RD Qrt. Greek/American Atlas 1 Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 3

The Rovers triumphantly marched to the top-tier State Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Team: Bazza, Kieran, Salvucci, Kushemba, Eoin, Tamu, Aaron, Mika, McSherry, Musa, Hobbins.
Probably one of the best starting line-ups the Rovers could have ever fielded.
Only, this was the team that was NOT playing from the Rovers !!
Yesterday playing against the Greeks (who on Wednesday destroyed NY Salamina in the 1^st round of the US Open Cup) at their home pitch, in a team that included Giovanni Savarese (the Metro-stars all time leading scorer), Diego Velasquez (current Dominican Republic international) and Chris Megaloudis (NE Revs, and greek 1^st division) were Brian Schmidt, Ron Baskin and Dixon Hayes !
Simply yesterday was one of the proudest BRFC performances of all time. It was a Herculean effort. And luckily many of the o30’s were there to support and be live witnesses!
The Rovers started very cautiously seceding ground and possession to G/A allowing for several nervy moments. Each time Wiggin and Alexander (a never before used central defensive partnership) were there to clean up. They were stunning.

It took 15 minutes for the Rovers to settle and start to believe that the could win the match. It showed in their first counter attack but Puglie was whistled off-side. In their second, he was lethal. Vidar to Colin to Puglie on the side. He takes the ball in shimmies the goalkeeper and stuns G/A placing his shot under him. Rovers 1-0.

The Rovers bravely defended only to be devasted with the last kick of the half. The first cross was parried, the second was hit to the far, far post. The G/A striker cut away from the goal and tried to cross the ball, curling it over everyone and in the far upper corner. Rovers 1-1.

This team proved strong enough to overcome the psychological blow, aided again when Broach came up big twice in the first 10 mins of the second half to keep the score level. But that was it. Wiggin and Alexander had figured out the perpetual long ball G/A approach and easlity adapted to cover each time. Coin started to create space for himself in the middle and with confidence the Rovers became more aggressive each time forward. Pugli looked dangerous each and every time he touched the ball.

In the 70^th min, he made them pay. A brilliantly timed ball cross the wing, Pugli turns the corner on the defender, goes into the area and from an acute angle, beats the keeper and ruffles the side net !! Rovers 2-1.

G/A perplexed and confused failed to stir up many clear cut chances, the best of the lot coming in the last 5 mins after the score was 3-1, when they finally were able to get behind Schmidtie and Dixon, beat Broach only to have their striker deflect the effort over the bar, when had he left it alone the ball would have likely found the net. It was the Rover’s day.

Every single player on the pitch was outstanding, and every regular that needed to step up and carry the team did.
Broach was brilliant, saving the Rovers in several critical moments, one parry from Savarese chip in the first half in particular was save of the season contender.
Colin in centre midfield who all the battles, completely contained Savarese, gave Rovers much needed possesion and cleverly played to the Rover’s strengths up top.
Andy was superb, covering half the flank as well as making endless runs in support. His reward, the Rovers’ clincher, 10 minutes from time. Colin and Pugli combined to release him behind the Atlas defense. Andy, outpaced one defender, cut inside the box, dummied and dribbled around the keeper before slotting it home. Rovers 3-1 and into the semis !
Vidar and Pugli fought it out for man of the match awards. Pugli continued his unbelievable scoring streak, with 2 goals, solo against the entire G/A defense, and Vidar was everywhere. He made every tackle, closed every gap and filled every space.
Stash run endlessly up and down the wing giving cover to the elder Rover behind him.
Dixon was steady as a rock in defense suppressing everything that came down the right flank. And his long throws were the outlet the Rovers needed to thrust forward.
Maybe the real story though were Schmidtie and Baskin.
Schimdtie had not played 90 mins for the 1^st team quite in many seasons but with Kush unable to go on his injured heel, he was the man ! One of the Rovers playing on Schnmidtie’s side described the G/A bench as puzzled in fury during the second half as they could not explain why their game plan to attack Schmidtie with their gazelle like #19 was not working !!!
As for Baskin, after playing 70 mins for the o30s and without any Reserve or 1^st team football for more than a year, he showed up and played 90 flawless minutes at left back !

Everyone of the 11 deserve several drinks tonight from each and everybody from the squad for giving the club this early xmass present.

Team: Dave Brochard, Dixon Hayes, Sam Wiggin, Mike Alexander, Ron Baskin, Stash Rutkowski, Vidar Ekehaug, Colin Marshall, Brian Schmidt (Mark Kushemba – 3 mins), Andy Abramovits, Stephen Pugliese.

