Re: KONC II | 02/03/09 | Kick Off North Claines | RESULTS
Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:11 pm
Cheers fellas! 
Even as reigning KONC champion I honestly didn't expect lightening to strike twice - but it did! I might have got us lost both on the way there and way back from Sutty’s
but I sure somehow navigated top spot of the KONC II league! 
Steve E,3,Garry C,3,
Garry C,5,John R,1,
Garry C,1,Simon K,0,
Graham S,3,Garry C,5,
My opener against Steve was a lively game that surprisingly remained 0-0 at the break but like the drop on a log flume ride, the second half started with a deluge of goals! 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3 I think it went but I was always behind in this, just managing to stay in the game. With the game at full pelt I then had Barber sent off for a wreckless tackle and a second yellow card!!!!!
I opted to LOCKOUT and hung on for the draw in probably my most enjoyable game of the night. 
Not since WC’06 had I seen John so it really good to meet up again. John was short of match practice but I could nevertheless sense his enjoyment at playing the great game once more. This was no more evident that when he notched up his first goal of the night - against me. Having said that its never easy losing game after game but as I said at the time I hope this is only the beginning of your return. Easily the most tense game of the night came against my sparring partner of old. Knowing each other’s game so well, we knew what was coming, and defences were on top. I managed to squeeze a 1-0 advantage in the first half and probably due to my best defensive display of the night achieved victory with this slender lead. Phew! My first round finished with a real battle with Gra. A game that remained neck and neck until the final quarter of the game when I finally managed to just edge ahead and come away with a 5-3 victory.
Half-way through and I was tops - just like I was a week ago! Lead by Si, the jokes and the laughs about my second round crumbling were in full flow by now
but would it happen again....
Garry C,1,Steve E,1,
John R,1,Garry C,7,
Simon K,2,Garry C,3,
Garry C,7,Graham S,2,
A narrow defeat seemed on the cards against Koohlio who lead our second game 1-0 for a large portion of it. Stubbornly I kept at it and in the 8th or 9th minute I managed the equaliser I didn't think was going to come, so again our match was drawn. Despite his run of losses, it was good to see John exploring the different tactics, as if to suggest his KO2 spark hadn't diminished. We agreed that the margins in KO2 are so small. A split second too early with the aftertouch and a goalbound effort ends up closer to the corner flag! KO2 can be harsh like that, although its surprising how much better we all get with more regular games under the belt. Hope to see you at another tourney soon mate. My arch nemesis wanted revenge for our earlier encounter but whereas my defence was strong last time, this time I had my keeper to thank. I was leading 2-1 with barely 30 seconds on the clock when Si hit a shot straight at the goalie who uncharacteristically spilled it into his own net.
A goal was coming, I had to agree. Yet it still wasn't over, and straight from the kick off, I managed to get clear in his box to slot home the winner and make it 3-2 with the celebratory cheers of the crowd being cut short by the ref's final whistle. STEALER! Definately a rough deal on Si and certainly my skunkiest victory of the night. Love it! 
In an uncanny resemblance to KONC I, come the final game, I was again 2 points clear of Steve and just like before I was up against Gra and he was facing Si.
Yet again I found it a real challenge against Gra and twice I had to come from behind to make it 2-2 at half-time. By contrast Evil appeared to be cruising in his match as Si's complaints grew louder and more frequent, and based on the HT scores, Ste was just half a match from taking tonight's crown. In my mind I was fully accepting of this and all set to congratulate him. Besides it'd be greedy to win again, wouldn't it? That said, I continued to perservere and a magic few minutes in the second half turned the game flatteringly in my favour with a 7-2 scoreline and the KONC II title! Get in there!
A big thanks to Sutty for having us over again, to you and the guys for creating a fun atmosphere, and unintentionally making KONC a very happy hunting ground for me. I'm fully aware how tonights triumph has a lot to do luck (the late, late winner against Si, the 10-man lockout draw against Ste etc)and so based on the fact that it might not happen again for a long time, I'm gonna enjoy my triumph while it lasts!!!
