Season 42

[Keith Gaule]

Attachment 9692

Tough league this one. First time I've been top without others having games in hand. Beating SERGIO [top strength team in the league, ahead of us] 4-0 this round [16] could well be the turning point to success. We had a rough start, after 6 games it read 1D, 2L 3W and I thought it would be impossible to get back ahead, because the top 7 teams are all active, the top 5 all very decent, 5-6 star teams for this level. Marathon, not a sprint mentality paid off though It also turned out that early draw was against the now 2nd place team that we just beat well and good.

Because we have now beaten, and drawn with SERGIO, our attention must turn to Zagana FC as the major threat. They mauled us 4-0 first time out, I could not be present, and 2 of our top midfielders were injured during that match and were not subbed out! Revenge will be sweet. We have already beaten teams #4, #5 and #6 easily, team 7 are a Bogey, they have drawn with 4 of the top 6, and beaten Cage Fc away first time out! They are strong, and play a strange 5-1-3-1 formation. They don't score many against better teams, but tend to hold them out and grab late goals.

My league 3 side thecageyones, suffered a bit of a set-back this round, only managing a home 2-2 draw against the current 3rd place. After holding a 2-0 lead right up until last quarter, sloppy defending was punished. 2 injuries did not help matters of course. And the bench isn't too hot for this squad right now.

This puts us 6pts behind the leaders, and though we have to play them once again, we now depend on them slipping up against another team if we're to have any hope of taking the league.

Both teams still in the CL and both have reasonable opponents next round, nothing to get scared over.