NLSC-Rovers: From the side lines

I don’t know a ton about soccer but I do know that when Zinedine Zidane of the French national team head-butted Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the final of the 2006 World Cup he got a red card despite the fact that Materazzi had verbally taunted him.  It appeared today that even though FIFA rules are supposed to be followed they were only done so selectively by the referee for our first game.

It was great weather for soccer and given the performance of the team the past few games expectations were high.  Unfortunately the result was not what we would have hoped for.

The Rovers started out with good pressure for the first five minutes of the first half keeping the Southend Sabres on their heels.  However the first half ended with the Rovers down 3-1 and the team looking flat.

After Mackenzie went out with a ball to the . . . midsection, Robert took a free kick which was pushed up by Jordan.  The Rovers got the ball back after a Southend foul throw. Jake ended up taking a corner kick which was stolen and Southend started their relentless attack.  The Rovers had a few chances but Gideon easily stopped the shots.  After a Southend throw-in the team pushed up the field, sent in a pass that was not cleared and took a shot to the bottom left of the goal to get the first goal.

To the Rover’s credit, they didn’t let the first goal get them down.  After a Southend shot, a save by Gabe and then another big throw-in by Daniel, the ball was beautifully headed by Robert right to Matt and his killer left foot to tie the game.  You couldn’t have planned the teamwork better!

It was not long after this play that the refereeing started to go a bit wonky.  After a clear kick out of bounds by Southend that the ref gave back to them the ball was shot into the box and after some pin-balling it popped into the net giving Southend the lead once more.  This goal seemed to really get the team down and they were not able to apply the pressure and defence they had mounted earlier in the half or in prior games.  From that point on in the half it was all Southend.  At about the 25^th minute after a lot of back and forth and Rovers chasing the Sabres, they stole the ball, pressed, centred it and scored.  3-1 at the end of the half.

As Stephanie gave a “shout-out” to her Rover friends, the boys came out still flat for the first half of the second half.  The wonky calls landed Southend with a penalty shot which, although Gabe chose right, just missed his outstretched hands.  4-1 Sabres.  Not long after that goal the back and forth in the mid-field led to a Sabres steal and a shot at the bottom left that was good for 5-1.  After a Sabres corner kick followed by a throw-in which was passed left and then crossed to centre, the ball was shot in and pin-balled around like crazy until they managed to get off a shot high in the corner to go up 6-1.

The Rovers got stronger as the half progressed.  They were everywhere, particularly on Gideon’s throws after the Rovers’ shots.  The team was passing well and forced the Sabres back a fair bit.  Soon after the half began you could see that the Rovers were frustrating the Sabres as they started getting more physical as they tried to stop our boys.  Daniel took a hard tackle (for which no call was given) but recuperated quickly and cleared the ball to Sean who passed to Jordan who then passed to Robert for the shot which was unfortunately wide left.

Clearly the guy that tackled Daniel was not happy because not 2 minutes later (I hadn’t even finished writing down what just happened) Daniel was pushed hard twice by a Sabre. Here we go.  Red card, right?  Penalty shot, right?  Nice plan if the referee didn’t give a yellow card to Daniel for being pushed (I don’t know FIFA rules but I doubt that one is there).  Hello? As the kids text today, “WTF”? Didn’t the referee see the France/Italy final?  It took me a couple of minutes to register what happened.  In any case, kudos to Daniel for keeping his cool and not flattening the kid.

This must have revved up the Rovers because they dominated from that point on but could not get a shot on line to the net. The boys stole the ball, pressured, took more shots in the last ten minutes than they had for most of the game but it was not enough and the game ended 6 -1 Sabres.  This was a tough way to start the tournament but, it is not over yet.

It was a much more subdued Game Two of the tournament with the boys starting out strong but in the end Mississauga came out on top 3-1.

After a late start due to a late referee, (it was fun watching him get chauffeured in on the golf cart) the game started and the teams seemed evenly matched as both teams went up and down the field kicking the ball on the parents’ side.

All of a sudden, Mississauga broke through and took a hard shot on Gabe who made a great stop and then reached way back to grab his own deflection and then the action was on.  It looked like this would be a game that would be played well by both teams.

The Rovers struck first with a beautiful shot to the top corner by Robert after an initial shot by Sean that was deflected by the Mississauga keeper.  What a way to start against a team that beat our boys 1-nil in Brampton!  Soon after that goal however, Eric was called for a trip (?) and Mississauga were given a free kick at the top of the box but it sailed over the net – no harm done.

Mississauga were hungry now though and they attacked with a big shot high over Gabe which he managed to stop with a nice snow-cone save.  As the Rovers pushed back and shot, the resulting Mississauga save and goal kick sent their team up the field where they were able to split through our defence and shoot it in the back of the net. 1-1. The boys kept their heads up and finished the half strong (lots of shots, saves and passing) and confidence.

The Rovers came out of half time strong and put a lot of pressure on the Mississauga defenders but on a steal, their winger came streaking down the left side, centred the ball and their striker buried the ball in the net.  2-1 Mississauga.  That seemed to shake the boys because from that point on some silly mistakes were made giving them too many chances as the Rovers walked while Mississauga ran.  Luckily Gabe was on or the score could have been worse.

