Rovers v. Rovers Premier Match Report-11/19/06

Barnstonworth Rovers Premier 1 (0)
Barnstonworth Rovers Over 30's 1 (0)

Goal: Rob Bowley
Assist: Teddy Eisenman

Forest Hills High School, 11/19/06

Without regular keeper Messmer and down to 10 men for the final 20 minutes, the Rovers came up with a late equalizer to earn a point from their second Rover derby of the season. And in successive weeks, we've managed to draw the East and West Division leaders. On the subject of draws, it was our 5th of the season. We've clearly demonstrated we can compete with anyone in the league. Now, we just need to start finishing our opponents off for the full 3 points.

The first half was fairly even though perhaps Rovers had the better chances against the Premiers who chose to start several attack minded-players on the bench while the lethal striker Nedgy was stuck in goals. Our best chance came on a foray down the left flank when Par? beat his mark and fed Bowley who first timed the ball forcing a quick save. On the ensuing melee on a Becher shot that was going just wide, Peter guided the ball goalwards only to see the goal disallowed for being in an offside position. At the other end, fill-in keeper O'Donovan was tested twice at the near post, but was up to the task.

In the second half, Premiers came out swinging with their attack reinforcements and put Rovers under serious pressure. With explicit instructions, Carl shadowed Nedgy while Dom, Russ and Martin tracked their runners and Sisto and Par made life difficult for our opponents in midfield. One ball came to Nedgy just inside the area and with Carl between him and goal, he shot a ball just inside the far post leaving Kevin no chance. Soon, their striker was looking for a second on a breakaway when O'Donovan amazingly smothered his attempt giving Rovers new life.

Substitute striker Keogh was isolated for long spells in the 2nd half but was able to get himself in deep positions, delivering crosses to Sisto and Bowley with Chivon nicely denying Bowley's header. Another attack saw Keogh go up the left side, get behind his man and drive towards goal when he was clearly pushed to the floor well inside the area. Somehow, the ref played on later claiming Keogh had pushed the ball too far in front of him to warrant a PK. Keogh would have none of it, earned a second yellow for dissent and a mandatory expulsion.

Not to be denied, Rovers pressed on until the equalizer came in the final 5 minutes when Teddy fed Bowley on the right side. From ~18 yards out, Bowley curled the ball into the upper left corner for his first goal of the season.

Squad: O'Donovan, Stiller, Gajewski, MacKinnon, Davies, Holmberg, Sisto, Eisenman, Bowley, Becher, Sikora, Keogh and Huguenot as the Designated Assistant Referee.

RD 2. NY Fury 0 Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 4

The early arrivals for the First team match witnessed the fiasco events described above. If that did not demoralize them, knowing that we had 3 certain injuries, 2 suspensions, Kieran away and Vidar stuck in Florida, thus only a maximum of 10 players (17 are currently on the cup roster) should have. Playing another 1^st Division first team should have nailed the coffin.

To add to the misery, the 10the player playing only his 2^nd match for the club, was injured 3 mins into the match, reduced to a very bad hobble and after several valiant efforts to rejoin the fray, succumbed to the injury reducing the Rovers to 9 !

What the 9 (+ a hobble) did on the pitch was straight out of a Hollywood movie; simply incredible!!

Not only did they remind us what a unit can do, restored club pride and reputation, and gave one of the team’s best ever performance.

And they earned a State Cup Quarterfinal birth vs either nationally ranked Irish Rovers or Greek American Atlas (the last amateur team to win the US Open Cup).

Starting with 10 vs 11 the Rovers started cautiously, securing the back and closing down the lanes stifling Fury. Unable to create or penetrate Fury quickly resorted to long efforts easily handled by the exceptional Rover back 4 and Broach. With the midfielders constantly behind the ball, it created a Rover wall. It was minutes into the match, as they were effectively reduced to 9, they remained true to the task.

After the initial 15 min period, they started to have an amazing amount of possession for 9+ vs 11. That gave the Rovers confidence and playing as one unit, attacking and defending negated the numerical advantage. One could not tell from the sidelines that it existed ! And with the Rover midfielders making the deep through runs endlessly, they created havoc in the Fury defense.

