Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Front Row: L.V Cup Round 2 reviews.

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Sol y Futbol: UD Lanzorote bad form continues

The wait goes on and on and on. Ian Lane reports from Arrecife as the losing run continues. Fortune must change soon - surely

LANZAROTE   1   LAS ZOCAS   2

Lanzarote once again press the self destruct button. Going a goal down eight minutes before half time and then before the break the Rojillos had a player red carded and conceded another goal in stoppage time.
The Conejeros (locals) began the game brightly with midfielder Kevin Camacho setting up winger Toñito for a strike on goal but unfortunately the 27 year old saw his effort narrowly miss its target.

The Tenerife side then looked as though they had gone in front in the 19th minute when defender Nacor rose brilliantly at the far post from a corner kick, his well cushioned header travelled back along towards the other post then fortunately from a Rojillos point of view past the upright for a goal kick.

Both sides were on the attack with Rosmen hitting a post for Lanzarote and then a great save from Rojillos keeper Marco Machín prevented the visitors going in front.

In the 37th minute and out of the blue a fabulous dipping strike from 20 yards by striker Helio gave the visitors a surprise lead. This was to be the start of a disastrous ending to the first half for Lanzarote.
Four minutes later and defender José Camacho who had been having an excellent game received a red card which dumbfounded everyone watching and involved in the match but the fact of it all meant that Lanzarote were going to have to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.

To rub salt into the Rojillos open wounds the Tenerife side doubled their lead in stoppage time with winger Amorín latching onto a long ball and placing his effort wide of the Lanzarote keeper and into the open net to give his side the 0-2 advantage.

With these three hard blows taken within nine minutes the Rojillos looked distraught as they went into break trailing by two goals and a man short.

Led by local boy Adolfo Pérez as the manager you can be sure his team will keep on fighting. The Rojillos returned for the second half with renewed energy.

With just three players in defence Lanzarote pressed forward. Ten minutes into the second half and a great cross from the right wing was centred by Rosmen leaving the goal keeper for dead and from just two yards out Kevin Camacho outstretched leg could only blast the ball over the crossbar. To be fair the ball bounced from a weighty pass just before contact nevertheless this was a wonder opportunity to get back into the match that the Rojillos yet again wasted.

The fourth placed side played a sensible game by defending solidly and then hitting their hosts on the break. As this threat intensified Lanzarote returned to a back four to once again grab a grip on the game.

In the 81st minute the Rojillos deservedly pulled a goal back with Rosmen feeding sub Miguel Yunes. The lively striker planted his shot wide of the Las Zocas keeper and into the far right hand corner giving his side some hope.

With the game poised at 1-2 the Rojillos let rip with a bombardment on the visitor’s goal. A free kick from 20 yards by midfielder Juancar hit the crossbar but Lanzarote failed to find the target and are still in search of their first home win this season.

Next up for Lanzarote is a trip to play La Gomera next weekend. Who would have thought Lanzarote would be playing a relegation six pointer so early in the season with a team who are one place and two points behind the Rojillos in the league table.

Next home game is scheduled against Estrella CF on Sunday the 25th Nov. Please check nearer the time for date and time confirmation of this match.

GOALS
0-1   min 37 Helio
0-2   min 45+1 Amorín
1-2 Miguel Yunes

Front Row: Hoppa returns to Cornish Pirates.

Hoppa returns to our old stomping ground, from last season, and becomes a Pirate for a day. Thanks to all at Cornish Pirates, especially Wolls for the match report and Simon Bryant for the picture.

