| Pulling it out just in time... No, not the title of a new porn movie, but the result of a great game against the boys from Linway Lounge, the Stingers found a way to make things interesting, including fighting back from an early deficit, killing off a penalty, and a claim for a shootout and two minute penalty at the end. Always exciting when the two teams get together. What started off as an experiment in substituion slowly turned into a showcase of fitness. The lads took a few minutes getting adjusted to the new style of play, but were soon clicking when it came to crisp passing and movement. An early goal by the green-clad opponent did little to dampen the mood, considering the fact that the team that scores first in the series has usually had the colder ber at the end of the night. After a second bad goal, the Stingers found themselves down two going into the half, and clearly questioning each other and their execution on the night. Everything was set up for a potential meltdown. Marshall Forrester erased those thoughts 8 seconds into the second half, marauding through the Linway defense to bury a rebound from his own hammered shot past a stunned Casey to halve the Linway lead. Soon thereafter, the Stingers were pegged level from another quality goal, from quick interplay. Things were turning around. Following a defensive breakdown, LInway regained the advantage, but it was short-lived, as one of the goals of the night was finished by Brent Procida, following some nifty passing on the break. All square at 3. Linway was able to forge ahead on another defensive lapse, that left The Big Greek alone in the corner to hammer the ball home. All was not lost, though, as the boys in blue continued to fight on. Todd Smith was sent off for telling the ref that he was bald, and the Stingers were forced to kill off that penalty as the game wound down. Brent came through with a left footed bomb, though, and with less than two minutes, the Stripes were back level. All to play for, and clearly tempers were rising on both teams. A rash challenge by Casey on Mike Alessi (who was in alone, albeit in the Stingers half) ended the scoring chances for the night. A good game, with the points shared, and frankly, the fair result on the night. Stingers didn't do enough offensively, and Linway didn't do enough defensively to find a way to two points. Chevrolet Man of the Match- Brent Procida, for pulling two goals out of thin air, all after a hard day of punishing deadbeats. Brilliance in the new Nikes, and now, clearly, a force to be reckoned with in his new kicks. Nearly converted a header for goal, and for someone NOT of Mark's height, that's pretty damned impressive. Sweet Play of the Game-Stingers third goal. Berkey-Smith-Berkey-Smith-Procida-Net. Class. Sour Play of the Game-Mike Alessi getting ready to go Private Pyle on the bench following the severe bollocking he took from the 14 other drill sargeants on the team. Wow. It's bad enough to have a few bad touches, but let the rest of it go off the back...Mike bounced back well to get stuck into several hard tackles. Game plan for Mike from now on...Tackle someone real hard on the first shift. Then tell Bobby to leave you alone. Next up for the Stingers...a date with the Blazers and a chance at the trophy...all to play for! Glory on the Eve of Purple Power In a match that had all the makings of a blowout, the Stingers found new ways to explore the realm of average soccer with a 4-3 win over Mutinity FC on matchday 6 at Perring Athletic Club. With a bench so full, it looked like the bedroom of an illegal immigrant's family, the boys were trying to keep things fresh at every turn. With a clinical early strike from the newest member of the Hive, Gary McCulloch was able to knock his own rebound past a sprawling Rick Mellendick for the early Stingers lead. With several quality chances coming from quick, 1 and 2 touch passing, the Stingers were in complete control of the first quarter. Until a little too much room was given with a minute left, and a quick flashing strike flew in to peg Mutinity back level. The intensity turned up a notch or two,as it always does, and the Stingers were able to possess the ball for a stretch, but were unable to really capitalize on that early dominance. Another goal by McCulloch put the Stingers ahead, and Chris Mazan was able to bury another rebound to give the boys in Blue a two goal cushion. A defensive miscommunication allowed the red-clad Mutinity to believe again, although the result was never in doubt. Mark Unger bunted home the winning run from third base with a seeing eye grounder that went through Jeter's legs. Clearly a goal scorer's goal that would have made Steve Zungul blush with it's complexity. A