Wednesday, Nov 20
Toongabbie Division
The Old Clubhouse, Toongabbie

While the busyness of life means that some match reports have been missing in action, the Spring League itself has rolled on, and tonight, the Toongabbie Division came to its climax. A one-off game a week earlier between Imojjen and Costa had resulted in a win to Imojjen, which drew her ahead of a significant chasing pack in the middle of the table. The permutations for final placings there were almost infinite as those chasing players all had games against each other scheduled. The top of the table was equally convoluted. The big game on the schedule was between Adrian and defending Champion, Paul. If Adrian could win, he would win the division. If Paul won, and could also claim three points against Ethan, he would go ahead of Adrian. However, Franck could also have a big say in matters. If he could pick up 6 points in his two matches, and Paul either beat or drew with Adrian, Franck would slip past them both and take the honours. However, one of his fixtures happened to be against the high flying Steve, so nothing could be taken for granted in any of the matches!

Lucas called in sick at the final moment, making things a little smoother for Steve and Ethan who each picked up three points for Lucas' forfeits. Dave managed to hold Paul out for all of 5 minutes before Adrian and Franck's hopes of Paul slipping on a banana skin vanished, Paul taking a stranglehold on their match, following a travelling 'keeper mistake from Dave. Dave did, however, manage a highly prized consolation goal on the final whistle to finish 3-1. Ethan and Gordon started their match at the same time and a tight tussle finally ended with Ethan edging it 1-0 and taking bragging rights.

Franck stamped his authority early in his game against Ethan and never really gave Ethan a sniff, a single consolation goal for Ethan barely denting the 4 that Franck has scored. The key game of the evening between defending champion, Paul, and Adrian took place simultaneously. The first half was very tight, with neither player able to exert any authority. However, within a few minutes of the restart, Paul had hit the lead with a brilliant goal from an impossible angle that Adrian didn't even expect him to attempt. Adrian kept his composure, though, and managed to eke out two shooting opportunities, from almost the exact same spot in both cases, and finished them both to take the lead. As Paul set up for one final Magee Swarm, the final whistle sounded and Adrian had taken the Division title.

Which made Franck's following game against Steve merely academic, but both player's were desperate for the win. Within 25 seconds, Franck's Argentina team was shooting (unsuccessfully) at goal, which prompted Paul to comment, "He's started like Maradona on coke". The half then turned into a bizarre game of attack at both ends, Franck hit the post twice, Steve once, yet with neither player somehow able to actually score. As Steve noted at half time, "That half featured more goals than defenders, and the score is 0-0!" Thankfully, the net busting action did take off in the second half, though not before Franck managed to, once more, hit the post. He was not to be denied, though, finally breaking the deadlock midway through the half. Within a minute Steve had equalised. The game headed towards an entertaining draw until, with 12 seconds left on the clock, Franck made a swift move, hit a shot on the run and, with that final flick of the game, earned his final 3 points of the season. The result left him in second place, a single point behind Adrian. 

Meanwhile, Dave and Gordon started their final game on equal points on the table. As was expected, the game was close, with both players having chances without scoring, Dave even officially doing a Gordy against Gordy, missing a golden chance on an open goal with Gordon's travelling 'keeper stranded. In the washup, though, Dave did manage a winning goal, to ease him ahead on the points table. Following the game, discussion about next week's finals tournament ensued, where it was mentioned that Dave and Gordon might need to be there for a return grudge match. "To be fair", Steve noted, "all of Gordy's games are grudge matches because everyone hates him!"

And so the Toongabbie Division of the 2024 Spring League came to its conclusion. With a finals format still to be determined, pending player availability next week, Adrian has one hand on the overall Spring League title. But it will be hard to top the action and explosive banter of this evening's climax to the division.

Sunday, Oct 13
Bella Vista Division
FitDistrict Gym, Bella Vista

An afternoon of wildly mixed results saw Vince head to the top of the table. Doing the double over two of the Phokoses was enough to ease him all the way into the number 1 position. Ray, on the other hand, continued to struggle to find his normal form. A 0-0 draw against Josiah was followed by a 1-1 against Adrian and, while remaining undefeated on the day, the two points picked up were not enough to shoot him upwards on the table as he might have hoped.

Franck was also able to pull off the Phokos double to leave him right on Vince's shoulder on the leaderboard. In spite of the two losses already mentioned, Gabriel was able to earn some points of his own, picking up his first win of the Spring League. He went behind to Josiah in the first half but was able to hold his nerve and score 2 of his own second half goals to take the win. After his hard fought draw against Ray earlier in the day, Josiah was left disappointed.

The afternoon's other match was a heavyweight clash between Franck and Adrian. With both players having one eye on the title, the result may prove crucial. As it turned out, it was not a game that Franck will remember fondly. Never able to get into his groove, he conceded a goal in each half as Adrian eased to the victory.

And so the table begins to really take shape. Vince heads it up, just ahead of Franck and Adrian. While Franck and Adrian have a game or two in hand, it's points on the board for Vince that matter. 

Wednesday, Oct 2
Toongabbie Division
The Old Clubhouse, Toongabbie

Another packed house with season débuts for Dave and Franck, meaning everyone is now up and running. Gordy really threw the cat amongst the pigeons in the opening round with a hard fought 0-0 against defending champion, Paul. He followed that up with the same scoreline against Imojjen in a high quality match that did everything but bother the scoreboard. Imojjen was coming of a narrow 1-0 loss to Ethan, a disappointing result for Imojjen but Ethan was happy to pick up his first win of the season in this division.

Dave got his season off to a brilliant start and was up 1-0 over Franck at half time in their match. Franck, however, mustered up all the experience he gained at the recent World Cup and fired in 4 second half goals without reply. Franck was on a roll and then pulled off the feat he'd been attempting for many years - a victory over Paul in the Spring League, blowing the whole division wide open! Paul even resorted to the Magee Swarm late in the game, to no effect as Franck held on.

Paul had earlier taken a very tight 2-1 victory over one of the other perrenial frontrunners, Steve. Steve then had his work cut out for him against Dave, who defended sternly. It wasn't until the final few minutes that Steve was able to slot home the goal that earned him the three points. Likewise, Ethan was continuing his roll with a strong performance against Adrian. In spite of Adrian's best efforts, Ethan was holding him off, Adrian throwing ever more and more figures forward to try and overwhelm him, leaving himself open to the counterattack which Ethan almost made the most of. Unfortunately for Ethan, a late goal to Adrian meant he didn't get the points his efforts had deserved.

With everyone now having opened their account, the table is beginning to take shape. Paul heads the list, though has played more games than some of those chasing him. But points on the board are points on the board and, as the evening's results proved, earning them is definitely not a foregone conclusion for any player this season.

Sunday, Sep 29
Bella Vista Division
FitDistrict Gym, Bella Vista

Tim v Frank. Franck started strong, creating many chances against a valiant Tim who defended well against a barrage of shots. In return, Tim would keep his composure and slowly begin to create chances of his own which he, unfortunately, couldn’t capitalise on. It was a tight first half and evenly matched 'til towards the last minute of the half when Frank would finally find the back of the net with a screamer from the edge of the pitch. The second half was just as tight and hard fought by both players. Tim is proving to be a future star of the game, though Frank would eventually get the victory - 1-0.

John vs Josiah. Although this game finished nil all it was an exciting, back and forth, action packed game where Josiah would hit the bar about 20 times throughout the entire game. If he was old enough to swear I think he would’ve filled up the swear jar by half time! John also came close to scoring on a number of occasions. It was a great game and, in the end, Subbuteo was the winner.