Cornish Pirates 54 Rotherham Titans 12
RFU Championship Round 9
Sunday November 11th 2012
Mennaye Field Penzance
Woll's Match Report
It’s been a while, but you won’t hear many complaints from the home faithful after a blistering performance from the Cornish Pirates delivered their bonus point win of the season.
Eight tries and a fifty plus tally; including a hat trick from Burgess and a pair from McGlone, did the damage; on an afternoon in which the Pirates increasingly grew in confidence. In the process they leapfrogged their opponents in the Championship standings up to 6th, and stretched their unbeaten run to five
There had been an early set-back within 90 seconds, as Law nailed the first of his two drop goals of the afternoon. But from the moment Penberthy leveled things four minutes later, the visitors had little to offer to deflect clear Cornish irresistibility. True, their well publicised injury woes may have figured highly in their eventual demise on the day; but their last outing at home had produced a comfortable win, in an emotional local derby, to begin the post Bester era. YoWas this then, the perfect antidote to balking at Billesley a week earlier? It would seem so.
McGlone’s first dot down in the ninth minute, after some good pressure from his compadres in the pack, appeared to light the blue touch paper. Hereon in, there was predominantly only one team in it. And it wasn’t the Yorkshiremen; who were consigned to heading back up north wi’ nowt; as Leeds had been a fortnight earlier.
Indeed, such was the intensity from the Pirates in all areas of the game; the only surprise come half time, was that only Elloway and Burgess had added to the try tally. Some of this may have been down to some ‘’baggage still lingering, but the signs were looking good.
u can only play…etc
Was this then, the perfect antidote to balking at Billesley a week earlier? It would seem so.
McGlone’s first dot down in the ninth minute, after some good pressure from his compadres in the pack, appeared to light the blue touch paper. Hereon in, there was predominantly only one team in it. And it wasn’t the Yorkshiremen; who were consigned to heading back up north wi’ nowt; as Leeds had been a fortnight earlier.
Indeed, such was the intensity from the Pirates in all areas of the game; the only surprise come half time, was that only Elloway and Burgess had added to the try tally. Some of this may have been down to some ‘’baggage still lingering, but the signs were looking good.
Thus at the break the Cornish side were able to head in pleased with their efforts and a 22-9 lead. Law had added another drop and a penalty, whilst Penberthy added some extras here and there and missed a couple of penalties of his own too.
The sun was still shining in every meaning of the phrase, as the Pirates picked up from there’d left off, after an interval that would been unlikely to involved any hairdryers on this occasion.
Pointer squandered an early chance to add to the score with the line crying out to be crossed. But this was quickly erased from the memory banks as the pack took charge with a succession of penalties in the Newlyn Gate Corner, which promised a resumption of try scoring.
One particular scrum seemed to have done the trick as the Titan Eight found reverse at a rate of knots; and a Pirate combination of McGlone and Maidment gave further display of some cultured footwork within back row ranks. Mr. Meredith quite inexplicably blew up for a reset just as the ball was grounded.
Any thoughts from the home crowd of the official doing just that himself, were quickly extinguished as Burgess calmed any rebellion in the ranks with the bonus point try immediately afterwards.
The Pirates appeared to be in total command now, but had enough in reserve to succumb to a 14 man maul effort from the visitors that Stagg emerged from the bottom of; to claim the first of a personal brace. Law duly converted the difficult touchline kick but this did little to stem the overall tide.
McGlone’s second and a first try since his return to the Pirates for Fatialofa kept the scoreboard ticking inexorably towards the half century of points and ‘bat-raising to the pavilion’ time. These five pointers sandwiching a mirror image score for Stagg in the Clubhouse Corner.
Freeman was close to making it three Titans tries soon after, but for a magnificent tackle into touch by Mercer. With it, went any hope of an important bonus point that would have retained sixth spot for the Yorkshiremen.
The Pirates in the meantime maintained their pacey tempo and rounded the afternoon off with two more scores of their own. Mercer finished off a fine move in the Old Western National Corner to claim his first try in Pirate colours. Whilst Burgess claimed his third off some sloppy Titan play on halfway, to gallop in from 50m.
Hallett brought proceedings to close with a simple conversion in front of the posts. The supporters, in the meantime could enjoy their post-match sing song with a little more gusto.
There should also be time to reflect on such a poignant day such as this. Lest we forget.
Cornish Pirates
15 W. Davies (20 T. Kessell 71) 14 G. Pointer  13 T. Riley  12 Jnr Fatialofa (22 A. Cheesman 69)
11 B. Mercer  10 A. Penberthy (21 K Hallett 71)  9 G. Cattle (capt)  8 L. McGlone  7 P. Burgess  6 B. Maidment  5 G. Johnson  4 D. Lyons (19 D. Barry 53)  3 B. Prescott (18 P. Joyce 53)  2 R. Elloway (17 D. Semmens 69)  1 R. Storer (16 A. Paver 65)
Replacements: all used
Tries: McGlone 2, Elloway, Burgess 3, Fatialofa, Mercer
Cons: Penberthy 4, Hallett
Pens: Penberthy
Rotherham Titans
15 F. Mulchrone  14 P. Homan  13 L. Blackett  12 J. Gill  11 M. Doneghan  24 G. Law (Capt)  9 C. Mulchrone (22 J. Williams 54) 1 S Cahill (17 M. Gadd 48)  2 D. Baines (16 T. Stagg 28)  3 R. Davies (18 G. Denman 48) 4 T. Freeman  5 D. Sanderson  6 A. Rieder  7 J. Ellyatt (20 E. Taylor 61)  8 C. Kirwan (19 N. Dacres 63)
Replacements: un-used 21 E. Styles
Tries: Stagg 2
Cons: Law
Pens: Law
Drops: Law 2
Yellow: Freeman
Match Officials
Referee: John Meredith
Assistants: Shane Lewis, Chris Sharp
Attendance: 1763
Man of Match: Gary Johnson


Monday, 12 November 2012

Front Row: Review of Round 1 LV Cup


Sol y Futbol: Lanzarote having no fun in the sun.

