2010 Pre-season

UMBILO / PROFILE CREATIONS CHALLENGE CUP GAME 1 - FC Burrough v Trader Plus (Stella)  The 2010 pre-season got underway for the Burrough boys last night, now being part of the so-called “BIG” league, we had to show that we’ve all been there and done that! I guess we also had to fly the Pinetown FA banner as double winners in 2009. The Football gods (or Richard Musso, to be more specific) obviously felt we should be pitted against one of the better outfits as a baptism of fire, and so they pitted us against Trader Plus (Stella FC). As is the nature of our team, the FCB lads didn’t want it any other way. The theme to the first half was “chasing leather”, as we followed the ball around the park from side to side, and only managed the odd counter attack, with Kingdom in Stella’s goals, resembling the statue of Liberty (he’s probably a bit bigger & rounder in real life). The pace was too hot, and we were constantly on the back foot, something we expected knowing that our opposition (excepting Kingdom) all train rigorously week in and out whilst we spin the odd steak or chop. It didn’t take long for Stella to go 1 up when Homer parried a long range effort which was dispatched by their striker following up. It carried on like this,  and after another 10 minutes we were 2 down. Halftime couldn’t have come fast enough, and with a few changes made and some fighting talk we were first on the park and took control, with Byron Duncan putting on an excellent display, easily the best player on the park. After about 5 minutes in the second half we earned a free kick on the edge of the area which Lee Withers bent into the wall and deflected passed Kingdom in the top corner...2-1, game on. The lads visibly upped their game, and could’ve equalised on a number of occasions, just falling short at the final hurdle with the Stella defenders making mistake after mistake when put under pressure. The game was settled by Stella striker  Jake Degaye when he netted against the run of play leaving Homer sprawling on the Umbilo turf (obviously past memories came flooding back to him from his boyhood era). We were beaten on the night, but looking back the only difference between the teams is probably a few years in age and a couple hours of fitness training...but we’ll get there by the time the action begins proper. Players last night were Homer,Chrissie (C), Taffy, Burnsie, RedBulls, Grifbox, Buzz, Brett Mc, Lee, Evin, Ebs, Doug F, Noss, Coadie, Ant K Other scores below, will keep you posted...
Results Liviero 2 Bluff O.B 3, Profile Creations 3 Jack Rabbits 0, F.C. Burrough 1Trader Plus 3

GAME 2 - FC Burrough v Liviero (Juventus)

Last night the FCB lads pitched up at Umbilo feeling fresh and confident, and looking forward to locking horns with Liviero Juventus. We had our coach back from his early season scouting mission to New Zealand and Australia – which was another factor that gelled the team – apparently he found nothing there, which makes sense. It was also good to see a youthful looking Kenny Bevis making his deboo in between the sticks. Admittedly the old Italians weren’t at full strength, but with the likes of Grayden Wheatley and Michael Conti in their ranks were never going to just roll over for FCB. Having been baptised with fire the previous week we decided to take the bull by the horns and started at quite a high tempo, trying to get the ball forward quickly at every opportunity. It wasn’t too long before Jawsie nearly struck a volley from a tempting cross which trickled against the upright with the keeper well beaten – so close. Five minutes later Grifbox broke the Juve defence and drove the ball past a stunned keeper for the opener...1-0. The lads pushed on mounting wave after wave of attack, but seemed to lack that killer pass, something that comes with sharpness of playing week in and out – must say it could be frightening when we peak with a full squadron of FCB talent. Nevertheless we weren’t expecting big things this early. Juve’s best chance was a free kick, after one of their strikers ran into Burnsie and looked like he’d been hit by a freight train – but the kick hardly troubled Kenny or the FCB defence. The second half happened – and the FCB defensive unit stood firm and held the I-ties at bay with the lads gaining maximum points and putting us in the shake-up for honours. Although the Umbilo / Profile creations team looks like the team to beat at this stage, having taken league honours in 2009 – we’re going to change all of that in 2010 – watch this space...

All the results below...

Results

Jack Rabbits 0 Trader Plus 3, Liviero 0 F C Burrough 1, Bluff O. B. 0  Profile Creations 3

 

GAME 3 - FC Burrough v Bluff OB (Bayview)

Sorry no commentary from last nights match. But the word from the coach was that we should have been 4-1 up at HT, and then had a man sent off – the first in the short history of our team – so that honour goes to Byron Duncan (believe it or not?). And then we could have still got out of jail even with 10 men, but it wasn’t to be. Coach was satisfied with the effort made by all players in the squad.