late consolation goal on a restart got the score to 4-3, but the clock would run out on the dreams of Mutinity for their upset, and the Stingers once again were able to taste the Miller Lite as victors. Strangely enough, the beer did seem colder following this win. Sweet play of the week (new feature)-Gary's second goal. After taking on a defender at the top, cutting the ball back and shooting low, he followed his shot, and was able to tap in the easy rebound from a ridiculous angle at the far post. Clinically finished. Sour play of the week (new feature)-John Snead banging a one-touch pass right to Chris Berkey....normally a great play, however, not when Chris was the 7th player on the field, and stepping into the bench. Two minutes later, the Stingers made it to halftime unscathed, but this could have been a nightmare. Probably attributed to the 'Tokyo Train Station at Rush Hour' Bench that the Stingers currently enjoy with everyone showing up every week. Goal of the game-Goal scorers find a way. Mark found a way, and thus, the game winner and start of a new scoring streak for the big number 13. That goal was just like my prom date...not real pretty, and never a favorite to go 5 hole. Moosehead Man of the Match-Gary McCulloch, two goals, maybe an assist, and the stones to wear the shirt that Bono wore on during the "Boy" tour in 1983. Yugo Man of the Match-Mike Van Schoorisse, who was clearly still too drunk to bother coming to the game this week, following his transgressions at Manhattan Grill last week. After the 25 pounds of chinese food he ate at work the next day trying to put out the fire that the Irish Mist started in his palatial food melting plant, it's no wonder that he couldn't make it out to lace it up for the lads. That, or his vasectomy failed, and he is expecting his twelfth girl. Next up, Linway Lounge, and the lads in green get their first taste of the Boys in Blue, '07!
A Blast from the Past Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Stingers. What these teams all have in common is that thread of being in cities where people like to drink beer. Other than that, the Stingers stand alone as a team of class, panache, and striking ability to finish when they shouldn't and miss when they shouldn't. Last night's tilt with the Blue Devils was no exception. After learning some REAL trivia about the Perring Athletic Club Arena (Blue Devils won the first EVER game there in 1963), the Stingers knew that they had their work cut out for them from the opening whistle. Needing to make sure of a win, pressure was the order of the day. take the game to the opponent and give them no room to breathe or pass. With that being on the menu, the game was put out of doubt early, with quick strikes from Mark Unger, Chris Berkey, Brent Procida, and the Belgian Waffle. Several chances were left on the field, most notably a 40 yard driven ball to the head of Mark Unger, whose acrobatics failed him in his attempt at a diving header/swan dive/walker accident. Regardless, the boys in White were on top of things and taking the game to their opponent. Never a group to give up, The Blue Devils came back with a flurry, and were able to put some goals together of class, and a goal of maddening rubbish (thanks to the author), to cut the score to 5-3 at the break. Every other shot hit Mke (Crash Test Dummy) Weaver in the club hands or chest, or the back of the onion bag. That was all she wrote. With Ted Bundy-esque precision, the Stingers put the knife to the Blue Devils and were able to turn pressure into goals repeatedly, getting goals from rebounds, repossessions, restarts, and recycling. It was really retarded. So, at the final whistle, even with Alessi barging ahead with 11 seconds left, trying to get on the scoreboard, the result was a fair one for the work put in by the Stingers. It was a great night for the FC. Next up, is a potential playoff date with Linway or Natty Boh, pending the outcome of the final week of action, which the Stingers will be taking off. Goal of the Match-Belgian Mike's Toe Blast from 8 feet. Snipped at the buzzer... In what was a must win game, the Boys in Blue (this time white) came out firing on all cylinders early. Good tackling, solid passing, and flawless line changes made the first quarter fly by. It was an end to end affair early, with at least three Stingers chances either drifting wide or hammering the glass over the crossbar. Blue Devils, though, were able to draw first blood, converting an easy chance from a giveaway in the defensive third. The chance, as usual, was the only real look at the goal that the BD's got, and Gill was able to thump it home. 1-0 bad guys. Steve was able to answer with much aplomb, as he hooked home a left