For various reasons it was a late start on the write up this week, so we’re looking at a slightly less detailed review than usual. Normal service will be resumed next week.
LEAGUE NEWS
The only league that we currently have spaces for an immediate start is our TUESDAY LEAGUE, which is two weeks in. Sign up now and we can catch those games up……
The NEW MONDAY LEAGUE starts this week, but as we stand it’s currently full. Our SUNDAY LEAGUE is also currently full, but we have the option of trying to add more to this night for the new season at the start of September, so if you’re interested, get in touch and we’ll get you some games.
And finally, nearly two years into Ballers life, we have a small change to announce. Going forward, in an attempt to maintain a level of sanity at Ballers HQ, there will be three weeks per year where there will be no games played as we try and give ourselves a bit of time off. We’ll try and be sensible about when we take these weeks, and the first will be over the August bank holiday weekend, with the last games being played on Wednesday 22nd August, and returning on Sunday 2nd September with what could be the start of the new Sunday season!
SUNDAY LEAGUE
Duno were looking to hold onto their lead at the top of the Premiership as they took on struggling Real Maskid, but they held their own in a goal-less first half. Calvin Alexander broke the deadlock with 15 minutes to play for the leaders, and they quickly doubled that lead through Cade McKenna’s goal two minutes later. Liam Watson wrapped up the points with 5 minutes left, but Maskid did get on the board through Jack McConnell’s late goal to end what was a really good game. Insole were looking to cling onto second place as they faced old foes Kinky Slipper. It looked like they were going to slip further behind the leaders as Sam Jones’ two debut goals for Kinky put them two up two minutes into the second period, but they stayed in touch when Kyle Clarke pulled one back two minutes later. We were all square again with 7 minutes to play when Clarke scored his second, and Insole won it thanks to Jack Atkinson’s penalty two minutes later to remain as Duno’s nearest challengers. Bangers & Pash have some catching up to do in the last few week’s of the season, and they made light work of El Caliente, who looked like being the Premiership surprise package until the last couple of weeks. They lead 5-0 at the break through two goals from Chris Carroll, and one each from Harry Kilmartin, Joel Farnan and Matt Toft. Caliente tried to put up a fight in the second half, and at one point got the score back to 8-4 as Jay Berrisford scored two and Kyle Sparkes and Nathaniel Odysseus-Kingsley grabbed the others. Bangers were always in control though, and Rory Kelly grabbed three, Robbie Fallon two, Kilmartin and Carroll the others as Bangers ran out 12-4 winners.
It was a much changed Team Tom side that faced Championship leaders Stockport Eagles this week in the only Championship game this week, and they didn’t start badly as James Cresswell scored twice to bring them level at 2-2 inside 8 minutes after Ray Donnelly and Ben Waugh had given the Eagles an early two goal lead. Eagles regained their lead before the break as Lee Bridge(?) got their third 10 minutes from half time. We remained at 3-2 heading into the final 10 minutes before Eagles ran away with things with 5 more goals, two from Michael Winn and three from Donnelly. Eagles are Premiership bound for the new season.
Ladzio were back after a few week’s of struggle, and faced off against the only team who’ve taken points off them this season in The McMuffin Men. It looked like being a cruise for Ladzio early on as three goals from debutant Max Greenhalgh and one each from Jack Shepherd and Owen McNally saw them in comfortable control approaching the break. Charley Eyre and Mark Bailey pulled a couple back to keep McMuffin’s in it at the interval, but Ladzio struck 4 unanswered second half goals, two each from Lewis Findlow and McNally, to see them open up a 6 point lead at the top of the table. After a bad start to the season, Inter Your Sister have suddenly thrown themselves back into the promotion hunt recently, and took on the still struggling FC Stront Bakken this week. We were level at the break as Lukas Voveris 18th minute goal was wiped out by Brandon Byers-Wilkes leveler on the stroke of half time. Max Liversedge edged Inter in front early in the secon period, but we were level again with 11 minutes left as Declan Matthews got on the score sheet. Inter grabbed the winner 4 minutes later as Dave Smythe got the goal that sends Inter into second place in the table, having played a game more than Sevilla Lacatalent, who didn’t play this week.
Deportivo Lack Of Talent had been clinging onto top spot in recent weeks with Beercalona sat in second and with games in hand. Beercalona could take top spot this week if they could win the game between the two, and by leading 4-0 at the break that very much looked how it was going to be as Scott williams scored two, Martin Bell and Tom Ratcliffe the others. There wasn’t a huge amount in the second period, but Beercalona finished the game with a goal that to the naked eye would lead people to believe this was a forfeit win if you just look at the results! Williams got the final goal to complete his hat trick as Beercalona look to have a promotion spot in their hands as a minimum. Only a win would do for The Veterans against SK Six would keep them in the promotion race, and they held a narrow 1-0 half time lead through Simon Grainger’s 16th minute goal. They pulled clear in the second half as Paul Atherton and Dean Minshull scored three each before SK finally got on the board through Harry Bridge’s goal 4 minutes from time. Atherton got his 4th before Steve Blunsten got the final goal for SK to leave The Veterans 4 points off the promotion places with three games to play. FC AOTS found it easier to get a team out this week off the back of their first win in a while the previous week against The Vets, and a first half that saw the ball hit the net 7 times saw them lead Rooneytunes 4-3 at the break. Eoghan Scott got two, Zac Jamieson and Adam Duty the others, while Chris Sinclair grabbed two and Jack Hodkinson the other for Rooneys. AOTS confirmed back to back wins for the first time in an age as Paul Buckley got two more, Duty, Jamieson and Adam Atherton further goals to give them a 9-6 win, with Sinclair, Hodkinson and Saul Heavyside grabbing the three second half Rooneytunes goals.
