Balaga service Premier Auto Parts

Gameweek 9 and Balaga faced Premier Auto Parts for the 2nd time of the season. The last meeting saw Balaga run out 12-4, but an Auto Parts victory over Mercer last week would suggest a different match this time. Balaga were without captain Tom O'C due to work duties again but at least Damo was back in goals. Rory still had issues with his back so started from the bench alongside debutant Paul Dawson, brought in to cover Rory. Skinty was back in the Balaga defense to fill the gap left by Toms absence.

Team line out:



Things seemed to be looking up for Balaga as Auto Parts could only field 6 players and full advantage was taken of this with early goals from Webz and Parker.

GOAL!!! Webz's first goal was a fine individual effort. After collecting the ball Webz rounding 1 player and squeezed it through two other players to poke it in the far corner. Webz - "I don't usually get many good ones so its nice for them to be acknowledged.." Balaga 1-0 Auto Parts. Parker was soon afterwards warned by the ref after tackling Auto's defender, who made sure the ref and the barman serving drinks heard his scream. This didn't turn out to be his last time he picked himself up from the ground, as he didn't appear to be too up to date with the no slide tackle rule.

GOAL!!! Balaga made it 2-0 thanks to a great finish from Parker where smashed it from far out.. BEAUT! Balaga 2-0 Auto Parts. Soon after this Auto's got their 7th man, a player who had just scored about 6 or 7 goals for a division 1 side just prior to this match. It would have been handy if Balaga knew this from his inclusion because before they knew it Auto Parts were level 2-2 thanks to 2 goals from the new recruit.

GOAL!!! Once Balaga stepped it up again and stopped dropping deep they began to create chances once more, and it wasn't long before new boy Dawson put Balaga back into the lead for the second time with a fine strike from far out. Balaga Tongo 3-2 Auto Parts. Frustratingly for Tongo though, Auto's recruited young fella got his and Auto's third of the half with a sweet left footed finish. After this Dave W decided to man mark the player which defensively began to yield results for Balaga, as in they didn't concede anymore before half time!

The second half was a much easier affair for Balaga, who finally seemed to get a grip on the danger areas from Auto Parts. Skinty was doing a masterful job on their hot head up front who was heard bitching and moaning under his breath as he wasn't given an inch all night by the Balaga stand in. Broderick was also dealing with their flash fella out the left wing who eventually ripped his top open in frustration at losing the ball out the wing.

YELLOW CARD!!! Auto's Olympic diver was shown the 10 minute road after another sliding tackle, about his 4th of the game.

GOAL!!! Soon afterword's, a sliding tackle from another head the ball in Auto's defense allowed Balaga to go back into the lead via a peno. Phil gracefully stepped up and slotted home the resulting spotter. Balaga Tongo 4-3 Auto Parts.

GOAL!!! Balaga made it 5 from a well taken goal by webz. It was training ground corner, if Balaga actually trained it would be anyway. Phil passed it to to webz on the front post and he bundled it in his typical Webz style!! Balaga Tongo 5-3 Auto Parts.


Dave was doing a masterful job of man marking, so close that even Auto's danger man had Whiftys blood on him, what with Dave stuck to him all night. Webz swapped the job of holding the midfield with Dave and still managed to score 2 goals. He now equals Rory with goals scored for Balaga this season. Rory had a quite night by his standards, but that's not to say he was quite! A constant torn in Auto's side, alongside Dawson, who proved to be a great inclusion, scoring one and controlling the midfield at times. Once more Parker was his usual Tevez self cropping up with a goal and hounding anything that moved in the Auto team. The same can be said for Phil who was up front from the start but fell back into midfield later in the match to spray around the passes to any Balaga runners. Damo had a steady night in goals, after blaming himself for the first goal conceded, he didn't put a foot wrong after that.

There was great news for Balaga after the match as reports came through that second placed Upsetters, failed to get a victory over douglasmortage.ie and fell 6 points behind. Mercers victory means Balaga are now 4 points clear at the top with 5 matches left to play.