Over 30s Match Report-12/10/06

Barnstonworth Rovers 2 (1)
Maltese Dolphins 0 (0)

Goals: Oren Becher 25th minute
Ron Baskin, 60th minute

12/10/05, Flushing Meadows #5, Noon

The Maltese strategy was simple. Long balls to their Irish pointman who, despite Carl's prowess in the air, was able to win his fair share of the balls and distribute to their speedy midfielders and wingers.

We had most of the possesion, moving the ball very well on the real grass surface at Flushing Meadows. After several quality forays from Baskin and Wisnom who partnered nicely with Bowley down the right flank, our first goal came from an attack down the left side when Baskin fed Christian. Christian got by his man and crossed superbly to Wisnom who headed it down near the 6 yard box for Becher to toe-poke home for his 4th of the season. With a depleted midfield, Oren filled in admirably as the workhorse defensive midfielder quickly learning when to make the runs and when to stay.

In the second half, the Dolphins pushed more men forward creating several chances but from mostly outside the area. Two of these in particular tested Kevin but on both occasions, he was up to the task successfully parrying their attempts over the bar. Our second goal game from a nice movement through the middle that saw Teddy feed Baskin at the top of the box from where he calmly curled a left-footed shot into the lower left corner. Later, Huguenot was unlucky to not score his first goal of the season when his 20 yard blast was nicely saved by the Maltese keeper.

And so for our last game of the Fall season, we secured 3 more points against the upstart Maltese Dolphins improving our record to 4 wins, 2 losses and 5 draws.

Squad: O'Donovan, MacKinnon, Davies, Stiller, Gajewski, Herrala, Becher, Baskin, Huguenot, Bowley, Wisnom, Eisenman, Sikora

Brooklyn Italians 2 Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 2

The Rovers were robbed 2 points, and worse Sunday at Verranzano. What else can you say when an already depleted squad faces the league champions away, and outplays them to such an extent that the opposing coach feels compelled to apologize for the result !

Dixon and Wiggins had to play 2 full matches due to the many absences, suspensions etc, but they did the Rovers proud.

Sam set up both First team goals, after scoring w/the Reserves. The first midway through the first half, when Andy made along run into the far side, cut to Wiggin who threated a pass to Tamu. Tamu cut by a defender, switched feet and blasted to the back of the net. Rovers 1-1

Then, after receiving a long ball just outside the Italian area, striving between 2 defenders before laying the ball off to an unmarked Puglie just before being clobbered by the Italian back and goalkeeper ! Pugli never misses such simple tap ins. Rovers 2-1.

The Italians had taken the lead in a freak sequences when a goalkeeper clearance hit Kieran in the back, fooled Salvucci who slipped allowing their centre forward to race in alone before executing Broach to the far post. Rovers 0-1.

Rovers cruised to half time and in the second half it all rolled by like a formality. The cow-gracing field, turned pitch, incredible did not hinder the Rovers from controlling the match. But they had another obstacle, much harder to overcome: A ref – who happened to be a woman – from outside the state and simply not qualified to do this level matches. First, after an Italian forward controlled “ala van Persie vs Spurs” in the Rover area, and as the linesman flagged for the infraction, the ball bounced awkwardly on the dirt and hit Keiran’s hand. When the whistle blew, everyone thought she had called the initial infraction, then realized that she had given them a penalty. Pandemonium, and despite everyone’s efforts she refused to consult the lineman !! When the linesman was pressed, he replied “the middle of the pitch is the central refs domain !” Italian’s converted. Rovers 2-2.

The Rovers pressed and as Wiggins went on a breakaway, a whistle stopped the play ! Maybe off-sides, as unlikely as that may have seemed ? No. She had blown to “talk” to players in the Rover box for an altercation. But no card to the offender !!

Then the coup-de-grace. Tamu cuts to the sideline, wins a throw and the Italians #7 turns and head-butts him ! Linesman again flags to indicate, the ref sees him runs to the #7 and gives him a YELLOW card. Realizing this is his 2^nd, she produces the red, Realizing that she had just send off a player, she turns and flashed the red card to Tamu, still disoriented from the incident !

Eoin tries to approach, the #7 turns and punches him in the face, technical knock-down !

All this under the watch of the State President and long time BI member who after the match, approaches after the ref decides that nobody is to be given their cards back and supports her decision. Of-course as the Rovers walk away, the BI somehow retrieve their cards !

It maybe that now that the Rovers can compete on the field, they need to strengthen other areas before the can win the title.

Team: Dave Borchard, Vidar Ekehaug, Keiran Mahon, John Salvucci, Dixon Hayes, Stash Rutkowski, Eoin Quane, Tamu Bowen, Andy Abramovits, Sam Wiggin, Stephen Pugliese.

