A Night of Clean Sheets and Questionable Controversy

Going into this Sunday's games, seven of eight teams were still in the running to top the tables by season's end. Now, there are four.

Four games saw clean sheets, but one was the result of an unfortunate forfeit.

Hawks vs. FC Headers. The Hawks took their most cautionary approach to date when facing league leading FCH. Rather than playing their usual free-flowing, attacking style, the Hawks clearly decided to try their hand at a more defensive, 'containment and counter' strategy. And for the most part it worked. FCH, the league's leading scorers, had their fewest scoring chances and were held to just one goal.

However, the Hawks, also a high scoring squad, couldn't translate their counter attacking moves. They made it several times to the top of FCH's goal box (many times with a player advantage) but couldn't get off the critical, final pass.

The game's only goal came from the nifty boot of FCH's Chris P. That goal was arguably a lucky one, awkwardly breaching the goal line by just a ball's breadth. But given the number of chances created out of nothing by FCH's Cyprian forward, he did deserve at least one goal on the night. Clearly, he was FCH's most dangerous player on Sunday. But as usual, the entire FCH squad was on form and so it was by no means an individual effort that won the match.

The Hawk's stand out player was Marianna R., normally an attacking midfielder, but in this game was also found at the back, cooly reeling in balls and casting them out to criss-crossing, marauding midfielders, Tim S. and Andre A.

Hawks' Benny J. put in the usual Rooney-like work effort, hustling from goal box to goal box, defending and attacking in turns.

Final score: 1-0 (FCH)

Player of the Match: the game winning goal scorer, Chris P.

Wild Turkeys vs. Badgers FC was a forfeit in the former's favor. The reason: BFC's early goals were the direct result of a player who hadn't been cleared to play according to USASA and WSP regulations. In short - and as all captains know - no one is allowed to play until she or he has first been cleared to play. There are several reasons why a player must be registered to play in a WSP league. The most important reason concerns accident insurance coverage. If someone just steps on to the field - without first getting clearance - that person isn't covered by our accident insurance policy and neither is anyone she or he may injur. So it's in the interest of all WSP players to be playing only with and against other WSP/USASA members.

Another major reason why WSP requires players to be registered concerns fair play. Ringers aren't allowed in WSP leagues. If a ringer slips into a game and ends up being directly involved in a goal, the game will be an automatic forfeit (as in last Sunday's match).

To remind everyone: we allow subs. Any of your WSP organizers and staff can sub for you (we're all registered with USASA). And WSP has a growing subs list, from which captains can draw. Moreover, there are often several WSP players on a given night eager play an extra game. So if your team is short on numbers, make sure to get WSP players or staff (from any of our leagues) into your game. If you'd like to have someone register to play as a sub (for only $25, which gets the player up to three games), contact us.

Forfeit: 3-0 (Wild Turkeys)

The Match of the Day was between then second-place Berry Park and then fifth-place Chico's Bail Bonds.

CBB saw a return to last season's fine form, helped by their first full turnout of the Summer season. Their great play started from the very back, with Ben W. in goal for his final game with CBB. And they finally had the finish they've missed since last season, tallying three on the night.

The first goal of the game came off a deflection, hitting one of Berry Park's defenders and finding its way into said defender's goal. This seemed to change the nature of the game, causing BP to play a more daring, if not at times frantic, game of catch up. BP's Alex K. and Mike G. tracked back from the midfield to help turn balls over, and each would often then be found back near the CBB goal box in dangerous positions with ball at foot. All too often, however, they weren't able to get deep enough for close range shots. And when they did hit the net, Ben W. came up big.

Nick A.'s shots from a distance rank in accuracy and speed with top shooters, Tim S. and Andre A. But Nick's attempts were also thwarted by the solid positioning and hands of the CBB keeper. This perhaps led to further frustrations, which saw BP players out of position in increasingly more desperate attempts to penetrate CBB's back line. This then allowed CBB to take advantage of open space, slotting in two more. Chico's accordingly moved up from fifth in the standings to second (tied with Scousers), bumping Berry Park from second to fourth.

Final score: 3-0 (CBB)

Player of the Match: CBB keeper, Ben W.

Scousers at AC Kermans was a much tighter affair than last season's 12-0 blowout. But Scousers once again secured a shut-out, with a more respectable score-line of 2-0.

Both teams have improved significantly since that first game in Spring and so props to ACK, who, by the score difference alone between Season one and two, would appear to have improved the more. If they can give such a top-tier team as the Scousers a difficult run, it's only a matter of time before the wins start coming.

Stand out ACK players were, again, newcomer Molly A. and newly returned Zoe S.

Final score: 2-0 (Scousers)

Player of the Match goes to last season's top scoring female player, Scousers Caroline C. for slamming home Sunday's game winner, which was also the best goal of the night's four games.