Season 2 Match Reports[]
1/6 4-0 L PSG MEX[]
Players - GK; Squibbs DF: Webber DF: Hall DM: Butt AM: Elliot CF Buczman Subs: DF: Hannah MF: Murdoch MF/FW Sergison
Mom - ??
Scorer –
1/14 3-1 L OLIMPIA MACK FIRST GAME[]
BEERCELONA 1 - OLIMPIA 3 Squad: Sanborn, Webber, Hall, Butt, Elliot, Buczman, Sergison, Man of the Match - D Sergison
After the false start of the prior week Beercelona burst out of the blocks against Olimpia. The game was proof that stats only tell part of the story, and in the end account for nothing. The ‘Celona peppered the opposition goal with no fewer than 16 shots during the 40 minutes, forcing the opposition keeper into some fine saves, whilst ruing other chances by blasting high and wide. During the first half Sergison and Buczman created a slew of chances, with the former being a real handful for the opposition defense with his running and high pressing style and target man Buczman playing some neat give and go stuff. As has been the case too often for Beercelona though they failed to make the early pressure count and on 10 minutes they somehow found themselves 1-0 down with Olympia scoring with their first real attack; a neat finish into the top corner that gave new keeper Sanborn no chance. Nevertheless, Beercelona kept up their relentless attacks and were rewarded when Buczman opened his account for the new season with a thunderous drive from close range just before half time nearly breaking the net. Webber, Hall and Butt looked assured at the back and aside from the first goal they never looked in any trouble. It seemed normal service was resumed for the experienced defensive coalition. The second half was a more dogged affair. Sergison picked up a knock and whilst he was able to finish the game after some sterling work from the Beercelona physios, lost a lot of the drive that had been the catalyst for his side’s attacks. As the half went on Beercelona really started to feel the effect of their current injury crisis. Only one substitute meant rotation and rest periods were rare and they began to tire and struggle to break away during attacks. Olympia came into the game more and despite some top class saves from Sanborn they managed another two goals to make the score 3-1. Hall surged forward and had a few chances as did Elliot who found found space a few times on the right side of the pitch and drove at Olympia’s penalty area venomously but they couldn’t find the goal. On more than one occasion Beercelona played some lovely counter-attacking stuff and found themselves outnumbering the opposition defense but some ill-timed runs, lackluster final balls and hesitant finishing cost them a way back into the tie. There was even time for some audacious attempts, with both Sergison and Butt attempting acrobatic efforts that once again failed to find the onion bag.
On another day Beercelona could have scored ten, but it wasn’t to be and with confidence low and no luck to be had anywhere it would of been a very bitter pill to swallow when Hall sent the ball into his own net which would of led to a very flattering 4-1 scoreline. Fortunately it was disallowed for an encroachment into the penalty area by Olimpia.
You get the feeling that all it’s going to take is the rub of the green going their way and the floodgates will open for the boys who’ve been on the receiving end of results they haven’t deserved all to often in their short lived history.
The performance levels were greatly improved from the first week of the season where the lads posed virtually no goal threat at all. In that first game it was hard to find positives or earmark anyone for anything other than a sub-par performance. Last night’s game was a changed affair, with everyone looking more like their old selves again. Nevertheless, it has to go down as another opportunity missed to claim an all too elusive win and continued improvement will be called for in the next outing.
They say it takes three weeks to develop a habit so hopefully in the third game of the season Beercelona can continue their improvement and turn effort and guile into some sort of result. The key now is to turn chances into goals and ensure that when the going gets tough and legs get tired in the second half the defense can stick with their men and attackers can continue to make smart off the ball runs.
Squibbs returns from International Duty in Costa Rica next week although Hannah and Murdoch remain out for a few more games. There’s also continued speculation regarding new additions before the closure of January’s window. Hopefully, bolstered ranks and two games to regain fitness will help them maintain the levels they have achieved so often in first halves into the second and help them to see off opponents. The next game has the makings of a cracker, with some old fierce rivalries being rekindled as Juventus Old Boys play host to Beercelona at 8:50pm on Wednesday. One thing is for sure, it’ll be a more heated, physical affair and if Beercelona are going to get anything out of the game they’ll have to really dig in and put shifts in.