Frank v Zak. After battling it out with Tim, Frank knew that Zak was going to be a tough game and it was. Both players were keen to get an advantage in a close contest. Zak created some chances, threatening to score, but Frank managed to keep him at bay and began to put the pressure on. As time was slowly running out, Frank would eventually get 2 quick goals which took the wind out of Zak, even though he battled it out to the last second of the game. Zak proved himself to be a tough opponent for anyone in the future.

report by Franck

Sep 18-23
Bella Vista Division
TCC

In order to fit all the Bella Vista Division games in during Spring, the players who all attend school together have been playing their fixtures against each other during their lunchtimes at school. Zakkhya recently won the school's tournament and kept that fine form running into the Spring League fixtures. An early win against Josiah was followed with a confidence boosting 1-1 draw with Adrian. He followed this with solid wins against Gabriel and, in the big one, came out with another 2-0 victory over Tim, his good friend and biggest rival. Tim also had a loss to Adrian, but picked up a point in a 0-0 draw with Josiah. All up, the results have kept Zakkhya's table position looking very healthy with crucial points on the board which the division's other players will now need to chase.

report by Adrian

Wednesday, Sep 18
Toongabbie Division
The Old Clubhouse, Toongabbie

"I feel like I've gatecrashed Christmas lunch," was Paul's summary, as he looked around the room and watched Imojjen playing against her dad, Adrian, while an uncle on her mother's side, Costa, fought it out against a cousin from her father's side, Lucas, on the other pitch, in the decidedly family affair in the Toongabbie Division.

Lucas had the longest night of those present, with three games in a row, all against Spring League veterans, Costa, Adrian and Paul. He lost all three, unfortunately, but in each game showed glimpses of growing skill and composure, along with his usual running commentary. Only consistency is now missing. He did, however, score his first goal of the season, against defending Champion, Paul, no less.

In the Elmer derby, Imojjen played without nerves and, therefore, a high level of skill. Adrian had to resort to the odd piece of banter to try and put her off but even that wasn't working. A goal to Adrian late in the first half left Imojjen frustrated after her great showing, and this was compounded by a second midway through the second half. She was not to be denied, however, and, after a couple of close misses with similar moves, scored the goal of the evening with a beautiful chip on the run to finish the game 2-1. Her next fixture pitted her against Paul and she got even better. She knew she had officially arrived as a serious threat when, deep into the second half and with the score still 0-0, Paul had to resort to The Magee Swarm, a measure he only pulls out when in desperate need. A couple of minutes later he finally found the back of the net to take a very hard earned victory.

Costa was making his first appearance since significant surgery a week and a half ago. He eased to a 2-0 victory in his first game, against Lucas, and was playing well in his second, with the score 0-0 at half time against Adrian. Unfortunately, the effects of his surgery began to kick in in the second half, where a few defensive lapses as he tired were punished clinically.

So, Paul and Adrian have moved out to an early lead on the table, albeit having played more games than most. Costa, Imojjen and Lucas have now got their games against the table leaders over and done and will be looking to start picking up points against other players in future weeks.

And many thanks to Paul for fitting in so well with our family.

Sunday, Sep  15
Bella Vista Division
FitDistrict Gym, Bella Vista

It was an inauspicious start. In spite of 5 players being present, only one of the scheduled games could begin as a further collection were still missing. "I should be there at 4, I totally got the time wrong and thought it started at 5 😭" offered Tim by way of apology. At least he eventually turned up - others decided that the boganball was more important and headed off to the stadium with their family!

In the end, 8 games were able to be played, meaning only 4 were lost which can, hopefully, be made up in future weeks. In his final hitout before heading to the World Cup in Tunbridge Wells next weekend, Franck got off to a flying start with a 4-1 demolition of Melvin. The Micallef Derby was rescheduled in much earlier than had been originally anticipated and, in spite of much attacking at each end, a 0-0 stalemate played out. Unfortunately for Ray, it was to be his highlight of the afternoon.

The Phokoses arrived for a late start to the second round. Tim scored a wondergoal from the tightest of angles near the sideline to level the scores after Ray had taken an early lead, then went on to grab a winner in the second half. Melvin, chastened by his opening loss, then did the same to the unfortunate John. Vince took the lead against Franck, only for Franck to reply with an equaliser. with less than 10 seconds left on the clock, Vince was on the attack and, somehow, slipped both the ball and his attacking figure through the slightest of gaps in Franck's defence and into the shooting zone, then hit a shot on the run which chipped beautifully to the top corner, claiming the winner with the final shot of the game, an even better goal than Tim had scored a few minutes earlier.

The day's second family derby then took place as John and Tim battled it out. As was the pattern for the afternoon, neither could get a stranglehold and another draw ensued, though this time with a goal apiece. Adrian eased to a 2 goal victory over Vince while, in the match of the day, Melvin and Ray went goal for goal in an orgy of netbusting, Melvin finishing victorious with an incredible 4-3 victory.

Wednesday, Sep 4
Toongabbie Division
The Old Clubhouse, Toongabbie

In spite of not having played a competitive game of Subbuteo since he was 11, almost a decade ago, Lucas was ready to get into the true spirit of the Spring League. "Hopefully Imojjen is prepared for 7:45. I'm putting 7 past her" was the early text message threat sent for his cousin, who he was due to face later in the evening, and the banter was underway before a ball had been flicked! Also arriving for his first ever Spring League game, Melvin went in completely the opposite direction, supplying home made brownies and ice cream for everyone. "If they're any good, I made them. If they're not very good, my wife made them." Oh, how we love the Spring League!

The games themselves were a bit of an afterthought, between meeting new friends, seeing old friends for the first time in years (welcome back, Gordon!!) and catching up with long standing clubmates. Lucas was the unlucky player to not pick up a point, going down in narrow losses to the returning Gordon and, inevitably, to a late master goal from Imojjen in their meeting. Everyone else picked up points. Costa was desperately unhappy to drop his lead to a late equaliser from Ethan, both players having lost their opening encounters to tournament favourites, Paul and Steve, respectively. Melvin made a brisk start, despatching 3 past Imojjen in the first half of their game, only for Imojjen to find the groove which kept the second half scoreless and allowed her to take the victory over her cousin in the following fixture. After an opening win to ease back into the Spring League, Gordy succumbed to a loss against Adrian in his next match, though goal line technology was required to determine whether Adrian had 'done a Gordy' in the second half of their encounter. Adrian was given the goal to save his blushes, but it was the closest possible of calls.

Paul and Steve claimed victories in both their encounters (though Steve, it must be said, was pushed all the way by Melvin, whose grounding in the 80s version of the game is rapidly developing into a potent 21st century version) to head the table. Below that, placings are mostly still determined by alphabetical order as a bunch of players finished the evening with the same points.

There is nothing like the Spring League, which is why players return year after year and why the League continues it's status as the largest Club League in Australia and, possibly, the world. We may not travel in large numbers, but we love our League!! 

Thursday, November 30, 2023
The Clubhouse

A : just wondering if you happen to be on your way to my place to play tonight?"

S : Oh s*** man I'm so out of the loop and didn't even realise I was playing!!! I'm so sorry mate, please apologise to the lads for me...

A : if you want to come a bit later, you've got some real exhibition games scheduled. ;) vs franck and vs paul

S : I just went in to the chat and saw!!! Dammit I'm out so can't get over. F***ing hell I feel like a d***head, sorry mate...

To group chat:

S : Hey guys I’m so sorry to have to no-show tonight… I’m so out of the loop I didn’t even realise I was playing!!! I humbly accept all the savage taunts that are coming my way - and that I truly deserve.

Sorry all

Please send all further correspondence to Mr Steve Diasinos.
_____________________

And so on to those who bothered to turn up. While Tim cooled his heels practising on the pitch on which he was to face Steve, Adrian played against Greg and Costa faced Franck. Adrian was always in control against Greg but some improving tactical play from Greg and some good goalkeeping kept the damage down to single first half goal. A tight tussle between Franck and Costa saw Franck slot a solitary goal, though the groans and exclamations coming from the pitch indicated that both players had great chances to add to the tally but were unable to do so by the finest of margins.