We hurriedly rushed Beercalona into stopping on to give Wellspring a friendly at the end of the night, and the Beercalona lads weren’t thanking us when it came to Tuesday…… Wellspring shared the goals (and the players) around as they won 9-4, Jamie Berrisford with 4, George Quayle and Mike Devitt with two each.
THE SUNDAY LEAGUE HAD A COUPLE OF SPACES, BUT JUST LIKE THAT IT’S FULL AGAIN! WE WOULD CONSIDER ADDING MORE TEAMS FOR THE NEW SEASON WHICH STARTS AT THE END OF AUGUST, SO FOR A COUPLE OF FRIENDLIES TO GET THE LADS INVOLVED, GET IN TOUCH!
MONDAY LEAGUE
First things first, it’s a fond farewell to Expected Toulouse, last season’s Premiership champions, who left us this week (hopefully temporarily) after a few weeks of struggle with holidays, pre-seasons etc. They’ve been with us from very near the start, so it’s shame to lose them, but we appreciate that without those teams who were here at the start we wouldn’t have a business!
Just one league game took place this week as we had the final catch up night of the Monday league season. The game itself meant very little to the Championship league table as Diva Fever already had second place in the bag, but Pathetico Madrid would have been looking to build on their recently improved form. To be fair, clinical finishing was the difference between these two teams as chances were created at either end throughout, but Diva lead 8-0 at the break as Joe Dodd scored 6, with James Gandy and John Brookes adding the others. Dodd also got the first of the second period, but as they were starting to think of the idea of a clean sheet Liam Needham finally took one of Pathetico’s chances. Dodd added three more before the end of the game, which meant that his 10 goals were the difference between the teams as John Peneveyre grabbed Pathetico’s second in the last few minutes.
In friendly action, Premiership winners AC Milmanchester and Championship third placed Netsix & Chill had a game that showed the overall strength of the Monday league. Netsix lead at the break through Brad Street’s 12th minute goal, but the match ended all square as Reece Nevins leveled up for ACM 5 minutes after the break. Ruud van Nipplerooy’s return to the Monday league saw them face Wellspring in a friendly ahead of the start of the new season. They picked up a first win as three goals each from Jordan Hutchinson and Mikey Freeburn helped them to an 8-3 win. Phantom Brazilians will be playing a first season outside the top flight since they joined us, and they lost 6-5 to one of next season’s opposition in Nice Buns as three goals from Daniel Clayton and two from Andrew Shaw weren’t enough for a share of the spoils as doubles from Tom Hall, Paul Cheetham and Charlie Williamson gave Buns the victory.
THE NEW MONDAY LEAGUE STARTS NEXT WEEK. AS WE TYPE THERE IS ONE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR NEW OR RETURNING TEAMS. GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS!
TUESDAY LEAGUE
Michu At De Gea Ba and Total Bala went head to head with both teams on three points after opening week wins, and a tight first half saw Michu lead 2-1 at the break with two Matt Barton goals and a reply from Rick Kelly. Michu stretched their lead throughout the second period as Michael Jennison, Alex Brady and Barton all grabbed a goal, and Fidelis Eberegbe scored two. Kelly pulled a couple back late on for Bala, but Paul Mazzitelli rounded off the Michu win. Champions Gangs Of Dwight Yorke were back after a few weeks off, but hit their stride early with a first minute goal from Jake Dean against Shaka. He grabbed another couple in the first half, and Callum Jones ensured they went in 4-3 up at the break after Krisstian Ebanks-Perrin scored two and Mark Brookes another for Shaka. Shaka scored three in as many minutes early in the second half through Ebanks-Perrin, Luke Waiting and Ryan Green, but Dean quickly pulled one back. Gangs stepped up the pressure and once Wez Barker leveled things up and Jones put them in front with 10 minutes left, further goals from Barker, Josh Morrissey and Connor Harding sealed a hard fought win, with James Holden’s goal for Shaka just a consolation.
Black Jack were back after a few weeks off, and took on a Beercalona team who won on the opening night last week, but who were short a few players after their endeavors on Sunday. Black Jack took advantage, and goals from Jack Roberts, Luke Waiting and two from Harri Budd saw them lead 4-0 at the break. Budd scored twice more and Waiting got his second of the game after the break, with Beercalona’s only reply coming from Martin Bell. Europeans were back for a second game after last week’s hammering at the hands of Wellspring, and they got off to a flying start as Fawad gave them the lead in the first minute against Rooneytunes. They haven’t quite managed the miraculous improvement they would have needed after last week’s performance, but they did manage to half the number of goals they conceded last week as Chris Sinclair scored 4, Cameron Wilson three, Ash Taylor two, while Cian Gilllespie, Cameron Higginbottom and an own goal clinched a 12-1 win for Rooneytunes, which at least shows a level of improvement for the new team.
Stroke Titty were looking to recover from last week’s opening night defeat to Total Bala, while Wellspring had that incredible start against Europeans. There two teams are playing in different levels now though, and Stroke lead 4-2 at the break as Sam Tattersall scored two, Conor Dolan and Ryan Stevens one each, while Lewis Arden and Mike Devitt replied for Wellspring. Stroke eased clear in the second period as Jay Willingham scored two, Dolan and Tattersall the others, with George Quayle scoring Wellspring’s only second half reply.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SPACES AVAILABLE IN OUR TUESDAY LEAGUE. GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS OR TO REGISTER YOUR TEAM.
WEDNESDAY LEAGUE
Hmmmm, we don’t currently have the score cards for the Wednesday league, so the review of those games will follow when we have them. Watch this space…….