The Big Game: MA Cup Final

Gower Phoenix Vs British Samurai has been called off.

Gower Allstars vs Red Star Camden - MA Cup Final, 12pm KO, Wingate & Finchley, with league presentations straight after.

The Squad:-

Rod Paley
Anthony Stiefel
Tom Gladstone
Dave Ossack
Phil Glyn
Sam Howard
Lawrence Chittenden
Russ Klinger
James Duggan
Ben Mitchell
Jon Selbie
Robin Street
Ollie Durrant
Mike Kelly
Owen Blandy
Tim Medley

Wingate & Finchley FC
The Harry Abrahams Stadium Summers LaneFinchleyLondon N12 OPD

The venue is right behind the David Lloyd Centre (and Finchley Lido Cinema).

Bring your friends and lets make it a Gower day!!!!!!!

Allstars vs BVH report - final league match May 6th

The Allstars took on a BVH side who were active, lively and motivated to beat the Allstar champions.

True to their intentions, BVH started the stronger and put the Allstars midfield under a lot of pressure. This lead to mistakes and losing possession a number of times, which prevented the Allstars from finding any rhythm and creating some decent attacks.

BVH got their just rewards, when Kleinmann at left back, was taken on by their winger, who crossed the ball which accidentally hit Kleinmanns hand – and a very harsh penalty was awarded and converted to give BVH the lead.

Gowers then woke up and began to dominate the last 15 minutes, using the channels to good effect, setting the strikers free.

On 35 mins Allstars equalised through Medley, after Blandy missed his usual open goal opportunity.

1-1 HT.

For the first time in 4 weeks, Gowers started to play some real football, keeping possession, finding the spare man, playing sensibly, and creating the openings.

Several chances were missed, until a goal of the season contender arrived. A deep cross, just missed Klinger’s head, so he retreated, span and shot first time on the volley, with his left foot, and the ball flew into the opposite corner across the keeper. Spectacular.

2-1 Gower.

Allstars continued to dominate with Joe Paley making his debut in goal solidly, and Mitchell turning a bad first half, into a superb second half.

And that was how the game finished.

2-1 Gower. Unbeaten in the league all season. 36 points out of a possible 42. Outstanding stuff.

MOTM = Ben Mitchell – from having such a dodgy first 35 mins, he turned the tide, and produced a match-winning defensive performance in midfield.

So, that now leaves us with the up and coming MA Cup final this Sunday against a double-winning Red Star, who beat Outback on Sunday to win the Premier Division and having won the Group Cup.

So, it becomes a Bayern vs Manu final of 1999 – winner takes the treble.

Theres never been more incentive to win. We are under-dogs and if we perform, will win the treble.

Psyche up email to come…. But in the meantime, visualise it, believe it, win it.

Mixer Savage Phoenix Lambs

Camden Mixer – 4 Gower Phoenix – 2

Gower Phoenix (4-4-2) Simon – Ell, Joel, Wall, Dens – Aaron, Jake, Jon, Muffdog – Fleshie, Bolu

A tired and distinctly off-the-pace Gower Phoenix side surrendered their season-long unbeaten run on Sunday against a 10 men Mixer side.

Having won the league and with several players on the team having been celebrating the bank holiday the early kick off say a slow start to the game. Despite the numerical advantage Phoenix had ‘too many Chiefs and not enough Indians’ with passes going astray and a struggle to maintain a decent level of possession. That said Mixer had a more than decent keeper between the sticks and the team, that are pushing for a 2nd place promotion worked hard. Several shots came in from the Phoenix but most were weak and/or misplaced.

Then 10 minutes in Phoenix struggled to clear the ball and allowed the skilful Mixer player to sprint into the box where he was clipped by Dens – penalty – 1-0 Mixer. Phoenix had a Bolu headed goal disallowed and a Muffdog shot looked to have crossed the line but didn’t – Dens, Aaron and Jon H all had good shots saved. The team were playing better football but disaster struck just before half time as Joel injured himself in a clearance allowing the Mixer striker to rush in for his second completely against the run of play, 2-0 at half time.

Second half saw Phoenix go to three at the back with Jabiz making his first appearance at right-mid and Muffdog filling in the defensive midfield hole. The teams attacks suddenly gained more poise and Muffdogs saved shot was turned in by Bolu to make it 2-1 and suddenly Phoenix looked right back in it. However the men in maroon and black were almost suicidal in defence and an inability to clear the ball allowed Mixer to add two quick-fire goals to make it 4-1.

Phoenix poured forward and Fleshie and Jon H missed some close chances to reduce the gap, eventually Bolu was followed in the area (a Mixer player was then sent off) and Dens struck a pen to make it a 4-2 finish.

So a scrappy and rusty performance for the Phoenix in what was easily their worst game of the season. However with the league tied up and several new players in this is no real disaster. With one more league game next Sunday at Regents park before our 2nd friendly against the Allstars we must aim to be right on the ball for the final two matches. Dens

Man of Match: Muffdog – Good work-rate and use of the ball in a match littered with errors.