Paul and Dave R arrived for their shifts. Paul took the lead midway through the first half against Tim, only for Tim to equalise within 10 seconds of the restart. Tim was flying on confidence having comfortably won the grand final of his school Subbuteo tournament earlier in the day and a real upset was on the cards. In the second half, though, Paul settled into his groove and used his experience to end up a 3-1 winner. Dave R and Costa played out a gripping struggle. All the play was in the midfield, the two showing fine touches in and out of possession, but also cancelled each other out, with only one real clear cut chance across the 30 minutes - a shot by Costa which hit the far post, rebounded onto Dave R's 'keeper and somehow stayed out of the goal. On the pitch where Steve was supposed to play against Franck (but didn't turn up), Franck played a friendly against Tim's dad, John.

The final round saw Steve miss his game against Paul, a game which, like his previously missed one against Franck, was supposed to have a significant impact on the top of the League table for the season. So Paul and Adrian played out an entertaining friendly game while Tim took on Costa. As has been the case with so many mid-table clashes this season, the two battled out an entertaining, evenly balanced tussle which demonstrated both their talents. It was Tim who ultimately came out on top, with a close 2-1 victory.

With the days of Spring officially ending tonight, and only a week of available days for fixtures, it has become clear that not all the games are going to be played (especially when Steve and Othniel use pitiful excuses like each of them getting married this month to not turn up), we may turn to the official Power Rankings™ system to determine final placings. We'll see how we go. As it stands, Franck is the clear leader using either system, though Paul and even Ethan could still find a way to the top with a good winning streak over the last couple of match days. It is game on!

Friday, November 3, 2023
Saturday, November 4, 2023
The Clubhouse

A split round of games this match day to mop up a few loose ends. It was Costa finally getting back into action on Friday night and a hastily arranged match against Adrian ended in a stalemate, Costa finally hammering the nails into the coffin of any chance Adrian might have had of retaining his title this season. Costa then followed this up with another tight game against Ben though, this time, he was able to find a way past Ben's 'keeper for a goal which gave him his first victory of the season.

Saturday began similarly to Friday night, a series of late withdrawals requiring some hasty reshuffling to give games to those present. Ray, unfortunately, missed out on a game as a result, but Othniel and Paul were both able to play a full set of games, bringing their 'Games Played' tally more in line with the rest of the League! They started with a game against each other. Not quite as verbose as last season's legendary encounter, Paul was able to ease to a 2-0 victory with a couple of goals that had Othniel in awe, though another chance was able to be stopped by Othniel, agonisingly close for Paul (see photos). Imojjen had high hopes against Paul after some recent great form in both the League and external WASPA tournaments, but Paul was able to summon his experience to take another 2-0 victory. Othniel went 1-0 up in his game against Ben and looked to be cruising to a victory until the final couple of minutes, when a quick attack by Ben combined with Othniel getting his 'keeper caught in the goal netting saw Ben stun Othniel with an equaliser. The game ended a very entertaining 1-1. In the final round, Ben was no match for Paul, the Irishman running out a convincing winner over Ben's Scottish figures. Imojjen and Othniel both threatened to score in their game but, in the end, cancelled each other out in a game that could have gone either way but, in the end, went neither way.

In spite of his relatively few completed games, Paul has quickly ascended the ladder and, with his games in hand, has those ahead of him looking over their shoulders very nervously.

Sunday, October 29, 2023
The Clubhouse

A full schedule of games was played on a warm afternoon, with a general theme of close results being played out in between hilarious bouts of banter. Franck was only the player to break the results mould, extending his lead at the top of the table with an opening 3-0 victory over Othniel. Tim had to work hard to put a solitary, winning goal past David G, who was playing with his brand new Ecuador team and 'keeper. It hasn't take David too long to get up to speed with those around him in the league. Imojjen and Ethan battled out a 0-0 draw, during which both showed moments of nerves but in which neither could take the decisive advantage.

The next round was, if the results were the only thing used to make judgement, pretty boring, with not a single goal scored across three games. However, the truth of the matter was that each game was an exciting, back and forth between each combatant. David G was showing his growing ability, holding out Imojjen. Likewise, Ben, probably the biggest improver of the League so far, held out Tim who was the pregame favourite to take the win. Dave R and Othniel played out an entertaining, end to end spectacle, neither player able to supply the cutting edge to match the good build up play.

Tim went ahead early in his match against Dave R in the third round but Dave R, on a recent roll of playing and developing, struck back in the second half to pick up another point in a highly entertaining match. David G attempted to use the tactical advice he received for playing against Othniel - get Othniel to talk about something, anything at all, and his stream of conscious hilarity will distract him from actually playing! Unfortunately for David G, Othniel's support squad kept Othniel focused on the game, though Othniel's eventual winning goal went unseen by the same support squad. Ethan capped off the afternoon with a solitary goal against Ben, to move him up the table and keep him right in touch with the leaders, considering the number of games he still has in hand.

Saturday, October 21, 2023
The Clubhouse

It was another packed clubhouse on a warm Spring afternoon with a full schedule of games. After playing his first 2 League games early in the season, a few false starts meant Josh had played fewer than anyone else, but was back in action today. And action was certainly what took place in his three fixtures. A total of 10 goals were scored in them in all. In the first, against David W, Josh took an early lead before the game settled into an even contest. But Josh refound the fire and put away two more late goals to take an emphatic win. The second, against Tim, was, unfortunately, the exact opposite. Tim took the early lead this time, then doubled it with the goal of the match - a long through ball which was hit while still rolling to slot past Josh's unattended 'keeper. A final, late goal sealed it for Tim. The last of Josh's games pitted him against league leader, Franck. The final score was 4-0 to Franck, but this only tells half the story. Franck had to make a number of fine saves to keep Josh out, while two of Franck's goals came from speedy play which saw Josh's 'keeper again unattended. With some small tweaks to his game, learning from these experiences, Josh will be a force in the future.

Imojjen and Ben played out a great natured game, in which Imojjen peppered Ben's goal but Ben came away with his first point of the season, his new 'keeper having now settled in well to hold out for 0-0. Meanwhile, Tim took a first half lead against League veteran, Ray, and it took all Ray's experience to claw back an equaliser in the second half for a 1-1 draw.

In his game against Vince, Franck took an early lead but Vince was able to equalise before the break. With Adrian cheering loudly for Vincent from the sidelines, Franck finally found a way to break through for a winner before full-time, keeping him on top of the table. Ray, meanwhile, eased past David for a 2-0 victory that saw him slide up into second place on the table, albeit having played more games than a few of those in the chasing pack.

In the last round, Tim struggled to recreate the magic he'd used against Josh, and finished with a 1-1 draw against David W, David W equalising in the second half to pick up his first point of the afternoon and keeping him at the head of the pack in the mid-table battle. Ben continued with his defensive heroics and even began carving out the odd chace for himself against Vince, demonstrating his continuing improvement. In the end, though, Vince used his experience to find a second half winner and keep himself biting at the heels of the League leaders.

Thursday, October 12, 2023
The Clubhouse

Noting that he had a crunch match scheduled against Steve, Paul sent in his usual excuses for not being able to make it for his evening's fixtures. Some quick rescheduling allowed a full card of six matches to still be able to be played, with Paul now heading for an intense second half to the League as he makes up his missed games.

The banter was in full effect for the evening, with the master, Steve, in fine form, targeting the multiple Arsenal fans in the room, in particular. The boisterousness didn't hide the fact that a bunch of quality games took place, though. Ben took on Ray in a match Ray controlled, the mercy rule eventually being invoked as Ben struggled with his newly recruited goalkeeper, who seemed to be still suffering from jet lag. Steve and Imojjen had a much tighter game. While general play was reasonably balanced, Steve's composure in the attacking third enabled him to eventually ease to a 2-0 victory.

