Six of the finest you will see in a while to come accompanied the Red Devilz into the sunset of the 2008 season. On the back of a double whammy last weekend, a good training run on Thursday and brimming with confidence about the late found run of form the Devilz took to the otherwise deserted Bledisloe Park at the early hours of this morning in their last division one game of the season.
Papakura City came to town, desperate to find a second win in the tough div 01 competition of 2008. The Devilz, equally, were determined to finish off the season on a high, after two impressive wins last weekend the Devilz justifiably looked forward to unleash Hell for one more time on their home ground for 2008.
The first half was an All-Mighty Mini affair. Kick-off went to the City team, who lost the ball in the circle. The City team had barely time to orientate as the Devilz pushed up over the right; the Stinga drilled a ball across the face of the goal and Mini got the lightest of touches on the pill, ‘PHHHAT’, the score was 1:0, some 12 seconds had ticked by and fans were sensing something great was about to be witnessed.
The game continued with good pace, City did not hide, they came to play football but the Devilz’s defence was ferocious, devastating in turning anything coming their way into a quick counter attacking move and piling on the pressure through the midfield. If anything the Devilz were guilty of not controlling the ball well through the midfield, many promising build-ups went begging with the ball being aimlessly kicked away around the half-way mark of the field. However, such was the Devilz’s dominance that lost balls were re-gathered and the attack was started again.
The pressure started telling on the city team, their initial mettle started to wane continuous waves of attacks by the Devilz created cracks in the city’s defence.
The clock neared the ninth minute mark and Bergkamp took off on the left; the City cover defence rushed up and it looked a lost cause but our ‘ball-artist’ danced and weaved his way out of a ‘bull-rushing’ defence, Jailhouse Rock had just seen a new interpretation of sorts. Bergkamp’s release into the box found Mighty Mini and, under pressure, Mini did a little jig himself and WHHHIP, low down into the left hand corner he drove a beaut, you wouldn’t want to trade for a Lamborghini ride at the sunniest of days.
The next fourteen minutes of the first half saw a symphony of Devilz’s craftsmanship on display, man-for-man-woman-for-woman-player-for-player e v e r y team member stepped up to the plate and expressed themselves in a most enjoyable manner. Player Development, the magic word(s) for the under 14th, well and truly alive this Saturday morning.
With half-time looming and City in despair the Devilz decided to tighten the screws....who better than ALL-Mighty-Mini to deliver the Devilish hit after yet another text-book build-up of smothering attack? Crisp, unforgiving and ruthlessly effective, Gerd Müller, eat your heart out. SMMMACK, with a three-nil in the half-time bag, the Devilz didn’t mind too much the absence of the customary half-time Oranges.
The coach wanted more/better command through the midfield; ‘dominate the midfield and don’t hasten your pass’ was the catch-cry the Devilz took into the second spell. And did they ever....
One minute thirty down; the Stinga went for a bit of razzle-dazzle down the right wing, like haven’t we seen this about 150 times before this season? Oooooh no, this time round the Stinga thought to put a bit of butter by the fish... driving into the box he lifted his chin, assessed the options and decide to BOOOM ... well drill it into the top right hand corner like there was no tomorrow. The goalie, we were told, thanked the Stinga after the game for missing him, on this occasion.
It was cat and meek mouse for the next eight minutes, the Devilz enjoyed themselves in the rising Puke Sun and the City guys were hanging on for dear life... with ‘10’ gone in the second half the Stinga thought of his goal account and duly deposited, ZZZAP. Of course it was yet again a ball cleared deep down in the defence which allowed the Stinga to draw level with the Devilz’s ‘Top Guns’.
‘20’ on the clock and the Needle decided to unleash what was arguably his best strike of the ball of the season; in a no nonsense Rainer Bonhoff type fashion he took a loose ball in the box and hammered it in the net, BANG, Jeez, the only surprise here was that the City Goalie didn’t thank him for missing him.
Six-nil and raving Devilz, ranting Parentz, elated Coachez, rattled Cityz... the day was looking good.
A couple of hours down the track; a few beers down and the red wine taking its toll;
‘twas a great season finale, three out of three, 12:1 goals and football on show that would make any selector take a second look... Yo, I am the first to admit that not all was rosy and we took a few bruises on the way but, at the end of the day; DEVILZ, you really got me now, you got me so I can’t sleep.... nah, not that far....
C yaz in 2009.
On another note;
We wish to thank Caltex and Lynda for supporting our team on match-days again this year with plenty of goodies for the player of the day –Thanks Caltex-.
The Devilz’ motto “… the Sky’s the limited!”