As the half wore on the Rovers were given a free kick at the top of their box and as Austin waited to kick, one of the Mississauga players was pulling on Robert’s jersey and maybe his shorts(?).  Of course the referee didn’t see this but he did see Robert (rightly) push the player off him and handed out yellows to them both.  The kick went on and the same kid that was on Robert headed it off his own crossbar for a near own goal.  Closer to the end of the game, Mississauga caught our boys standing around and not helping each other and walked in for a quick goal making it 3-1.  The last few minutes saw the Rovers press but to no avail and the game ended at 3-1 Mississauga.

This second game was a better outing by the Rovers than the first and one that was really unaffected by the officiating.  Unlike the third game of the tournament (as you will read later), it is nice to have the game decided by the players and not the referee.

HENDERSON TOURNAMENT - SEPTEMBER 6, 2009

Today’s game was perhaps the most apt reflection of what this great bunch of lads have come to be in the last half of the season - fiercely competitive, beautifully coordinated, unruffled by reputations and above all full of surprises!!

Although marred by some real rough play by the opponents, atrocious refereeing and Mark’s injury towards the end, the fact that the Rovers took the fight right back to the adversary against heavy odds defines what they are about! The game started off with the Waterloo players elbowing and nudging the Rovers and the ref turning a blind eye to the ongoings. Having seen a few of those ignored by the ref, Stewart couldn’t take it any longer. A simple question suggesting the ref to check the rough play and the ref ejects him to the shock and dismay of the Rovers. That pretty much sets the tone of the whole match.

To their credit, the Rovers didn’t take long to realize how the rest of the game was going to unfold and quickly raised the bar to challenge the opponents head-on in their own game!

The first half saw some very well carved attacks by the Rovers on the opponents’ box. A great run by Matt through three defenders and a shot at the goal on the run was a treat to watch. He had to pivot and shoot in one go which made the shot really hard. The fact that he still managed a decent one said a lot about this skills and speed.

A tough team, the Waterloo lads were equally relentless in their attacks and eventually broke thorough the Rover’s defense, with a sharp attacks in the 10^th minute of the first half.

With the first blood drawn by Waterloo, the Rovers started afresh with renewed vigour!  For me the turning point for the Rovers was a fierce little skirmish between Sean and two rough defenders right in the middle for ball possession! Following an intense fight for the ball, Sean managed to wrest possession and in the process took some tough blows in the ribcage. What was even more inspiring was the boy’s effort to put up a tough face and ignore the pain. Veteran of many such battles he never fails to surprise me with his focus, intensity and give-it-all attitude! Although the pain did eventually get the better of him for a while, but it sure brought the game alive for the Rovers.  From then on the Rovers played at a totally different level.  

Two minutes later, the Rovers get a free kick a good 35 yards from the box. Excellent execution by Austin sends the ball flying right in the middle of the box. Off comes the ball from a rebound of a defender, gets collected, controlled and passed neatly by Rob back to Austin waiting for another shot. 20 yards from the goal Austin takes the lob from Rob on the full and hits an extraordinary volley which has the Waterloo goalie under sweat as it sweetly soars over him and hit the right sidebar!!  This brilliant display of individual skills and team coordination though didn’t yield the desired result; it did generate lots of “oohs”, “aahs” and plenty of excitement for Rovers parents on the sidelines.

Carrying over the momentum of the first half, the Rovers came out blazing with some real gutsy display of defence and offence. Just when an excellent slide tackle by Kenzie looked a hard to beat act, out came the “rocket propelled” Eric with another slide tackle to a boy twice his size, and saved what could have been another goal for the opponents. The boy showed some heart to do that and truly reflected the mood of the Rovers at that point.

Soon after, the Rovers were in the opponents half and got another free kick. This time it was Jake who executed a great kick with his characteristic languid grace. As expected, it was right on the money. A crisp collection by the Waterloo keeper preempted a “could be” potent strike. Jake is by far the most effortless and deceptive kicker of the soccer ball I have come across in this league. No grunting, no placing the ball on the spot, three short steps, a gentle fluid swing of the leg and before you know it the ball is sailing over your head and with some knots on it.

Greatly moved by the incident in the last game, I can’t help commenting on Daniel’s exemplary poise in a face of provoking aggression. The aplomb with which he handled the repeated pushing by an opponent in the last game was a lesson for me and probably several others among us. Perfectly aware of his own strength over his aggressor, he chose to stand unperturbed and not hit back when he could have, and to some good effect!  In the heat of the moment all parents wanted him to do just that but in retrospect I believe what he did in that moment is what defines real strength of character and the boy proved that he has no dearth of that. Attaboy Danielson, way to go my child!! 

One of the biggest differences in the team from last year is the monumental improvement in its defence. With the quartet of Mark, Daniel, Austin and Eric getting ever more adept in the art of jockeying, offside traps, along with their speed and aggression, the defence is much harder to pierce and sure footed than it was ever before. This coupled with the near impregnable last line of defence formed by Gabe, The Rovers are fast developing into a team to beat in the future. Some excellent diving saves by Gabe, including a spot kick showed a glimpse of what Rovers are going to be in another year.