Before Steve and Ben's fixture, Imojjen asked if the audio of their game would be recorded as the two had already shown they were in fine verbal form for the evening. On the pitch itself, it was Steve who took control of the match but, at 4-0 down, Ben replied with a contender for goal of the evening to gain a well deserved consolation. Imojjen again put on a fine display against one of the League's other front-runners, Ray. Controlling large sections of the match, it was her composure in setting up the final shot that let her down. Ray was able to score one to take the three points, but Imojjen is consistently showing she is closing the gap on the League's traditional big guns.

Adrian and David R had been cooling their heels on a practise pitch so far, and were finally able to join in on the action for the final round of fixtures. The scoreline between Ray and David R was 3-0 to Ray, but David came away feeling that the results of his practise had been good, with just a few defensive lapses undoing his good general play. Steve then played Adrian in a game which could have significant impact on the top of the League table. A victory to Steve would take him past Adrian with a game in hand. So Adrian pulled out the trick that had worked on Franck a few weeks ago - getting the Spring League trophy down for Steve to hold in his hands and feel the prize he was playing for. The stunt had its desired effect and, midway through a tense first half, Adrian stunned even himself with a long shot from a defending figure which perfectly chipped Steve's surprised 'keeper. This, however, had the effect of spurring Steve into action and, within a minute, the scores were back level. Adrian had a few more shots but nothing else was getting past Steve's 'keeper until midway through the second half, when a slight defensive lapse from Steve finally opened up a clear shot from Adrian, which he converted. Steve controlled the game from there, but was unable to make the final, decisive move into a clear shooting position as Adrian held on for the win.

The table is now really taking shape now with Adrian closing the gap on Franck at the summit, while games in hand are still in Paul and Ethan's favour. Steve is right in amongst it at the top with the Micallef brothers, while the mid-table battles are heating right up. Imojjen has played many of the top players but has still been able to maintain a spot mid-table, ready to strike further up. Meanwhile, the less experienced players are finding improvements all the time, Ben and Greg scoring against top of the table players in recent games.

Friday, October 6, 2023
The Clubhouse

Due to the vagaries of scheduling for a different day of the week each week, League debútant, Greg Adams, had not yet opened his account. Tonight he was thrown in at the deep end, with 3 fixtures to bring him up to speed. It was a bumper crowd stuffed into The Clubhouse, creating a great atmosphere for all the games.

Greg opened his account with a game against Imojjen. Imojjen's experience paid off as she slipped a goal past Greg in each half. For a player with only a handful of competitive games in his past, however, Greg's flicking is surprisingly accurate and he was able to set himself up for a late consolation goal in his 2-1 loss. Ben and Adrian started their game with little plastic Subbuteo 'keepers, due to being one large 'keeper short for a full complement on each table, and Adrian had put one past Ben's 'keeper before Franck arrived and loaned his out to make things feel more like they normally do for the pair. In the end, Adrian scored another 2 to finish 3-0. Steve started well against David W, scoring an early settler, only to be shocked into action when David W equalised soon after. Steve knew he had to really be on his guard after that and was able to focus for a final 4-1 victory.

Steve then found himself in another surprise tussle, this time against David R. While Steve largely dominated possession, David R remained organised and didn't give Steve many chances. It was not until the final few minutes, when David left his 'keeper unattended, that Steve was finally able to nab the vital goal for a 1-0 victory. The club's two newest members, David W and Greg, played out a highly entertaining, end-to-end match. David W's speed gave him an advantage in attack, something he used well. Greg was not to be completely outdone, though, scoring again to make things very interesting for a while at 2-1, but David W was able to seal the match with a late goal to make it 3-1. League leader Franck had a tricky game against Imojjen. Imojjen took the lead but Franck was able to peg her back for a 1-1 half time score. Imojjen, playing well, managed to go ahead again early in the second half and then begin the difficult task of holding the lead. Franck pushed hard and, with just under 30 seconds left on the clock to score a late equaliser, to his great relief. Imojjen is showing signs of considerable improvement, though, and is shaping up as a real dark horse to take it to the more established players.

In the final round, Ben and David W played out a game that was far tighter than the final 2-0 scoreline would suggest. Both players created opportunities, but it was David W who was able to capitalise at a couple of key moments. Franck found himself in another battle to maintain his place at the summit of the League. After scoring from a stranded 'keeper moment by David R, He conceded soon after, much to Adrian's delight who was, for the first time in his life, cheering for an Arsenal team of any sort (in David R's figures) to succeed. But Franck remained calm and was able to score a winner in the second half to take all 3 points. The final fixture saw Steve take on a flagging Greg. In complete defiance of the sporting conduct codes established in the League, Steve piled goal after goal (only 4 of which are to be officially recorded) past Greg's novice 'keeper. He earned himself 3 points, but also the admonition of all the League's other experienced players, who later published a unified statement condemning Steve's unsporting behaviour. 

So, with every player now having seen action, the table is really starting to take form. Franck is still out ahead, albeit with more games played than other players, but they are points on the board which will still take some catching. David W and Imojjen's good evenings see them slide upwards on the ladder while Steve, with 3 from 3 for the evening, has positioned himself very well for a strike at top place in the League.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
The Clubhouse

Having each pulled out of their originally scheduled opening fixtures (no doubt, a ruse from both to have a good look at the opposition before having to play any games themselves), Paul and Costa finally got to play their first games of the 2023 season. They were joined by the Micallef brothers who, after artificially inflating their own self worth by each trouncing their father on the weekend, were looking to ride the wave of false form that those results gave them. Half an hour later and very little had been learned - all four cancelling each other out. Ray got an initial upper hand over Paul, who was able to claw back into the game by half time. But Ray wasn't finished and again took the lead, only for Paul to once again equalise before the end in a see-sawing contest. The other pitch didn't provide as much goal mouth action but certainly provided as much tension, with Vince and Costa having to settle for a 0-0 draw.

Imojjen then joined for a game against Vince. In an equally tense game, neither could break through the other, though Vince was dominating the chances. Imojjen did almost pull off a magical goal with a shot from a figure on her defensive line. Whilst making a clean flick through the small gap, her figure, unfortunately, made a jump just before contact with the ball, the airborne figure heading the ball meekly before ending up itself in the back of the net instead of the ball. Midway through the second half, though, Vince finally beat Imojjen's 'keeper at the near post to take the lead. A few minutes later, Vince, not to be outdone by Imojjen's earlier effort, went one better with the goal of the evening, his own shot from the defensive line which rocketed the ball into the roof of Imojjen's goal, leaving the final score at 2-0. Costa has been consciously working on his defensive structures, meaning Paul had to find ways around, rather than through, Costa's defense in their fixture. While Paul did create a few early chances, Costa's 'keeper was inspired, forming a final wall that Paul struggled to get past early in the game. However, late in the first half, Paul got his goal then added another. Costa stuck to his tactics for the second half, but Paul finished a 3-0 victor. 

In the final round, Paul eased to a 2-0 win over Vince in a game which Paul never totally dominated but was never in any real danger of losing. The tension was saved for the other pitch, where Ray slugged it out with a tiring Costa. Costa's defensive structures were, by now, finely polished and Ray had very little opportunity to even get into the shooting zone. Costa's main issue was that, with such a solid defense, he struggled to make his own headway when gaining possession and having few, if any, figures in advanced positions. It was late in the game when Ray finally did get a chance which he took. And so the game finished at 1-0 to Ray.

And so the old guard were back in action, and the 2023 Spring League is now well and truly in full swing. Franck maintains his place at the top of the table but the chasing pack has now started its hunt to try and reel him in.