The Rovers won several free kicks and corners one of which Salvo’s header narrowly missed. Unable to get back in time, he fought the Fury defenders in the attacking 3^rd, won the ball, played it to Kush who gave it back to him in the right side of the area. He turned the defender and slipped a cross to Pugli in the middle of the box. He selflessly laid it back to Colin at the penalty spot. Bam ! Rovers 1-0.

Fury unconcerned went back to what was not working before. The Rovers promptly punished them and not before warning them. Andy’s cross to the far post to Puglie 1 vs 4, still Puglie won it but it striked the bar. Then Stash, Colin and Eoin combine, Tamu to Andy who plays Puglie through. He holds off the defender Bam-Bam Rovers 2-0 !

Still Fury did not panic, but inexplicable did not make any tactical adjustments. They created one good chance that Broach brilliantly foiled. Then came the final blow; one of exceptional quality. The ball went around the back, to Colin in the midfield. He played back to the midfield and got it back on the same side. He turned a hit Tamu making a dissecting run from the centre circle. Tamu flicked the ball over the defender run around him and took the bounce on its highest point acrobatically lobbying over the Fury keeper. Rovers 3-0.

Just for good measure and to let Fury know that they had no chance, in the first 10 mins of the 2^nd half the completed the rout ! Andy gets the ball inside the Fury area, attacks the keeper and places it over him. Rovers 4-0.

They closed shop and marched on to the quarters ! What a day !@!

Team: Dave Borchard, Stash Rutkowski, John Salvucci, Eoin Quane, Mark Kushemba, John Hobbins, Tamu Bowen, Colin Marshall, Andy Abramovits, Steve Pugliese

Rd 2. Barnstonworth Rovers Res 1 Deer Park (LISFL) 2

Jerome Albertini the only player in the history of the club to be asked to leave the club with a lifetime ban, has became the only player in this or any club’s history to have that same punishment twice!!

It’s the only part of the match recap needed.

In a historically unprecedented selfishness, moron lunacy, stupidity and whatever other adjective you can imagine, Jerome alerted the referee that one of our team’s players should not be on the pitch resulting in a 2-1 defeat because he did not like being substituted !

Or, I believe, it was because he did not like that the team had just scored a goal to reduced the score to 2-1 and would have gone on to win the match, easily – it was the 20 min of the FIRST half - without him.

And the goal was a pretty one, curled to the far upper corner by Lexi.

So he proceeded to risk the club’s reputation, and deprive 11 other players a game on Sunday and a couple of other Sundays. Even run on to the pitch to alert the other team and badger the ref as he attempted to ignore him !

The only regret is that nobody beat the living shit out of him to teach him a lesson in life as all of the team on the pitch should have.

Incredible scenes that only real life can produce. Nobody can make this stuff up.

Apologies to: Mike Zawada, Mike Alexander, Vilhelm Klariskov, Schmidtie Schmid, Alex Carabano, John Saunders, Shadi Shahrokhi, Tai Anderson, Alfonzo Nanclares, Lexi Schardt.

Over 30s Match Report--11/12/06

Rovers 1 (1)
Guyana Veterans A 1 (0)

Goal: Teddy Eisenman
Assist: Pat Wisnom

Canarsie Beach, 10am, 11/12/06

In what was without doubt our gutsiest performance all season, the Rovers drew with perennial table-toppers Guyana Veterans A. To my knowledge, the Rovers have never beaten Guyana A, but now for three successive years, we have earned a point in this fixture. With just 11 players due to a Keogh no-show, we took the lead after a quarter of an hour when the lone striker Wisnom played Teddy through. Onside with only the keeper to beat, Teddy slotted his right-footed shot well out of reach of the Guyanese keeper. We had dominated possession early with the midfield trio of Sisto, Catania and Eisenman winning tackles and moving the ball forward. Before we scored, Peter narrowly missed connecting on a Huguenot cross to the near post. Following our goal, we eased back allowing Guyana, in particular, their best player #12 too much room to pick up the ball and to create. That said, Messmer and the back four withstood the pressure to go in at halftime with the lead.