Below you can see we missed out on ideal opportunity to close the gap as top two played to a goalless draw. Anyway we can still have our say next week – when FCB (PFA champions) play Profile Creations Umbilo (Durban champions) – I’m certainly not going to miss that one...

Results

F.C. Burrough  1 Bluff O.B 2, Jack Rabbits  0  Liviero 0, Profile Creations  0 Trader Plus 0

 

GAME 4 - FC Burrough v Profile Creations (Umbilo)

Last night at Umbilo Congella Sport Complex seemed to roll back the years. Firstly the way the FC Burrough lads made there entry all kitted out ready for action, with the exception of the “damager” Shaun “Elton” Howard who was still back at the Black Door finishing his pre-match pot. It reminded me of the Escombe boys pulling into Fortress Fairfield in the Kombi all kitted out and running up the bank and straight onto the park. Secondly playing against the likes of Paul De Freitas, Peter “Paw Paw” Louw, Jason Behr and company was enough to get the blood pumping and ready us for battle. After a few pre-match Hansa-rades, our sports drink of choice, we lined up ready to knock Umbilo off their perch. But alas they came at us from the whistle, keeping the ball through many phases, as they say in rugby parlance. What they didn’t account for was the Burrough penchant to counter-attack, and that we did consistently with Byron Duncan, Shawn De Beer  and Barry Ebs making merry with the rather thin Umbilo defence, going close on 4 separate occasions, 1 of them thundering off the bar and onto the line. At the other end Kenny Bevis pulled off an absolute blinder of a save from a long range effort, pushing it out of the top corner to keep the score level going into half-time. At the break FCB spirits were high as the lads were matching Umbilo stride for stride, and in fact could have put this game to bed had we taken our chances. Nevertheless spirits soared higher when FCB took the lead from the kickoff with an interchange between Buzz & Ebs, which allowed Ebs to burst (yes – burst!) into the penalty area, having chested the ball into his stride, and he volleyed home past a stranded keeper...1-0, and the crowd went bananas. The lads kept pressing and could have easily added to the score line, after drawing out the opposition on many occasions. Then with 10 minutes remaining the referee awarded a dubious decision, after Steven Burns was adjudged to have fouled Jason Behr on the edge of the area. Up stepped Umbilo’s strapping defender, Kaiser, who made no mistake leaving Kenny with no chance whatsoever, and the game was level...1-1, the crowd went quiet. This seemed to change the momentum of the game, as the Umbilo lads almost now had the belief that they would win this tie, whereas the FCB lads were feeling tired (having played in a 5 side match prior to kick-off) and had lost their front men Jaws & Ebs, with Craig Simpson making his FCB deboo upfront. And with 2 minutes remaining an exhausted FCB unit succumbed to what was to be a late winner when Umbilo’s striker got onto the end of a dangerous cross-cum-through ball to side foot the ball past a stranded Kenny Bevis...1-2. At the end of it, although a little disappointed in the outcome, the FCB lads could hold their heads high, safe in the knowledge that we have the potential to beat the top teams in this league, and although we haven’t reached our full potential in 2010 as a squad, it is really a matter of time before this happens...

Last night scores below...

Results

Trader Plus  3  Liviero 0, Jack Rabbits 1  Bluff O.B 2,  Profile Creations 2  F.C. Burrough  1

 