Saturday, September 23, 2023
The Clubhouse

A couple of late withdrawals meant that the first half of the weekend's split round only had a handful of matches, with some quick reshuffling of fixtures to add to the ones still scheduled. Two of the League's three Davids were on hand, alongside the two Elmers. David W arrived early to warm up for his fixture against Adrian, by playing an extended friendly game against Adrian! Once official proceedings got underway, Adrian pressed hard but could only find a solitary goal in the first half. Within seconds of the second half restart, however, David W's resolve broke and Adrian was able to put a second goal away, closely followed by two more, David W was not laying down, though, and scored a consolation goal of his own. Imojjen and David R played out a closer game. While the general play was relatively even, it was David R who was able to carve out the clearest chances. Imojjen's 'keeper was in fine form, though, making a handful of saves across the game to keep the goalless at full time.

Adrian and Imojjen switched pitches for the second round. Adrian eased a goal past David R in each half in their encounter. David R commented that he always kept his worst performances for games against his childhood friend, Adrian, showing how the game is more than just flicking little plastic figures - the psychological aspect can be crushing! Imojjen and David W played out a tight tussle in their fixture. The game looked to be headed to another goalless stalemate until the final minute when David W found himself with space inside the shooting area and managed to get past Imojjen's 'keeper.

The final round featured the second of the League's 'Dave Derbies'. A tight first half saw both players have chances but it was late in the half before David W trickled a shot past David R's lazily held 'keeper, to take a 1-0 lead into the break. The goal kick started David R into action and he played a more dominant role in the second half. He gradually clawed his way back with an equaliser and, then, finally, a winner in a great come from behind victory. 

Sunday, Septmeber 24, 2023
Micallef Mansion

The annual Spring League Micallef Derby Day made up the second half of the split round and it was a goal fest across all 3 games. 

The brothers went head to head to open the day's games and Vince opened the scoring with a tight angle shot from the left edge of the box to take an early lead. Ray hit back shortly after with a running goal off a corner and it closed 1-1 at the break. Didn’t take long for Vince to restore his lead with another impossible angle shot followed by a brilliant counter attacking goal to take the lead 3-1. Despite two shots hitting the posts, Ray could not find the net again giving Vince a well deserved 3-1 victory. 

Next up, the Godfather, Louis, was up against Ray and, unfortunately, he felt the frustration of Ray's earlier loss as Ray put on an attacking onslaught to win comfortably 7-0. Despite the heckling from Vince for scoring too many goals, Ray did show plenty of patience in his scoring opportunities, waiting for the Godfather to be ready on numerous occasions. Louis had his fair share of shooting chances but his usual powerful shots let him down at the last shot. 

Finally, Vince took on the Godfather and this time it was Louis' defence letting him down to score 3 deflected own goals and give Vince a 3-0 half time lead. Despite a better attacking performance this game from Louis, Vince closed out the match with a 5-0 win in the end. Plenty of goals on a fast pitch today as the sons continue their winning form against their father's when it comes to the Spring League! 

• report by Ray
  
  

(note: as per League rules, no result is recorded as greater than a 4 goal difference, and goal difference is not used in any table calculations. This is to stop stronger players using their games against weaker players as a means to improve their goal difference. Of course, that policy gets thrown right out the window on Micallef Derby Day!)

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Paul Magee sent a late notice, "Oh, I won't be able to play tonight, I've got a bung back, sorry". This raised significant suspicions as Paul has spent the last week lounging on the beach in Fiji. So, Paul left it to the other scheduled players to fight it out, with much discussion in the background to work out what he's up to. Is this the equivalent of the 'Magee Swarm', a mere psychological ploy to throw the other players? Or is he running scared, seeing how close the competition has become this season?

The first sign of this closeness for the evening came in the opening matches. The Dave Derby kicked things off, Dave R playing his first fixture for the season against David G. In a tight tussle, Dave R came out on top 1-0. On the other pitch, reigning champion, Adrian, yet again found the going difficult and, once again, dropped points in his defense of the title. Ethan had a couple of early half-chances but then the game settled into Adrian peppering Ethan's goal with shot after shot. But nothing was getting past Ethan's 'keeper tonight and he came away with a heroically backs-to-the-wall 0-0 draw.

Ben then joined for his first League match of the season, but had difficulty manoeuvring his semi-polished figures around the pitch. Franck eased to a 3-0 half time lead. Ben found some more form for the second half, though, which finished without any further scoreboard action. Dave R faced Ethan and a titanic battle ensued, with both players pushing for a goal but, simultaneously, keeping their defenses tight. Both have improved greatly over the last year and pushed each other to the limit. A solitary goal midway through the second half was enough for Ethan to take all 3 points, however, capping off a memorable evening for one of the League's younger players.

The final round was highly entertaining on both pitches. Ben's improving defensive structures meant that Dave R was often thwarted, in spite of monopolising possession. To add to his frustrations, on the few occasions Dave R did break through and slot the ball past Ben's 'keeper, he found himself with a figure off-side, errors that almost cost him the match. Late in the game, he finally found a legitimate goal, a quick move catching Ben off guard to slide the ball past his 'keeper. Before the final round, the players had all had a chance to touch the prestigious Spring League trophy, and Franck, the early leader on the points table, seemed to get spooked by being so close to the prize! Early in his following game, the crowd was in amazed uproar as David G went into the lead against Franck, Franck choking under the aura of the trophy. Playing with greater freedom, David G was trying things out, and succeeding. David G was reveling in his new-found attacking ability and put a further 2 goals past Franck across the course of the game. Unfortunately, this also opened his defense up a little too much, with Franck able to respond with 4 goals of his own in an absolute League classic.

So, after 3 match days, the table is beginning to take some sort of shape. In spit of Franck having played the most games so far, his lead on the points table is well deserved and, currently, greater than the games in hand of those immediately below him, including a languishing Adrian. Ethan has made a brilliant start to his first Spring League, taking points from a number of the top contenders and positioning himself very well after 5 games. The middle of the table is suitably tight considering the closeness of most games. With a handful of players to begin their League campaigns of the next couple of weeks, the table should really begin to warm up.

Saturday, September 9, 2023

A huge afternoon on a glorious Spring day to really get the 2023 Spring League motoring along. 2 players, Josh and David W, made their Spring League débuts while Vince, Louis, Othniel and Tim played their first matches for this season. Franck, Ray and Adrian joined in for their second lot of fixtures meaning 12 of the League's 18 players have now got their season underway.

Tim got off to a flying start in his game against Othniel and was soon cruising at 2-0. In what was to become a theme for the day, though, Othniel mounted a comeback and had the score at 2-1 by half-time. He kept going, first scoring the equaliser then having a golden opportunity to win the game late, but 2-2 it remained. Franck and Louis had an equally close tussle in the first half of their match. Louis' goalkeeper was often slow to action, but brilliant once engaged. 1-1 at half time until Franck found another gear and finally managed to break Louis' resolve to take a 3-1 win. Josh had a nervous first ever competitive game and, while performing admirably across the pitch in general, had no answer to Ray's cut throat attacking thrust, Ray running out a 3-0 victor. David W, likewise, was good in general play, but couldn't match Vince's attacking composure, Vince also gaining a 3-0 win.

Round two saw Franck ease past Tim, 2-0, an improvement on Franck's part as the duo had previously always drawn in competitive matches. Louis and David W had a boisterous and entertaining 0-0 draw, both picking up their first point of the season. Othniel used some excuse about an "open house" (or something along those lines, according to Louis) to avoid having to face Ray. However, he was back by half time and so the pair played their first half - Ray taking an early lead but Othniel then making his comeback for 1-1 at the half way mark. Vince had a stranded goalkeeper moment in his game, leaving Adrian with a relatively simple open goal, only for Adrian to do the legendary Gordy move, hit the upright with his shot and send the ball out for a goalflick. To rub salt into the wound, Vince then proceeded to shoot from deep in his own half at a ball only half visible behind a defender, putting it into the top far corner of Adrian's goal. In the second half, for the second time in a week, Adrian celebrated a goal out loud, equalising with a few minutes left. 1-1 it finished.