The second half was nearly all Guyana. With ample reinforcements, Guyana subbed in fresh players while we started the 2nd half with 10 men while Joe iced his ailing knee. After 5 minutes, we were back at full strength and under nearly constant Guyana pressure. Most of their chances, however, were from relative long range areas and so did not test Messmer. Midway through the second half, Guyana were awarded a free kick just outside the area following a Sisto hand ball. Their #12 curled the ball over the wall hitting the underside of the crossbar, the ball bounced down Geoff Hurst style while the Guyana players bull-rushed the goal mouth and managed to head the ball in. Both Dom and Peter were knocked to the floor but no call came from the ref. The match would stay 1-1 for the duration but the remaining 20 minutes would not be without drama.

Not long after the equalizer, a Guyanese cross came into the top of the box where Olli bravely headed the ball away while the Guyanese #12 tried an ambitious side volley. Instead of connecting with the ball, he connected full force with Olli's head, causing a large gash above Olli's right eye that would later require six stitches. And while it seemed the #12 didn't kick him intentionally, he must have seen Olli's head there instead of the ball. Ever the warrior, Olli cleaned himself up with the help of the Greatest Rover Fan of All Time Julia Messmer. Within 5 minutes, bandaged head and all saying he couldn't see shit, Olli was back on the pitch giving it his all. We re-grouped enough to get a couple of chances, the best being Teddy's half volley from the 18 that was well over the bar.

Squad: Messmer, Herrala, MacKinnon, O'Donovan, Stiller, Huguenot, Sisto, Catania, Eisenman, Sikora, Wisnom

Pancyprian Freedoms 2 Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 2

The Rovers missed an opportunity, literally, to take all 3 points from the division’s powerhouse. Well, it was a tale of missed opportunities, incredible saves, but also some intervention from the man in black (or yesterday orange). Feeling the need to make up for a red card, he awarded a ridiculous penalty against the Rovers, then proceeded to disallow what would have been the winning goal for an offside’s decision that was NOT signaled by the linesman, and was refuted by him when asked by the ref !!

The Rovers were the best team on the day and 3 points would have been just reward. In the opening stanza, they had 5 chances to open the score. First Pugliese headed just wide (it actually looked a goal from the sidelines and we were surprised to see the ball continue on), then Musa was denied on a reflex point blanc save by the keeper, who then outdid himself 2 times in the next 3 minutes. Pugliese flicked in a Colin cross a yard from the near post, the keeper sprawled and somehow denied it and held on to the rebound. From the next corner, Salvucci got a nearly open header at the far post, don’t know how the keeper parried it for another corner. Salvucci got to it again, this time his effort was deflected on goal by Pugli, again amazingly the keeper stopped it.

It was obvious that it would take a bit of magic to get a goal on the day. And the Rovers produced it. Andy held the ball on the near sideline, played it back to Colin and made a run down the line. Colin chipped it to him, Andy took it deep and played a swerving cross to the penalty spot. Musa, not wanting to be outdone by Lexi’s scissor kick earlier this year, hit a spectacular sideways scissors volley worthy of the premier league highlight show. The ball was destined for the upper left, but a defender deflected it and it ended in the lower right. Rovers 1-0.

Pancyprians tried to balance the match, and got some possession, most of it without consequence. Then, a ball was played to the feet of their #20 Brazilian striker, Eoin got turned in one fluid movement and he drilled a shot to the lower right giving Broach no chance. Rovers 1-1

The Rovers kept on, and 10 min to half-time a game altering moment. Tamu played Pugli seemingly through the middle of the Pancyprian defense only to be brought down by their last man. The ref did not hesitate to produce the merited straight red card, even with 100 or so spectators berating him from the 1st floor of the garage !!

The Rovers waited until 15 mins in the second half to capitalize. A fluid move for the left, got Giancarlo free down the wing, he found Pugli, he turned the defender, cut in and slotted it in at the near post. Rovers 2-1.

