Result: Premier o30's 5/10/09 by Kevin O'Donovan

Greek Americans o'30s 3 - Barnstonworth Premier o30's 1
Duane Pena
The match report is always delayed after a tough loss, ain't it? Two main factors affected the outcome in my opinion. First, there was a collective letdown due to clinching the playoffs the week prior. Second, we had been pushing the envelope most of the Spring with narrow victories against the Guyanas and Croatia. The mostly over-40 Greeks showed us what good football and clinical finishing is all about.
We started well, creating chances and figured it was a matter of time before we got the opener, but instead it was the Greeks who scored first. One of their strikers beat three Rovers and then managed to slip the ball past yours truly after a violent 1v1 that left both players worse for wear. We struggled to find our rhythm for the rest of the half.
In the second half, we came out more determined and soon equalized via Duane who had twice come close in the first half. The keeper saved Duane's first effort but he was able to poke in the rebound. Duane was later hacked down well inside the area, but the ref gave a free kick just outside the box from which we couldn't capitalize. Again though, our over-confidence perhaps got the better of us as we figured the game was ours. Instead it was the Greeks who took the lead for good on quick counter down the left. They always looked for that extra pass across goal rather than taking the lower percentage, narrow-angled shot at the near post. For both their second and third goals, this happened as the goal scorer ghosted in at the back stick to slot home. When it was 2-1, Marlon was unlucky to not equalize from close range, but he was denied by the sprawling Greek keeper.
Ours was not the only slip-up as Pele Masters drew 3-3 away to Silver Lake. To win the division, we'll need to beat Pele for a second time this season and in doing so avoid Dinamo in the first round of the playoffs. That said, the Kickers are no pushovers and whoever wins the league title will have to win two big matches.
Squad: Kevin, Robedinho, Will, Mo, Maurice, Marc, Jazzy, Pompey, Kendall, Duane, Stav, Marlon, Chivon