Cove Bay Pirates/STI v. City Merchants/NTI - The Ultimate Rivalry - This Time It's For Real!!!

[Guest mikeytwigge]

we had to let them score one

[Blackcats]

nooo savage!!!

[DodgeeD]

15 minutes: Bizarre substitution - the STI coach decides to take a bemused looking Dawson off, sending van der Berg on in his place. STI are now laying a 4-4-2 formation with van der berg at right back and The Stig being shifted out to the left. Surely it's too early to start sitting back. :confused:

[Guest mikeytwigge]

see their woried

[Ridleys]

Bobinho has to get a goal in this game

[DodgeeD]

23 minutes: GOAL!!!!

Le Quack punts a free kick into the STI half but it is immediately won by the STI defenders. A few passes later and Healy plays it forward to Gingerbread, who holds off the challenge of Israel before laying a neat ball off to Gus Crazy. The AMC then proceeds to hit an unstoppable 20 yard drive past Le Quack and into the net! 'NTI need to sort themselves out, this is getting embarassing' says the commentator - and he's right!

STI 2 - NTI 0

[Whoopy D]

If Ramiro had been on the bench he could've helped us adjust to a 4-4-2

EDIT: Goooooooaaaaaaalllllll!!!!

[Ridleys]

STI going to storm to victory now :*) good stuff.

[DodgeeD]

'If anyone fancies a drink' says Jason de Mire, who sounds like he's had a few already 'I've got a lovely beverage available in plentiful supply - the NTI players just bottled it for me!'

[DodgeeD]

30 minutes: Nothing much going on out there at the moment. The STI players seem happy to stroke the ball around the centre of midfield while the NTI players are trying to remeber where the opposition half is.

[DodgeeD]

32 minutes: Miltinho advances into the STI half but is immediately closed down by van der Berg. The full back then exchanges a 1-2 with Healy before hitting a deep cross to Gingerbread. The Liverpool striker tries to find some space but Israel makes a fantastic tackle before clearing the ball to safety.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

we will win 7-2

[DodgeeD]

35 minutes: What's this? An NTI attack?!? The first one of the game finally comes but is ended prematurely as The Stig hacks down Polo near the touchline. From the resulting free kick Haowan rises above the crowd to get his head on it but unfortunately, he is not as accurate as he was at the other end as the ball goes just over the bar.

[DodgeeD]

45 minutes: Bizarre substitution #2 - The Stig is the one looking bemused now as he is taken off just before the half comes to an end and Liverpool left back Ball comes on for 3 minutes of injury time before heading back to the dressing room.

[DodgeeD]

Half-time stats:

STI have had 4 goal attempts, 3 on target. NTI have mustered up two attacks, neither of which troubled the STI keeper. Surprisingly, they have had more possession - 53% to STI's 47%.

It's been a shockingly clean game so far with only 8 fouls from each side and no bookings.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

2 subs already now we just need to start injuring them

[Whoopy D]

If ever we needed proof that the STI manager doesn't know what he's doing this is it. Two subs before half time and we're winning 2-0?

Clearly it's just lucky we've done so well with this fool in charge, no wonder Ramiro never got much of a look in.

[DodgeeD]

47 minutes: The NTI players look like they have been nicely styled with a hair-dryer as they come out for the second half. They certainly look more up for it as they come forward immediately and win a corner. Haowan floats it in only to see it cleared. The ball falls to dos Santos 25 yards out, who plays it back into the box. Mikey Twigge gets to the ball first but blasts his shot over the bar.

[DodgeeD]

If ever we needed proof that the STI manager doesn't know what he's doing this is it. Two subs before half time and we're winning 2-0?

Clearly it's just lucky we've done so well with this fool in charge, no wonder Ramiro never got much of a look in.

To be honest, it's not much of a surprise - he's been doing the same all through the tournament so far (a sub after the first goal and another before halftime) and he was also up to the same thing at the last World Cup. It must be some quirk in the AI. :confused:

[DodgeeD]

57 minutes: It seems NTI's renewed impetus has finished already. They haven't been able to mount any kind of attack in the last 10 minuyes and STI look happy just to sit back and frustrate thier opponents.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

i'm a left back we shouldnt be relying on me to shoot

[DodgeeD]

60 minutes: A regular substitution this time - Peralta comes on with Haowan coming off.