Thanks to Ian for the report. We catch up with Lanzarote, still in a poor run of results. The latest installemnt will be tomorrow.

C.D. SAN ISIDRO   1   LANZAROTE   0

When will this bad run end? Since the opening day away win Lanzarote have failed to secure three points in a match in nine games and are now third from bottom two points adrift of safety.

Prior to the match the Rojillos were sitting one place above their Tenerife rivals and it was the home side that began the match with more desire. In the 9th minute midfielder Simón struck inside the area but his goal bound effort was cleared with a last ditch block.

Lanzarote steadied themselves and began to threaten with good chances for strike duo Miguel Yunes and Rosmen going amiss.

Nine minutes before the break and the home side were awarded a spot kick when Alex Yunes brought down winger Cristian on the edge of the box. The same player shook off the knock and stepped up to convert the penalty giving his side a 1-0 advantage to take into the half time break.

As ever, Lanzarote picked up their performance in the second half but conceding first is an all to usual occurrence with the Rojillos these days. In the 64th minute Rosmen spurned a great chance failing to hit the target and if that wasn’t bad enough four minutes later a good header from Rosmen was handled by the defender giving the Rojillos a penalty and also reducing the home side down to ten men. It was Rosmen´s responsibility to put his side back on level terms but almost inevitably his strike was saved by the Tenerife keeper.

The home side quite rightly shut the door and packed the midfield to protect their 1-0 lead. Lanzarote dominated the possession but just could not break through whilst the hosts squandered a great chance on the counter attack in the 87th minute. With the Rojillos pressing forward desperately in search of an equalizer the ball was hoofed forward and midfielder Aday found himself alone with just the Lanzarote keeper Marcos Machín to beat but fired his effort over the bar.

Lanzarote couldn’t find any way through as San Isidro leapfrogged Lanzarote in the league table leaving the Rojillos in the drop zone.

Morale is at an all time low but Lanzarote will have to pick themselves up as this Sunday they face a home match against the inform Las Zocas. The Tenerife side are in fine form lately unbeaten in their last six outings winning five of them which has moved them up to fourth spot. Kick off time is yet to be confirmed though it will probably be played at the earlier time of 11.30am.

GOALS
1-0 min 36 Cristian (Penalty)

March to the Arch 4: Chelmsford earn trip to Crawley

I know it’s late in the day, but well done to the clarets for beating Colchester 3-1 in the F.A.Cup 1st Round proper. Chelmsford continue to represent Sports Pulse with a trip to Crawley, in the next Round.

With the win against league opposition the mighty Clarets earned 3 bonus points.
So how are we going in March to the Arch 4.

We started, as always, at Barkingside in the Extra Preliminary round. Barkingside faced Great Yarmouth Town from Eastern Counties Division One, a group below the'side in Sports Pulse classifications. After a 1-1 draw the Great Yarmouth brought Barkingside home(ish), and comfortably beat them 3-0 and also earned a MttA bonus point.

The Preliminary Round saw Great Yarmouth entertain
Witham Town, from Ryman League Division One North. More bonus points were available to the Bloaters if they secured victory. Not to be, as Witham Town hammered them 8-1.

In the 1st Qualifying Round Witham travelled to East Thurrock United from the Ryman Premier League. Witham were obviously underdogs, but were riding high on the previous rounds result. A well fought match saw
East Thurrock win 2-0 and the Rocks travelled to Kingstonian. 

East Thurrock made hard work of a very promising start but still ran out 3-2 victors in the 2nd Qualifying Round. Then in the 3rd Qualifying round they brushed aside Maidstone United 3 – 0 to set up the derby with Chelmsford.

Chelmsford ended the hopes of East Thurrock with a penalty shoot out, after the rocks earned a well deserved replay. The clarets were drawn against Colchester, mentioned above in the 1st Round proper.


The Merit Table as from today as follows:

1.  East Thurrock United    25 points
2.  Chelmsford City  16 points
3.  Witham Town   10 Points
4.  Great Yarmouth Town   5 points
5.  Barkingside  4 points
6.  Colchester United 2 Points
7.  Maidstone United  2 Points
8.  Kingstonian  1 point

Below is a reminder of the Merit Table points rules and classifications.