And last but not the least, Coach Stewart’s relentless hammering of the basics into the boys minds is finally coming to fruition!  Having coached a few teams, I realize how it feels to be on the wrong side of a scoreboard. Undaunted by all the defeats that the Rovers had to face in the past, he stuck to his guns against heavy odds and chose to teach the boys the right but hard things. And behold, its all coming together with a bang now!

Salute to the coach for developing this wonderful bunch of kids into a great team! This one is for you coach. Great job!

SIMUNYE!

Reported by: Mike Sissing (on extremely short notice)

Rovers 6 – Byron 1

On a beautifully sunny, yet cool August evening, the Rovers prepared for their final regular season game of the 2009 campaign. After having wrapped up third place with a win the previous week, the only things on the line tonight were pride and the desire to send a message to the Byron squad for the upcoming Challenge Cup meeting.Our referee (the same one present at last week’s shortened game), conveyed to the training staff that he hoped to get in a full 80 minutes this time. Wanting to make the most of this, the Rovers started off fast. In the first minute, they forced a corner kick, and Austin placed a perfect cross to the penalty spot onto the awaiting noggin of Robert, who redirected it with authority into the net. 1-0 Rovers.

The Rovers obviously came to play tonight, passing the ball effortlessly around the pitch, using everyone on the field and leaving Byron helpless to the onslaught. In the 8^th minute, a ball played down the right wing, was crossed in by Kenzie, tipped by Sean to Matt and into the net. 2-0 Rovers. No more than 5 minutes later, after a great throw-in by Daniel (leaving the Byron defence mesmerized), Sean ends up with the ball deep in the box and makes no mistake, 3-0.

Buoyed by their success, the Rovers continue to pass the ball well and try the left side, where Eric wins a ball from a Byron player, moves up field, threads it through to Robert, who deftly places it in the far corner past a sprawling keeper in the 15^th minute. 4-0 Rovers. INCREDIBLE!!!

In the 29^th minute, after being awarded a free kick, Austin launches an arcing shot high over the Byron keeper’s head and under the crossbar for the fifth goal of the match. All told, there would be 17 free kicks awarded throughout the match, none of them as rewarding as Austin’s. Halftime arrives and the Rovers own a commanding 5-0 lead. Let’s hope history doesn’t repeat itself and the Rovers allow the Byron team back into the game in the second half.

Byron starts the second half with a little more determination and after putting one of the many free kicks into the goal area, an ensuing scramble results in the ball bouncing off the crossbar. They are finally rewarded with a goal in the 50^th minute. The play becomes somewhat choppy with no sustained ball control but chances at both ends nonetheless. The keepers are up to the task though and the score remains unchanged. Finally, in the 70^th minute, Matt beats a defender, and with Barr and Kenzie as decoys in front, lobs the ball over the keeper and into the net. This gives Matt second place in the goal scoring race. Great job Matt! 6-1 Rovers.

The Rovers step up their play once again and play the possession game, which results in some offensive chances. Many shots are directed towards the goal but miss right or left. Two crosses from the right corner by Kenzie find a wide open Barr’s head in the 79^th and 80^th minutes, but are directed over and off the crossbar. So close. The final whistle blows. 6-1 Rovers win.

 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Record by Joe Gabriel with technical assistance of Blair Collette 

Rovers 5 - Sarnia Fury 4

All was not quiet on the Western front as the Sarnia Fury came to play the North London Rovers in a key late season game.  The stage was set, a blazingly bright sun on the horizon, a cool breeze from the north.

The game started quickly with the Rovers dominating, as they displayed their new 3-2-2-3 strategy.  The Rovers persistent effort and firm resolve shut down the Fury’s offence.  The ref must have realized the significance of this game, and made his presence know early on.

The Rovers midfield and defence was like an iron curtain containing the Sarnia offence.  At the same time the Rover offence was coming alive with beautiful passes and many near missed on the net.

In the 14^th minute of the game with remarkable reflexes Jake pick up a rebound and in a flash buried the ball in the Sarnia net (1-0).

The next 16 minutes saw exciting exchanges of play.  At the 30 minute mark there was a momentary breakdown of the offside trap and the score was (1-1).

The Rovers were not to be denied a beautiful cross found Robert leaping forward and heading the ball into the Sarnia net (2-1) in minute 33.

Then it stared two bold fouls in the Sarnia box.  Matt and Sean received penalty shots.  Both of them “Bluenosers” both of them set their sails high as they soared their penalty kicks toward the Maritime Provinces.

At the same time their was heavy drama unfolding on the Sarnia bench, resulting in the double ejection of the Sarnia coaching staff.  Make no mistake this ref was for real.  To say the least the Sarnia fan were not happy campers.  Almost unbelievably the Sarnia coaching staff now about 50 yards from the pitch continued to chirp form the parking lot.

In the midst of all this extra curricular activity the Rovers experienced a lapse of concentration and the ever ready Fury players tied the score (2-2).

The second half started with a strong Rover offense taking charge.  Matt on a breakaway scored, with what is known as a redemption goal (3-2).

Shortly following, a solid throw in by Daniel found Barr at the far post, without hesitation he made it a (4-2) game.

Next, Matt on what looked like an instant replay of his previous goal made it a (5-2) game. 

