18 September 2006
LXG 1 - Alicancre 2
After two consecutive weeks of playing fresh-faced urchins, normal service was resumed in the form of Alicancre FC, a team of moody looking Turks. Would they take the oppresive heat better than LXG? The fact that even before kick-off the LXG President and Lord of All Beasts was already as pink as his former shirt seemed a bad omen.
LXG were heartened though by a record home crowd, comfortably into double figures. The typically officious ref ordered them to sit in the shade and then the game could begin.
There was an early scare when Alicancre seemed sure to have an opening goal from a corner. A reaction save from Eoin stunned everyone. It was to be the first of many in the match but for once the LXG boys made a good start overall and Alicancre’s lone striker was isolated in the first half. Shaj and Titus were bossing the central midfield and any attacks down the right wing were snuffed out by flying Finn Jani.
Simon was getting some joy down LXG’s own right wing. Imploring him not to dribble, Titus cried: “There are four of them” but one Latin shake of the hips and he was through. Sadly the move led to one pass too many and the attack died out.
Ceyhun took a knock to the head. Refusing the healing properties of the bucket and sponge he had to sub off for Martin, who was soon in the thick of the action. Unmarked on the halfway line, the crowd roared for him to shoot. He obliged with a rocket that would have surely found the top corner had the goal only been 200 metres further back.
Soon it was the President’s turn to take the limelight. Under pressure in his own half, he performed a sweet sidestep of his marker that showed all those hours watching Joe Cole DVDs had finally paid dividends.
The second half started well and LXG were soon one up. The keeper could only palm Vic’s strong header into the path of Endrik who drilled the rebound home. 1-0 LXG but fortunes were to change. Alicancre won a penalty when their striker fell theatrically from a Gio challenge. Eoin guessed right and came close but the penalty was converted.
LXG were paying for their first half effort, while Alicancre were finding a second wind and taking control of the midfield. It took another penalty to seal it though. An acrobatic bicycle kick clearance by Gio in his area prompted the ref to point to the spot. Perhaps he was just jealous of Gio’s agility?
They may have been 2-1 up but Alicancre saw out the game with some bad tackles and a bizarre episode that saw their captain go unpunished for catching the ball and kicking it away. An exhausted LXG made some desperate final attacks but could not find a reply. The first defeat of the season but a solid 6 points from 9 overall.
Man of the match: TBC
LXG were heartened though by a record home crowd, comfortably into double figures. The typically officious ref ordered them to sit in the shade and then the game could begin.
There was an early scare when Alicancre seemed sure to have an opening goal from a corner. A reaction save from Eoin stunned everyone. It was to be the first of many in the match but for once the LXG boys made a good start overall and Alicancre’s lone striker was isolated in the first half. Shaj and Titus were bossing the central midfield and any attacks down the right wing were snuffed out by flying Finn Jani.
Simon was getting some joy down LXG’s own right wing. Imploring him not to dribble, Titus cried: “There are four of them” but one Latin shake of the hips and he was through. Sadly the move led to one pass too many and the attack died out.
Ceyhun took a knock to the head. Refusing the healing properties of the bucket and sponge he had to sub off for Martin, who was soon in the thick of the action. Unmarked on the halfway line, the crowd roared for him to shoot. He obliged with a rocket that would have surely found the top corner had the goal only been 200 metres further back.
Soon it was the President’s turn to take the limelight. Under pressure in his own half, he performed a sweet sidestep of his marker that showed all those hours watching Joe Cole DVDs had finally paid dividends.
The second half started well and LXG were soon one up. The keeper could only palm Vic’s strong header into the path of Endrik who drilled the rebound home. 1-0 LXG but fortunes were to change. Alicancre won a penalty when their striker fell theatrically from a Gio challenge. Eoin guessed right and came close but the penalty was converted.
LXG were paying for their first half effort, while Alicancre were finding a second wind and taking control of the midfield. It took another penalty to seal it though. An acrobatic bicycle kick clearance by Gio in his area prompted the ref to point to the spot. Perhaps he was just jealous of Gio’s agility?
They may have been 2-1 up but Alicancre saw out the game with some bad tackles and a bizarre episode that saw their captain go unpunished for catching the ball and kicking it away. An exhausted LXG made some desperate final attacks but could not find a reply. The first defeat of the season but a solid 6 points from 9 overall.