March to the Arch (MttA 4) Points & Classifications.

Merit Points are awarded after each round. The MttA winner will be the team who have accumulated the most points over the competition. There are 15 Rounds between the Extra Preliminary Round and the Final.

If teams are level on points at the end of the tournament the winner will be:
1) The team with the most appearances in the tracker.
2) The head to head result between the teams if applicable.
3) Goal Difference over the competition
4) Goals scored
5) If still level after the above, position will be shared.

Merit Points are awarded as follows

8 points Away win
7 points Home win
6 points Away win after replay
5 points Home win after replay
4 points Away defeat after replay
3 points Home defeat after replay
2 points Away defeat
1 point Home defeat

Semi Final
8 points for a win
3 points for defeat
1 point deducted each team, if tie goes to extra time.
2 points deducted each team, if tie goes to penalties.

Final
10 points for win
5 points for defeat
1 point deducted each team, if tie goes to extra time.
2 points deducted each team, if tie goes to penalties.

Bonus Points

Divisions will be split into 11 groups. 1 point will be awarded to teams that beat a club above their group (1 point per group above the lower team). For example if
Harpenden Town, from the South Midlands League, beat Premier League Manchester United, they will receive 9 bonus points.

The groups are split as follows

Group 1: Premier League
Group 2: Championship
Group 3: League 1
Group 4: League 2
Group 5: Blue Square Premier
Group 6: Blue Square North and South
Group 7: Regional Premier Leagues (e.g Ryman Premier etc)
Group 8: Regional 1st Divisions (e.g Ryman 1st Divisions North and South etc)
Group 9: County Leagues (Essex Senior League etc)
Group 10: County League feeder divisions (e.g South Midland League 1st Division etc)
Group 11: General leagues.

Hoop Zone: Barking Triple Weekend

What a weekend for Abbey Basketball, 2 league victories and success in the National Shield. Thanks to Mark and all the team for pics and info.

Manchester Mystics 56  Barking Abbey 63

Barking Abbey Senior Women moved to 2-0 in VCars.co.uk Division 1 with a 63-56 defeat of Manchester Mystics, in Manchester, on Saturday evening.

“Pleased with win,” said head coach Mark Clark after the game. “Ros (Mason) really led by example and showed why I think she still offers the national team an option. It was good to get some young players in to the game.”

Mason led BA with 19 points, Shequila Joseph added 15, whilst Georgia Jones finished with 7 points and 5 assists.

“We must continue to get better every game if we are to compete with the best though,” Clark added.
BA will look to keep their perfect record on November 24, when they take on City of Sheffield Hatters at home (8:00pm tip)

University of East London NASSA 72  Barking Abbey 74

Barking Abbey left University of East London Sports Dock with their closest victory of the season on Saturday afternoon, beating University of East London NASSA 74-72, to move to 5-0 in the VCars.co.uk Division 4 Men’s league.

Both teams entered the game undefeated, and with the top spot in the league table at stake, BA didn’t back down from the more experienced NASSA side.

“This was a great win for Barking Abbey, I couldn’t be happier with this group of players,” enthused head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “This was a game we have been preparing for all week. In the end our players just wanted it more. They stuck together, played hard, and never gave up.

“We shot the ball well as a team, and dominated the glass; both areas we focused on this week in practice”
David Akibo (pictured, above) led BA with a 20 point, 7 rebound, 4 assist effort, Josh Steel added 17 points, Paulius Satkus had a 12 point, 15 rebound double double, and Joe Lockwood finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds.

“Joe, Paulius, and David were huge for us in the post,” continued Holloway. “They played a physical game, and didn’t back down at all.

“Our defensive pressure in the second half is what helped us secure this win.”
Roy Downey added 9 points and 5 assists.

BA will now play Medway Park Crusaders II at home on November 17 (6:00pm tip).
Barking Abbey 99 Solent Kestrels 90
Barking Abbey advanced to the National Shield quarter finals on Sunday afternoon, with a 99-90 home victory over Solent Kestrels.

The win came with no less than six players scoring in double digits, led by 18 points from Ryan Addision as he drained 6 three pointers.

Solent were very aggressive on both sides of the floor, something we expected,” explained head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “We made some adjustments at half time that really helped us down the stretch of the ball game.”

Paulius Satkus had a 17 point, 11 rebound, double double, Roy Downey finished with 17 points and 5 assists, whilst Josh Steel, Joe Lockwood and David Akibo added 16, 14, and 11 points respectively.
“In the end our defense won us the game,” continued Holloway.

BA advance to play Nottingham Hoods away on December 9.