North Wellington Stella 3 v BNU16 5

Brooklyn Down Stella

North Wellington Stella were reassuringly uncompromising as per usual, but were finally downed by BNU at Discovery Park. Missing both Little Mike and Big Mike it looked like trouble was brewing as the defence lacked its normal composure and domination and a must win game for Brooklyn began badly when Stella went ahead through a scrappy opening goal, resulting from a failure to clear a corner.

However, we all like a good head, especially Ginger Ninja’s and when JP powered home a pinpoint Bandana Boy corner on the half hour mark, things began to taste much better. A superb finish to impress his old man watching from the sideline…

Despite Stella’s niggles, shoves, trips and general attempts to stir the mash, football was to win out in the second period. First Kaka Lee burst into the area only to be upended by the keeper. He dusted himself down and cooly sank the penalty. However, a similar attempt only monents later, saw the sparkling striker go down like a sack of malt onto the deck and he was helped off to take no further part. A worrying sign for the tough fixture run-in ahead.

The Stella defence was beginning to get all of a froth as Kaka’s stike partner Twinkletoes Guan stepped up to lead the line superbly. First he weaved his way into the box and finished expertly to make it 3-1 and moments later was comprehensively rugby tackled when about to line up another. The defender, for some reason, was hopping mad at the decision, but fair play to the ref who had no doubt in making the correct call. Bandana Boy stepped up to drill the penalty under the keeper’s despairing dive.

At 4-1 up the lads began dreaming of enjoying a well earned pint, but Stella grabbed two further scrappy goals, giving them a taste of what would have been an undeserved victory. The match was finally put to bed when MOM Twinkletoes was set free by a superb pass from Rock Steady Garland and the Chinese master slotted home goal number 5 past the onrushing keeper…

Every game is becoming like a cup final in the final run-in. Should the boys tame the Kittenz and go on to take the title, then there’s going to be one helluva party. Let’s hope Kaka Lee is there to play a part…