footed rebound from a driven ball into the attacking end. Going into the half, the game was tied at 1, and both teams were really stretching each other trying to find a chink in the armor. Blue Devils were able to capitalize on a couple of quick counterattacks that the Stingers weren't able to sort out. Mark got caught flat-footed once, and Mike Alessi picked the wrong guy to defend, and BD were up 3-1 that quick in the third quarter. Not to be beaten, however, the Stingers were able to reach down and make a huge momentum swing that would change the game. With a chance that jumped out of nowhere, BD had a chance with a 3v2 in the corner. They moved the ball well out of the corner, found an empty Gill in the front and were already celebrating their fourth goal of the game...except a nearly 25 year old goalkeeper showed up in a 36 year old body, and robbed Gill at point blank range by sprawling across the face of the empty goal to save from 3 yards away. The Stingers cleared wide, and two passes later, Marshall Forrester perfectly placed home the Stingers 2nd goal to make a huge two goal swing and the difference in the game. Great goal and great counter... Steve Grams was able to add the third goal on more hard work in front of goal to peg the Stingers back, and with 6 minutes to go in the game, Joe Plyes pulled a goal out of thin air with a glorious individual effort from outside the yellow line. Truly a thing of beauty, the volley came out of nowhere, but gave the boys a deserved 4-3 lead. Several chances went begging, including at least three sitters from in tight...Hanging on with everything they had, the Stingers watched the final 40 seconds tick away with the ball on the corner spot from referee error. Oh well. The win cemented a place in the final against Linway next week at 9... Chevrolet Man of the Match-Jesse Roberts, for not breaking his thumb and clearly taking one for the "team" at the urologist, and Steve Grams for his two goals Gutty to the end. The Stingers came out against an energized Natty Boh side a little too over-confident last night, but were able to pull away at the end with class to gut out a 6-4 win. There were many high points of the match, and of course some low points, but all that really matters is that the Stingers have clinched a share of first place with 8 points from 8 possible. There was still work to be done, and the Stingers got stuck in, in the end. The game started with a flurry of action, starting with a quick outlet from the keeper into the path of a "streaking" Chris Berkey, who tucked away the finish for a quick 1-0 lead. Not to be outdone, the Men from the Land of Pleasant Living answered quickly with a bizarre goal, caused by some crazy spin, arftificial turf, and well, just bad defending. Charlie finished the chance to equalize. The Stingers yelled at each other a little bit and then made things happen as they absolutely peppered the Boh goal all night. Alessi couldn't score in a monkey whore house with a bag full of bananas, however, and his sheer ineptness kept the game close. Then Todd decided to show up. The second quarter had a little more spark to it, but was still not seeing the Stingers extend themselves to get forward in numbers. The ball didn't move quickly, the passes weren't sharp, and yet the ball was hitting every post imaginable. Best of which was Todd's thunderbolt that hit the post, the keeper's head, and out. Wow. Joe Pyles played his usual role, causing an opponent to want to punch his lights out. This ejection led to the first of two 4v4's on the night, but served to solidify the Stingers place as the "Oakland Raiders" of Perring...nobody likes us (boohoo). The fourth quarter saw the Stingers pull away with some good finishing. The match was then iced with Bobby King finishing from close range on a 4v1 break conversion. Class. Man of the Match-Chris Berkey, for keeping two shots on goal under the crossbar, and for not passing out after all of those tracking runs back defensively. Second Man of the Match-Joe "Don't Swing" Pyles, for not taking the bait and pummeling the dude who boarded him. We know you would've taken him, Joe... Next up...Mutinitniitntititntitniy BeDeviled... To say that the Stingers were in full and complete control of the match from the outset against the Blue Devils would be like saying that the Kansas City Royals are a small market team with no shot of winning 90 games in baseball. It is clear and utter truth. The boys came out firing on all cylinders, and were able to put early and solid pressure on the Devils to make the game very uncomfortable for the boys in blue. There is no greater feeling in soccer than scoring a goal. So for the guy who usually concedes them to get on the scoreboard