Voyle Park Rangers

We are the champions!

Oh yeah baby …….. we did it !

Voyle Park Rangers - winners of the 2014 annual Cambridge derby and now holders of the Kerkhoff Voyle Park Trophy.

1 all after extra time, 4 -3 winners on penalties (with 1 still in hand).

What can I say? It was a game of true emotion. They were confident, and why shouldn’t they be? Consistently near the top of the 2^nd division, unbeaten in derby games and all football players of many years’ experience. To top it off, we were playing on the No. 1 pitch – significantly larger than we’re used too (and favouring the fitter team).

They had a lot of the ball, a few shots but weren’t very clinical. We defended well and played a bit of football ourselves. Grim determination gave way to sheer ecstasy as Campbell slotted home a nice goal. This wasn’t just a one nil lead – this was the first time we had scored in a derby match.

We clung onto our lead as the legs tired. We staunchly defended as they started to control the game. Still they struggled to break through and resorted to long shots - some were close, many were not. As the clock started to tick down, niggles started to creep into the game proving their desperation to score and ours not to concede. There was no way we wanted to let them get back into it – especially after last weeks’ disappointment.

Shite – 7 minutes to go and they scored! It hurt, it hurt real bad! Final whistle and it was 1 all.

The Red Devils were keen for extra time, they wanted the win and knew that they had the wood on us. After the game, the ref even told me he thought we would be murdered in extra time as it looked like our legs had died in the last 15 minute. I wasn’t keen but the team wanted to go for the win as well, so it was all on for another 20 minutes.

Niggles got worse and it was hard to see us scoring as they continued to press – luckily it was fairly ineffectual. Then the killer sound of a whistle and seeing the ref pointing to the penalty spot. That decision simply sucked. Trent (one of the little mouthy ones) stepped up and slotted home a good penalty. The pain eased a bit as the ref called for it to be retaken as one of their players had run into the box too early. What we thought was mere temporary relief turned to joy as Runty showed Trent who was boss and saved the penalty.

Nothing more of real note as the lads defied the higher ranked team and neither side looked like they would score. Full time and it was to be the drama of a penalty shoot-out.

Despite our previous woeful experience with penalties, we had hope and the nominated takers assumed their role manfully.

The shot first – and Runty saved. Advantage Voyle Park immediately. Gareth, Lester, Mark and Geoff buried their shots as did their next 3 shooters. Onto their last and once again Runty showed that he ruled the goal mouth – saving the shot and winning the game!

 Other “famous” firsts

• We scored a goal in a derby match
• We won a penalty shoot out
• We had a crowd watching our game
• We had a proper, qualified referee – in uniform
• We ran for 100 minutes
• We incurred an actual yellow card (well I say we, but the honour is all Geoff’s)
• We beat a second division team
• We had plenty of subs

Golden Boot

We have 3 players on 3 goals each - Mark, Gareth and Campbell.

 On 2 goals each we have Chris T, Geoff, Norm and a sexy fellow called ‘own goals’.

 The winner last year (Dan) scored 5 goals. Come on guys – you can beat that. Six goals a year isn’t that difficult surely? I mean, how hard can it be? 

Awards 17 August

Man of the Match

Another awesome display sees Dave Hall pick up the 3 points again this week. His island exile seems to have done wonders – next year we may all have to go with him and see if we reach his standards. Mind you, a month on an island with me – you lot would be even crazier than you are now….

Gareth grabs another 2 points. Of course based on the offers he received from one of their defenders, he could have grabbed a whole lot more if he was that way inclined.

Cam picks up the 1 point to continue his streaking……….away at the top.

With the end of season not far away, who can catch Cam? Injuries have affected his greatest challenger, who can step up and hunt him down? Bribe away my friends!

Team Man 

Tim picks up the team man point. First game and he volunteers to ref – a brave move especially seeing he would have already heard the moans and groans of a certain full back in the first half. Well done Tim – thanks.

