CFR Clunj 9-1 The Foreign Legion
More to follow...
May 02 2012, 17:38
CFR Clunj 1-0 Clive Owen & Co
More to follow...
April 24 2012, 08:57
CFR Clunj 4-0 Cyclops Electronics
In a much improved performance on previous weeks the Clunj picked up a comfortable 4-0 victory over Cyclops Electronics on Monday night. Despite starting the game with some neat interplay and footwork, we didn't test their keeper as much as we would have liked in the opening stages though, especially considering he didn't look that convincing with the simple saves he did have to make.
But our patience did finally pay off when Dawson eventually gave us the lead towards the end of the half, as Danny played him in behind the defence and he tucked the ball away into the bottom corner. The opposition's only real chance of note in the first period came when their lad struck the outside of the post, although having shot from virtually on the goal line it was never going to go in. Even though we only found ourselves leading by one at the break, it had proved a comfortable game for us so far, with Rob having very little to do our goal.
The second half continued to see us dominate, and it wasn't long before we deservedly doubled our lead. Dawson found himself in acres of space down the right after Pooley's decoy run had pulled all their defenders away, and he made the most of this as he ran on to rifle the ball past their helpless keeper.
Joe then made it 3-0 soon after, showing great composure to finish Danny's cross-field pass first time into the far corner for his third goal of the season. By this point Cyclops Electronics seemed to be out on their feet as we continued to keep the ball off them, and there was still time for a final Clunj goal as Dawson completed a well-deserved hattrick with a neat half volley into the bottom corner. With the opposition having started the game in 3rd place and only a point behind us we had been expecting a tougher challenge, but our performance was one of our best this season and we looked a lot more like the team that has been successful in Mundial in the past.
April 16 2012, 22:49
CFR Clunj 1-0 CSWS
On Monday night, CFR Clunj secured a narrow victory over CSWS to collect a 3 points that could be decisive come the end of the season. With the opposition a point ahead of us in the table before kick-off, it was a game we really had to win in order to keep in touch with the teams at the top.
The opening stages of the tie proved to be quite even with neither side really creating any decent chances until midway through the first half. Our first real effort of the game saw their keeper do well to hold onto Luke's powerful strike, before Dawson in our goal managed to get his body (and pocket full of skittles!) in the way of a couple of their shots from tight angles. In fairness, most of their attempts in the first period did come from out wide, as a good defensive performance by Seddy was keeping away any real threats to our goal. The only other notable chance of the half fell to us, but Danny's shot was rather fortuitously deflected inches wide off the inside of their keeper's legs.
With it goalless at the break we knew we needed to step it up a level if we were to claim the 3 points. But it was proving to be another below-par performance by the Clunj, as despite seeing plenty of the ball our build up play was just too slow, allowing the opposition the time to get bodies back in and defend.
Not long into the second half the game then took an unexpected twist though, as their man caught Joe late in the tackle and was shown a blue card by the referee. It was a poor challenge but the first real bad one of the game, and had it been our man I'm sure there would have been plenty of complaints at the decision. We struggled to make the extra man count though, with only a shot that went narrowly wide from Rob and a couple of wayward strikes over the bar to show for our efforts.
As their sin binned player then returned to the pitch it looked like the game was heading for a 0-0. But Dawson had to save well from point blank range to prevent CSWS taking an unlikely lead, before they then had another player blue carded after a tussle for the ball saw their man lash out at Rob. This time we did make the most of it however, as with only 2 minutes remaining on the clock Luke found Danny in space and he smashed the ball into the back of the net to snatch the win for the Clunj.
April 02 2012, 21:41
CFR Clunj 0-0 SB FC
CFR Clunj disappointingly drew for the second week running against another poor but defensive side, although this time round we did manage to create enough chances that should have seen us win the game.
We had begun the tie slowly, but the opposition could easily have been a man down within minutes of the kick-off. A ball over the top was set to play Luke in for a clear run on goal, until their defender reached up and blatantly palmed the ball away. In the first of many poor decisions by the referee though, their player was let off with barely even a word said to him. Despite not playing with our usual fluency we did then start to have a few efforts at goal, with Seddy firing a volley straight at their keeper and Luke seeing a couple of deflected efforts fly wide.
