Season 2 – Week 4 – League Match
Screamin’ Seamen vs. Ramblers
Date: January 5, 2003
Venue: The Docks (Chicago, IL)
Attendance: 17,350 (17,350)
Weather: Sunny
We faced what was clearly the most superior team in the series this week. Ramblers were picked by just about everyone to win the series. Both of our teams had won all three of our league matches up to this point. Technically, we were in first place, but only because our goal differential was one higher than that of the Ramblers.
Ramblers were a particularly frightening team for two reasons. The first was Phillip Gallo. Phillip is certainly one of the premier wingers in the entire nation (and in my opinion, should be playing for the U.S.A. national team). He regularly puts up five stars, is valued at over one million dollars, and is a dominant force on the wing.
The other reason was Eric Holmes. At only 20 years old, Eric is one of the better midfielders in the country, and typically plays in close proximity to Gallo. The two of them make a potent threat to any team, and were sure to give us trouble.
We hoped to contain these two powerhouses, by playing an especially defensive game on their side of the pitch.
Formation: 3-5-2
Starters
Keeper: #1 Darryl Read
Right Wingback: #3 Ben McMahon
Central Defender: #2 Chuck Scales
Left Wingback: #5 Arlen Lucas
Right Winger: #25 Paul Peralta
Inner Midfielder: #4 Pete Tomlin
Inner Midfielder: #7 Lucian Tere
Inner Midfielder: #6 Charlie Bautista
Left Winger: #10 Olav Mauffret
Forward: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Forward: #15 Forrest Tobias
Team Captain: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Set Pieces: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Substitutes
-Keeper: #13 Cornelius Jernigan
-Defender: #24 Christian Kvam
-Inner Midfielder: #19 Jerry Smith
-Forward: #12 Brooks Brannon
-Winger: #16 Otis Johnson
Max Dodge continues to disappoint in practice, and has yet to come anywhere close to the good form he held most of last season. In his place we start Paul Peralta. One of our most experienced players, and a good defensive wingback, it would be Paul’s job to try to contain Phillip Gallo.
Match Report
Ramblers took the lead in the games 5:th minute with 0 - 1 after some elegant plays down the middle. Philip Gallo was the scorer. Screamin's Paul Peralta got himself booked after a foul. Ramblers were forced to a substitution as Perry Maddox couldn´t continue playing due to the rough treatment. Screamin'´s Arlen Lucas made an attempt at equalising in the 28:th minute, coming in from the right, but the ball hit the post, the defense clearing the rebound. Eric Holmes enjoyed the sunshine and demonstrated his stunning technique over and over again. Screamin' tried to reply with long plays towards the centrally placed strikers, but the visitor´s defence got the best of it. The visitors Xiao Hai-Au took advantage of an error due to a misunderstanding between the home side´s goalie and full backs in the 36:th minute. 0 - 2 for Ramblers. By now Ramblers were drawing the troops back in order to defend their lead. 0 - 2 was the half-time score. Screamin' held the ball, with a clear 56 percent possession rate.
Screamin's Pete Tomlin got himself booked after a foul. Kurt Arredondo went down after a savage challenge, but could keep on playing after som medical attention. Screamin' didn´t give in and in the 72nd minute Forrest Tobias was able to put the 1 - 2 goal away after a play from the right. In the 75:th minute Ramblerss Ronny Stefansson received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. After 85 minutes Charlie Bautista made a dash down the middle past the away teams defenders scoring 2 - 2. When Pete Tomlin made yet another studs first tackle, in the games 86th minute, the referee was obliged to book the Screamin' player for the second time, sending him off the pitch. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by Screamin', with an impressive 65 percent possession of the ball.
Final Score: Screamin’ Seamen 2, Ramblers 2
Goals
Tobias – 1(5)
Bautista – 1(1)
Cards
Peralta (yellow)
Tomlin (red)
Player Ratings
Read: **1/2
McMahon: **1/2
Scales: ***
Lucas: **1/2
Peralta: **1/2
Tomlin: (ejected)
Tere: *1/2
Bautista: **1/2
Mauffret: *1/2
Henriksson: **1/2
Tobias: **1/2
Team Match MVP: Chuck Scales
Team Ratings
Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Passable (6)
-Right Defense: Brilliant (11)
-Central Defense: Formidable (9)
-Left Defense: Solid (7)
-Right Attack: Weak (4)
-Central Attack: Passable (6)
-Left Attack: Inadequate (5)
Rambers
-Midfield: Weak (4)
-Right Defense: Passable (6)
-Central Defense: Outstanding (10)
-Left Defense: Outstanding (10)
-Right Attack: Inadequate (5)
-Central Attack: Solid (7)
-Left Attack: Outstanding (10)
Comments
Woohoo! I have to admit, I am
very pleased with the result from this one. A draw is about the best that we could realistically hope for, and that is exactly what we got. Gallo’s early goal made me worry a bit, but we continue to show good form in the second half, and game back from a two goal deficit on clutch goals from Forrest Tobias and Charlie Bauitista. This was Charlie’s first goal of the season, and it could not have come at a better time.
The draw means that we remain at the top of the table in series IV.49, if only by the narrowest of margins. For the first time this season, I honestly believe that we have a shot at winning this thing.
Pete “The Old Goat” Tomlin continues to be a mean bastard, and got himself ejected from the game. This also means that he will miss next week’s league match, but it looks to be an easy one, so I am not that concerned about it.
Series Standings
Here is what the table looks like in our series after four weeks of play.
Pos. Team Played Goals Points
1. Screamin’ Seamen 4 16-5 10
2. Ramblers 4 13-3 10
3. Farmer of Fire 4 5-6 7
4. Neon Genesis Evangelion 4 9-6 6
5. Croats in Miami 4 10-10 6
6. Cariocas 4 8-5 5
7. Gazzaly FC 4 1-11 1
8. Gohira 4 0-16 0
Up Next: We host Airhog’s Oklahoma City Rednecks in a friendly match on Wednesday, our last warm-up game before FOFC Cup action begins next week. Stay tuned!