Brooklyn Italians Res 2 Barnstonworth Rovers Res 1

The Reserves could not reverse their fortunes, even with Mika’s welcome return to action, suffering their 4th straight defeat. Having their goalkeeper not show up for the 3^rd time this season did not help matter. Dixon, knowing that he had to play 90 for the Firsts, gratuatially filled in and played admirably.

Despite the handicap, the Rovers took the lead when perfectly weighted far post cross found Wiggin. His looping header to the opposite upper corner was unstoppable. Reserves 1-0.

The Reserves did well to go in at the half having their advantage intact. But a furious spell of pressure in the opening 15 mins of the 2^nd stanza, including 5 corners in a row spelled doom. On the last corner, the ball was hit to the far post, and the Rover defense did not cope. The Italian striker did well to head it in. Rovers 1-1.

And although they fought and could have knicked a winner, it was the Italians who had the better of the play and most of the pressure that eventually produced their winner. Again, a corner and again a far post header, Alex valiantly tried to clear but the ball bounced over the line. Rovers 1-2.

Now with their destiny no longer in their hands, the Reserves have a week off and hopefully the winter to regroup.

Team: Dixon Hayes, Alex Carabano, Mike Alexander, Brian Schmidt, Vilhelm Klariskov, Stavros Zomopoulos, Alfonzo Nanclares, Mika Tapio, Sam Wiggin, Shadi Shahrokhi.

Rovers Over 30s v. Greeks--12/3/06

Barnstonworth Rovers 2 (1)
NY Greek American Atlas 1 (0)

Goal scorers:

Gary Sisto
Rob Bowley

Forest Hills High School, 8:30am

With another ungodly kickoff at 8:30am, we took the field with 4 subs to spare. Our last game against the Greeks ended prematurely when Ben got assaulted by one of their players, so this time we were hoping to kill them off early with a few goals. Things got off to a good start when after 5 minutes of sustained pressure, Christian made his way down the left flank and delivered a quality cross to Sisto. Gary controlled and half-volleyed from close range giving Rovers a deserved 1-0 lead. Following the goal, the Greeks pressured us a bit and but mostly their forwards created chaos by going down all too easily, feigning injury and coming up spewing venom.

The second half see-sawed with both teams creating chances. Rovers squandered a few good chances while most of the Greek attempts were long range shots. Our nicest movement came from a series of 6 or 7 passes ending with Bowley feeding Oren at the edge of the 6-yd box. Unfortunately, Oren was only able to steer his shot right at the keeper. Their best chance was a breakway on which stand-in keeper Kevin narrowed the angle and was able to block. Bowley scored the winner not long after when a quick restart saw Over 30's debutante Ron Baskin send a throw-in his way. From 25 yards out, Bowley hit one of his trademark strikes that left the keeper no chance. We were in cruise control until Kevin's poor distrubution left Bowley little chance for the ball. The Greek player seized the opportunity and looped a near perfect ball over Kevin's head and into goal. And so it finished 2-1 for our third victory of the season. We aim to make it two on the trot next Sunday when we face the upstart Maltese Dolphins.


Squad: O'Donovan, Stiller, Gajewski, MacKinnon, Herrala, Davies, Sisto, Eisenman, Holmberg, Baskin, Becher, Huguenot, Sikora, Bowley, Wisnom

Stats:

3 Wins, 2 Losses, 5 Draws--14 points

Goals For: 15
Goals Against: 13

Goals:

Oren Becher 3
Pat Wisnom 2
Russell Davies 2
Rob Bowley 2
Gary Sisto 2
Olli Herrala 1
Peter Sikora 1
John Keogh 1
Teddy Eisenman 1

Assists:

Olli Heralla 2
Russell Davies 2
Pat Wisnom 2
John Keogh 1
Preston Staudt 1
Par Holmberg 1
Peter Sikora 1
Teddy Eisenman 1
Ron Baskin 1
Christian Huguenot 1

Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 4 N.Y. Fury 0

The Rovers took another step forward Sunday destroying bottom dwelling Fury 4-0. The Firsts were dominant throughout, they were sharp, and exhibited their increasing patience and maturity keeping on task until the goals came and keeping possession for large stretches there-after.

Broach must have felt he was playing in Alaska, pelted with rain and wind gusts for 90 min and only touching the ball 3 times (1 save).

In the first half the Rovers were wasteful. Chance after chance went begging, almost allowing Fury to believe they could get something out of the match. And when the Rovers finally put one away, on a brilliant one-two between Musa and Giancarlo, the linesman intervened to wrongly disallow it. Not a problem, but after the restart, Giancarlo again slashing through clashed with a Fury defender, upended and ended with 2 broken fingers – “snapped like twigs.” Our resident physio recommended “tape and continue” so further treatment had to wait until after the match.

