Belfast Friday Premier League Season One, Gameweek Three, Fri 30th May 2009

Match Report

FC Inter Select emerged victorious from this closely fought contest at Olympia Leisure Centre on Friday evening.

Cherryvillarreal took the lead midway through the second half thanks to Andrew Beattie’s strike but two late goals from their opponents was enough to condemn the Yellows to their second defeat in three games.

The Yellows were without the services of talisman Christopher McShane whilst Ryan Smyth and Michael Morrow were also absent. However, Tweedie was able to welcome back David Walker into his defence. The Cherries defender had previously been missing due to the birth of his daughter but his return was greeted with widespread relief.

After last weeks capitulation against Stran Marino, many Yellows fans went into Friday’s game fearing the worst against an Inter side who had thrashed FC Twenties 6-1 in their previous fixture. The fears were compounded when influential duo McShane and Smyth were ruled out and joined Morrow on the sidelines. Despite the doom merchants writing off the Dundonald outfit before the game had even begun, Tweedie’s men believed that they could get something from the contest.

Cherryvillarreal came flying out of the traps and almost took the lead just seconds after kick-off. The ball broke to Large on the edge of the area and the forward volleyed the ball goalwards. The ball cannoned off the inside of the left-hand post, before striking the inside of the right and then again off the left before rebounding to safety. It was terribly unlucky for the Yellows and an absolute freak incident.

The Dundonald outfit were looking the more impressive side in the opening exchanges and almost took the lead again when David Walker’s long-range effort struck the bar. Inter were playing some neat stuff themselves and only some brave goalkeeping from David Coulter denied them from taking the lead on two occasions. As the half drew to a close, the Yellows were looking the likelier side to score but they couldn’t find the breakthrough.

The second half began in the same fashion as the first and the Yellows were again denied by the woodwork whilst searching for the opener. David Walker picked the ball up about twenty yards from goal and struck a ferocious shot which cannoned off the upright and back into play. The Dundonald side did not have to wait long though for the breakthrough and it came from the impressive Andrew Beattie. Ryan Fisher had the ball out the right wing and cut inside his marker before thumping a shot at goal. The Inter keeper could only parry the shot and Beattie was on hand to tuck the ball home from close range. It was Andrew’s first of the season and just rewards for the Yellows early dominance.

Inter responded in devastating fashion just minutes later against the run of play. After some neat build up play an Inter winger found himself bearing down on goal and as Coulter came out close down the angle, the Select star squared the ball for his colleague to stroke the ball into an unguarded goal. 1-1 and anyone’s game with just minutes remaining.

With the seconds ticking away, David Coulter’s long throw found Large on the wing and the forward waited for support before attempting to lay the ball into Gillespie’s path. Unfortunately, Large’s pass was behind the Yellows midfielder and the ball fell kindly into the path of an Inter player who launched an attack from which they scored. It was a cruel end to the game and something which Large’s team mates did not deserve.

Despite dominating their last two games the Yellows find themselves stuck on three points. Tweedie’s side will need to pick up points and soon if they’re to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.


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Cherryvillarreal: Coulter 8, Walker 9, Campbell 8, Gillespie 8, Fisher 8, Large 6, Beattie 8

Manager's Star

Belfast Friday Premier League Season One, Gameweek Two, Fri 22nd May 2009

Match Report

Cherryvillarreal threw away a two goal lead and allowed Stran Marino to take all three points from a fiery encounter at Valley Leisure Centre.

The Dundonald outfit were without the services of David Walker and No.1 goalkeeper David Coulter so they draughted in reserve keeper Matt McMullan. However, to blame the result on the absence of these two stalwarts would only deflect attention away from those who performed so poorly on the night. The Dundonald outfit simply imploded after a fantastic opening period that saw them storm into a two goal lead. Tweedie’s men allowed themselves to be distracted by the histrionics of the Stran players when they should have been concentrating on finishing off distinctly inferior opponents.

The Yellows took an early lead through their talisman McShane after some neat build up play. Gillespie brought the ball out of defence and picked out Large on the flank. The forward shielded the ball and rolled it back to Gillespie who whipped a first time ball over the top of the Stran defence and into the path of McShane. The in-form midfielder instantly controlled the pass and rounded the oncoming keeper before rolling the ball into an unguarded goal to give his side the lead.

Cherryvillarreal doubled their advantage soon afterwards when Ryan Smyth stabbed the ball home following a goalmouth scramble. The tricky winger was on hand to put the finishing touches to a scrappy exchange between Large and a Stran defender. Tweedie’s men were absolutely coasting and only a monumental collapse could’ve taken the game from them. Unfortunately for the Dundonald club that’s exactly what happened.