However, the game was not over and Sarnia quickly answered with a corner kick at the 10 minute mark (5-3).

After an intense exchange of play, the Fury remained aggressive and in the 11^th minute was rewarded with another goal (5-4).

The ref mysteriously stopped the game, the fans and player stood silently.  He walked off the field toward the parking lot where the ejected Sarnia coaches were standing.  Although, their words could not be heard, their body language spoke volumes.  Next, the whistle blew and the ref called the game over.  Rovers 5; Fury 4.

This game was recorded by Joe Gabriel with exceptionally noted technical assistance of Blair Colette.

P.S. Somewhere, Shakespeare said that life was filled with the sound and Fury but signifies nothing.  Maybe somebody should share with Virginia Woolf.

Reported By: Tony Resendes
Rovers 5 - Oakridge 2

As the sun set on my 29^th birthday, I settled down to write the game report against our nemesis Oakridge.  The season is drawing to a close and there is no room for error.  Rovers must run the table to have a chance at promotion.

Moments after the opening kickoff, the Rovers moved the ball up the right side and earned a free kick just outside the 18 yard box.  Austin’s swerving free kick found Jake’s head off to the side of the goal.  It was taken brilliantly off the turf and deposited into the back of the net.  Rovers had the all important first goal which had eluded them in past contests against Oakridge.  The Rovers continued to dominate the first quarter of an hour with great play in the midfield from Eric, Sean, Kenzie and Jake.  Mackenzie’s cross in the 15^th minute was headed just wide by Robbie for a goal kick.  The remainder of the first half was played evenly with both teams trading chances.  The Rover defence played well keeping Oakridge to long range shots that were collected by Gabe’s sure hands.  At the end of the half, the Rovers had a well deserved one nil lead.

The Rovers started the second half the same way they started the first. From the opening kickoff Matt sent a ball to Jorden down the left side.  Jorden’s hustle and determination resulted in a shot on net by Matt that needed a great save by the Oakridge keeper.  Matt would exact his revenge against his former team in the 46^th minute with brilliant transitional play down the right side.  Marc started the play from deep in Rover territory to Eric. Eric in turn found Robbie at the top of the box. Robbie’s through ball sprung Matt and he made no mistake.  It was a 2 goal lead for the Rovers.  A few minutes later Sean broke through the heart of the Oakridge defence and fired a shot to the right corner.  The Rovers turned the table on Oakridge and this time they have taken a 3-0 lead and Oakridge seemed down and out.  The game got physical as Oakridge became frustrated.  Sami and Anthony of Oakridge were assessed 2 minutes each for roughing at 12:27 of the 2nd period. Oakridge caught a break in the 51^st minute when a looping shot from their left winger found its way over Gabe and into the corner.  The Rover defence seemed rattled after that goal and a few minutes later Oakridge scored again on a defensive lapse. An Oakridge player was left unmarked at the top of the box and his shot eluded Gabe and suddenly it was 3-2.  Game on!  To the Rovers credit, they settled down and started to press forward.  The pressure paid off in the 60^th minute when the Rovers were awarded a free kick from 25 yards out.  Austin struck a beauty over the outstretched hands of the Oakridge keeper.  The Rovers regained a 2 goal lead.  Oakridge again showed their frustration with physical play and a yellow card resulted when Marc was pushed from behind.  Rovers rounded out the scoring in the 66^th minute on a masterfully taken free kick for Jake’s 2^nd goal of the match.   When the final whistle blew, the Rovers had an impressive 5-2 victory.

The Rovers have come a long way since the beginning of the season. They are undefeated in the last four league games and have a chance to finish second.  Good luck the rest of the way.

North London Rovers tie Byron
 

Reported By: Lubna Al Bayoumi

Byron 2 - Rovers 2

The North London Rovers started the game off with a new formation which was a 3-2-3-2 . It started the Rovers off with a speedy start.

About 15 minutes into the game the Rovers had control of the game and were passing like professionals.  They caught the other team’s defence sleeping and Jake was off on the wing with Robert running along with him.  When Jake got close to the 6 yard box he crossed it in with his left foot and Robert put it into the back of the net brilliantly.
 
The Rovers kept passing the ball around very nicely and Robert was on the go again only to score his second goal of the game.
 
About 35 minutes into the game, Eric was penalized for challenging the ball cleanly and getting the ball first. The ref made a bad call like all the other calls.
 
The Rovers went into half time 2-1
 
The Rovers got too an OK start after half time but the other teams kick & run strategy was a problem for our defence.
 
10 minutes in Mark had a nice shot that the keeper saved. Unlucky.
 
The ref started to make his horrible calls after that shot.
 
The Byron team did not deserve the free kick that they got at the edge of the 18 yard box, but the Byron team equalized before the final whistle by 12 minutes. After thatfree kick call; the game became funnier and harder as the Rovers were pushing it to the limit but unfortunately we couldn't score .
 
Good game boys! Unlucky game!  It was a very exciting and funny game too watch. We’ll get them next time.