In the final round, Adrian's frustrations continued as Louis' goalkeeper was, again, the player of the match. With Adrian sending more and more figures forward, nothing could get past that little metal figure. Finally, in the second half, a trickled shot finally did the trick, just managing to scrape over the line and break Louis' defenses. A second late in the game left the final score at 2-0. David W had a few chances but couldn't find his shooting range, with Franck heading to a 3-0 lead by midway in the second half. David W was not to be discouraged, however, and finally slotted home his first League goal to make the final score 3-1. Othniel's comeback run finally broke against Vince, who had a relatively straight forward 3-0 victory, helped by Othniel's ability to distract himself from his own game. Tim took another lead into half time only to have it eroded in the second, this time by Josh, scoring his first ever League goal and picking up his first points with a 1-1 final scoreline.

Which left just the second half of Ray and Othniel's game to be finished up after all the other fixtures were done. The growing crowd didn't help Othniel's concentration and Ray was able to head back into the lead half way through the second half, beautifully cutting back in from the right to then blast into the goal. He looked comfortable from there, holding most of the possession and keeping Othniel right out of the game, until the final minute when a block flick by Ray inadvertently opened up an unlikely long shot for Othniel. Othniel hit the ball perfectly, only for Ray's little subbuteo 'keeper to make a fingertip save with the gathered crowd roaring in amazement at the sequence which could have made Othniel the ultimate final minute comeback king. There was to be a further twist, though. The tension finally broke Ray and, with just seconds left on the clock, he choked as Othniel's innocuous looking play suddenly found him in front of goal and the final flick of the game sending both the ball and the defending figure into the back of the net, to the delight of Othniel and the crowd, with Ray slumping to the table in disbelief. Othniel had pulled it off again! 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

And so it begins! A mild Tuesday evening provided the backdrop for the opening 9 fixtures of what will be a massive 153 matches to get the 2023 Spring League completed. Steve returned after a few seasons out and the banteromoter was immediately set pulsing. Unfortunately for Steve, his opening 1-0 loss to League debutant, Ethan, meant the banter was mostly aimed at himself - "You don't play for a year and you think, 'I really miss playing, I can't wait to get back into it'. Ten minutes into it and you think, 'f***, why do I do this to myself!??". Defending champion, Adrian, went to half time in his game with League debutant, David G, with a precarious 1-1 scoreline, following a stranded goalkkeper incident. Luckily for Adrian, David returned the favour in the second half as Adrian managed an unconvincing 3-1 victory. Ray and Franck had an excellent battle with both having numerous chances. The end result was 1-1, a good indication of events and testament to some great goalkeeping, with both players forced to use traditional (very little) plastic Subbuteo 'keepers.

Round 2 saw Steve get his season properly underway, with a comfortable 3-0 victory over David G, and Franck finished with the same scoreline over Ethan, who was unable to replicate his Round 1 heroics. Adrian maintained his psychological edge over Ray, leading 3-0 by the half-time break. Ray fought back in the second, though, winning the half but still recording a 3-1 loss.

The final round pitted all the experienced League players against each other, and none could be separated, with both Steve v Ray and Franck v Adrian ending in 1-1 draws. Most dramatically, Adrian managed an equaliser in the absolute final second before the final whistle blew after Franck had him up against the ropes. The battle of the debutants was where all the action was really happening, though, with David making constant complaints that his son was cheating in their encounter which Ethan won 3-0. Ethan was having none of it, accusing his father of being a bad sport each time he uncompromisingly fired in a goal, with the whole debacle ending in David telling Ethan to make his own way home.

Ah, yes! The Spring League is back in all its glory!

Scheduling difficulties saw the seventh and final match day spread across 3 dates in late November. The first of these was a Friday afternoon double fixture for Costa, both of which turned out to be tight games. Tim and he traded blows first up with neither player able to wrestle complete control over the other. Costa scored in the first half and hinted that he might get the upper hand, but a brilliant 2nd half equaliser from Tim with a shot on the run saw the pair share the points. Imojjen then faced off against her uncle. This time, Costa was able to hold on to the lead he established in the first half and took the 3 points with a 1-0 win to conclude the fixtures for both players.

Two days later, the masses converged on The Clubhouse on a fine Saturday morning to knock the majority of the rest of the games. The Godfather was back in action with a full quota of fixtures, He got off to a solid start with a stout 0-0 draw in what was Dave's final fixture in his successful return to the league. Louis was living dangerously with some of his (lack of) goalkeeping tactics but it has become clear that he is merely lulling his opponents into a false sense of security while, underneath, his cat like reflexes are drawn upon precisely when they are needed. Ray and Imojjen also remained goalless - a result which was, ultimately, beneficial to both in their quest for table positions.

The Godfather next faced Paul. Unlike last season's corresponding fixture, where a desperate Paul had to draw on all his reserves to move past a stubborn Louis, Paul was able to ease to a 2-0 victory this time, his final result meaning that Adrian would have to pick up points in order to dethrone Paul as Champion. The battle for 3rd place came down to a final game between Ray and Franck. Having played a mountain of games across 2022, Franck was, possibly, the Spring League's biggest improver and looked to be on his way in the first half after taking the lead and seeing a possible goal from Ray ruled out by VAR for not fully crossing the goal line. However, Ray had other ideas and somehow wrestled control of the match back with a blistering second half, edging it 2-1 by the final whistle to leaving him with an unassailable lead over Franck on the final table.

Franck was not to leave empty handed however and, while Louis was up to his old tricks in being far more difficult to break down than appearances would indicate, Franck was able to score the crucial goal that gave him victory in the match and 4th place in the final standings. In the other game, Imojjen played well, showing her significant improvement this season, but Vince's composure in front of goals proved the difference as he finished his campaign with a 2-0 victory.

And so to the final day, two leftover games played the following Friday. The first was between Othniel and Tim and was an even, entertaining affair with very little midfield play but lots of end to end action. Unfortunately, neither was able to take advantage of their many chances and the game ended in a goalless stalemate. For the League's final match, Adrian needed victory over Othniel to take the title. Othniel came out trash talking in overdrive, a factor which merely increased the longer the game remained goalless. Late in the first half, Adrian finally found the goal he needed. Othniel reacted with yet more banter, which sparked Adrian into shutting him up with more goals in the second half. The final 3-0 result meant that Adrian was able to take the title, care of his head-to-head victory over Paul, that has been held by Paul since 2019.

Down the table, Ray won the battle of the Micallefs, while Franck improved considerably on last year's results to finish in 4th place. As per league rules, players who end with the same points total have their head-to-head result used to determine their placing. If that was a draw, they finish in equal position and so Imojjen and Dave finished tied in 7th place, great improvements on previous seasons for both players. And so the season came to a close before the end of Spring (just!). The quality this season has been considerably improved, with not a single blowout result (oh, except for the Micallefs' disrespect towards the Godfather). New players have injected a renewed enthusiasm while the older hands have found new challenges in the improved standard. Only 9 months to go until the next season kicks off!

Another split round saw match day six's true star, Othniel, get a huge 5 games in to bring him up to speed with everyone else. Two fixtures on Friday night saw him battle first Dave, then Imojjen. Unfortunately, the rust was hard to shake off for Othniel and he suffered two narrow losses. Dave picked up his second consecutive league victory. Imojjen then stepped out into The Clubhouse minutes after a 3 hour zoom interview. Her exhaustion, however, soon dissipated as she found her flicking groove and scored a fine goal on the run to take a slender victory.

On Sunday afternoon, Othniel returned, this time with Costa, Paul, Vince and Franck joining him. Franck and Vince played out an incredible draw. Vince thought he had taken the lead midway through the first half until the goal was ruled out for offside. To rub salt into the wound, Franck took the lead soon after and then added another early in the second half and appeared to be cruising against the deflated Vince. Vince, however, then rallied himself and, in an explosive 45 seconds, scored not 1 but 2 goals to tie up the score. Both pushed for a winner but the draw was a fair result for what had transpired. A staggered start time saw Costa take on Paul next. The low-key match went 2-0 Paul's way, as he doubled down on his concentration to make sure that the very real potential of slipping up against Costa did not come to pass, keeping the pressure on Adrian at the pointy end of the table.