Chris D maintains his slender lead but he’s being threatened by the hulking presence of Geoff.

Voyle Park 1, Toro FC 1

Voyle Park 1, Toro FC 1

Well another 1 all draw – the third in a row. Historically we would have been pleased to have had a string of results like this, but it’s fair to say that we all felt fairly gutted not to put these guys away. Especially as their equaliser came about 2 seconds before full time.

OK our goal was put in by their defender but only because of the pressure he was under due to a fantastic cross from Gareth. He had to get something on it – and he did, quite a bit actually. If he was a striker he would have been a hero.

We were the better side, no question. Things just didn’t seem to fall for us though: a faint touch to put off Phil in front of an open goal after a pinpoint pass from Mark; shots that just went wide; crosses just out of reach – the list goes on. For once, we simply got stronger as the game went on. Even with our one sub reffing, we didn't fall into a ball of puffing old men, we just probed away trying to get another.

In hindsight I should have called the midfield back and shut up shop – but for once I felt we not only deserved another goal, we were looking like we would get it. Young man’s error!!!

We’ve proved we’re a good side, we’ve proved we can play good quality football. Our defence right over the paddock is good. We just need to create more chances and score more goals. Let’s hope the come before the end of the year.

Awards 10 August

MVP

Player of the day goes to Dave Hall. The man was a beast in defense and an artist in attack (does that make him a hairy dancer?). 2 points goes to Lester for his solid ”old style” tackling and control in midfield. Dave Hill picks up the other point for his great defending (just don’t tell him because he’ll just get a big head).

No change at the top of the leader board but the bunch is catching up.

Team man

Team player goes to …. Drum roll please….. Shane. Swamped by a horde of tricky speedsters, Shane plugged away making telling tackles and still managing to advance down the wing whenever he could. It’s hard work defending against numbers of skillful players but Shane never dropped his head and just kept working away.

Voyle Park 1, Khmer Soul 1

Another point to the total following a fairly staunch performance.

The Khmer Rouge came out all guns blazing. Lightening quick manoeuvres, hit and run down the flanks – probing away hungry for the slaughter. Quick and good on the ball, lots of passing but not much else. Their goal came about through a break away, 1:1 with the ‘keeper.

Good solid tackling (Lester style) reminded them that we’re no easy beats and we slowly started to piece together some really good play (ball to feet works every time). A sweeping move, pin point cross and Chris T maintains his 100% scoring record.

We continued to press and the pressure started to tell with the poor little darlings getting a bit grumpy. Injuries to a couple of guys and flagging energy meant we dropped off our game towards the end and desperation took over. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective. End result was 1 all.

Awards 3 August

Player of the day

Campbell again takes the three points. Another goal and another game where he was always available to receive the ball. Can’t believe I’m saying this but it’s good to look up and see Campbell ready for it a pass.

Gareth picks up 2 points – lots of skill plus he physically dominates the opposition….. Lester and Dave Hall both gain a point for lots of control, organisation and talking.

Campbell has streaked into a healthy lead at the top of the table. Will Clayton come back and take him out? Can the bunch catch up to these two? Who will bribe their way into first place?

Team Man

Dave Hall gets the team man point – slots in anywhere and does a great job, skill wise but also talking to those around him.

Because I make up the rules, I’ve also giving a point each to Geoff and Chris – the training twins, practicing pair or plain old fitness freaks.

This means Chris D stays in top spot with a 1 point lead over Geoff. Runty and Lester though are hanging in there and both are experts on using dirty tricks to win fair play awards.

Check out the full points tables in the clubrooms

Voyle Park 1; Waldorf Salad 1

The lessons from Sunday are:

•  The 1^st rule of Voyle Park is – don’t listen to me……
• The 2^nd rule is – never listen to me …
• The 3^rd rule is – no 3^rd rule because you’ve all stopped listening to me anyway……
• That rain is wet

Apologies to all those who went to TA for an 11:00 game. The draw had been changed but we hadn’t received any notification. The website gets updated but we have to find that out for ourselves.