Final Score...2-2

BRAMPTON TOURNAMENT - AUGUST 1, 2009

BRAMPTON TOURNAMENT - AUGUST 2, 2009

Game 3 :  Brampton Blast "Blue" 1 - London Rovers 1 

Reported by : Johnathan Esguerra  

On the second day of the tournament, our Rovers played against another Brampton team.  At the start of the game, our forwards were aggressive in their offensive zone.  Scoring chances were coming from corner kicks, free kicks from the centre and Matt's speed. 

Our defense were also doing their part by frustrating Brampton's forwards especially when they used the offside trap that negate some of their good scoring chances.  The two teams played to a scoreless tie until the 16th minute when Brampton scored the first goal courtesy of the player whom I called B27. 

At the start of the second half, our forwards continued their aggressive attacks to the net while our defense kept the ball to the offensive zone.  Of particular note was the play of Sami who was challenging the Brampton defense especially his one-one-one scrimmages against B27 who switched to play "D" after he scored the lone goal of the game. 

The Rovers finally broke their goalless streak of the tournament at the 45th minute when Matt received a perfect pass from McKenzie and scored with a beautiful strike.  As soon as the Rovers tied the game, B27 shifted from "D" to striker again.  But this time, our defense ganged up on him and they made the necessary adjustments to eliminate most of his scoring chances.  Special mention to the Asantey’s for giving additional defensive tips from the sideline to our defense, especially to Kwesi to preserve the tie. 

At the post-game interview with Coach Stewart, he acknowledged the boys' hard work but he wanted them "to challenge more and be more physical".  

Game 4 :  London Rovers 0 - Mississauga 1

Reported by : Johnathan Esguerra  

Building on the momentum from game 3 of this tournament that resulted in a 1-1 tie, our boys continued their assault to the net creating more scoring chances against the team from Mississauga.  Not to be outdone, their opponents mounted counter attacks of their own.  But they were all thwarted either by Gabe's amazing saves or the offside traps by our defenders.

The battles for possession of the ball between our defenders and their forwards were amazing.  Austin even had a nice shot on goal.  On the 10th minute, Matt kicked the ball to the net but it hit the post.  Unfortunately, no one from our team was there for the rebound.  Our best scoring chance came when Eric passed the ball to Matt who  took the shot but was stopped by their goalie while falling down.  The rebound came to Jordan and he kicked the ball towards the yawning net.  But Mississauga's defence quickly reacted to block the ball from going into the net.

At the 23rd minute, Mississauga scored the first goal of the game.  And for the fourth straight game of this Tournament, our Rovers find themselves trailing their opponents by a score of 1 - 0 after the first half.

The teams traded "scoring chances and missed chances" for most of the second half.  At the 36th minute,  Eric had a foot injury when he was trying to clear the ball from the Rovers defensive zone.  At the 47th minute, Mississauga was awarded a free kick but fortunately for the Rovers, the ball hit the post.  Our boys were pressing hard to equalize the game as the clock was not on their side.  Things got "ugly" between McKenzie and one of the Mississauga's players.  McKenzie was brought down by the defender while he was going to the net.  Both players gave each other "not-so-friendly" gestures and as this was going on, the referee whistled to stop the play.  Austin quickly grabbed the ball and kicked it to Jake who was sprinting towards the net for our last scoring chance.  Final score 1 - 0 for Mississauga.

I'm proud of our boys hardwork and determination.  Playing against teams from the big cities and keeping the scores close is an experience that they can use as they aim to join the WOYSL by next season and beyond.

Go Rovers!

END

Rovers beat undefeated Woodstock

10 minutes into the game, Mat gets a rebound off a defender and gives us our first goal.  Forwards and mid fielders are passing the ball well (into the open space) and are playing very aggressive 
 
20 minutes in and Mat scores our second goal with a great shot low and in the corner. Unlucky for Fateh...he had a couple of chances to score, keep at it, its going to come.
 
25 minutes in and Sami makes a great pass to Mat but just missed his hat trick.  Our defence kept their forwards from getting close shots at the net, which made Gabe's job a lot easier.

End of first half (2-0)
 
5 minutes in and Jake almost scores with a great run down the right side and places the ball just over the left corner of the net.
 
35 minutes in and Mat almost scores his third goal, but it just goes over the cross bar.
 
I feel that the constant coaching from the side lines really helped this game...nice job! We had a lot of scoring chances because we took a lot of shots at their net.
 
The whole team played very aggressive which made Gabes job a lot easier.  Congratulations Gabe on another shut out, you made some tremendous saves!!  I know that if we can play this way all the time, we will be unstoppable.
 
Final score....2-0

A Pot of “Goals” at the End of the Rainbow

Reported by : Alon Gurman

Rovers 5 – Middlesex 1

Monday evening 18:00

The field was wet, as one hour prior to the game it was heavily raining.   However when the game started, the sun came out and a wonderful rainbow displayed a symbol of a great game for the Rovers.

Middlesex had the first ball and they opened the first half. Rovers started very strong and at the first minute Sean had a nice shot to the net and the keeper stopped it.  Good pass by Jake minute 3 no one was there to put it in.  The Rover's pressured all over the field, the strong defenders Daniel, Eric, Mark and Austin not allowing any ball to pass them.

