A Look Back In Time

Having a look back at the old blog posts. Check them out. http://unistallions.blogspot.co.nz/2008_04_01_archive.html 

There's match reports from Corey (remember when he used to do them all?), tactics from Nick (remember when he used to play for a good team?), random polls from Aaron, and player profiles.

Aaron, I think we need to do some player profiles on some of the newer recruits. Did Tristin ever do one? Panda? Paddy? Lloyd? There's a heap of material out there waiting to be put up... There's also the "Stallions 1st XI" that was decided a few years back that never went up. I'm sure I have the book somewhere or does Jason have it?

Fantasy

The stallions emerge from the KP changing rooms to meet Wests.

Need some help with the Fantasy. I think we were all too shocked with Rauru's second to notice who gave it the 'assist' - probably a dubious assist since it must have been passed from inside our half, did not put Rauru into an attacking position, and had no intention of being an assist, but it happened. Anyone recall?

Goal 1 Rauru, assist - Panda
Goal 2 Aaron, no assist (homie needs no assistance)
Goal 3 Rauru, assist??

TANG!

Cue an Aaron hatrick.

Stallions 3: Wests 7. Sigh.

Unlike Tangihaere, Gus and the rest of this year's crop, I take this Pony business very seriously.  

The scene was KP on a crisp autumnal day.  The opposition was the unknown (and, if I'm honest, slightly feared) Wests.  Things didn't get off to a great start when it dawned on all concerned that Tangihaere had left the nets under a pile of other muck in his shed.  A quick return trip to Petone was in order, but thankfully our ref and opposition were happy to delay proceedings until we were all ready to go.

Kick off and, as discussed pre-match, we looked to defend and see what Wests had - and hit the on the break if possible.  For the first time in living memory a Stallions game-plan paid dividends.  Lloyd was snapping into tackles with such enthusiasm that you thought that soon it would be legs snapping.  After weathering a bit of early pressure, a slide-rule pass from Panda put Rauru in the clear.  He played Torres to the Wests' keeper's Valdes - rounding him with pace and confidence before tucking it home.  Sadly, Wests hit back pretty sharply.  A pass in behind the full-back gave their striker a chance, which he took despite the angle.  We had the opportunity to regain the lead when Rauru was once again put through.  This time though there was a fatal moment of hesitation which allowed their keeper to narrow the angle and push the shot away for a corner.  The next Wests attack saw their striker get the ball close in, surrounded by defenders, with his back to goal.  The words "I can't see it" had scarcely passed my lips when the ball flew in past my knees - 2:1.  The fighting spirit of the Stallions was evident though because now it was our turn to have a spell of pressure.  It culminated with a ball across to Aaron making one of his patented marauding run forward.  First touch to get it under control before opening himself up beautifully to put it inside the post from 12 yards.  Just when we thought we might be going into the break level, disaster struck - a slaloming run and a finish at the near post.  "That was some goal" screamed the responsible party "I just dorked 6 of your players".  Clearly someone was counting.  At least he got the "dork" bit right.  3:2 Wests at the break.

Less said about the second half the better and, if I'm honest, it was all a bit of a blur.  Wests got their 4th following a corner - a tuck-in at the back post by their self-commentating superstar, who promptly announced his hat-trick to his adoring masses.  The 5th was just one of those things.  A mis-kicked cross dipped and swerved, got caught in a vicious cross-wind, I was temporarily blinded by the sunlight reflecting off the referee's whistle, and the ball lodged gently inside the far post.  Fate had conspired against us/me.  Meanwhile, in more palatable news, a goal-kick cleared the defenders and put Rauru in - his shot was blocked, but our prima ballerina was on hand with what looked like a tasty lob over the stranded keeper.  The wind was once again to blame as the ball bounced cruelly back off the wood-work.  We also held our collective breaths for what we hoped would be another Panda long-range special.  Sadly, it just whistled over.  Wests then goth their 6th, when a man was left alone at the top of the box to have a shot.  It looked like a pretty scruffy effort - but was against an even scruffier keeper, and snuck into the side-netting.  Rauru then decided he'd score from near halfway, because he's like that - something for the neutrals.  A lovely finish and an immediate shoe-in for Stallion moment.  The scoring wasn't done though.  Another Wests break, we all rushed to block a shot that never came.  Instead, a square ball to a player that no-one had bothered to track to tap into an unguarded net.  That was number SEVEN.  We were put out of our collective misery not long after that.

Huge game from Lloyd, who completely dominated the centre of the park.  Wests had to resort to going round him.  Some idiot tried to go through him and quickly learned his lesson.  Big props too to Spencer, who always did a great job of holding up his man, getting a timely toe in and looking up for a sensible pass.  Pony to me for a reason that genuinely remains a mystery.  The fact that I probably should have stopped five of the seven I let in - and got beaten from the sideline - may have had something to do with.  My cheerful mood post-game was further enhanced by the first thing I heard being Rauru say "we let in some soft goals today lads".  Yeah?  We missed some sitters today lads.  Bloody strikers!

Vs Wests

I loved how they were getting angry and frustrated at us for parking the bus and going hardcore defence in the first half - 'you are playing like Chelsea' - it worked (for a while ...). Not to mention we scored twice and had a couple of other good chances that half.


Right, so that's 2 games in a row we have conceded 3 goals in the last 20. Fitness of course is an issue, but its the drop in intensity in that period that is killing us. But there is a lot to take from that game - the first half was great, we scored more against Wests than any team this season, and next time we won't be thinking these guys are going to kill us.  We should be feeling much better than we were this time last week.

We need to get the match report thing going again - Paul, unfortunately you picked up the pony this week, so a few sage words from you may need to be in order.

Pony: Paul
Other contenders: Tangihaere and the nets, Paddy showing up to watch after the game, Aaron chopping everything in sight
Stallion: Rauru - for that second goal - I think you might have to explain the celebration for us all ...

MVPs:
3 - Lloyd - huge game, everywhere , at the heart of everything.
2 - Spencer - again Mr Consistency (that's 3 weeks of mvp points in a row)
1 - Rauru

Heard on the sidelines #482895

Logan: 'Before the game I went to Chipmunks, I saw Paddy there'.

Bet he blew a hamstring.

Big day stallions: vs best team in the league, leaking goals, losing fan support, barely got a team, but what a chance to turn things around  - and we are at KP before it turns into a mudbath.

And the winner of last weeks pony: Tangihaere.

Do not startle the pony

Pony poll for last week's game to right, vote away - winner is he with the most votes on Saturday morning.

Corey definitely gets the Stallion.