Football on Tuesday 05/08/08

Whites
Amit
Nanak
Stas
Steve
Mone

Colours
Sam
Rush
Aman
Nav
Jay


Result: Colours Win by 1

Man of the match: It was a hard one to call this week...2 main contenders - Nav 'Now you see me, now you dont' Kamboh & Sam 'the caged animal' Patel. In the end it was pipped by Sam in his first game back since the autobots were crowned champions 3 weeks ago. Rumours have been afloat that his absence was down to his partying antics & photos are apparently available of the legend tanning in his speedos on Durban beach. In any case, Outrageous nutmegs, unstoppable shots, crunching tackles, a general nuisance to the whites & the all important ability to organise the colours when the going got tough, guaranteed his spot as 'el capo'.

Moment of the match: Quite a few to report on this one; Nav's head nearly popping off after Mone's ricocheted shot hit the side boards, Stas' sublime hit from an almost impossible angle, Rush flooring the big man Mone in one clean sweep...list is endless, but I decided to go with Sam's Scholes-esque shot and goal which travelled almost half the length of the pitch, through two defenders & then rippled the back of the net in about 0.894 seconds - As they say in Essex: 'Quicker than a Rabbit gets fuc.k.ed.'

The Oxford dictionary defines the word 'Perseverance' as the 'Steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose'. Tuesday's game was full of this and more.
Colours took the early advantage and seized upon the whites pre-season first half display..Some great interlink play between Sam, Nav & Jay, not to mention the all important pillar of Rush to clean up any mess, ensured quick goals in succession....Colours 5 goals up..
Then the comeback...Whites regained compsure and put the colours on the back foot, Mone and Amit leading the charge with some great efforts from distance, with Steve, Nanak and Stas ready to pounce on any mistake made by the colours. They persevered and got their just rewards - Colours and Whites even stevens...
Encouragement championed by Rush and Sam led the colours to attack and press the whites, forcing them into making an error and it eventually paid off when Jay was put through by Rush to score whilst running away from goal...Cue the lights - Colours win by 1 goal.
Onto next week!

Football on Tuesday 29/07/08

Whites
Steve
Rushabh
Anil
Vish
Nav

Colours
Stas
Amit
Rajesh
Mone
Aman

Result: Colours win by 5
Man of the Match: AMAN - Simply on fire! Defended with his usual calm authority but his antics up front stole the show. Ridiculous passes, incredible energy and some sublime goals. Head and shoulders MoM
Moment of the Match: AMAN - Riquelme-esque pass through the entire Whites team which was cooly collected by Stas and nonchalantly slotted home. As Andy Gray would say "Take a boo, son!"

Football on Tuesday 22/07/08

Colours
Nii
Amit
Rushabh
Stas
Sunny

Whites
Aman
Rajesh
Ravi
Nav
Anil


Result: Colours win by 3
Man of the Match: NII - With his clinical finishing and link up play from front to back causing the major difference between the two sides.

Moment of the Match: SUNNY - Great balance and speed as he danced around the whites and finished in the top left corner.

The game started a little late due to the vast crowds that came to watch the game causing no space in the car park and thus the players having to park on the street.

Whites took the early advantage and showed their class with quite brilliant link up play between Aman, Ravi, Nav & Raj and took an early 5 goal lead. However it all went downhill from there as the tiredness from the Big League triumph on Saturday proved to be a telling factor.

Colours began to work the Whites across the pitch and had a few good strikes on goal but the metal frame on the goal stood strong. Colours opened the scoring with a good one two passing between Sunny and the 'Hammer' Rush, with Rush managing to beat the keeper at his near post.
From then on it was all Colours with the freshness of the side beginning to be the over ridding factor WITH ONLY 1 of their players playing in Saturday's final. Sunny's early bath at Goal Maar left him with plenty of energy in his tank and it showed through with his quick feet and speed beating the Whites at will. The organization of the whites feel apart with them unable to match their rival opponents for pace and this was fully exploited by the clinical Nii and the precision of Amit and Rush’s passing.

The Colours saw the cracks appearing in the White’s defense and took no prisoners with an outstanding 4 quick goals. The Whites tried to hold on to the lead and created some clear cut openings but the tiring legs of the forwards couldn’t put the ball in the net and it is was evident that it wouldn’t be there day.