first...well, that's just brilliant. With a strike reminiscent of Geoff Hurst's clincher against Germany in the 1966 World Cup, Roberts blistered a drive that struck the crossbar, came down over the line, and bounced out, to give the Stingers a 1-0 lead a minute and change into the game. What made this goal even more remarkable is that Roberts meant to do it. The field was clearly tilted downhill for the Stingers, and they blistered the Blue Devil goal for the first 24 minutes of the match with thundering strikes and point blank shots that kept Weaver beleaguered and on his knees. Snead got a great assist off of a shot that hit Berkey squarely in the shin to add to the lead, and of course, Todd Smith tried to burst the ball with a drive from close range. Mike Alessi won a prize, for hitting the joint of the crossbar with a Mach 3 strike, but to no avail. Mark Unger continued his scoring streak, and, yes, the Joes had new shoes. Both clearly had some pep in their step, and white boots may be the new official outfit for the Stingers...it could be ugly. Man of the Match...Clearly Roberts, who would have had the game winning goal AND a shutout, if it weren't for Todd.... The circle is complete.... All that can be said is that a complete performance was put on by the boys from FC Stingers. Read the full narrative here. Smack Down Needing a win to advance to the championship game, the Stingers came out with less than 24 hours rest with a vengence and a game plan. Pressure was the order of the day, and it made Natty Boh FC uncomfortable enough to cough up an early lead that the Stingers would not relinquish. Clinical early goals by Mark Unger, Mike Alessi and Todd Smith put the game out of reach, but clearly the man of the match was Brent Procida. With two goals, both of the steamroller variety, showed that not only do good lawyers get down and dirty, they like to burn their own skin off from time to time. The match continued at a good pace for the boys in blue, with decent defending, shoddy goalkeeping, and good movement, but there was still something missing...Mark's hat trick. Instead of passing an easy chance to teh Belgian Waffle, Mark set international relations back 5 years by banging the ball in himself to rack up his 11th goal in 4 games...what must be a Stingers FC record. The game ended relatively sedately, with Stingers taking their foot off teh gas and allowing Natty Boh some consolation, but the game was well out of reach, no matter how salty Roberts gets at the 4th quarter laissez-faire tactics. Next up....Trophy week vs. Linway. Two teams looking for a fight. BLUE DEVILED Needing a win to keep up pace at the top of the table, the boys came out firing on all cylinders. Scoring early and often to put down the upstart rivals in blue. Bringing out all the ringers, The Stingers were prepared with pressure and pace, and Marshall finished a ball from Todd within minutes of the opening whistle to put the stingers up. Mark Unger continued his hot scoring streak with another hat trick, and the Stingers put together a great string of finishing and possession. Mike Alessi took his usual 2 minute penalty, Bobby smooshed a kid into the boards, and John Snead managed to block a sure goal....from teammate Steve Grams, who was clearly salivating in front and ready to bulge the old onion bag with a bullet, only to have John save the day for the Blued Devils. Todd Smith beat the ball square, as per usual, and Joe Pyles was a 45 degree runner again, chasing and putting players under pressure all night. Ryan Voegtlin got back on the floor, and mixed things up nicely, even finding a way to not get a 2 minute penalty, when one was seemingly hovering over him. Apart from a 2 minute stretch where the Stingers took a quick nap, the defending was solid, annoying, and kept the Blue Devils playing backward, which is an easy recipe for a win. Of course, the brilliant goalkeeping didn't hurt either. Next up...T & H for a berth in the finals next week... Man of the Match-Mark Unger for his three goals, the last of which was a moon shot special waiting to happen, but his technique kept the ball low and on frame and in the back of the net... Joy in Mudville.... Following a crushing defeat, the easiest way to get that bad taste out of your mouth (apart from Newcastle) is to smack a rival. For the Stingers, that came in an 8-3 trouncing of FTQ. With all hands on deck, the boys came out flying, scoring early, often, and in may different ways. Deflections, scrambles, bombs, and pure dumb luck ruled the day in the attacking end. Clearly a game that was needed in the standings, but one that was needed for confidence as well... Mark Unger got off the plane jetlagged, gambled, boozed and tired, and