Well despite the detour and false start, we put together a pretty good game. Salad have been doing really well this year and sit well above us on the table – but it’s fair to say that a 1 all draw ended up being a bit disappointing.

When the ball was on the deck, we look really good. Ironic seeing we’re pretty good in the air but our class shows when we play proper football. We dominated the first half and played positive. They had some good chances but we deserved the half time lead. Fine keeping by the athletic Mr Hill in goal, he certainly knows how to use his fingers. Cracking goal from Campbell who had another good game all round.

Second half got a bit messy as they became desperate. Tempers flared a wee bit and the Ukranian hitman got a tad nasty (I don’t think poor old Eugene was loved as a child). We started to heft the ball forward instead of controlled passing and it all turned to custard when their ref awarded a soft free kick just outside of the box. They converted and the upset result was washed away. An awesome game from the men in blue (or is that smurfs?) – we deserved more than a single point from this game.

Campbell’s goal means that there is now a three way tie for the golden boot. Now’s the time we need a striker to make a break for glory and go on a run of goals. Remember, I’m only 3 goals away from sharing the golden boot and that’s just plain scary!

Awards 27 July

MVP

The 3 points goes to Campbell. The longer the game went on, the more he influenced play. Always providing an option to the man on the ball and also being the centre of mo0st attacking moves.

Shane picks up 2 points for his defensive work. They ran at him all day but he did well to close down attack after attack.

Again I’ve resorted to an indecisive cop-out and giving 1 point to both Geoff and Norm. Energiser Geoff was his normal running self, taking on the attacking winger role with gusto but also doing the hard yards in defence. Conservative midfielder Norm was poetry in motion on attack.

Team man goes to Geoff, just in recognition of the sheer hard work he puts in every week 

Seniles 5, Voyle Park 3

The day started optimistically, 3 guys had let me know over the weekend that they couldn’t play – but seeing we still had 13 turning up, was I worried, hell no. Anyway with 11 guys there on the day, and 1 a known cripple, once again it seemed I was living in fantasy land. But no, the towering figure of Dave W showed up and all was well with the world again.

Playing a side challenging for promotion from the 2^nd division was always going to big ask. As the first half proved though, we’re not a bad side when we play well. Scampering and tenacious defense was matched with some nice passing and positive play.

Norm proved that listening to me is never a good idea. Conservative I said, holding midfielder I said, defensive in middle of the park I said – Norm smiled, nodded and then ran over half the length of the field, beating defender after defender and slotting home a cracker of a goal. 1 nil to the underdogs.

The big boys came back with vengeance. A nice through ball should have resulted in an easy goal, however their striker managed to muff his shot and in the following chaos, somehow a bobbling ball managed to sneak under Runty and into the goal. Their second was a nice powerful shot from outside the area leaving our gallant keeper grasping at thin air. 2 – 1 in quick time and many a team would have folded at this point. Not us, by crikey not us.

Slick passing from out wide and Geoff squeezed in the equaliser. A good goal but a great celebration. Sheer joy for the goal scorer, shared equally by the groupies. All even as the ref blew the half time whistle.

After the break, we welcomed back our second half blues. We spent at least 15 minutes “being dealt too”, we continued to try hard but things didn’t roll our way and Seniles showed their class and slotted another 3 goals. Perseverance pays off though and we kept plugging away. We started to string more passes together, looked to become more positive again and clawed our way back into the contest. Hobbly legs rotated with crippled legs as we rolled the substitutions. Campbell showed the pace and commitment of a man twice half his age – always looking to receive a pass or provide the killer ball. His efforts were rewarded when he found himself close to goal and he expertly slotted home.

End result was a 5 – 3 loss but for an effort to be proud of. Stylish play mixed with dogged determination (no – that doesn’t equate to doggy style sheesh).