Season 39

[Morgan O'Bree]

League, Matchday 2:

Benz Lovelove [4-1-3-2] 1 - 7 New Team [4-1-2-1-2]



We employed our full "reserve team" here, as we had to jump on the plane and go straight from Thailand to England two hours later (Thanks to Captain Han Solo and his Millennium Falcon), and the opponents wasn't a powerhouse. We crushed them right from the start when after just four minutes our competitor Ivor Hardy had already pummeled the ball past the keeper from long range. Following in fast succession were Becker (30 mts - 14') and Mellow (25 mts - 19') setting us on 0-3. After the last game's midfield goal domination, our STs decided to finally wake up and Schneider could finally find the perfect assist for Mason (ex Oliver Hutton V1) which sealed the 0-4 (32'). In the second half Becker proved his incredible status by scoring the 0-5 with another missile after just 1 minute (46'). After that, the only one action taken by the opponents turned out to be the 1-5's goal. Coach Mad got pissed a lot on that, due to his intention not to take goals from weaker teams. Ivor Hardy took the blame for it and succesfully redeemed himself when, on the area's side, crossed perfectly for the upcoming Paul Diamond and the 1-6 (83'). Becker sealed his magistral performance with the third straight mid-air missile of the game at minute 86 (1-7).

Scorers: Tom Becker (3), Ivor Hardy, Johnny Mason, Paul Diamond, Danny Mellow.
MoM: Danny Mellow (8), New Team.






Cup, Qualification Rounds, 1st Leg.

Chelsea FC [eQ*:36,5/3-5-2] 1 - 4 New Team [eQ: 39,2/3-2-2-2-1 Hex]



The match started with the opponent showing off a huge and determined bunch of supporters which, along with him and playing home, were providing a gap between ball possession on the field. Luckily for us, we had our friends Bakuretsu Storm and Iamanubcleric FC as support so we managed to limit the gap to "just" 7% for them. We played P. Everett OOP (DL-->DML)

The first half saw two fierce teams facing each other in an all out midfield's battle, neither one resulting decisive. Due to Chelsea FC higher possession, the favour bar was pending slightly for them, but nothing our defense couldn't handle. We untied the score after a double corner kick on their favour intercepted twice by Price: on the following action, their midfield Court was forced to foul Hutton launched to the goal, and from the successive Free Kick the pillar of New Team's defense proved to be worth of trust for another season, getting around the wall and scoring the awaited 0-1 (28')! At this point New Team, despite the defensive setup, had a burst of pace and pushed more towards their midfield. With Court forced again to stop Callaghan (and not getting even a yellow card), the Japanese went for the free kick again, this time serving a perfect cross for Paul Diamon who jumped higher than everyone and signed the 0-2 (33')!
But the joy turned soon enough in disappointment when from a random ball Chelsea FC's central midfield, using their one man superiority, were able to let Reyes score the 1-2, reopening the match (41').
In the second half Coach Mad sent out both the AMs, never really in play for the whole 45', getting in Danny Mellow and Tom Becker setting the new formation to Eiffel tower 3-2-3-1-1. The change in formation seemed to have effect since New Team recovered a great part of ball possession, starting to regularly penetrate Chelsea FC's 3/4, even tho without hurting much due to the perfect performance of their defenders. But at minute 70' Coach Mad snapped outta it and, as reporters declared after the interview, realized "we are not playing our soccer, we're not playing like we use to this way".
What followed was seen by the crowd as pure crazyness, when Coach Mad called out Becker after just 20 minutes and got in Mark Lenders, abandoning the defensive mentality and setting a 3-2-3-2 with whole pitch pressing.
Chelsea FC couldn't react in time, and New Team now was graciously pummeling the opponent's area with its defenders and keeper barely able to deflect all the shoots incoming. From one of the never ending corner kicks, Yuma designed a perfect trajectory for Lenders who headed right in the net the 1-3! (78'). And just at last minute, another cross in the area by Yuma saw again Lenders diving in for a magnific volee concluding the match 1-4! A great victory which let New Team see the elimination phase drawing near.

Scorers: Mark Lenders (2) Philip Callaghan, Paul Diamond, D Reyes.
MoM: Philip Callaghan, (9), New Team.