still was man of the match with a hat trick. Although he would only celebrate one of his goals (the merciless bomb from 8 feet away), the golas put the FTQ under the quash early and set the tone for the rest of the night. The true back breaker came in the dying seconds of the first half, as Todd Smith took a quick outlet, dribbled coast to coast and crushed the ball past the helpless keeper. Several Stinger goals flew in with pace, but none with the venom of Todd's post super bowl bomb. He must have had a dime on the Seahawks to cover... Team defending was key, with saves from the keeper and blocks out front quickly becoming counterattacks and goals. The service was on all night, and the boys in White buried the chances that came their way... Team effort, great work rate, and a return to the top of the table. The Stingers have their work cut out for them now, as they face divisional foes two of the next three games...before a possible rematch with Linway Lounge. Double Header Week...Super Bowl Bound Following a week off to lick the wounds of a horrible defeat at the hands of the over-achieving Blue Devils, The Stingers came out firing against upstarts Natty Boh SC. What has become more and more of a match in the past year was clearly another clash of the nearly titans early on. With several early strikes, and some solid defending the White Clad Stingers came out and took the early effort to Natty Boh with a couple of solid goals from good transition play. Goal of the Century goes to Todd Smith who smacked a 50 footer past a stunned "grenade" as the ball nearly tore the net off. The game was killed off in fashion, and the new session got its first win against a division opponent. However, due to the scheduling wizardry of one Joe Manfre, the Stingers faced the defending champs and nemesis Linway Lounge. What promised to be a great game had some of the pressure relieved for Linway with the back to back games. Linway took a 2-0 lead into the half, following several missed chances and a soft goal and a deflection. The boys in blue ruled the third quarter, taking charge of the match and leveling the score at 4 going into the final frame. What happened next was unfortunate and angering, as the Stingers fell asleep at the wheel and gave back a goal, resulting in their having to chase the game. One of the best own goals in history was then tacked on at the end, to give Linway the undeserved 2 goal win. Blue Cross Tackle of the Match-Mike Alessi positively crucifying Lance in the middle of the park. One of the best 50-50 challenges in the storied history of Perring. Rivaled only by Hollywood and the Biscuits... Match Reports-2006---Back on the air! Discovery Channel-Following a long absence from the winners column, The Stingers kicked off the new year in fashion with a 7-2 dismantling of "old" rivals, the Blue Devils. Sporting their alternate kits, the boys in White came out with a lot of determination and numbers, and were able to put their stamp on the game from the opening kickoff. It didn't take long until the ball was in the back of the net from Chris Berkey, deftly redirecting an entry pass from Todd Smith, a la Joey Fink from Heinz Wirtz (real indoor fans get the reference). It was a one way street for much of the first half, with the Stingers finishing with aplomb from distance, from angles, and from in tight. Defensively, Joe Pyles was an anchor all night, concentrating on trying to get the ball so he could live up to his two goal promise. Oops. He did better with the BarenJager. Bob King found ways to win friends and influence people, following an elbow to the mouth. Clearly, Bob wasn't backing down... Goals were aplenty, with none really being as humorous or as powerful
as Todd the Merciless' effort in the third quarter. Attempting to
spotweld the ball to the back of the net, Todd's drive was past the
keeper and rebounding out of the goal before the poor guy even had
a chance to protect his face. The Stingers have a week off to regroup, before making an assault on the Perring Premier League crown once again.Truly, it is good to get things back... Match Roster-Roberts, Forrester, Grams, Smith, Pyles, Haislip, King, Snead, Alessi, VanSchoorisse, Berkey, Lancelotta (Unger, Procida, Voegtlin) Chevrolet Man of the Match-Joe Pyles---Didn't score two goals, but defended well, brought beers, bought beers, and was absolutely energetic all night. Amazing, given his donation of a pint of blood earlier in the day. Team Player. Philips Goal Cam Goal of the Match---Tie-Jody Haislip's three strikes and your out mach 2 barrage and Chris Berkey's aforementioned redirection. One goal brutal, the other sublime. Yugo Man of the Match---Everyone. We missed the playoffs. Heal up TJ... |