The Colours stepped up the pace and eventually took the lead and there was no was no way back for the Whites.
Anyways onto next week…….

Football on Tuesday 15/07/08

Colours
Amit
Sam
Ravi
Rush
Aman
Stas

Whites
Jai
Rajesh
Nav
Sunny
Yogesh
Nii


Result: Whites WON by 3!

Man of the Match: RAJESH. It was not a difficult decision, Raj kept the whites solid as he sat back and lead by example, his protection of his goal was exceptional and seemed to snuff out most threats. As the game went on he began to push forward when he saw others we getting a bit tired, showing great team ethic, which Jai still needs to improve on.

Moment of the match: Turning point in this game was the great link up with Jai and Nii to do a number of one-twos around the helpless colours and great composure of Nii to finish off a great move by the two.

The game kicked of 5 minutes late due to the lateness of myself, and will make up by buying the next round of Budweiser's for the team (as InBev has recently taken over Anheuser-Busch). The game was set for an interesting battle as for the first week in a long time it has been a 6-side.

Colours looked the stronger side on paper and they organised quickly to put the Whites under pressure. Two quick and very early goals by Sam made it known to everyone that he had is shooting boots on! Going two goals down made the Whites organise themselves, with Yogi just getting into the game from a early toliet run.

Raj knew he had to sit back and try and control the game and the Colours looked to hold there lead and try to build on it but the Whites were fully determined to get themselves back in the game. This proved a difficult task as there was less space than normal and Whites were restricted to long shots that were blocked well by Colours.

But soon enough the Whites shone through and broke the Colours formidable defence and got a goal in it and a bit of belief. After that Whites had a couple of goals due to good link up with Nii and Jai and sudedenly Whites picked up a 1 goal lead which they were able hold and build on. But it was a hard battle and the Whites were putting the pressure on and made it 2 and soon after 3 and 4.

This didn't sit well with the Colours and they began to put the pressure on, and there were a flurry of shots on the Whites and they felt rush felt it was coming and it did with Sam on point again and Ravi squeezing a couple in to make only a goal in it for the Whites. Raj gave a few verbal words to Jai as he lost the ball and cost them a goal. Whites knew they had to pick it up.

Nav came in and showed a similar move from last week, "a now you see me now u don't", as he used the board well to get past a player and ran down the right to beat the keeper at his near post. Nii also picked it up and struck a hard left foot to rip the net. Soon the Whites regained their 4 goal lead and looked to keep the ball and slow the pace down, which prove hard a the Colours pressured as they looked to cut out the space. The Whites noticed that they were going to win this as silly fouls were made towards the end which made it more of a point to finish deserved winners!!

Football on Tuesday 08/07/08

Colours
Rush
Sam
Ravi
Sunny
Aman

Whites
Amit
Stas
Nanak
Rajesh
Nav

Result:- Colours WIN by 2

Man of the Match:- SUNNY - Came late, let several sitters through when in goal but upped his game in the last 20 minutes and provided solidity and energy to keep Colours in the lead. Hopefully, he'll STOP listening to Jai's inane drivel and realise he can do some serious damage playing in that high tempo "Anderson" role. Finishing needs to be improved!

Moment of the Match:- NAV - The swagger and the quick feet are back! His now you see me, now you don't move on Sam followed by his bullet finish was special.

Whites started off very strongly and quickly established a 2 goal lead. Nanak and Stas's movement caused trouble and good running from Rajesh and incisive passing from Amit meant that Whites kept the ball for long periods of time. Nav continued his rich vein of form by slotting in some lovely goals and Colours were kept in the game by some predatory finishing from Ravi.

Sam and Aman started to impose themselves on the game by pushing higher up the pitch assisting Ravi but in all reality some dogged defending from Whites preserved their lead. The turning point of the match came when the MoM Sunny put in a crunching tackle on Stas and then followed up with a remarkable run and finish immediately galvanising Colours. Sam, Rush and Ravi quickly scored in succession and with 15 minutes to go Colours had the lead by 2.

The ever professional Aman then started to don the imaginary captain's armband and controlled the tempo of Colours' play with the 'keep-ball' tactic. Sunny ensured Colours kept the ball with his high octane running and in the end Colours comfortably ran out winners.

Whites should have probably extended their lead during the early stages but Nanak clearly left his shooting boots at work. I assume Nanak will never come 10 minutes early on Tuesday ever again!