GFL – Tuesday – A night of brilliant futsal

 GFL
 Shamrock 7 Trawl 10 Wednesday All Stars 6 Valiant 3 Wed’ All Stars 3 Franklin College 11  All Blacks 4 Clee Wanderers 6
 

Strange game this one, I listened to the first half with my back to the pitch! Reason I was putting up some futsal banners.  Thought crossed my mind that perhaps I should record and let players listen to themselves. The amount of negative comment is huge.

 The parts of the game I did watch looked as though Shamrock was on top, except that fast Trawl counter attacks was reaping goals. A tactic usually associated with Shamrock.

Superb game. Wednesday All Stars was represented by Newton Heath. Orchestrated by Dico and Josh they was in-front for most of the game, until the last ten minute jitters almost cost them the game.

At 4-1 all they had to was close out the game, Dan Powers Valiant had other ideas, two minutes play and its 4-3 with five left to play.  Dico is sent off for hand ball on his own goal line.  Penalty is brilliantly saved! Newton then played two minutes four v five without conceding. Valiant missed opportunity after opportunity in that spell; it cost them dramatically when Newton broke to score two more breakaway goals.

 Wednesday All Stars was current Kent Street Thursday League Champions Everglaze.

The larger Second Avenue pitch was a challenge Everglaze never got to grips with, or was it Sam Brooks who gave master class in close control.

 Clee Wanderes ahead of Shamrock and Valiant in table, the bookies would not have offered you odds.

They are playing brilliantly well, some of their first touch passing and they way they used the full court was text book.

I have known Paul Courtly for many years, last night was the best I have seen him play.

At 4-1 they almost lost the plot, All Blacks ‘Lee’ brilliantly scored a chipped gaol, and straight from kick off Blacks scored again, 4-3. Clee recovered, but for 30 seconds the game looked as though it had turned on its head.

   NB: Will managers and players make sure they are in uniform kit, and that both teams enter play on the half way line on hospital side of pitch. We had a substitution last night with a player in different shirt to his team and who had not played in the previous 35 minute. It looked more like a pitch invasion than a substitution.  We got that latter, yes a real one man invasion.  Caught on camera for authorities to deal with later.
   Thanks to Gavin Sartain who refereed with Dean Gladwell, his first Second Avenue games since achieving his FIFA badge.  The Telegraph attended the Newton vs. Valiant game – expect Telegraph article.