Rovers II Match Report

League match
Saturday	2011-04-30	10.30
Rovers II	7 (2) - 1 (1)	NK Zagreb Muenchen
Goals: Denis McArdle, Gavin Carey (3), Alex Gould (3)
Team: Davide Passarelli, Adrian Patton, Paul Proudfoot, Basti Geller, Matt Stevenson, Rory Combe, Denis McArdle (Capt.), Marco Testori, Steven Meyer, Gavin Carey, Alex Gould*
Subs: Marius Kraus (Rory Combe), Gary Ryan (Matt Stevenson), Patrick Moleda (Gavin Carey)
Manager: Roderick Bracken

Re: Sat 30th April: Rovers I v SpVgg 1906 Haidhausen, Rovers II v NK Zagreb Muenchen
May 03, 2011, 08:21:04 AM by Denis McArdle

Match Report Rovers II v NK Zagreb München (Sorry it's so late)

Our old Croatian Pals Roll Over as Rovers March onwards and upwards into the Black!!

Team

Davide

Aido Paul P Basti Mad Matt ( Gary Ry)

Rory C ( Marius) McArdle Marco Stevie M

Gav C (Patrick) Alex G

Subs: Gary / Marius / Patrick

HT - 2-1
FT - 7-1
Kit - Alex G (..or Alex's Da more accurately)

Goals
1-0 - Alex
1-1 - Zagreb lad
2-1 - Gav
3-1 - Gav
Missed Peno Zagreb
4-1 McArdle
Missed open goal Gav
Missed open goal Gav
Missed open goal Gav
5-1 Alex
Missed open goal Gav
Missed open goal Gav
6-1 Gav
7-1 Alex

With All of Deutschland taking Sunday off to celebrate the years hard work the Rovers found themselves re-arranged to an early morning super saturday kick-off. Great news for all the lads desperate to join the all day night out planned to appease part-time Defender, full time Social scene, sometime Man of the match Basti 'Basti' Geller. Less great news for Zagreb who appeared to stuggle to locate their best 11...and not great news for our first team who were mugged off by Haidhausen and had no game....allowing 'Goalmachine' Gav, 'Goalrepellent' Davide 'Tika Taka' Marco and '180 minutes effort' Stevie to parachute in. great news for the lads...less great news for Yacine, Marius and Gary who had earned their spots.
Anyway stood in the way of a vital 3 points against the drop were our old sparring partners from Croatia. Those of us with 2 year memories will remember that these chaps put the final nail in our relegation coffin 2 years ago at home when a win would have kept us up. Those of us with rose-tinted nostalgia will prefer to remember Rory Combe filling his boots in the midst of our 10 game winning run the previous season as we marched towards (near) promotion.....aaahhh where did it all go wrong??? ha ha
Higher class battles of the past aside this match also had loads hingeing on it...a real six pointer! Both teams locked together on 16 points just one point above the drop zone ...important to start strongly..
...which is exactly what we did, the big Croat fella in goals fell over himself as he tried to pick up the ball and Alex was on hand to nick it round him and squeeze home from a tight angle 1-0. Great start. With lot's of possession the Rovers sensed that they could win this game early...but were maybe a touch over-confident or cocky or sloppy or inept...whatever the problem the first half became a bit of a write off. We passed the ball well at times. Both full backs joined the play well. We played some neat triangles in the midfield between Roz and Marco and Stevie and Denny..the Defence was comfortable with both Paul and Basti on top...but the final pass seemed to miss it's target..the final cross seemed to hit row Z..we couldn't get Alex and Gav in the game..it just wasn't happening. At least Mad Matt was staying on his feet and not diving two footed in to tackles

...Oh wait!!! Free kick just outside the box for Zagreb, once again our defensive demons at set pices afflicted us and the big lad slammed home the loose ball from the edge of the area. 1-1 and we'd got ourselves mired in the dross. Half time regroup (bullocking) couldn't come quickly enough.
But footballs a funny old game. Almost directly from the kick off the ball made it's way out to Matt on the left hand side. With everyone expecting Matt to create a 50-50 and decapitate someone, he shocked everyone, stroking a xaviesque pass into the path of the onrushing Carey. Carey with what seemed to be his first touch of the match controlled it beautifully on his breasts, waltzed round the goalie and stroked it home. 2-1 and the welcome half time break.

Rod's time to shine '' Pass the ball, Move the ball, you don't need to take 4 f**ing touches, this match is here for the taking and you're f***ing it up!! Go out there and get the 3rd goal get the 4th goal and then we can go enjoy our f***ing weekend. Simple!! '' Or words to that effect

and thus the Rovers all fired up stormed out and dominated the match with purpose and poise , passed and moved, created chance after chance and smashed home 5 goals. Simple

Well simpleish....after Gav had lobbed the goalie and trickled one in a few inches for 3-1 we contrived to give away a penalty and maybe make a contest of it.
Despite not making a tackle on the big dude rolling around on the ground in the box, the ref deemed Basti to be in contravention of the well known rule in German football. One mustn't stand anywhere near an opposition player in the box. What can you say? Davide, as he seems to do so often, got inside the takers head and steered him onto the bar. Still 3-1 - Next goal would be crucial ....probably the most important of the whole season...which way would it go??..who'd pop up and make himself a hero??...

...Gavin Carey that's who. Get's the ball and he......lays off...yes lays off..to McArdle to lash into the bottom corner for 4-1. As someone who's lingered around a lot of boxes in my time waiting for a lay off that never came...i'd like to take the opportunity to say Ta very much Gavin

Stung by his missed opportunity (lay-off) Carey became a man possessed, determined as he was to notch his hat-trick. He missed first from a yard. Then from a yard. Then an open goal from a yard. You got the feeling today wasn't going to be his day. Alex stroked home for 5-1. Carey rounded the goalie with astonishing pace and skill...and then missed from a yard. With the dark clouds descending Alex whipped a cross back post, Carey leapt like Air Jordan...and missed from a yard (Only taking the piss - he buried it in the bottom corner) Hat-trick for Carey.....quickly followed by a trot to the sidelines ''Get me the fuck off - everyone's laughing at me'' for our Hero.
Patrick on for Gav. Time enough to miss a header back post. Marius already on for Rory. Time enough for a final assist for Alex's picture book Tika Taka 3rd goal 7-1 and a blocked shot with 11 players queueing back post for a tap in.
Gary on for Matt too with 30 mins to go..just enough time to look the business as always.

7-1 it was then...just time for one final fling of excitement when Proudfoot ventured forward and looked set to pull the trigger on the advice of young Jamie ''Shoot Daddy''...much disappointment ensued as Proudfoot bottled it and slipped in Marius. Quote of the day followed from Young Loren Proudfoot ''Mummy - whys daddy not playing?? '' Word

Man of the Match. Tough Tough call.
Gavin Carey - LAID THE BALL OFF TO MCARDLE!! (scored a hat-trick)
Special Mentions - Alex Gould..Hat trick and an assist!!, Alex Gould's Dad - Good Genes, Mad Matt - doesn't dive in..constant source of fags, Basti Basti - 18 hours on the lash and still saved my hat, Rory Combe - Saving the magic for Laim, Marco - Straordinario!!, Gary Ryan - The business, Paul Proudfoot - We know you were playing mate, Aido Patton - passed inside..a lot!!, Stevie Meyer - Goal of the season, Davide - Penalty king, Rob Abramovic, John McPhail, Danny Mc, Yacine - turned up on the lash and made Basti's day - cheers, Marius - Goals around the corner, Rod Bracken - keeping us up

Laim away tuesday...let's repeat the trick!