FML ICARUS FC

The GW4 UFFA Champions League Final
saw DFA Steve Williams' Ash Wonders (Daytime FA) take on Phil Sinkins' Frootloops FC (Primetime FA). Phil bravely threw down the challenge within the DFA playtime, so the game drew a large and quite partisan crowd!The game burst into life straight away, with Frootloops surging ahead in the 7th min, when the Ash defence disintegrated and allowed Bonnet to power home a header from a corner.
The lead was to last only seconds, however; in the 9th minute a weak pass from Djourou gifted the ball to Sergio Mota, who smashed home the equaliser.One of the defining moments of the game came when Nkoulou was sent off in the 14th minute for a late two-footed challenge. Frootloops had to reshuffle, switching to a 4-4-1, with a wide diamond in midfield, bravely keeping Santiago Lucio in his favoured attacking midfield role.
Eto'o ran much of the rest of the first half, holding up play well but with Ash failing to capitalise on possession.The tension continued to mount, with Ash dominating possession and territory, but the Fruitloops always looking dangerous on the counter and at set-pieces, and it was this Wonders weakness that led to Bonnet’s second goal in the 59th minute – a powerful header from six yards to convert from Pavan’s free kick.
As the end drew closer, the Wonders sought to get level and pressure mounted, with Eto'o forcing a terrific safe in the 82nd from point blank range.It was the referee that was to deliver a crushing blow to the Loops though, awarding an 83rd minute penalty to the Wonders after an innocuous-looking tug on Belluschi's shirt by Ramirez. Eto'o stepped up to coolly convert, and the game was tied at 2-2.Eventually it became apparent that the game was drifting on to penalties, and the managers exchanged pleasantries as quiet fell across the watching crowd. Loops went first, with Bonnet smashing home before Eto'o proved he could finish just as well. It would be Thapelo Mtshali who would be the fall guy for the Wonders, hitting the woodwork with their 3rd penalty, and the result never looked in doubt when Vincent Kompany, cool as a cucumber, eventually stepped up to smash home the winning penalty for Fruitloops FC.
Final score: Ash Wonders 2 Fruitloops FC 2 AET (Fruitloops win 5-3 on penalties)

PFAThe race for the Primetime FA Premiership title was fascinating in the end; with a few games to go there were still 6 teams who could triumph. In the end, perhaps the Champions League campaign took too much out of the Frootloops players’ legs; their form dropped off as they finished a disappointing 4th. The title was sneaked by triple winners Daz Morgan’s Watchyerback United, whose consistent form saw them through to the end while other sides dropped away. In the DFA, Ash Wonderers have managed to achieve their pre-season goal of being the first side to lift the DFA Premiership trophy twice since its creation. Despite a woeful start to the season losing their first 3 games, Steve Williams managed to bring things together and go on an amazing run culminating in only 2 other defeats in their next 39 games in what can be described as the world's greatest league. Samuel Eto'o led the way for Steve’s side by banging in 35 goals in his 40 appearances finishing top of the goalscoring charts and amazingly the only Ash Wonderers player in the top 32 goalscorers.
This may not have been achieved however without the excellent supply from Sergio Mota who laid on 16 goals for his team mates finishing 3rd in the Assist Rankings. Special mention also goes to Juan Ojeda – Steve’s number one GK who managed to secure 14 clean sheets and concede a mere 40 goals - the second best in the division.
A special mention goes out to two other DFA members for their achievements this season: firstly, Brian Reynolds, whose surprisingly excellent Leeds United won the UFFA Cup, after beating Wayne Thomas’ Bridgwater Town FC 1984 in the final.
Also, Chris Thomson’s awesome youth side at Equipe Ecosse stormed to a second consecutive UFFA World Youth Cup Final victory over moderator Henrik Björkman’s Uppsala Gunners!This season was particularly noted for being the first where members of the public, rather than the moderators, ran the GW4 Football Associations – and a very good job they made of it too! Nik Reeves(DFA news from David Hamill)