'As I would like to remind everyone' slurs Jason de Mire on STITV, 'good old Haowan was a Cove Bay player for a couple of years after he left the Merchants. Subconciously, I guess he felt more of an affinity for the South during his time there as evidenced by today's opener. '

[GazTheDoood]

Come on boys!

[DodgeeD]

61 minutes: This is what the world wanted to see! Miltinho gets booked for a vicious foul on Sunderland. Frankly, the NTI man is lucky not to get a red and the STI captain has to hobble off for a bit of magic sponge treatment.

[GazTheDoood]

I'd still bet on a Gingerbread goal!

Excellent play-by-play updates Dodge, great idea, I can guarantee i'm not the only one refreshing the page every few seconds.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

your certainly not gaZ

[Ridleys]

Nope, you're not the only one

[Whoopy D]

I'd still bet on a Gingerbread goal!

Excellent play-by-play updates Dodge, great idea, I can guarantee i'm not the only one refreshing the page every few seconds.

You're right I've got 3 tabs open and come back to this one every 10 seconds or so and hit F5

[DodgeeD]

64 minutes: GOAL!!!

Now we've got a game on our hands! Polo comes storming down the right before crossing towards Gonzalez. He is beaten to the ball by Eduaddo but the clearance falls to McBob. The Arsenal playmaker then picks out Dos Santos with a lovely pass and the NTI hitman strokes the ball into the back of the net for his 7th goal of the tournament.

STI 2 - NTI 1

[Guest mikeytwigge]

game on

[ssestig]

Me too. 101010

[DodgeeD]

Cheers for following the action guys - I thought this would be a good way to do the last head-to-head clash of the sign up. Just a shame it wasn't the final.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

but it is the final cause whoever wins here will win the whole tournament. Will you be running a similar sign up on 09?

[DodgeeD]

65 minutes: NTI substituiton - fresh attacking legs as Roseau comes on for Gonzalez.

[GazTheDoood]

2-1 adds a bit of unneeded tension.

Also, nice to hear i'm not the only one!

[Whoopy D]

Well we can't have everything, that's in response to the goal and the fact it's not the final.

Obviously this has been a great sign-up, what I'm sure we all want to know is: Does DodgeeD have anything planned for when this is over?

[GazTheDoood]

Gingerbread or Bobinho will grab a goal and kill it off.

[DodgeeD]

but it is the final cause whoever wins here will win the whole tournament. Will you be running a similar sign up on 09?

Not sure - I will if I have the time! I would only do nations next time as the clubs didn't really hold onto the players for that long.

[GazTheDoood]

True, but I have enjoyed following the club's progress.

[Blackcats]

Game on, Gonzalez off though:(

[DodgeeD]

67 minutes: STI try to hit back immediately but the strangely quiet Bobinho gives the ball away on the edge of the NTI area. The NTIers then pass the ball around midfield before Miltinho makes a run down the left. he cuts the ball inside to Roseau who hits a fierce shot from 25 yards out. Reina can only parry it and the ball falls to dos Santos who scores!! But wait - the flag was up, dos Santos was offside. STI fans breath a sigh of relief.

[Guest mikeytwigge]

unfortunately im off now. Will check tommorow for the final result

[DodgeeD]

70 minutes: Understandable substitution - Bobinho has been ineffective all night and is hauled off with Brendanio coming n in his place. That's all three subs used up for STI and the NTI players can be seen sharpening their studs.

[DodgeeD]

unfortunately im off now. Will check tommorow for the final result

Thanks for watching! Maybe you'll wake up tomorrow to find Twigge the hero

[Ridleys]

Bobinho taken off!

At least if NTI score now we'll know why

[Whoopy D]

STI fans breath a sigh of relief.

Phew Don't throw it away now STI.

[DodgeeD]

77 minutes: NTI are also using their last sub as Polo comes off and... wait, is that Trevor Tobago coming on? NTI's forgotten man is suddenly remembered as the final ten minutes draws near!

[DodgeeD]

Just a shame Walcott's Wonderkids isn't around to see his guy finally get a game.

[DodgeeD]

82 minutes: Time is running out for NTI now. As they win a free kick just inside the STI half everybody except for Le Quack has gone forward. Cee centres the ball to McBob who picks out Tobago on the edge of the area. He fires in a low shot but it's too close to Reina in the STI goal who saves with ease.

[Blackcats]

It's all set up for trevor to equalise surely lol