Led by the midfield maestro, Peter Cline, DEA topped Peabody 4-2 on a picture-perfect morning at Sportsman's Field.  DEA, Hollis, and Seacoast are now in a 3-way tie for 2nd place with 3-2-1 records, six points behind table-leaders Ipswich.

 Cliney, playing in the center midfield, got DEA going at the 15-minute mark after taking a Willie Mungere pass and driving a shot home from 20 yards to give DEA a 1-0 lead.

DEA kept in pursuit of some insurance, with wave after wave of attempts at goal mostly started down the right flank which saw Barry Fitzgerald's pinpoint crosses to the box.  The last touch would go astray, with Ryan Carvalho's low shot the best of the numerous opportunities.

Peabody would level late in the half off a restart.  With keeper Lucas Hill screaming to get the defense to step up, they were slow to react.  The ensuing shot wormed through the crowd, where Lucas was caught between playing the pass -which it was- or the shot.  It didn't touch as soul and found the back of the net to level it at the half, 1-1.

Second half saw Willie, just back from a stint in the Witness Protection Program, causing problems with his energy.  It has been almost 18 months since Willie was playing this well, but it was a welcome return.  He would get the eventual game-winner when he rose to volley home another of Barry's crosses from 15 yards out close to the opening bell of the second half.

Cliney then set up Scott Gagnon with an acrobatic half-volley through ball in traffic that was pure artestry.  Gagnon finished off from close range to make it 3-1.

After Barry was taken down in the box after beating his man along the endline, Elvis took the PK and made no mistake by making it 4-1.

Peabody would pull one back to make it 4-2 late.  Lucas was then called upon to smother two drives to make sure it wouldn't get any closer.

DEA now has their toughest stretch of the season coming up.  They play away at Ipswich next week; then follow it up with back-to-back home games against Seacoast and Hollis.  If they continue to play as they did today, they will prove dangerous in the final month of the season. 

On a wet and rainy morning DEA took the soaked and puddle laidend field against Ipswich. For the 1st 30 minutes both teams struggled to gain any type of flow. Ipswich using strong counter attacks tested the DEA defense but the work of FLO, Jones, and Jerold in the back kept the Ipswich offense at bay. DEA countered with possession in the midfield and flank balls to Chris and Scott, to try and breakdown the strong and well balanced Ipswich defense. Both teams however were still stalemated!

However this was not a game to be decided by the players on the field, a couple of Cornie calls started to occur late in the 1st half, when Ryan “the giver” Carvalho was told by the official that if he holds on to the ball too long, he deserves to get kicked! This in sighted and infuriated the DEA team with great vengeance and furious anger, especially Jerold “the pacifist” White. Not soon after Ipswich on one of their counters got into the DEA box and they looked to send the ball across the end line. The serve, however, inadvertently struck the arm of a DEA defender. The official immediately blew the whistle and signaled for a PK.

Then the circus started, cost of admission free of charge as long as you were not African and had dread locks, otherwise no need for a green card or passport for entre, just come up and get your yellow card. In the span of 5 minutes Junior (AKA African Tackle) and “The Pacifist” received a total of three yellow cards for stating their opinion and in “The Pacifist” case holding his hands up and dancing in a circle like a jackass. What was looking like a good half went for not as Ipswich bared the PK into the lower left hand corner of the net and DEA went down to 10 men. For the last 10 minutes DEA continued to battle Ipswich, DEA got a couple of chances in the box, created by the passing of Ryan and Barry on the wing and the dribbling of Elvis. However the Cornie calls kept continuing. Ryan “the giver” Carvalho and an Ipswich play both got yellows for interactions that were less than pleasant. Soon after the same Ipswich player got sent off for voicing his displeasure at the Cornie official. He however was off the field, so Ipswich still was at full strength.

DEA tried to re-group at half time and played even with Ipswich for the 1st 15 minutes of the 2nd half even though down one man DEA held most of the possession and although they gave up a couple of counters Chris “AKA Powder” came up with some terrific stops to keep the game 1-0. Unfortantly someone gave a “MUPPET” a whistle, although a very tough challenge on the Ipswich player just outside the DEA box by Junior, the official handed out a 2nd yellow card to Junior. Now down two men the DEA defense could not hold back the Ipswich counter attack putting two goals in the next 15 minutes one off of a cross which was headed into the bottom corner and the 2nd off of an odd man rush which the Ipswich player slotted it past the GK.

DEA however found some life when Ipswich miss played a ball out of the back and Scott Gagnon was able to pass the ball into the back of the net just outside the 18. DEA than scored shortly after that when Chris beat the Ipswich defense and went on a breakaway. Chris fighting off one of the Ipswich defenders was taken down in the box from behind. The official quickly sent the Ipswich player off with a straight red and awarded DEA a PK, which Elvis placed into the corner of the net making it 3-2.

The comeback however was not to be. Still down a man and tired after exerting all their energy earlier in the game defending against the Ipswich counter attack. Ipswich sealed their victory with 2 more goals in the last 5 minutes. Unfortantely 5-2 lose was not the worst thing for DEA, now two games in they have 5 card points, and more importantly lose both Junior and Jerold for their next game which is against Seacoast.