At the 7 minute, the rain started again but this time it wasn't from the sky, it was from our players.Robert scored the  1 – 0.  The mid-field displayed great team work, nice passes between the players.Nice play by Robert, another shot, but the keeper was there to stop it. Unlucky this time Robert.  Sean sealing the 2^nd in the 10^th minute – a high ball to the corner, which the keeper was only able to watch as it sailed into the net.  A great move by Matt in the 12^th minute, awarded him the 3^rd goal.  And never failing ... another good play by Matt, but this time the keeper stopped it!

The defenders continue to work hard and show great team work.  Kenzie has a good chance however was not strong enough.  Some good play by Middlesex, a strong kick to the net, but Gabe was there to stop it.

Matt was in the box on his way for another one when he was taken down in the box, the ref did not hesitate with his call and Rovers are awarded a penalty shot. And the offended Matt did not hesitate in accepting the award and sealing it with GOALLLLLL number 4 (min 30).

Sami touching the ball, with a little too much power; takes a shot from the middle but it’s too strong and almost in. Barr participating and moving the ball, passes the it onto Robert, who finishes and places the fifth and final goal of the half and the match in the back of the net.  5-0 (min 35).  Although never giving up the fight Eric takes a shot at the keeper in the 44th min.  The first half over, great half for the Rovers.

Second half and the Rovers start very strong, and in the second minute Sami was taken down, mastering the two touch game, the shot is just too high.  Kenzie takes a nice shot, still not strong enough. But not giving up Kenzie tries again - this time the keeper stops it!  Gabe did an excellent job and really had to stretch his body few times.  Good defense by Daniel, and when you are so determined you can earn a  yellow card.  A minute later, some good moves by Daniel who took the ball all over the field, finding and passing it onto Robert and...Almost in!  So many chances ... just not finding the back of the net!

Middlesex scored their first and only goal of the game in the 75^th minute - and they deserve this goal, they played hard to earn it.  But another attempt at the Middlesex goal soon afterwards, results in yet another near- miss – set up by a great corner by Fateh, finding Sami’s head but missing the net.Than we heard the final whistle, as the ref ended the game.  Great game Rovers - Great team work - We couldn't ask for better game

Thank you coaches

See you all on Wednesday

Unfortunate Loss to Norwest

Reported by: Louisa Demelo

Rovers 1 - Norwest 3

It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon as the Rovers took to the Windermere pitch looking determined despite the weather. As the ball was kicked off the boys battled hard against the strong Norwest team. The Rovers had created plays and had some offensive chances on net, as well as kept control of the ball with the defensive playing possession. Norwest wins the ball and with some confusion in the Rovers box, Norwest scores a goal with in the first half giving them a 1-0 nothing lead. However down by a goal the Rovers kept the pressure up with the help of two great efforts by Robert, and Kenzie. Defensively Daniel also made a great impressive stop. Norwest gets a breakaway in the last dire seconds at the half defence struggled to get back, one on one with Goal Keeper (Gabe) the Norwest player gets robbed as Gabe makes an incredible  sliding save keeping Norwest to only a 1-0 lead at the end of the half.

At the beginning of the second the Boys were looking a bit tired. Norwest seemed to be controlling the majority of the game and sure enough they scored their second goal on an unlucky rebound after Gabe made a big save. This second goal was not good for the rovers as they looked as if they had just been defeated. But when it seemed as if they were down and out Goal keeper Gabe stepped up and kept them in the game by making a few big saves. This seemed to get the momentum going for the team. With this new found momentum and the amazing encouragement from the sidelines, well also giving Julie a heart attack for “teasing.” :P As the Rovers pushed on Norwest got the ball and got a lucky third goal as the wet ball seemed to just slip in. At this point the boys had it and gave it all they had; they created some great offensive plays with multiple close scoring opportunities. With a beautiful cross from Fateh, a nice touch from Kenzie and a bullet of a finish from Sean the Rovers scored, the sidelines go crazy. The boys kept the pressure up, but unfortunately time was not their side with the game coming to an end.

Norwest wins but our Rovers played hard and we are very proud of our boys, good job team, as always lots of fun watching our Rovers on the field.

And as always all good things come to an end. LL I mean my report.

Simunye Rovers!!!!

Rovers Dominate in Win over Wolves

Reported by: John Dawiczewski

Rovers 6 - Wolves 0

Great 90 Minute GameGame Time: 6:30

Missing Players: Sami, Jake

A beautiful evening for football, Note to who ever looks after the Wolves field… Cut the Grass and paint the goals!!

In the a pre game interview that the coach wanted, He told this reporter that he wanted his players to play  the 4-4-2, Hold the ball on the back end and feed the runners. Finish with the ball in the back of the net and come away with a victory.

The Rovers started out great and in the first minute, they had a beautiful throw in by Daniel to Fateh who had a nice touch pass to Matt and he picks the far left corner of the net. 1-0 Rovers.

In the 5^th minute the Rovers with all the pressure, Eric with a lead pass to Matt who crosses to the top of the box but the Wolves keeper comes out to snatch the ball away. In the 9^th minute the Wolves with a nice break out from the back end have a drive to the net but Daniel foils the chance.

Finally in the 10^th minute the Wolves get a shot off but Gabe comes up with the save and Sean clears the ball and the “D” pushes up and the offside is called. The trap seems to be working. 12^th minute Nico crosses to the centre and after a couple of miss touches by Rover teammates Sean chips one over the Wolves keeper. 2-0 Rovers.