The Rovers took the second half by storm. After an amazing save on Puglie’s volley off Andy’s cross, they took the lead. A well worked move, around the back to the forwards, Pugie toTamu to Andy streaking free in the box. He stove and clinically finished to the far post. Rovers 1-0.

And before Fury could settle, the Rovers settled the match. Giancarlo to Tamu to Musa, perfect cross to Puglie, Rovers 2-0.

Puglie made it 3 when Musa got a ball from Vidar, emptied the defense and served it to Puglie on a plate. Rovers 3-0.

After missing a sitter from inside the 6, Musa finally got on the score sheet to close the match. Rovers 4-0.

It was the 5th time this season that both the Rover starting forwards found the net. Quite a record.

It will be Fury again this weekend this time for a place in the final 16 of the state cup.

Team: Dave Borchard, Vidar Ekehaug, John Salvucci, Kieran Mahon, Mark Kushemba, Giancarlo Cavallo, Tamu Bowen, Eoin Quane, Andy Abramovits, Steven Pugliese, Musa Shannon. Subs(all played): Dixon Hayes, Mike Alexander, Stash Rutkowski

Barnstonworth Rovers Res 2 N.Y. Fury Res 3

As unbelievable as it maybe, the Reserves after losing to top of the table Pancyprians duplicated the feat vs bottom of the table Fury. To make matters worse, they had 2 players sent off rather needlessly jeopardizing their cup run next weekend.

Problems started very early when upon arrival the teams found Ichan locked courtesy of the previous match’s coach who decided because his girls would not play in the rain, nobody should. Complicating the rainy cold situation, the Reserves goalkeeper and keeper of the team’s kit for the week did not show up for the 2^nd time this season !

The young ref was willing to mount the fence to get the game started, but was unwilling to let the Rovers wear their track-suits in lieu of the unavailable shorts so the team had to improvise to find 10 items that would be permitted as “uniforms” including borrowing 2 from the opposition. Great compliment the dark blue Reserves vs black Fury tops in driving wind and pelting rain. No wonder we did not know if we were passing to our own team or the opposition.

Of course the young ref would also not whistle the kick off until he received a complete game sheet in dispersed ink ! The match went downhill from there.

The Rovers failed to break the deadlock in the first half – Lexi missing a direct header he would have usually buried, and Saunders skying from close range – while Alexander defiantly kept the clean sheet. But it was obvious from the balance of play that the Rovers were not clicking, not creating the usual amount of chances and lacking overall organization and chemistry.

And although at half time it was their game to finish, the 2^nd half started in more lackluster play missing the focus required from the team at the top of the table.

In the 60^th min Fury took the lead in unfathomable fashion. Their striker blocked a clearance in the Rover area using BOTH hands of god practically catching the ball to his feet then slotting it to the far post as the Rover defense waited for the never coming whistle ! Rovers 0-1.

Within minutes as the Rovers rushed up instead of composing themselves, a through ball to one of the Fury striker that a linesman may have called as offside was allowed to continue and double the Fury tally despite a valiant first try stop by Alexander. Rovers 0-2

Trailling by 2 the Rovers awoke, and Saunders set up Kieran who curled it to the far post to peg one back. Rovers 1-2.

It seemed the Rovers were back on track, as Mika, on his long awaited return to the pitch, caught their flashy wing back with a late tackle without punishment. Fury lashed back with a carbon copy play with Fury’s 2^nd goal and the Rovers down 1-3.

Mika did not take kindly to the hotdog winger and let him know how the big boys play, unfortunately this time the ref handed him his marching papers. Not long afterwards Stavros did what he does best, questioned the ref and joined Mika on the sidelines with a 2^nd yellow. The Rovers down to 9 and 1-3.

Yet they managed to get one back, albeit not in the largest spirit of fair play. Frustrated by the young ref clearly out of his depth, as Stash went down (hit in the nuts) the ref allowed play to continue even as Fury called for the ball to be kicked out of bounce. Not to be, Saunders to Lexi, he chips the keeper and the Rovers 2-3. Not a whimper from the ref, who shortly afterwards blew it for the final time crumbling the Reserves from the top.

Team: Mike Alexander, Alex Carabano, Stash Rutkowski, Tai Anderson, Dixon Hayes, Mika Tapio, Stavros Zomopoulos, Kieran Mahon, John Saunders, Shadi Shahrokhi, Lexi Schardt. Subs(all played): Vilhelm Klariskov, Jerome Albertini