Even as reigning KONC champion I honestly didn't expect lightening to strike twice - but it did! I might have got us lost both on the way there and way back from Sutty’s
but I sure somehow navigated top spot of the KONC II league! Steve E,3,Garry C,3,
Garry C,5,John R,1,
Garry C,1,Simon K,0,
Graham S,3,Garry C,5,
My opener against Steve was a lively game that surprisingly remained 0-0 at the break but like the drop on a log flume ride, the second half started with a deluge of goals! 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, 3-3 I think it went but I was always behind in this, just managing to stay in the game. With the game at full pelt I then had Barber sent off for a wreckless tackle and a second yellow card!!!!!
I opted to LOCKOUT and hung on for the draw in probably my most enjoyable game of the night. Not since WC’06 had I seen John so it really good to meet up again. John was short of match practice but I could nevertheless sense his enjoyment at playing the great game once more. This was no more evident that when he notched up his first goal of the night - against me. Having said that its never easy losing game after game but as I said at the time I hope this is only the beginning of your return. Easily the most tense game of the night came against my sparring partner of old. Knowing each other’s game so well, we knew what was coming, and defences were on top. I managed to squeeze a 1-0 advantage in the first half and probably due to my best defensive display of the night achieved victory with this slender lead. Phew! My first round finished with a real battle with Gra. A game that remained neck and neck until the final quarter of the game when I finally managed to just edge ahead and come away with a 5-3 victory.Half-way through and I was tops - just like I was a week ago! Lead by Si, the jokes and the laughs about my second round crumbling were in full flow by now
but would it happen again.... Garry C,1,Steve E,1,
John R,1,Garry C,7,
Simon K,2,Garry C,3,
Garry C,7,Graham S,2,
A narrow defeat seemed on the cards against Koohlio who lead our second game 1-0 for a large portion of it. Stubbornly I kept at it and in the 8th or 9th minute I managed the equaliser I didn't think was going to come, so again our match was drawn. Despite his run of losses, it was good to see John exploring the different tactics, as if to suggest his KO2 spark hadn't diminished. We agreed that the margins in KO2 are so small. A split second too early with the aftertouch and a goalbound effort ends up closer to the corner flag! KO2 can be harsh like that, although its surprising how much better we all get with more regular games under the belt. Hope to see you at another tourney soon mate. My arch nemesis wanted revenge for our earlier encounter but whereas my defence was strong last time, this time I had my keeper to thank. I was leading 2-1 with barely 30 seconds on the clock when Si hit a shot straight at the goalie who uncharacteristically spilled it into his own net.
A goal was coming, I had to agree. Yet it still wasn't over, and straight from the kick off, I managed to get clear in his box to slot home the winner and make it 3-2 with the celebratory cheers of the crowd being cut short by the ref's final whistle. STEALER! Definately a rough deal on Si and certainly my skunkiest victory of the night. Love it! In an uncanny resemblance to KONC I, come the final game, I was again 2 points clear of Steve and just like before I was up against Gra and he was facing Si.
Yet again I found it a real challenge against Gra and twice I had to come from behind to make it 2-2 at half-time. By contrast Evil appeared to be cruising in his match as Si's complaints grew louder and more frequent, and based on the HT scores, Ste was just half a match from taking tonight's crown. In my mind I was fully accepting of this and all set to congratulate him. Besides it'd be greedy to win again, wouldn't it? That said, I continued to perservere and a magic few minutes in the second half turned the game flatteringly in my favour with a 7-2 scoreline and the KONC II title! Get in there! A big thanks to Sutty for having us over again, to you and the guys for creating a fun atmosphere, and unintentionally making KONC a very happy hunting ground for me. I'm fully aware how tonights triumph has a lot to do luck (the late, late winner against Si, the 10-man lockout draw against Ste etc)and so based on the fact that it might not happen again for a long time, I'm gonna enjoy my triumph while it lasts!!!