Scorer – R Buczman
1/20 2-1 W No New Players Needed First Win[]
Players- Sanborn, webber, butt, sergison, elliot (c), buczman
Mom – Mack Sanborn
Beercelona up to 4th in the table after historic win. Next week's mouthwatering tie against second placed Aztecas is a real four pointer now! A win will see them close in on the promotion spots. When quizzed on his teams chances and his own future Hannah decreed: "we're not looking at the table, we just take each game as it comes and the positions look after themselves. The only league table that matters is the one at the end of the season. We're not even half way through. Will I be at the helm still at the end of this term? one day it will be time to step down, but at the moment the only way Beercelona will be taken away from me is if it is pried from my cold lifeless fingers."
Scorers – Butt (2)
=== 1/27 ?? L Aztecas ===
Players – Sanborn, Elliott, Buczman, Butt, Sergison, Webber
Mom - ??
Scorer - ??
2/3 1-0 W Polk[]
Players – Sanborn, Elliott, Sergison, Butt, Squibbs, Buczman, Webber
Mom - ?
Scorer – Buczman?
2/10 2-1 L PSG MEX[]
Players - Murdoch Elliot Squibbs Butt Sergison Hannah
Mom – Leon Elliott
Scorer – Hannah
2/18 4-2 L OLIMPIA[]
Players - squibbs, Elliot, Webber, Sanborn, Butt, Buczman, Hannah
MATCH REPORT: Beercelona 2 OLYMPIA 4
Man of the match: Leon Elliot
A close fought game saw Beercelona squander a host of chances before crashing to a 4-2 defeat. In truth Olympia were a good side and Beercelona gave as good as they got, it was just some poor finishing and final balls that cost them. A solid all round team display, bookended with goals from Buczman (who returned to the score sheet after 150 minutes without a goal) and Andy Butt who played through the pain after suffering a knee injury. Webber looked composed and as assured as ever after his game out and Sanborn an Hannah continued their journey to full fitness with some decent running. Squibb's distribution was the cornerstone of Beercelona's attacks and he made some trademark saves to keep the match close until the death.
Man of the match goes once again to Leon Elliot who, like a cheerleader mum, get's hungrier and feistier with each passing moment.
Cheers went up for Murdoch who managed to take part in the warm up, fans will be hoping he can put his injury worries behind him in the coming weeks and return sooner rather than later. Good news also for Conor Hall who is due to be back in the gym in the next few weeks also after missing most of the campaign.
Next week sees the final game of favorite son Ryan Buczman who confirmed his departure for South America upon the end of his contract. He'll be sorely missed but will want to go out with a bang, having been with Beercelona since it's inception.
Scorer – Buczman, Butt
2/24 2-2 D AMERICA BUCZMAN LAST GAME[]
Players - Squibbs, Webber, Elliot, Hannah, Sanborn, Butt, Sergison, Buczman
Man of the match: Ryan Buczman
BUCZ FIZZ!
If you could write your own sendoff, few could write it better than the one Ryan Buczman got tonight. A goal, an assist, a man of the match award, a record attendance and a great team performance made for a fairytale end to a glittering career in the white and orange of Beercelona. The game may have ended in a draw, but the real winner was the beautiful game tonight, and Rochdale's favorite bearded son who will rightfully claim all the headlines in tomorrows papers...for the right reasons.
Truth be told it was only some fantastic finishing from the opposition that saw the boys 2-0 down at half time, but this team doesn't know when it's beaten and a dogged second half display after a rousing speech from Conor Murdoch saw the boys bring the game back from the brink and almost win it with a few minutes to spare. Butt made it 5 goals in 8 games, surely his name is almost already etched onto that top goalscorer trophy now, after he latched onto a clinical Buczman pass at the end of a smooth team move. But the real magic was still to come, Buczman silenced every critic he has and sent the fans into raptures, rolling back the weeks with a finish as hard, long, straight and true as a ron jeremy erection circa 1981.