Man of the match: TBC
17 September 2006
11 September 2006
LXG 3 - Les Requins 2
Saturday 9 September. First home game of the season and LXG were hoping to make it six points from six for their best ever start to a season. The sun was shining and the conditions were good, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
Barely 11 players were available, with only five survivors from last Saturday’s match. Keeper Michal was away in Africa, possibly seeing a witch doctor to fix his hand, but luckily the coach had found a guy called ‘Ian’ to replace him. After some confusion, Eoin realised he would be making his LXG debut between the sticks.
LXG’s opponents were ‘Les Requins’, 10-1 winners last week and top of the league. So who were they? Puerto Rican gangsters armed with flick knives and a medley of West Side Story songs? No, the ‘Sharks’ turned out to be another team of schoolboys. Their mothers had not only washed their sparkly white shirts but also handwritten the numbers on the back for them. Unlike an average ABSSA team, these lads had a full set of teeth - but not a full set of players. There were only 10 of them.
Les Requins’ limited years and numbers did not stop them quickly notching up an impertinent 2-0 lead, with two well-taken shots from their star man up front. Paolo won a penalty at the other end, awarded without hesitation by impartial referee and future LXG player Peter. Shaju, back from Canada, lifted and curled the penalty but the keeper stretched well to push it to safety.
Fortunes were to change very quickly. A Requin defender went down injured and as a reflex shot from Paolo outside the box rolled into the bottom right corner. 2-1 the score and just nine opponents standing.
The second half started brightly. The back line of Ceyhun, Pat, David and Jani were on top, and Eoin came out well to pick up loose balls in the area. The midfield were getting forward well and chances were coming.
Simon got the break-through from a wide angle, with a perfect curled shot into the far corner of the net. Vic got the winner to make it 3-2 - just like last week - this time with a surging run connecting with a cross.
Still, it hadn’t come easy. The nine Requins kept their shape and discipline better than LXG and found a lot of space, especially in midfield to be able to push on and pressure the LXG defence. They flashed a few shots wide and hit the LXG post with another.
Two long LXG clearances lead to two Chris chances to seal the game, the first a header just wide of the post, the second a shot just wide of the corner flag. Time was seen out with the help of late sub Titus, trying to get full value on his 2.50 euro sub fee by tackling every single player in the five minutes he had on the field.
The spirit and possibly the performance were lower than the first game, but the score had come out the same - 3-2 and LXG flying high.
Man of the Match: Vic
Barely 11 players were available, with only five survivors from last Saturday’s match. Keeper Michal was away in Africa, possibly seeing a witch doctor to fix his hand, but luckily the coach had found a guy called ‘Ian’ to replace him. After some confusion, Eoin realised he would be making his LXG debut between the sticks.
LXG’s opponents were ‘Les Requins’, 10-1 winners last week and top of the league. So who were they? Puerto Rican gangsters armed with flick knives and a medley of West Side Story songs? No, the ‘Sharks’ turned out to be another team of schoolboys. Their mothers had not only washed their sparkly white shirts but also handwritten the numbers on the back for them. Unlike an average ABSSA team, these lads had a full set of teeth - but not a full set of players. There were only 10 of them.
Les Requins’ limited years and numbers did not stop them quickly notching up an impertinent 2-0 lead, with two well-taken shots from their star man up front. Paolo won a penalty at the other end, awarded without hesitation by impartial referee and future LXG player Peter. Shaju, back from Canada, lifted and curled the penalty but the keeper stretched well to push it to safety.
Fortunes were to change very quickly. A Requin defender went down injured and as a reflex shot from Paolo outside the box rolled into the bottom right corner. 2-1 the score and just nine opponents standing.
The second half started brightly. The back line of Ceyhun, Pat, David and Jani were on top, and Eoin came out well to pick up loose balls in the area. The midfield were getting forward well and chances were coming.
Simon got the break-through from a wide angle, with a perfect curled shot into the far corner of the net. Vic got the winner to make it 3-2 - just like last week - this time with a surging run connecting with a cross.
Still, it hadn’t come easy. The nine Requins kept their shape and discipline better than LXG and found a lot of space, especially in midfield to be able to push on and pressure the LXG defence. They flashed a few shots wide and hit the LXG post with another.
