Palace Terriers

[talisman]

League Round 15, home vs FC Groningen, of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Level 2, AQ -1.2
Palace Terriers were back to winning ways in the League, with this clinical 4-0 win over a lower-table team. Nathan Masegela converted a cross from Ben Atkins to open the scoring before the break, but the second-half belonged to right-winger Julien van der Plas, his 10 minute hat-trick at the beginning of the half the quickest in Terriers' short history. Ruben Gorrono suffered an injury late on in the game and presented the Management with a selection headache for the Champions League match to follow.



Champions League 'Top 16' Round 2nd Leg, away at Leroy FC, in Paramaribo, Suriname. Level 2, AQ +1.9
Palace Terriers were carrying a slender 1st Leg lead into this match, and went about protecting it while under intense attacking from the home side. The advantage disappeared when Leroy scored in the 31st minute, and the visitors defence threatened to collapse before the Management changed the formation early in the second half. With the score at 1-1 at full time, an extra half-hour of play followed, and with no addition to the score, a penalty shootout. Taulant Doda, Paul Hartnett and substitute Julien van der Plas had confidently dispatched their penalties to put Terriers 3-2 up when 'keeper Adriano Mateus made a magnificent save to deny Leroy their third score, but the home 'keeper matched him when saving Matt Hall's spot kick. A success by Nathan Masegela then put the pressure on the final home kick taker, and he blazed his penalty over the bar, prompting great celebrations by the visiting contingent. Final score 1-1 after extra time, Terriers win the tie 4-3 on penalties, Mateus picking up the MoM award.