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Average Ratings – Top 5

Not much change at the top this week, Ash is edged out by Jordan’s goals while Tim R remains top of the pile.  A ‘minimum games’ rule must surely come into force soon?

BP Sheen 1 – 4 Pacers

By Tim F

Sunday was a shocking day for football. First, the game had to cope with the news of Gary Speed’s passing, and second, the windy conditions that sunk a cargo ship off the coast of Wales blew themselves down to Wandsworth Park, where Pacers faced a potential banana skin away at bottom of the table North Sheen.

 Wanting to build on the momentum of a surging fightback in their last league game, Pacers started well, despite playing against the wind, doing their best to maintain a semblance of a passing game on a very hard, uneven surface.

North Sheen were pegged back for much of the first 30 minutes, but managed to keep the front two of Ash and Jordan at bay. However, the midfield quartet of Noonan, Nick K, Spracks and Max kept working hard to control the game and support the attack and Pacers reward came on the half hour, when Ash crossed from the right and Nick K hooked the ball into the net. 1-0 Pacers.

However, showing a spirit that has too often been lacking this season (presumably), North Sheen hit back before half time. Having coped with the bouncy, swirling conditions admirably for 40 minutes, the Pacers defence of Oli, Nick E, Kev N and Nathan were finally beaten as the oppo found a bit of space outside the area and their midfielder’s 25 yard shot took an unfortunate bounce over Alessio and ended up nestled in the back of the net.

1-1 at half time. Game on!

An enforced substitution saw Laurin come into midfield for the second half and Max move to the back. The game was now very scrappy and North Sheen managed to create a couple of decent chances, forcing Alessio into two excellent saves and requiring vital clearances by Max and Kev. Chris E and Tim F were introduced and the fresh legs seemed to revitalise the Pacers as, with Spracks increasingly controlling the midfield, they finally stamped their authority on the game.

Jordan stabbed home from close range after a spell of good Pacers pressure, before Nick Kearns measured the wind better than Michael Fish to bag his second directly from a corner (via the head of a North Sheen defender). Pacers switched to 3-5-2 for the last five minutes with Kev moving up front and the ensuing chaos this caused in the Sheen defence freed up Jordan to prod home his second.

It wasn’t pretty, but a solid, battling performance against a pretty weak opposition. North Sheen 1 Putney Pacers 4. MOTM: Spracks.

Breaking News : Sunday’s Pacers game cancelled

If anyone would like to help me to move house on Sunday morning instead, give me a bell!  😉

Pacers Christmas Shindig

Fellow Pacers,

As we have no game on Sunday 11 December, the Pacers Christmas Shindig will take place on SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER.

Please mark the date in your diaries to ensure that we have another great turnout and another belting night out.

Details will be confirmed nearer the time, stay tuned.

Kevlar

Putney Pacers FC vs. AFC Wandsworth: A Great Comeback

By Laurin ‘Erich Maria Remarque’ Laverne

Sunday, 13 November 2011, 10.30 am: A golden sunny November morning at South Park, SW6 3AF. Leafs covering the grassland, squirrels climbing up and down trees, people strolling, some drinking semi-skimmed soy decaf lattes, some walking their dogs, others sitting on benches reading newspapers or just checking out female joggers passing by in slow motion. All looked like a typical Sunday morning, but something seemed to disturb this picturesque scenery…

DAMN STRAIGHT!

The infamous Putney Pacers made their way down to South Park to take on AFC Wandsworth in a thrilling match that will surely remain in our minds for a long time. Before kick-off, Pacers were ready to take revenge for the 2:0 defeat suffered a couple of weeks ago down in South Wimbledon.

However, from the start Pacers struggled to get hold of the game, as our team did not find a better solution to AFC’s pressure than to just kick the ball “away”. Passing performance was rather poor and the logical consequence was an early 0:1. Only minutes later Pacers were already down 0:2, after a free kick from close range found its way into the Pacers net (Alessio might still have been under the influence of the shocking news of Berlusconi’s resignation, but was also dazzled by the sun). Another attack close to halftime led to a 0:3, boosting AFC’s confidence of victory, while leaving Pacers in low spirits.

In half-time tactical mastermind Ash, who spent parts of his childhood in a chess-boot camp in a suburb of Novosibirsk, USSR, decided to fine-tune the tactical setup and brought in new players. The idea: stabilizing midfield, getting hold of the ball and eventually creating chances.

Indeed, right from the start Pacers found the stability desperately needed, confidence came back and pass combinations were witnessed that would even make a German traffic policemen drop tears of joy. Logical consequence: 3:1 by Ash with a cool finisher. AFC, obviously shocked by Pacers’ comeback, struggled to maintain its calmness. Pacers continued to pressure with great passing in midfield and Nick Kearns seized an opportunity from close range inside the box to launch a mid-size rocket shot: 2:3, now we talking! Wandsworth failed to create further chances and the one dangerous shot they had was disarmed by Alessio with Gigi Buffon world class-style.

Jordan then scored the 3:3 with a dry daisy cutter free kick making AFC’s goalie + wall look like spear carriers.