Following Franck and Vince's game, Othniel began his run of three games in a row. First up was his clash with Franck. In an end to end game, with very little value placed on midfield build up, the two attacked and counter-attacked each other viciously, but to little effect as a mix of some rushed finishing and some excellent goalkeeping kept the game in a scoreless stalemate for its duration. Probably the most exciting 0-0 game of the entire league so far.

Costa had the honour of the next match v Othniel. As is often the case, the game was more notable for the excited commentary from Othniel than the on-field prowess, with Costa happy to chime in with excited responses, and a couple of goals, to take the honours.

The final game, between Othniel and Paul, was far more about the discussion of racism, politics, nationality and heritage than the actual Subbuteo, though Paul did manage to sneak a goal in each half without anyone else completely realising. A laid back game if ever there was one!

And so, with just a small number of games to go for each player, the table is still a long way from settled, with the middle and lower parts still particularly congested. Paul Magee heads to the top of the League for the first time this season. Will his points on the board be more valuable than Adrian's games in hand? The big question, though, is - has The Godfather finally conceded his role as the statesperson of the League? His late withdrawals with ever more spurious excuses are really making his opponents begin to question his commitment!

The Godfather was scheduled for three games on this Wednesday night fixture, but decided a couple of days out that it was too late for a school night. And so it was to Vince and Ray to come along and face games against each of Costa, Paul and Dave.

The first round provided two dour affairs, with nobody managing to excite either audiences or scoreboard. A solitary goal to Paul in his game against Ray was enough to keep his slender title aspirations alive, while Vince and Costa cancelled each other out.

In the second round things got a bit more exciting. Paul kept his nose in front of Vince with an unanswered goal in each half, as well as some close misses which were expertly caught on camera by Costa. In possibly the evening's most exciting match, Ray took the lead against Dave midway through the first half. An improving Dave, however, was carving out some chances of his own. He finally managed to find the back of the net, only to have pointed out that neither he nor Ray had noticed one of Dave's figures in an off-side position. From Ray's ensuing free kick, he swept downfield to add insult to injury, scoring a second goal. The two Arsenals continued the tussle, but the scoreline remained at full time.

Vince's lacklustre form followed him into the evening's final round of fixtures. In spite of scoring yet another goal which was ruled out by a VAR check for off-side, Dave did manage to score a fair goal and was able to hold on for his first ever victory. In a heavyweight slug out on the televised pitch, it was a case of small margins being the difference. Costa made one costly defensive mistake, which proved to be the difference between he and Ray, as Ray was able to pounce for the game's only goal.

With things now shifting well and truly into the second half of the season, he table is taking on a more settled look, though the logjam of players in the middle of the placings will still take a fair bit of sorting over the final few matchdays.

Another split round with some Sunday games from Micallef Mansion...

The Godfather came out firing with his pre- and mid-game trash talk but it back fired quickly with 3 first half goals to establish a solid lead for Arsenal. An early second half goal wasn’t enough and a 5-1 win was secured. It was more a defensive battle between Vince and the GF with some great saves to keep the score 0-0 at half time. A late goal secured the victory for Liverpool in the end.

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Paul's constant standing to attention during all the recent royal remembrance services saw him damage his knee so he was a late no-show. Luckily, others were able to take up his slack, with Dave dropping in for a single competitive fixture (and bringing his daughter, Jess, along for her formal introduction to the game) and Adrian filling in the gap against Costa. In that game, Adrian scored an early goal but struggled to impose himself on the game and was never quite comfortable as Costa mounted his attacks and defended firmly. The game finished 1-0. Imojjen was taking on Franck on the slick pitch but had a shocker, never quite waking up and shipping two unanswered goals as Franck eased to the win.

Opponents were then swapped but, remarkably, the scores finished exactly the same. This time Costa conceded the solitary goal to Franck, while Imojjen slept through another 2-0 defeat, this time to Adrian. The final round saw Dave take on Costa. A goal in each half gave some points respectability to Costa's evening after his two earlier unlucky defeats.

Joining us on the night was the aforementioned Jess, who played some friendly games against her dad and Imojjen, and Lee, returning for a couple more friendly games as he learns the ropes. And the Western Sydney Subbuteo live streaming services took another step forward in quality, allowing the evening's three Pitch 1 games to go live to the world.   

A split round for this week as the Micallef Mafia had their matches scheduled internally on Sunday afternoon at Micallef Mansion. A report from Ray:

As the scores reflect, it was a fast paced, attacking style of of game with lots of shots on goal from both teams. The 'keepers had to pull off some solid saves to prevent the score on either side blowing out and, despite a late comeback from Vince's Liverpool, Arsenal's early lead was enough to get them home 5-3.

The Godfather hadn't had his coffee yet so Vince v Louis and Ray v Louis have been postponed 'til next week.

Not that caffeine will help the Godfather!

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There was some confusion in the days leading up to the Monday fixtures as a number of players were desperate not to miss the Queen's funeral telecast. Paul learned he would be able to catch a replay on the Glasgow Celtic website the next day, so reluctantly committed to honouring his fixtures. Meanwhile, Othniel made a last minute withdrawal, citing having to watch 'a lecture', sending organisers into a mad panic to reschedule fixtures for the evening. This meant the key fixture of Paul v Adrian was brought forward by a week, a fact that Paul only discovered (not having kept up with communications throughout the day) on his arrival, much to his disgust.

Opening proceedings, though, Franck and Tim played on the livestream pitch. A tight opening half saw them go to the break at 0-0, before Franck was finally able to break Tim's resolve, and slot 2 unanswered goals in the second half. Meanwhile, Dave was determined not to let his old school mate get the better of him. A combination of competitive nerves on his part, and Dave's determined defending, meant Adrian had visions of dropping vital points in a game he was expected to win. In the end, a solitary goal, which trickled past Dave's 'keeper, was enough to take the hard-earned 3 points.

Round two saw Tim and Dave go head to head. It was a game both players felt they might have a chance at winning but, in the end, they cancelled each other out completely, with 0-0 the final score. Paul faced Adrian on the livestream pitch and it was as tense a game as could be expected from the league's top two seeds. Early mind games involving underplaying their own relative abilities, swapping out goalkeepers and bemoaning different pitch conditions had no significant effect on either as a tight midfield battle ensued. Ultimately, the difference was a single, 5 second period of play where Adrian found a small gap in Paul's defense and utilised it on the run to take the lead late in the first half. He was able to hold on to that, with a late 'Magee Swarm' going pearshaped as soon as it began as Paul attempted to find the equaliser.

The final game saw the League's most experienced player against its most inexperienced. However, midway through the first half, Tim sent shockwaves through the room taking the lead with a goal that Paul would have been proud of himself, sending a moving ball from a flick-in manoeuvre to bulge the back of the net. Despite video later showing there had been an off-side in the previous phase of play, with no VAR in place (and neither player noticing), the goal stood. Paul had to really settle into his game from there and was back equal by half time. In the second half, with renewed resolve, he was able to put two more past Tim to take the game, but notice had been served to the entire League - Tim was not to be taken lightly.

The addition of some friendly games and a brand new (though resolutely non-league!) player, Lee, made for another friendly and fun evening for Western Sydney Subbuteo.

The season's first Saturday outing was moved forward a couple of hours to give Ray the chance to go and watch the boganball in the evening and the arrival of the Micallef Mafia was the sign that the Spring League was well and truly in full swing. In order to utilise the daylight to give players more space in The Clubhouse, one of the Pegasus pitches was moved into the outdoor shade, a decision that had consequences down the track!