Beercelona drove forward searching for the winner, but truth be told the result didn't matter at that stage, Ryan had given everyone what they wanted, spearheading a great team performance.
Over the coming days the plaudits will continue to come in, and then, somehow, Beercelona have to plan for life without Ryan Buczman for the first time in their history. It's been a dream journey, a pleasure to watch him and the team grow and he'll be missed but never forgotten by all who watched him play, and played with him As one who was with him from the beginning, I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile us from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the memories of the fans he played for. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of our bereavement, and leave us only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that all of us share in having witnessed the great man in action for these last two campaigns, and the sacrifices he has made for all of us upon the altar of Beercelona.
Scorer – Buczman, Butt
3/3 2-0 L AZTECAS[]
Players - GK: Squibbs, DF: Elliot DF: Webber DM: Butt SS: Sergison FW: Hannah
Man of the match- Squibbs
Another good display saw beercelona continue to move in the right direction last night. Only six men took the field, meaning no subs for the men in white, and at the end of the game no man could say he didnt leave everything on the pitch. Aztecas are as good as anyone in that division and they greatly outnumbered the boys. Beercelona were Always going to miss Buczman's goal threat but Hannah and Sergison showed signs of developing a good partnership, with better touch and runs than last week, they just need to keep up the hard work and they'll start to rack up the goals.
Butt put in a great display, box-to-box for the whole forty minutes. Everything went through him and beercelona were unlucky not to make more of their chances count against a very solid Aztecas defense.
Webber and elliot didnt do much wrong, looking assured and composed throughout. With squibbs behind them they easily look like the most solid defensive trio in the league now. A bit of work up front should see these near misses turn into results more than they have, next season should be exciting.
Next week is the last game of the season. Samborn should be back and there's rumour that we may see a murdoch cameo also, depending on a late fitness test. It promises to be a celebration after a tough season that's seen the boys improve greatly on last season's showing. Beercelona continued to amass new fans and youthful sponsors and the GSM confirmed that they're making profit and progress off the field as well as on it. A new strip is set to be unveiled and the academy has some solid prospects for the future. There's also talk of a sexy calendar coming before next season.
Sergison and Elliot have half a season remaining on their current deals so it'll be interesting to see how Beercelona fare in the transfer market. All in all though they are in a very solid place right now, and for a few more weeks promise to maintain the stability, lineup and focus that has seen them develop into a top outfit
Scorer –
3/9 4-0 W POLK []
Players - squibbs, sanborn, webber, elliott, hannah, sergison, butt
M.o.m - Butt
We've warned it's been coming, the boys saved the best for last! An impressive display of attacking football against a lackluster Polk side resulted in Beercelona's biggest ever win.
Hannah and Sergison linked up well in the first half and got away some chances but it was that man Andy Butt who opened the scoreline midway through the first half, Sidestepping his man and blasting low into the corner.
The second half saw beercelona reshuffle the pack a bit. They pushed the midfield forward, resulting in a three pronged attack that tore Polk FC apart time and again like poseidon's trident. Hannah managed a left footed strike that fortune saw cross the line before Butt Added a second with an acute finish off the post. The boys turned on the style and were playing with creative freedom seldom afforded them. Butt found hannah with an audacious 40 yard ball, but the acrobatic volley was clambered away by the keeper, hannah returned the favour five minutes later but butt found the side netting. Everyone was in on the act, sanborn attempting a 30 yard pile driver, Webber going on mazy runs and Best popping up all over the pitch like a poacher.
With seconds remaining Sergison threaded an inch perfect pass through to hannah who took it in stride, slotting home his second and his sides fourth which he dedicated to his newborn daughter with Bebeto's bAby celebration from world cup '94.
Webber, Best and Sanborn never looked in any danger at the back, sweeping up all that came their way and screening Squibb's goal, ensuring he had a boring game.
This was stunning stuff, that left the fans happy and the boys brimming with confidence.
Scorer – Butt (2) Hannah (2)