Home of the Region 1 Premier League Strikers: Strikers News: Spring 2005 Season Update

Spring 2005 Season Update
Well, there are only a few games left. The Strikers have clinched their second consecutive MOSA Premiership championship and there is still one MOSA game left on June 5.

The Strikers have really been showing good form over the past 4 weeks including a 3rd place finish at the Manalapan Memorial Day Tournament. While placing third may not be on the top of everyone's wish list, the Strikers did it while playing up in the U14 Boys Flight. They stormed through their first 3 games of the tournament with wins of 5-0, 3-0 and 4-0 over Scotch Plains, Staten Island and Northern Valley. Then on Sunday, after playing a solid first half against Ramapo, they experience a mental lapse that they haven't shown this season. After missing an open net goal, the Strikers became complacent and unfocussed and allowed 4 straight goals to #8 on Ramapo. This player was by far the best player we have faced in 2004 and while he was hot, we were not.

On Monday, the Strikers faced the Manalapan Lazers, the defending MOSA U14B Premier Champs and needed a win to take first place. The Strikers were not intimidated, even though they were clearly outsized and outweighed. The pace was fast and the play was very physical with 37 fouls being called during the game, 4 of them on the Strikers. The Strikers jumped out to a 1-0 lead only to watch their lead taken away, not by a player, but by the referee who called a very questionable handball penalty kick. Manalapan carried it's momentum into the second half and scored on a head ball off of a throw in. (Did I mention that they were much bigger than us?)

But the Strikers would not go down without a fight. The last 15 minutes of the game produced some great soccer by the Strikers and Manalapan never possessed the ball again. After a number of near misses, the Strikers tied the game 2-2 with about 8 minutes left. While the Strikers continued to mass waves of attacks on the Manalapan goal, they just could not find a way to penetrate the big back four of Manalapan who just kept kicking the ball out of danger and down the field. The game ended in a tie, allowing Ramapo to take second and Manalapan first, but the Strikers definitely showed that they played the best soccer of this tournament.

The Strikers will finish up their 10th week with games against North Hunterdon on June 4 and Peninsula on June 5. After playing LSTS on June 8, it's time for a much needed rest before starting up training to prepare for our summer league and tournaments.