First up, the league's newest and youngest player this season, Tim, made his debut against Vince. While putting in an excellent display and scoring on debut, in the end it was Vince's experience which took him to a 2-1 victory. Othniel came out fighting in his clash with Ray, and it was a tight 1st half and 1-1 at the break. The wheels then fell off for Othniel, however, and Ray galloped to a comfortable 4-1 win. Meanwhile, on the outdoor pitch, the surface, which had been carefully placed in the shade a few hours earlier, now found itself warping in the full sunlight as the sun wound its way across the sky. And so Louis and Imojjen were left to deal with the consequences. They both did this admirably in a tight struggle, but it was Imojjen who came out on top with a slim 1-0 victory.

Round two saw Othniel and Louis on the livestream pitch. Othniel ran rampant, slotting 4 unanswered goals home to get his season underway. Adrian and Vince headed to the outdoor pitch which was really feeling the heat now, with some areas becoming very unpredictable. Adrian led 1-0 at the break after a speculative long shot that neither player could quite believe had succeeded. He then gifted Vince a goal with an appalling travelling 'keeper error early in the second half to give him visions of dropping points to Vince yet again in the league. However, in the end, Vince cries that the pitch conditions were to blame for his 3-1 loss fell in deaf ears. In the other game, the season's first big shock came when one of the league's perpetual darkhorses, Ray, found himself a goal behind to Tim at the break. Attempts to draw on his skill and experience to get himself back into the match in the second half were fruitless, as Tim added a second to really announce his arrival in the league.

The final round saw Vince take on Othniel on the outside pitch. By this time, the pitch had expanded fully in the sun and was back to its flat self, allowing for more accurate flicking - though the wind that was picking up did have some effect. It was difficult to blame conditions for the lacklustre game, though, a dour 0-0 draw never threatening to become a league classic. On the livestream pitch, Ray seemed to have been mentally shattered by his loss to Tim and allowed a steady stream of goals from Adrian into the back of his net. A late consolation cheered him a little, but the 4-1 loss put another significant dent in his title aspirations. Conversely, Tim's exertions against Ray seemed to have taken it out of him, and he struggled to find his groove again against Louis. The game finished in a 0-0 draw, Louis' first point of the new season. 

There was excitement in the Clubhouse air as the new season's first 5 competitors filed in. The two pitches had been freshly vacuumed and the little plastic balls were running true.

First up was Dave, playing his first competitive match since 2015, against Franck.  A little bit of new season rust needed to be shaken off but both players soon settled into a groove. Franck had the better of the shots, but Dave transferred his real life goalkeeping onto the small pitch and kept Franck at bay. It wasn't until halfway through the second half where Franck's best, most delicate chipped shot of the evening, finally snuck through the tiniest of gaps in Dave's defense to  earn his 1-0 win. Meanwhile, Paul opened his title defense with an encounter against the  greatly improving Imojjen. In what would usually be a foregone conclusion in the Spring League, Paul struggled to break Imojjen down. The half time break finally allowed his team a good half time spray from the manager, and they came out and went into the lead inside the first minute of the second half. Imojjen would not roll over and concede the game, however, and continued to doggedly press Paul, creating a few chances of her own. In the end, it was a hard fought victory to Paul, who was full of the empty rhetoric learned from watching one too many boganball post match interviews.

Round two pitted Dave against Imojjen. The exertions of their respective opening games seemed to dull their follow up. Imojjen dominated without carving out too many clear-cut opportunities, while Dave continued to get the muscle memory back into his flicking without troubling Imojjen much where it counts. A 0-0 draw ensued. Franck and Paul, on the other hand, seemed to have thrown all Subbuteo tactical sense to the wind. While Paul opened up an early lead, Franck returned serve and a loud, expansive game had them 2-2 well into the second half. Paul then pulled a little from his stock of experience and put two unanswered goals home to take the match.

In the final round, Franck's stamina appeared to wane. A fresh Adrian was able to put two goals past him, though Franck was able to carve out a few opportunities, and Adrian survived one very close stranded traveling 'keeper scare when Franck unwittingly played himself offside. Dave showed that he was really growing back into the game putting a season opening goal past defending champion, Paul. Unfortunately for Dave, Paul was also in good touch, and put three past the 'keeper that Dave had so well manipulated in his previous two games.

So, a mixed bag of dour defense, zany attack and recycled cliches made for a great opening to the 2022 Spring League. 

There is a table footballing term that was born at Western Sydney Subbuteo and is in common use throughout the greater Sydney table footballing community. Named after legendary player, Gordon Dudley, the term 'did a Gordy' means that an attacking player has failed to score a goal when the defender's goalkeeper is stranded on the pitch, leaving an open goal for the attacker to shoot at. On Saturday, November 27, 2021, the Subbuteo world witnessed a moment that will be remembered forever when defending Spring League champion, Paul Magee, did the greatest Gordy of all time. Paul has the slimmest of upper hands in his bid to retain his title, but knew that he could not afford to drop any points which could allow Adrian, Steve, or both, to slide ahead of him. In his opening game of Match Day 7, against Othniel, the pressure was appearing to make him nervous in a game everyone knew he should win but which could definitely pose a bit of a banana skin. As the first half wore on, Paul wasn't quite dominating as would be expected and was missing some finer touches, also allowing Othniel a few attacking opportunities. In the final minute of the half, however, Othniel made the crucial mistake. Bringing on his traveling 'keeper, he flicked at the ball and missed it, leaving Paul in possession with an open goal. Paul's first flick saw the ball headed goalwards, only to make contact with the post and leave the ball sitting on the goal-line. No huge problem yet, though, a touch on the ball from any figure would see it easily cross the line. Othniel tried to defend the situation but couldn't cover every angle. Paul flicked an attacker towards the ball. The figure crashed into the same post and missed the ball completely. It finished millimetres from the ball and, in the grand scheme of things, possibly, his league securing goal.

As it turned out, the miss had no effect on the match result or Paul's league standing. In spite of Othniel's best efforts, Paul was more composed in the second half, slotting 2 goals for the victory. Avoiding the TFM Muddy Pitch™, Steve and Vince squished their game next to Paul and Othniel. In a classic back and forth battle Vince held the upper hand until the final few seconds. Then a quick one-two saw Steve score an equaliser - with the final whistle sounding. Technically, the goal came after the end of the game, though was part of a swift move that started before that whistle sounded. Left to sort it out, Vince and Steve decided the game deserved a 2-2 scoreline and that was the result entered - emblematic of the great camaraderie and sporting spirit in the League.

In the next round, Steve and Louis had a friendly, though one-sided, all Manchester Utd derby, with Steve coming out as the winner. Vince opened the scoring in his game against Othniel with the goal of the afternoon, a superb chip from distance that seemed so unlikely, Othniel hadn't even properly grabbed his 'keeper to try and save it. Vince scored another before half time but Othniel made a much more even game of the second half, the score finishing at 2-0. In his encounter against Ray, Paul scored an early goal but then Ray made him work hard to hold his lead until full time, the 1-0 result keeping Paul on track for his title.

The final two games saw Othniel ease to a 2-0 victory against Louis (the Godfather accusing Othniel of practising too much!), while Steve scored the same result in a key match-up against Ray.

The afternoon's results meant Paul is reeling Adrian in, while Steve has just slipped off the pace ever so slightly. But there is more than just title honours at stake, with mini-tournaments within the tournament keeping everyone interested. In the battle of the Micallefs, Vince has slid past his brother, Ray (oops, did I just write that out loud?) and Othniel has decided his lower-mid-table position is enough to allow him to roast some of the players below him, though Paul, who had suffered the brunt of some of Othniel's quips after the epic Gordy, did keep him in line with one barbed put-down about the two goals Othniel had conceded in their match. All part of another afternoon's great fun and enjoyment!