GAME 5 - FC Burrough v Jack Rabbits

The FC Burrough lads travelled up Umbilo Road, to that place “South of Stella, Umbilo Congella”, you know how the song goes. The general feeling in the camp was pretty relaxed, and the lads were contemplating how to put away the basement dwellers, Lee Colbert’s Jack Rabbits. The term “shooting bunnies in a bucket” came to mind, and as we kicked off it was almost inevitable that we would be doing that for the entire match. FCB went on attack from the first whistle, lining up in a 3-5-2 formation and pinning the Rabbits in their own half, with the lanky Wayne Lambert and crew defending for their lives – ala Dunkerque. This approach continued and it wasn’t long before this brazen style of defending led to a defensive blunder, when Byron Duncan was scythed down from behind with the goal gaping at his mercy...penalty. Up stepped Captain Chris Davies to shoulder the burden and he made no mistake converting the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way...1-0. We were on fire. But clearly our frenzied and sustained attacking was a little out of control and hurried, because we couldn’t add to the scoreboard come half-time. Well the second half couldn’t have been more different, with the FCB lads not turning up after the talk, and it was clearly a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, as the Rabbits turned the tables, with their very own Rufus Oakes coming into his own, now being afforded the space to manoeuvre. This put our 3 man defensive unit under huge pressure, and the FCB lads began to wilt, although we did manage the odd counter and could still have buried the Rabbits. Then on one of their forays forward the ball bounced up and struck our defenders arm, and the referee was quick to point to the spot, a dodgy call at best. The Rabbits made no mistake burying the spot kick to level the tie. Only then did the FCB lads decide to up the tempo and try to regain their lead, but all their efforts turned to dust. The evening was spoilt further when Kenny Bevis was helped off the pitch when he “pulled the back of his quad” , as diagnosed by Stephen Burns – he actually stretched his hamstring. And when the same Burnsie was kicked in the penalty area late in the game by Lambert, and went down theatrically a minute later ala Diego Maradona, with tears and all, and the referee announced that it would be an indirect free kick inside the box, probably as a result of Burnsie’s antics. And we just knew we weren’t digging ourselves out of this hole. And that’s how it ended, and it never really had a bearing on our log position although the lads will be looking forward to fixing that next week when we go after sweet revenge against the town clowns – in Trader Plus (Stella).

See last night results below...

 

Results

Trader Plus  0 Bluff O.B  4, Jack Rabbits 1 F.C. Burrough 1, Profile Creations 5  Liviero 0

 

GAME 6 - FC Burrough v Trader Plus (Stella) - 3rd/4th Playoff

The FCB lads put out their thinnest line-up in living memory, that is in numbers and not kilograms, only having 11 players to pick from on the night. Choosing the team was a breeze for Coach Elton, who brought out his clipboard and pen to explain his big plan. The talk went something like...”nobody goes down, I’m not f%$ing coming on, if you go down make sure you take one of them with you.” Fortunately Stella only had 12 players to choose from, so rolling substitutes were a thing of the past. The talk finished with the following analogy; “Remember last night, Bayern Munich, Allianz Arena, United went up inside 2 minutes and lost, let’s not do that, OK...OK”, and the lads proceed to the warm-up. From the kickoff FCB won a corner, after poking holes in Stella’s ageing defence. From the corner the ball was cleared down the middle to find Gary Nossiter on the edge of the area, his volleyed cross-cum-shot happened to find the head of Barry Ebing, and guess what? We were 1-0 up after 2 minutes, something we agreed not to do! Nevertheless we were happy with the world, and proceeded to play our distinctly Burrough game, a delicate balance of patience and pressure. Messer’s Bavistock, Roberts, Besnard & Co had no answer to it, and were just grateful of our inability to convert chances into goals. But if chirping was registered on the scoreboard the town clowns would have been streaks ahead and they tore into an ineffective referee at every opportunity, which seemed to pay dividends as they were awarded some really dubious decisions. It was from one of these decisions that they managed to strike, with a ball being crossed in to Burton “Strings” Maclure, who was clearly offside when the pass came in, but was allowed to bury his shot past a hapless Craig Simpson...1-1. Half-time came and went with FCB lads eager to get back onto the park, and again we continued to carve out some excellent chances, with Stella only efforts being long range attempts to unsettle Simmo. The stalemate just couldn’t be broken, and it was only until late in the game, with about 5 minutes left on the clock, that it came to life again. Stella were awarded a free kick in the middle of the pitch, and a chip over the FCB defence, where one of their midfielders was left unmarked, allowed them to take a somewhat shock lead, with Simmo again given no chance...1-2. With our backs to the wall we decided to give it one last push, sending both our central defender, Steven Burns and Wayne Davies, forward. And Stella buckled under the pressure when their keeper couldn’t adequately deal with a cross, which he fisted to the oncoming Byron Duncan, and his looping header nestled into the corner of the net...2-2, all square right on the final whistle. And we managed to do what United couldn’t do and what Arsenal would later do, come from behind to grab a share of 3^rd spot in the pre-season tournament, not bad! So now it’s on to next week where we get the show on the road at Fortress Fairfield against the league bunnies, Jack Rabbits. Bring on Wednesday night lights...Other results not available at going to press, but the teams finished as follows; 1^st Umbilo,2^nd  Bayview,3^rd  FCB & Stella,5^th Jack Rabbits,6^th Juventus.