Our best chances of the first half though came when Dawson showed great footwork to skin two of their defenders but rolled his shot wide, before Danny's strike from close range was somehow knocked onto the post by their keeper. At the other end, Rob only really had a couple of routine stops to make in goal for us, with the opposition's rare chances only coming when we got caught with too many players forward.
With it goalless at the break, the second period again saw us have most of the ball, although we continued to fail to make it count in front of goal. But having seen a number of poor decisions go against us and with no protection given from the referee as our players were constantly caught late in the challenge, the Clunj began to lose their tempers and stop playing football. This then resulted in Dawson getting blue-carded as he brought down their attacker as last man, although his sin bin seemed to go on to be a lot longer than the 3 minutes it was supposed to.
Despite the man disadvantage we still pushed forward though and Pooley went on to fire a shot across goal, before Danny again had an effort tipped onto the post. Joe was then next to be denied by their keeper, before we almost gifted them the 3 points right at the end. Caught in possession with everyone up front, their man was left with a clear one-on-one but went on to shoot straight at Rob in what proved to be the last action of the night. Even though we hadn't been at our best it was still a game the Clunj should have won, but as has been the case in the past at Mundial, Tash the referee again played a big part in spoiling the game.
March 26 2012, 22:17
CFR Clunj 1-1 Clive Owen & Co
CFR Clunj began this season's cup campaign with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Clive Owen & Co. Their team have to be one of the most defensive sides in the Mundial leagues, and after a number of low-scoring previous games for them, last night provided more evidence of their negative style of play.
With this the case, we dominated possession and played the majority of the first period in their half as we'd expected. But, as we struggled to find any gaps, our efforts were limited to strikes from distance that often failed to find the target. The closest chances we had to open the scoring were when Adam fired narrowly wide on the turn, and a couple of attempts from Danny that were comfortably saved by their keeper. As Clive Owen & Co didn't come anywhere near our goal, the half time score of 0-0 was no suprise at all.
The second half proved to be a continuation of the first, with it simply our attack versus their defence. But then somehow we managed to go a goal behind. In probably their only real attack of the game, their player broke through Seddy's challenge and ran on to toe-poke the ball into the bottom corner and give them the most undeserved of leads.
Our usual style of play involves getting players in behind on the overlap, but last night there was simply no space to do this. The opposition's apparent 4-1-0 formation simply created a blockade of defenders on the edge of their box that it was almost impossible to get past. We therefore started to get the feeling that it was going to be one of those nights, but then Danny finally managed to worm a way through and thump the ball into the top corner to make it 1-1.
With not long remaining we continued to try and push for a winner, but our frustration began to show as Dawson volleyed into the side netting from out wide, and Luke and Joe also fired well off target from distance. We did manage to create one last decent chance to win the tie, but Dawson's strike which was flying into the top corner was somehow pushed away by their keeper and the match disappointingly went on to finish all square.
March 19 2012, 22:55
CFR Clunj 3-1 Sumo Unathletic
CFR Clunj last night secured their third win in a row with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Sumo Unathletic. It was a game similar to last week in that the opposition had very little to offer, and had we been a bit more clinical in front of goal then the scoreline could well have been a lot higher.
Following on from the four goals he bagged in that last match, Danny opened the scoring for us early on as he beat two defenders with ease and found the bottom corner from close range. Returning to the side after 2 months out injured, Rob then went on to double our advantage shortly after. The ball had been played into the opponents' area, but their keeper was unable to stop it before it rolled back out, and our man was on hand to tuck the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0.
Continuing to dominate possession we did then go on to create a few more decent chances, but their goalie made up for his previous error with some good blocks to deny us. At the other end Dawson had a trouble-free first period in the sticks for us, and he went on to swap with Rob at half time.
Within moments of the restart Dawson did then finally get his first real involvement in the game, as following nice play between Pooley and Danny he found himself left unmarked on the edge of the box for a simple tap-in. The Clunj then kept pushing for a fourth but it just wouldn't come, with the same player firing wide from a good position, before Danny clipped the outside of the post when clean through.
Despite therefore looking like it was going to finish 3-0, we then gifted them a consolation goal with only seconds left. Dawson tried a showboat kick-in but sliced it straight against the back of Luke, leaving their striker with a clear run in on goal which he finished comfortably past Rob.
March 12 2012, 23:55
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