Putney Pacers are back! Surely, only a draw on paper, but our team left South Park with a moral victory. Great team performance in the second half brought the Pacers back on track and mankind surely witnessed the most spectacular comeback in show biz since Peter Andre.

Two main lessons learned:

1. Although Pacers were down 0:3 in halftime: Der Ball ist rund und ein Spiel dauert 90 Minuten! (for all pagans, this is Sepp Herbegerger’s famous quote implying that players should never give up until the final whistle)

2. Putney Pacers FC relies on the strength of 11 + min. 3 players who all need to contribute to the success. Great performance from those players that came from the bench!

On a serious note: Chris injury after clashing with AFC’s goalie turned out to be more severe and he had to receive medical treatment. He seems to be on the road to recovery now and will hopefully be back on the pitch in a few weeks. We hope to see you soon. Get well, mate!

Average Ratings – Top 6

Here is the latest averages table.  Some notable changes this week.

Tim Rea remains top and has vowed never to play again until someone replaces him at the top! 

Alex and Nick E consolidate their positions in second and third, while Kev Drake makes an entrance after one Man of the match performance and one erm, nevermind that one…

Behind him it’s a battle of the goalscorers, Ash and Jordan locked together on a mind-boggling 6.833333, doesn’t it just trip off the tongue?

Ash just pips it on goals (or should that be ‘pens’) scored!

*The full version of this table also includes ‘Clean Sheets’.  But as we haven’t kept one, I didn’t see the point in including it!

AFC Pag-ur-mumsio 3 – 2 Pacers

By Kevin Drake

After a strong performance the previous week against “premier” league opposition in the cup, the Pacers would have done better going in to the game with the same underdog mentality for a match that was more than winnable. However, after a very disappointing first half followed by a frustrating second, the Pacers came away beaten by the better side on the day.

The Pacers started the morning with only one substitute and yet another new backline in place but with a team that should have been more than capable of challenging for the three points on offer.

In old-age Pacer fashion the outfield players started slowly and within minutes an uncontested ball was played over the top from midfield and in to the path of the on running Pag-ur-mumsio left winger/striker. Left to bear down on the exposed Alessio, he managed to scuff his effort well wide partly, I’d like to think due to the now trademark (but this time slightly contained) scream from Alessio between the sticks – either that or else my ears were still ringing from the roar of the week before. The Pacers had been warned.

The opposition were causing problems through a combination of their deep lying striker accompanied by energetic attackers on both wings and a central midfielder clad in white shorts who found space to produce short lay offs as well as balls over the top for his strikers. He also managed to break through from midfield himself which brought the first goal – a mix up at the back and the ball broke to the “guy in white shorts” (who we’re sure used to play for another team) and he slotted the ball under Allessi. 1-0.

The Pacers had possession in good areas at times in the first half with the pace of Chris playing wide, Ash and Ross up front and Alex breaking from midfield but never really found enough composure on and off the ball to string enough controlled passes together to dictate play.

One ball in to the box and a run from Chris caused some clumsy defending and one of AFC Pags defenders pretty much missed his header, tumbled and landed with the ball in a headlock – PENALTY, despite outlandish cries of “that was never a pen!”. Ash stepped up and slotted the ball home and the Pacers were back in the game. 1-1. In a subsequent interview, Ash revealed his secret, I “slotted it in just like Ben’s mum showed me how, boom!”

Nevertheless communication was at its usual low without a clichéd “We’ve Gone Quiet” to be heard. Tackles were being won in the middle of the park by the home team which led to Pag-ur-mumsio’s second. It came in much the same fashion as the chance in the first few minutes from (admittedly) a great but uncontested pass over the top of the Pacer defence between full back and centre-half. The attacker broke away and slotted it in. 2-1.

The Pacers did have a succession of corners but they were well defended and then quickly turned to attack by Pag-ur-mumsio. Towards the end of the first-half a long ball down the Pacers right should have been put out for a corner or throw-in however the man-of-the-match from the previous week tried to be clever, lost the ball, got turned and compounded it with a rash challenge in the box which brought down the striker – fall from grace complete – PENALTY. It was converted to make it 3-1 going in to half time.

Bitterly disappointed with the first half display the Pacers came out quick and determined in the second half characterised by a storming Kev Newton run (with the ball even!) from the back line to cause havoc in the opposite area. The pressure paid off with classic goal a la Wimbledon of old. Laurin (possibly) knocked the ball through, Chris ran onto it to challenge the keeper and the rebound hit Ash’s low kept arm before rebounding to the defender who then hit the ball into Ash’s other arm, and like the windmill warm-up before the game and Forrest Gump in mind he just kept running and knocked the ball in from 8 yards into empty net. 3-2.

The rest of the half saw lots of pressure from the Pacers and a few more opportunities from corners but without a clear sight at goal to test the captain keeper who normally plays in midfield. A customary battling run in to the box from Alex brought a clash with their keeper/defender as well as injury. This saw the Pacers go down to 10 men for a period after already making their one substitution at half time. After a chat with the ref and the Pag-ur-mumsio captain the Pacers were allowed to bring Nick back on to replace the injured Alex – fair play gone mad if you ask me.

Any possession the Pacers then had was to no avail, they were caught on the break on numerous occasions but somehow the home team failed to score again.