13^th to 16^th minute that second goal by the Rovers woke up the Wolves, who have some sustained pressure on the Rovers but the defense holds. Great work by Austin, and Daniel in the middle. 17^th to 20^th minute the speed of Matt, Fateh, Robbie and Sean are giving the Wolves defense fits trying to keep them marked. Robbie with a nice touch pass to Matt, who takes a shot right to the keeper. Great ball movement is noticed by all in attendance, and over heard by this reporter.

So far the coach’s game plan seems to be working. The defense hitting the runners down the wings with them crossing to the box. Nice to see practice drills used in game action.

In the 24^th minute a nice kick out from Gabe that Sean corrals and touch passes to Matt who beats a couple of defenders, pulls the keeper to the left and deposits it into the right side of the net. 3-0 Rovers.

28^th minute Austin with a high feed to the top of the 18 yd box, Robbie with a chip shot over his shoulder but a defender kicks the ball out before it crosses the goal line. Nice sustained pressure by the Rovers, Daniel , Austin, Eric, Kwesi, Marc  moving the ball well on the back end to Jorden, Sean, Fateh, Kenzie, Barr, in the middle who in turn move it to Robbie, Matt, and Nico up front. Excellent control boys.

32^nd minute, Marc to Austin to Daniel (nice switch) who does a cross field pass  to Matt who gets of a shot of the crossbar. 39^th minute a cross into the box area and an unlucky hand ball by the Wolves results in a penalty kick by Sean. Sean tees up the ball whistle blows and a beautiful strike to the upper right corner. The keeper had no chance. 4-0 Rovers at the half.

49^th minute a nice feed through the middle by Eric to Nico who touch passes to Matt who breaks down the left side curls a shot just wide of the upper left corner. Rovers still with all the pressure. Fateh beats a couple of defenders cross it over to Barr who takes the shoot but the keeper comes up with a good save. 50^th minute nice kick out by Gabe that gets through the Wolves defenders and Matt uses his speed and after two touches places a perfectly placed ball to the bottom left corner. 5-0 Rovers.

Rovers with all kinds of pressure. Gabe has only had two touches this half the Rovers have nice ball control.

Some comments by the team photographer would have had them joining the “CREW” across the street in Stratford but not here.

78^th minute an unlucky yellow card to the Rovers comes from not giving up on the ball and brushing the keeper, excellent pressure. 82^nd minute and the cards keep coming, it’s good to be aggressive but some control boys (from what I hear a player has a new nick name as Karate Kid). 87^th minute nice ball control by the Rover team results in Jorden taking the ball down the right wing and chipping a shot over the keeper to the back of the net. 6-0 Rovers.

This makes 5 games in a row where the Rovers as a team have played well. 90 minutes of excellent work resulted in a well deserved win. Gabe with his first Shut out and an excellent game all round.

On a side note, the coach wanted a post game interview but was brushed off by this reporter because all of the talking was done on the field by the boys!!!

This game gave the true meaning of “SIMUNYE”

Reported by : Toni Coulbeck

The boys were tired and hot after playing 2 games earlier in the day but ready for the challenge to make the 3^rd game count.  Coach Stewart started prepping them and to his and the boys dismay he was told he wasn’t able to coach!  The team got all sorted as Blair took over the coaching role and the game got started.

The boys started moving the ball around the field with good passing and setting up great opportunities.  As the boys built momentum, Mark freed himself from being sandwiched but was able to pass up to Kenzie who made a beautiful cross to Matt who nicely placed it in the back of the net.  Game on! 

Next Jake took a beautiful corner kick which Daniel rushed to the front of the net creating a rebournd right to Sean who sent it over the net.  The boys kept moving the ball up the field beautifully, creating many opportunities.  Matt took advantage of this and once again sent the ball to the back of the net.   

Then Matt deaked 1, deaked 2, deaked three Guelph players and placed the ball once again at the back of the net!!!  Wow a hat trick for our newest player – the fans went crazy!    Now it was Kenzies turn to send it into the net 3 times, The Rover’s are on a roll!  Then after sending the ball over the net into a neighbours yard 4 times, Sean finally saw his ball head to the back of the net! 

Guelph finally created an opportunity for themselves as Gabe took a  gamble and came out of the net to attack, unable to catch it, it was sent into the net.  Rovers shook it off as Blair switched up Robert and Sean to defence and Austin and Daniel to mid, they worked hard in their new spots but with minutes left Guelph tried to figure out their free kick strategy and sent one into the upper right corner of the net – the boys didn’t have a chance with that one. 

However, the Rovers were not done as Robert and Jake created another opportunity for Kenzie to send one back into the net. Well done Rovers, great triangle passing and ball movement through out the game.  Although we won 8-2, it still was not enough points to move onto the semis. 

Well Done Rovers!

END

"Crotch-bound"  "Shame on You" "Frikkin Good Game"

Sarnia Fury 1 - Rovers 1

Reported by : Julie Clark

“Crotch-bound”  “Shame on You” “Frikkin good game” – are comments that were heard on the sidelines at this edge of your seat game!

