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Sunday
7th June 2009
With players from all teams missing due to travel, matchday 3 of the Group 4 league was almost abandoned. However, the boys who were present decided to go ahead and play the matches on a smaller field. Wolves had 7 squad members, while Roma also had 7 with new addition Tibor. Hertha were the most unfortunate, only managing 5 players including newcomer Fabrizio. |
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
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7
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Jordan (5), Till, Matthew
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Roma
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1
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Wolves flew out of the traps, with Hurley beginning the game in goal for Roma and doing well to stop early efforts from Jordan and Matthew. Jordan opened the scoring by just reaching Till's through-ball and toe-poking past Hurley. Geza arrived for the Reds, so Hurley stepped aside and Kevin went in goal. Till again created the second as his shot was touched onto the post by Jordan and as the ball rebounded back off Kevin, Jordan tapped in for another goal in a very memorable match for him!
Soon after half-time Wolves upped the tempo and Jordan's one man show took over. He completed his hat-trick (and Tills hat-trick of assists!), controlling a long pass and nonchalantly lifting the ball over the onrushing keeper for a beautiful goal! In the next attack he was foiled by a great save by Kevin, but Paul was there to loop the rebound goalwards and Till made sure by tapping in on the line. George, Sam and Tibor all came close for Roma but again Jordan found the net, taking Paul's fantastic delayed return pass in his stride and firing home. George and Sam then both lost possession cheaply and who else but that man Jordan was quickest to the loose ball and smashed into the roof of the net! From the kick-off, out of frustration and a lack of ideas, George hit a high looping ball goalwards which deceived Balu and floated into the top corner to give the Reds some consolation. However, Wolves had the final say as Matthew broke down the left and shot across a bewildered Kevin into the far corner to leave the final score a massive 7-1!
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Hertha Berlin
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2
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Hurley (2)
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Wolverhampton Wanderers
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2
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Jordan, Till
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Even with George in goal and Fabrizio joining the sqaud, Hertha began the game a man down. They got their tactics spot on, however, and despite being under pressure went in two goals up at the break. Jordan's goal touch seemed to have deserted him as he flashed a volley wide before Till forced George into a good stop. Mattthew and Jordan again shot off target and on the break Fabrizio forced Balu into a save at the near post. From the corner Wolves failed to clear and Hurley rifled the ball into the roof of the net for an unlikely lead! Till's back-post volley from Matthew's corner failed to trouble George and Hurley made it two with a great shot from the right into the far corner!
Wolves finally made the extra man pay as they started the second half. First Till and then Matthew stung George's palms and soon after they pulled one back. Again it was the Till-Jordan combination as the winger's shot rebounded off George and Jordan turned home the rebound for his 6th of the day! Till got the second goal his day's play deserved as Jelle won the ball on the right. Till skipped round Thomas and found the far corner with a low hard shot.
Hertha finished the game another man down as Fabrizio was forced off injured after two rough tackles by Matthew but the Blues held on for a deserved point. Wolves, however pleased they were with their comeback, knew it was two points dropped against their biggest rivals.
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Roma
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4
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Sam (2), Tibor, Geza
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Hertha Berlin
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3
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Hurley (3)
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With Fabrizio unable to play Hertha began with just four outfield players against the 6 of Roma! The Reds wasted no time in attacking and grabbed an early lead as Sam found the back of the net after Geza's shot had come back off the crossbar and stand in keeper Till failed to collect. At the other end Thomas' great run was eventually brought to a halt by Marcell in goal. Hurley came up with another great goal to equalise as he dribbled through the middle and placed the ball calmly into the corner. Tibor replicated the feat moments later as he burst through the defence and finished past Till. Before half-time Geza put Roma two goals clear as he raced onto Kevin's pass and buried the ball into the near corner.
Jelle was subbed in for Till and made a fantastic triple save to keep Hertha in the game. Szabolcs responded by skipping past Sam on the right and finding Hurley with a beautiful cross which was met by a bullet header past Marcell and into the net! George rattled Jelle's bar with a free-kick, then Sam nipped in to intercept a loose pass and fired home into the top corner to seemingly make the game safe. Hurley somehow summoned the energy for one last push as he controlled a long kick deftly and went the long way round two defenders before finishing left footed into the corner! However, there wasn't enough time for a comeback and Hertha were left gasping for breath after a great effort which so nearly earned them a point.
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