With the first half drawing to a close Ryan Smyth tried to dribble his way out of trouble and was robbed by a Stran forward who then had a clear run at goal and gave McMullan no chance with the finish. It was an awful time to concede a goal and it gave the Stran players a huge lift heading into the second period.

Stran Marino were searching for an equaliser and asking some serious questions of Cherryvillarreal at the beginning of the half. The Marino players were becoming increasingly animated and mini-skirmishes were developing all over the pitch. The chief instigator of the trouble was the Stran goalkeeper Hans Klopek.

Everyone within the footballing community and many outside of it will know about Klopek’s chequered past. The Marino keeper was arrested in 1989 along with his two uncles Werner and Reuben Klopek after human remains were discovered in the boot of their car. The Klopeks were living in the American suburb of Mayfield Place when their eccentric behaviour aroused the suspicions of their neighbours following the disappearance of local resident Walter Seznik . Hans Klopek was later cleared of all charges after the courts found insufficient evidence to suggest that he participated in or was aware of the terrible acts committed by his uncles.

After his acquittal, Hans made a successful living out his tinned sardine company which he sold to John West for $2m in 1993. It was around about this time that Klopek caught the eye of the then USA manager Bora Milutinović whilst playing football in a local park. Milutinovic was very impressed with Klopek’s agility but he felt that the red-head would need to be ‘beefed up’ if he was going to break into the national squad for the ’94 World Cup.

Milutinovic placed Klopek on a special diet which comprised mainly of steel and children’s tears in order to improve his physique and toughen him up. However, Klopek’s World Cup dream was shattered when the rest of the national squad threatened to go on strike and boycott the World Cup if Milutinovic continued to include Klopek in the squads. Rumour has it that the other players were growing tired of Milutinovic and Klopek, as entire training sessions would be devoted to the

Belfast Friday Premier League Season One, Gameweek One, Fri 15th May 2009

Match Report

Michael Morrow capped a wonderful display with a well taken goal as Cherryvillarreal got their Premier League campaign off to a flying start.

The Dundonald outfit cruised to a 4-1 victory over an established Premier League side in Dynamo Mallusk. Tweedie was without the services of David Walker whose wife had just given birth and Ryan Smyth (virus) but were still able to field a strong side.

Gillespie moved into defence alongside Campbell and new signing Ryan Fisher moved into midfield alongside McShane. Coulter took up his usual place in goal whilst Large spearheaded the attack.

Mallusk almost opened the scoring when their forward found himself bearing down on goal. Unfortunately for him he found himself up against a goalkeeper in inspired form at the minute as David Coulter made an excellent block, thwarting his opponent in a one-on-one situation.

The Yellows were dictating the pace of the game right from the off and it wasn’t long before they made their superiority count. Christopher McShane has been scoring for fun of late and he helped himself to another double in this game. The powerful midfielder has now scored 20 goals in his last 13 games making him the top goalscorer in the club’s history. His first was a cool finish from just inside the area and his second was a trademark McShane strike; hammered into the top corner of the goal from distance. McShane was really enjoying himself and the Yellows were looking likely to increase their lead before the end of the half.

As usual, Tweedie decided to withdraw Large for no apparent reason and replace him with wide-man Andrew Beattie shortly before half-time. The Yellows striker is cutting an increasingly frustrated looking figure out there and one can certainly envisage a Ronaldo-like tantrum occurring the next time he’s withdrawn.

The Yellows emerged for the second period and continued in the same fashion as the first. Dynamo Mallusk were offering little resistance as Tweedie’s side sought the goal that would kill the game as a contest. They didn’t have to wait long though as the in-form Darren Gillespie jinked his way past several challenges before rounding the keeper and sliding the ball into the empty goal.

Tweedie then replaced McShane with Morrow and the striker’s impact was as deadly as it was instant. The big man received the ball from Campbell with his back to goal and turned his marker before curling the ball beyond the keeper’s reach and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal. 4-0 and the Yellows were coasting!

Mallusk did grab a consolation goal shortly before the end and what a goal it was! Their forward picked up the ball about 20 yards from goal and was able to fend off several strong challenges before placing the ball into the top right-hand corner of Coulter’s goal.

The late consolation goal was not enough to tarnish a great result for the Yellows and they’ll be hoping to carry this form into their next game against Stran Marino who were 7-1 victors themselves.

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Cherryvillarreal: Coulter 8, Campbell 8, Gillespie 8, McShane 8, Fisher 7, Large 7, Beattie 7, Morrow 9, Campbell 6

Manager’s Star Man: Michael Morrow