The match should have been over, but …..the Pancyprians responded and had their best spell of possession. They created on good chance in the Rover area but Broach denied them. Then after a turn-over on the far side, the ball came to #20 in the right side of the Rover box. As he attempted to control the ball, Kush closed him down, he dove and the ref on the OTHER side of the pitch bought it. The linesman on the right, and facing the play tried to warn-off the ref to no avail. #20 buried it to the upper left. Rovers 2-2.

The Rovers moved on. Musa had a glorious chance to notch his second, but his powerful blast just missed the target. And he created another chance receiving the ball on the left, beating one defender but was unable to get his shot off. Pugli broke in on the right, but a retreating defender blocked his bottom corner shot.

With a quarter hour to go, the Rovers got what they thought was the winner. Musa got a ball from Kush, turned a man, got into the area, placed it, the ball parried by the keeper to Pugli who finished it. Rovers 3-2 ? No, the ref decided that although there was a defender in front of Pugli, he was past the keeper when the original shot was struck, thus not behind 2 defenders and offside. He actually inquired with the linesman on the left who run to the middle indicating a goal, but still decided to uphold the offsides ! In my opinion, both decisions had more to do with the earlier red card and the hauling of the 100 or so menacing supporters.

The Rovers had one final chance to win the match, Andy had an open headed 8 yards out, but the keeper saved it well. Really a golden chance to take 3 points and get back in the hunt.

Team: David Borchard, Vidar Ekehaug, Eoin Quane, John Salvucci, Mark Kushemba, Scott Leber, Tamu Bowen, Colin Marshall, Andy Abramovits, Stephen Pugliese, Musa Shannon. Subs (all played) Giancarlo Cavallo, John Saunders.

Pancyprian Freedoms Res 6 Barnstonworth Rovers Res 1

When the Reserves took the field, dominated the opening quarter and went ahead on a penalty won by Lexi and converted by Alfonzo, nothing foretold the debacle that followed for the next 70 mins. The fell back, lost the battles, let the young pancyprian forwards run them rugged, and let in 6 unanswered goals in 35 mins on as many forays !

The Reserves started well, knocked the ball around, and on a long ball to Lexi, he beat the keeper to the header and then was leveled. Penalty. Lexi, still dazed from the knockdown, Alfonzo stepped up and slotted in the other way. Reserves 1-0.

For some reason, the Reserves got on the back-foot from the restart. Seceding too much space, they defended very deep, and although the Pancyprians did not look capable of breaking down the 8 men, 2line wall, they had all of the possession. The gap between the midfield and Rover forwards was so stretched that every time the Rovers won the ball, the only option was a long ball back to the opposition.

Yet it took a Rover calamity to level the score. A Rover defender with time on the ball, gave it to their centre forward and the 2 on 3 break was on. A cut back and its Reserves 1-1.

The Rovers wanted to get to the half time to reorganize. They were not coping well with the Cypriot outside back bring the ball forward, taking space and putting extra pressure on the deep defensive positions. They could not do it. In the 43, a bubbled clearance in the Rover 6 fell to a forward who hit it to the far side netting. Reserves 1-2.

An argument on how to re-organize during the halftime did the Rovers in. Too many opinions, too much confusion, and not enough concentration. They let the match slip away conceding 3 goals in 3 shots and 3 minutes. Then another before the 55th minute.

Hopefully the Reserves will learn from the experience. A team executes one thing, it cannot have each player do what they think should be done otherwise you have 11 different people in 11 different pages, and the team gets annihilated.

What a difference from the 9 Reserves who without a keeper, as one, won 5-1 in the cup match 3 weeks earlier !

Team: Mike Zawada, Dixon Hayes, Mike Alexander, Tai Anderson, Alex Carabano, Stavros Zomopoulos, Fergie Ferguson, Felix D’Ambrose, Alfonzo Nanclares, Lexi Schardt, Shadi Shahrokhi. Subs (all played) Jerome Albertini, John Saunders.

Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 2 Manhattan Kickers 0

The Firsts found the winning track again, albeit the worst Kickers team in memory. Still the Rovers took their sweet time to open the score and the result was in doubt until the last few minutes. That may have been more due to the Rover turmoil at the start rather than any Kickers intervention. After 3 last minute injury problems depleted the Rovers selection to a mere 10, an expected 1 hour delay to kick off due to a permit conflict with a High School match was mis-communicated, and at kick off there were only 7 players available. Zawada had to start in goal, and Andy and Cavallo had to play 90 mins instead of their scheduled 45 after the Reserve match, and even Stavros had to fill a starting spot until someone – anyone – arrived.

Thankfully Broach did arrive 15 mins into a 0-0 match, then Colin got in a few minutes before the half hour mark. Yet the Rovers dominated through out, and were in complete control of the match. Their best chance in the half came off a Bazza corner kick. Kieran made an incredible run, and attempted a diving header to beat his marker to the ball at the penalty spot. It looked a sure goal, but somehow the keeper got a hand to it, parrying it for another corner.

The Rovers were more settled in the 2nd half and the results were evident. They threatened first with a Lexi – making his first ever top team start - header, then a Bazza free kick hit the side netting. Colin could have opened the score from 15 out, but he was taken down – professional foul inside the area – and the ref whistled a free kick disallowing Andy’s finish from the advantage!

But Andy was not going to be denied. In the 70th minute the Rovers broke through. A few minutes before Bazza had to be carried off with an angle injury (thankfully Kushemba had just arrived !!!!) and they had shifted to 3-5-2. Kieran found Tamu who sprung Andy. He out-paced the Kicker defense and clinically finished to the lower far corner. Rovers 1-0 (and Andy’s present from the Rovers to the recovering Jamie ).

Minutes later, Andy should have doubled the tally when he kicked the ball around the last defender, out-sprinted him to it, approached the keeper but this time slotted it just wide.

Broach came up big in the one moment that was wanted with 4 minutes to play on a point blanc save. And from the resulting Rover attack, Giancarlo got a ball from Colin on the right inside the area, he twisted and blasted to ruffle the back of the net and open his 1st team account after nearly 180 min of football. Rovers 2-0.

In reality a better match up would have been the BRFC Reserves vs the Kickers 1st team. And my money would still have been w/BRFC. Next week the Rovers have a chance to claim a place in the top echelon of the division in a make or break contest against the mighty Pancyprians.

Team: Mike Zawada, John Salvucci, Eoin Quane, Bazza O’Driscoll, Vidar Ekehaug, Giancarlo Cavallo, Tamu Bowen, Kieran Mahon, Stavros Zomopoulos, Andy Abramovits, Lexi Schardt. Subs (all played) David Borchard, Colin Marshall, Mark Kushemba.

Barnstonworth Rovers Reserves 4 Manhattan Kickers Res 1

The Reserves remained top of the table with a 4-1 thrashing of their once-competitive rivals. The match, even with only 12 players, 2 of which were over 40, another who had not played a competitive match for over 6 mos, and 2 that only played a half because they had to play full match for the 1sts, was a no-contest. The Rovers dominated possession and look threatening everytime down the field. Their speed and skill on the wings was decisive.

They took the lead midway in the first half. A text-book build up from the back, and Alfonzo found Andy breaking to the right flank. He turned his marker and brilliantly crossed to Shadi making the perfect run in the box. He pounced the headed in the near corner. Rovers 1-0.

The Kickers equalized against the run of play when a turtle like shot was deflected past the sprawled Rover keeper. Rovers 1-1.

The Rovers did not take long to restore their lead. In almost a carbon copy of their first strike, this time Saunders from the left, hit Jerome in the box. Jerome does not miss many header in front of an open goal. Rovers 2-1.

Then, he went on to prove that there are certain things age cannot take away. Jerome notched his 60th strike for the club on a powerful strike form 15 out that thundered off the inside of the near post. Rovers 3-1

He was denied a hat-trick when Kickers goalkeeper came out of his box to trip him as he was by himself and about to dribble past him. Then the 1st team keeper who replaced the red-carded Reserve, did the same inside the box, but the ref could not be bothered in the last minutes of a 4-1 score-line.