Driving through the downpour on the way to the game ... we wondered what “storm” lay ahead!

The captains met in the centre circle, the coin was tossed and Sean headed back to the team with confidence, Rovers have the kick-off!

Rovers took immediate control, with Matt attacking the ball as the whistle started the game. The first corner of the game was awarded to Rovers and the attack continued with the Rovers taking shots on goals, but having these find the “safe hands” of a confident Sarnia goalie.  A Sarnia pass is intercepted and controlled by Austin, finding Jake and sending the ball in his direction.  Jake receicved the ball, looked up, searched for the perfect spot, took the shot and found the top left corner - out of the goalie’s reach.

For the first time this season, in this reporter’s opinion, Rovers kept up the level of play, not settling for a 1 – 0 win.  The boys continued to work hard, think and act appropriately, and continually knocked at the goals of the Sarnia keeper.  The Sarnia keeper deserves credit, as he certainly saved the day for Sarnia, with more than 15 shots on goals from the Rovers attackers and midfielders, and even the defence, he laid his hand on at least 60% of them, the rest being denied by the uprights, the corner and the cross bar!

The 2^nd half starts as if the Sarnia Fury have been told to break through the defensive off-side trap, but as we all know this takes a gutsy, fast paced forward, and a slow a ref!  The defence were certainly challenged but seemed to have the right fight and came out winning on several occasions, and feeding the ball back to the eager forwards.  However... one slip & one bad call is all it took – and a Sarnia player sneaks, unseen, by the ref, between our ever stringent defence line and Gab’, gets control of the ball and takes an unexpected shot at the goal and seals their 1^st goal and last challenge on our net!

Entertaining soccer by a determined Rovers team, who felt robbed by an off side goal, yet never giving up the challenge.  Keeping their supporters on the edge of their seats, this Rovers team didn’t give up until the final whistle blew to end off this tied game – but happy to steal 2 points from Sarnia and share a point each. Tonight we were treated to some entertaining yet gutsy soccer, 11 boys on the field starting their summer holidays in true Rovers style.

Keep wanting "IT" boys – you will and do deserve a title that’s coming your way!

Rovers Face Undeserving Loss

Reported by: Stella Asantey

Rovers 1 - Oakridge 3

Great effort by the Rovers!

The Rovers were unlucky with this particular game ending in a 3-1 loss to Oakridge. There were lots of very good passes in the first half, very good defending and two brilliant saves by the goalie. The Rovers dominated in ball possession in the first half which almost resulted in a goal when the slippery ball went off the Oakridge goalie’s grip, but no one available to finish the ball. There were lots of good defending and challenges by all players and it looked like the Rovers had this game in the bag. The boys played an excellent first half ending 0-0.

At the start of the second half, both teams returned to the field exhibiting vigorous and rigorous soccer. Six minutes into the second half, Sean scored an excellent goal from the middle of Oakridge’s half right into the top right corner of the net. Once this goal was scored, everyone thought that the Rovers would seal the game with some more goals and that the game would be under Rover’s absolute control. Oakridge, however, came back strong and it seems our boys had run out of steam. Ball passes became random and uncoordinated. Oakridge started winning most of the passes. In the 16^th minute into the second half, Oakridge tied the game.

By this time it was obvious that our boys were tired, from the way they were running and handling their ball possession. Seven minutes after the equalizer, a second goal resulted after an Oakridge striker got possession of a Rovers’ goalie kick that went quarter of the field out of the Rovers’ area. By this time most players looked exhausted and couldn’t keep up with Oakridge’s strategy of a hit-and-run game, which resulted in one more goal.

There were some close attempts by the Oakridge side, but I must say our goalie’s great effort and the boys’ Simunye esprit, despite their tiredness, kept the margin at 3-1 by the close of the match.

Good job boys! Cheer up; we have another chance to prove our capabilities to them.

Simunye Rovers!

Rovers Pocket a Few Useful Points against London United

Reported by : Jimmy

Rovers 3  -  London United 2

Congratulations to Rovers for nailing the game against London United and pocketing a few useful points! The boys had a great game and dominated right through the game.  After some very close shots by Jake, Kenzie and Austin in the first half, Austin eventually broke through with a fantastic free kick over the goalie’s head. He sure is becoming a bit of a free kick expert with his “Roberto Carlos specials’. Boy, he does pack a punch in those!

Keeping up the momentum of the first half, the boys raised the bar a few notches in the second half. An excellent run by Matt down the left flank left the defenders dazed with Matt’s speed and aggression. This, followed by a perfectly placed ball right in the centre of box by Matt, and Sean gave a clinical finish to that!

Third goal was a classic example of great defence, presence of mind and teamwork. Eric got in perfect position to trap a defender’ kick and took it right back to the opponent box. A deft touch by him set the ball up for Matt who put the ball in with some panache!

There were several other chances created by other boys in the team, which were close misses. Defence and midfield were as strong as ever with some excellent saves by Gabe in the net.

Kudos to the other team as well for coming back from three goals behind to end up with a score of 3-2. There were some anxious moments for the Rovers parents towards the end but the boys always looked in control.

Must not loose the momentum when you are up boys! Keep up the good work up!

Simunye!