillos a spot kick. The ever reliable Rubén Rodriguez blasted the ball into the right hand corner sending the keeper the wrong way and incredibly giving his side a 2-1 lead.

In the 58th minute the home side was unlucky not to have scored a third. A corner swung in from the left by Rubén Rodriguez was met by centre back Richard and his glancing header beat the Cacereño keeper but the defender remained on the post and cleared the ball off the line.

With a player less the home side opted for a more defensive approach for the remainder of the match. In the 66th minute the visitors were awarded an indirect free kick only eight yards out. Unsurprisingly the ball was touched then blasted by striker Rai but the ever so alert Lanzarote keeper smothered the ball and kept the enemy out.

Whilst the away side now dominated possession it was still Lanzarote that looked the more likely to add to their 2-1 lead. In the 78th minute sub Jonathon Torres had a good effort saved and a minute later Carlitos blasted from close range but his effort struck the keeper and deflected away for a corner.

The following 11 minutes plus five minutes of stoppage time felt like an eternity to the Lanzarote faithful as the away side wouldn’t relent. The Lanzarote defence stuck to its guns and held on for a brilliant and very important victory against a relegation rival.

Over the next five weeks Lanzarote will face four relegation rivals. First up is next week away to the B side of Sporting Gijón who are third from bottom and only a point away from Lanzarote.

On the injury front Rubén Rodriguez, Jonathon Torres are fit. Barnsley boy Ian Robinson went for a scan in Tenerife last week on his injured knee and got the all clear though he will miss the next match. Vladimir will miss the next two games by picking up his 5th yellow card and being sent off. The Lanzarote captain shouldn’t be too disappointed as he would need a week off due to a knee problem, now he has been forced into two weeks rest which I am sure will only serve to better his injury. Striker Rosmen will still be out for at least another six weeks with his broken foot.

At the other end of the table Alcorcón remain top five points ahead of Real Oviedo. Gran Canarian side Universidad is in third with Guadalajara occupying the last play off spot.

A Cyclist In France: Training To Win!

You may remember in January, we announced that we'd be following a Cat 2 cyclist in France called Andy Phillips. Well after his first two posts which are worth reading, Andy's back with his third.

With less than two weeks to go until the start of his season, which starts on March 13th, Andy tells us more about his training and how he's desperate to win a race this season. Over to you Mr Phillips.

Andrew: Well our season is fast approaching. Our neighbouring club based in Civray is supposed to be having its test ride this weekend. This is the first major test to see how fit you are for the season, so it's abit of a nervy time even if everyone is in shape.

Unfortunately the weather has been downright dreadful recently with have 110 km hour winds in the country, so we've put that test off for a couple of days. Our club EC Taize Aizie will be having its test ride next weekend on the 7th March. The ride
is basically 100 kms. It is open to all the local clubs and is a race in all
but name.

Last year, when I was building up to my first season I was blown away in the Civray ride. I did a little better in our club's ride. This year I am a lot stronger and I hope to come in ahead of all the cat 2 riders in our club. It's a tall order maybe but it will be interesting to see how fit I am compared with everyone else.

Certainly training has been difficult with the terrible weather we have had. I should be at an advantage as, in that not having a lot of work on at the moment as meant that i've been able to train more. I feel I'm in the best shape possible and that this will help do well in the ride, at worst i'd like to finish second out of the cat 2 riders in our club!

Training overall has been 'ok' this year, with a few hit and misses along the way. It hasn't been as structured as last year, but thats because I've been training on my own and we've moved house which brings added stress as well. But we're settled in now and i'm more focused than ever.

The early races will all be part of the training to peak for May. I have started some intensity with repetitions on hills. I slowly increase the time spent climbing and then reduce it quickly to build it up again. Once the season starts I will be racing on Sundays. I will aim to train a minimum of 3 days per week - to include one lengthy ride, one session on hills and a sprint session. All that and a fiancee, life couldn't get any better could it?

One of the strangest things that the season throws up are the prizes on offer. For example I won an adult entry to the Valley of the Monkeys last year. It's a great day out for families if you're ever near Romagne and is a primate wildlife park. Kids will love it, the marmosets are particulary memorable. Here's the website for the Valley: http://www.larosevacances.com/activities.htm.

I also won a suitcase for coming second once, which to be honest with you felt like taking the mickey. This was due to the fact the bloke who came third won a case of wine, which between me and you probably cost more than the suitcase! As you'd expect when racing near Cognac, the prizes are of an alcoholic nature and are worth celebrating about.

However winning prizes is not what encouraged me to take up cycling, it was the passion of the sport and the determination involved. That being said i know when i win a race (which will hopefully be this season, please god) that i'll be delighted and will want to keep that winning feeling going.

Thanks to those who have commented on my 2 posts so far. Would be nice if you could leave your names, instead of writing in 'Anonymous'. After letting you guys know of some wierd prizes that I've won, what are the strangest prizes you've won. Doubt anyone can outmatch my prize to a Monkey Wildlife Park!

Well that is enough from me for now. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me.