Balaga’s title hopes not so Rosie

A must win game for Balaga in their second to last game of the season. After leading the title race all season long, Balaga had 2 final hurdles to jump before possibly collecting their first ever trophy. Rosies were defiantly going to have something to say on the matter though as earlier on in the season they had served Tongo their biggest defeat of the campaign. JD still hadn't recovered from the ankle injury sustained the previous week and Steve was a 50/50 chance to play so Tongo saught the creative midfield skills of Dawson once more to plug the gaps. Balagas team was:



Rosies decided to kick off and right from the start they rifled a shot which hit the post. If Balaga needed a wake up call they got it. A shaky enough start was soon calmed down though through a goal from the back on form David W , with his 4th goal in 2 matches. Just the star Balaga needed. Soon after it was two thanks to a quick throw in from webz and a shot from Kev led to a corner. Kev quickly took it to Rory who set up Webz for the goal. 2-0 and Balaga really looked like they were up for the fight.

Rosies failed to stick to the script though and came close on several occasions and right before half-time had about 4 or 5 corners in a row, all of which Tongo dealt with superbly. So far everything was going to plan. The team was playing as a unit and defensively this was surely the cucumbers best performance to date, not just the 2 recognized defenders but everyone, from the front back, defended as a unit and looked to be on course for the 3 points.

Half time came and Balaga made a few changes which in hindsight may have upset the boat a bit. Not long after the restart Rosies scored. Quickly followed by a second. As in the first meeting between these two teams, the Rosies shooting was superb, and pretty much everything they hit landed on target, or hit the net, leaving Damo to make some important saves.

Balaga seemed to have never returned from the half time talk and only after the 2nd Rosies goal did they spark back into life, coming so close with a shot from Rory which rattled the upright. But it was Rosies who once more took the lead, with a resulting goal from their top goalscorer who wasn't closed down quick enough by Kev in the Balaga defense.

All seemed to be lost but Balaga didnt drop the heads, and with around 10 minutes remaining, Webz was left one on one with the keeper, rounded him but i think hit the post but Phil was on hand to score to make it 3-3 and HOPE!!! Hope that wasnt to last however, as pretty much straight afterwards Rosies caught Balaga on the break again and went back into the lead 4-3. A nightmare for Tongo was finished off with first, a yellow for Tom O'c and finally, a 5th break away goal which i dont remember. 5-3 final score.

Balaga's chances are still slim though as Mercer could only draw with Upsetters. After leading the pack from start to finish Balaga find themselves 2nd on head to heads with one game to go. There's a slight chance but Balaga have to win and Mercer have to lose against bottom side BareArseAlona which fingers crossed they do!