Two long LXG clearances lead to two Chris chances to seal the game, the first a header just wide of the post, the second a shot just wide of the corner flag. Time was seen out with the help of late sub Titus, trying to get full value on his 2.50 euro sub fee by tackling every single player in the five minutes he had on the field.
The spirit and possibly the performance were lower than the first game, but the score had come out the same - 3-2 and LXG flying high.
Man of the Match: Vic
03 September 2006
Pharma Under 16s 2 - LXG 3
Saturday 2 September. The first game of the 2006/2007 season and the LXG boys were feeling fresh after a well-earned summer break. Fresh, that is, until they caught sight of the opposition. A team of rosy-cheeked schoolboys were scampering around the pitch for their warm up. "These will be quichh" a nervous scouse voice was heard to say.
The scene was set, with unfamiliar conditions of blue sky, a light breeze and a flat pitch. While most LXG boys opted for light jogging and stretching, Thomas warmed up in his own way, applying heat rub cream liberally over his entire body.
The ref, as round as the ball itself, got proceedings underway and Pharma, clearly with no respect for their elders, kept the ball for the first ten minutes before finally outpacing the King of Scotland himself to lob the ball over Endrik. LXG responded and Paolo hit the crossbar, but there was to be no reward in the first half.
A bright start to the second half led to a LXG corner. A Pharma boy breathed a little too heavily on an LXG back and the ref, paradoxically as sharp as he was round, awarded the blatant penalty. Paolo stepped up to score but the rotund ref whistled for encroachment. Paolo kept his nerve and went the same way to convert again and send the LXG faithful into raptures.
The momentum was with us and a Chris shot came off the inside of the post and into the six yard box. Eagle-eyed Gio, holding his centre back position with discipline, spotted the loose ball and ran the length of the field to slot home under pressure. 2-1 LXG.
Pharma were not waning, their players nimbly vaulting fences to collect balls out of play as wily LXG conserved energy. Their number 3, possibly the ref's son, put his considerable weight behind a nice shot to bring the scores level.
LXG were under pressure but Endrik and the defence held firm as its midfield responded. David was winning his headers, Bogdan making runs and Jean-Luc showed he had double the speed and stamina of the Pharma boys, not just double the age. A memorable and historic win was secured when Vic chested down a ball and hit an unstoppable shot into the top left corner. "Basta, finito, three points, ciao ciao."
Pharma SC2 2 - LXG Cinquantenaire 3
Men of the Match: Jean-Luc and Vic
The scene was set, with unfamiliar conditions of blue sky, a light breeze and a flat pitch. While most LXG boys opted for light jogging and stretching, Thomas warmed up in his own way, applying heat rub cream liberally over his entire body.
The ref, as round as the ball itself, got proceedings underway and Pharma, clearly with no respect for their elders, kept the ball for the first ten minutes before finally outpacing the King of Scotland himself to lob the ball over Endrik. LXG responded and Paolo hit the crossbar, but there was to be no reward in the first half.
A bright start to the second half led to a LXG corner. A Pharma boy breathed a little too heavily on an LXG back and the ref, paradoxically as sharp as he was round, awarded the blatant penalty. Paolo stepped up to score but the rotund ref whistled for encroachment. Paolo kept his nerve and went the same way to convert again and send the LXG faithful into raptures.
The momentum was with us and a Chris shot came off the inside of the post and into the six yard box. Eagle-eyed Gio, holding his centre back position with discipline, spotted the loose ball and ran the length of the field to slot home under pressure. 2-1 LXG.
Pharma were not waning, their players nimbly vaulting fences to collect balls out of play as wily LXG conserved energy. Their number 3, possibly the ref's son, put his considerable weight behind a nice shot to bring the scores level.
LXG were under pressure but Endrik and the defence held firm as its midfield responded. David was winning his headers, Bogdan making runs and Jean-Luc showed he had double the speed and stamina of the Pharma boys, not just double the age. A memorable and historic win was secured when Vic chested down a ball and hit an unstoppable shot into the top left corner. "Basta, finito, three points, ciao ciao."
Pharma SC2 2 - LXG Cinquantenaire 3
Men of the Match: Jean-Luc and Vic