Alfonzo closed the scoring for the unstoppable Reserves (in name only). Rovers 4-1

By that time the Rovers had voluntarily reduced themselves to 10 men to save strength for the Firsts match. The real test will be next week against perennial league champions Pancyprians.

Team: Mike Zawada, Felix D’ambrosi, Mike Alexander, Stash Rutkowski, Alex Carabano, John Saunders, Stavros Zomopoulos, Alfonzo Nanclares, Giancarlo Cavallo, Andy Abramovits, Shadi Shahrokhi. Sub (played) Jerome Albertini.

Rover v. Rover, part I 11/5/06

Rovers Over 30s 1 (1)
Rovers Old Boyz 1 (0)

Goal: Russell Davies (assist by Peter Sikora)

FHHS, 10am

Overall a fairly even match with both sides probably feeling they could have ended up victorious. Within the first 10 minutes, the Old Boys were awarded a PK on what was definitely a handball in the box by Carl. Despite the fact that it was clearly a ball-to-hand incident (Carl could barely even move his arm) at the far edge of the box, the ref opted for the strict interpretation. Unmackers stepped up to the plate, not far from the pitching mound in fact, and fired a rocket off the left post. Redeemed, we came to life and began to apply pressure on our opponents. And so on a restart deep in Old Boy territory, Sikora rifled a throw-in into the 6 yard box that got past everyone but Russell who headed in at the far post to give us the lead 1-0 and his second goal of the season. Soon after Bowley got the ball to the endline and crossed but noone was able to connect.

The second half saw both sides with good chances but alas, it was only Gordo's quick strike that would connect and level the derby. Much of the half was a battle in the middle of the park with Sisto and Par battling with Rocco and Matt. Our best chance came on a Davies cross that ended up just behind Oren "Hand of God" Becher following a deflection off an Old Boy. Carl also just missed connecting with an Olli corner and Pelle volleyed from long range but it was right at El Gatito. At the other end, following a scramble in the area, Gordo's shot was perfectly placed and skipped over an outstretched Messmer hand near post. The Old Boys kept us pinned for a spell following the equalizer but we were able to preserve the draw with Messmer ably handling two successive Old Boy corners. Awaiting the Sheeran version...


Squad: Messmer, MacKinnon, Heralla, O'Donovan, Gajewski, Sisto, Sikora, Hugenot, Holmberg, Bowley, Davies, Becher, Wisnom

Over 30s Match Report-10/29/06

Rovers 1 (1)
NY Croatia 0 (0)

Goal: John Keogh

Randalls Island 18

Another glorious 8:00am kickoff at Randalls. On this occasion against struggling newcomers NY Croatia who were decked out in the Croatian national team jerseys. With wind gusts up to 45 mph, it was difficult at best to keep the ball under control. The match started well for Rovers when Keogh found himself free about 25 yds out and decided to have a go. His right-footed blast bent nicely into the upper 90 leaving their giant of a keeper no chance. The goal would turn out to be enough in a match where Rovers were unlucky to not have had 2 or 3 more goals. Late in the 1st half, Croatia managed to hit the post on a breakaway but were otherwise limited in their chances.

In the second half going against the wind, we packed it in with a 4-5-1. Johnno, Sisto, Teddy, Oren and Pat connected on several nice through balls only to be denied by spurious off-side calls from the ref. And late in the match, a long range blast from Croatia forced a spectacular diving save from Messmer to preserve the victory.

Many of us stayed on to cheer on and scout our next week's opponents, the Old Boys. Rover v. Rover derby next week 10am at Forest Hills High School.


Squad: Michael Messmer, Dom Stiller, Martin MacKinnon, Russell Davies Kevin O'Donovan, Olli Heralla, Peter Sikora, Teddy Eisenman, Gary Sisto, Christian Hugenot, John Keogh, Oren Becher, Pat Wisnom