Stallions 2 - 0 Wainui

Wainui's goalkeeper

There's not much to be said that hasn't already been said.  Without Wainui's superhuman goalkeeper the score would have been a lot more.  6'4", agile as an agile thing and with pecks that make ladies blush, he puled off a number of saves that kept Wainui in the game a lot longer than they deserved to.  

0-0 going into half time, the Stallions had the better running of the whole half.  It felt like it was going to be a matter of time before we scored, but we needed some kryptonite.  As it turned out we didn't.  We just needed Tim.  As a corner from the left was swung in, Superman came for the ball but missed and Tim was on hand at the far post to nod in.

This was after Graham had pulled off a Superman save of his own at the other end to keep the game at 0-0 in one of Wainui's only shots on target of the game (he was to later repeat the feat with the score at 1-0.  I think he was only called on to make 3 saves which makes them all the better.  Hard to stay focused when nothing is coming your way).

As the clock wound down and I was getting anxious at the level of attacking football we were still trying to play (no running the clock down for Stallions 2013!) the game was secured with a swift counter attack that was finished with a cheeky chip (was that a shin to a bobbling ball?) over the onrushing keeper.

Odd that it was possibly our best game of the season yet our smallest winning margin.  Gotta love football.

As for why I'm writing this report?  I don't think there has been a faster Pony moment in Stallion history (actually yes there has, 10 points if anyone can remember what it was!).  We have the kick off, Gus rolls the ball forward to me, I slip, semi recover, stride forward, kick the ball, pull my hammy.  Game over.  All in 1.58sec.

If it wasn't for that then Paddy would have been a shoe-in.  A terrible dive in the box, a couple of misses and a woosy pants assist for the final goal when he could have scored himself because "I didn't want to anger the big man".  Quote unquote.

Stallion is Graham for a huge save at 0-0 which took his clean sheet minutes to over 300.  Should make team of the week.

Since I have the power of the match report, I also get power of the MVP points.  A lot of talk about it, and with everyone (except this writer) worthy of points it was a very hard decision.  But the points go to:

3 - Gerald.  His combination with Tom has been huge the last two weeks (and they've alternated between playing mid and D).  It's given width and a solid way to bring the ball out from the back.

2 - Heath - Owned the center of the park with Dan.  He gets the points rather than Dan because he actually passed the ball and we want to reward him with positive praise (not that Dan didn't, but as a teacher you reward children when you see positive behaviour that you want to continue to happen ;) )

1 - Tom.  See reasons for G.

Tim - You're on fantasy points.