ADLETICO DELAY HIGHFLYERS TAKEOFF

Reporter: Ken Martin

The league is now at a crucial time of the season. The Christmas mid-training season break is almost upon us and the teams are starting to gel with their new signings.

The Highflyers may be propping up the league but their recent ascent in form has shown that only a fool would write this team off. The highflyers last match against top of the league EMEA All-stars was one of the closest games of the season so far. (see report: All-Stars Grind Out Win)

Adletico came into this match with a the huge confidence boost of being the only unbeaten team so far this season. They've been playing an extremely attacking and exciting style of football and this should bode well for the rest of their season, although their next few games could be close affairs as their competition has been bolstered in an attempt to neutralize this in-form squad.

This game started as a nervous affair with both teams playing in a stadium with high winds as the winter weather has hit the Adeltico’s stadium. The first 5 minutes showed the reinvigorated Highflyers renewed confidence, as they stood their ground against a quick pace attack led by Ken Martin and his confident team. Highflyers had the captain of the All-stars team Will Eves on a free loan and he came fully fit and ready to impress on the game.

The teams had chances at both ends but could not find the back of the opposing teams net. David Morpeth, Adletico’s goalkeeper has been a sensation this season but has been struggling with injury; he looked back to his agile cat-like best in-between the posts. Highflyers Brazilian star Juliano Chicano and Highflyers young-blood, Perry Sutherland were super-fast and kept the Adletico team honest in midfield. This battle of wits was being played like chess until a thunderbolt strike by Ian Hargreaves in the 5th minute, assisted by a cutting run and through ball by Dominic Mesiti for the Adletico FX team.

Mark Haines, the extremely focused Captain of the Highflyers, kept their shape in their own half after being bombarded by wave after wave of slick passing by the opposing team. It looked like it was going to be tight affair as both sides neutralized each other’s attacking options.

Eventually the pressure from Adletico started to breakdown the stubborn resilience of the ever-improving Highflyers. Within minutes the score line had moved to 4-0 in favour of the offensive line up for Adletico, with Ian Hargreaves and Ken Martin scoring. Highflyer's Sutherland hit a powerful but opportunistic strike towards the Adletico’s goal which suffered a wicked deflection and swerved agonizingly past the keeper. 4-1. Was this the start of the fight back?

The second half started much livelier than the first and both teams seemed to come out with attacking flair. Adletico started to shoot from all angles and a great move involving all the team with some of the quickest passing and control we have seen this season culminated in a great finish by returning striker Steve (Van Persie) Kerin. This boy has a lot of potential for the 2012 year to come. Highflyers had their share of strikes from Sutherland and Chicano testing the agility of Morpeth between the sticks. Leon Joseph did a sterling job again in the heart of the defence, seemingly being everywhere all at once with his natural speed. Oniel Samuels back after injury worries only played a half the match, as he has had a recurring ankle injury, but this guy never stops in continuing to amaze the crowds with his growing ability and clinical passing.

Kudos has to be given to Kemp and Das in the defence, two players that were pivotal in every Highflyers movement, but were overwhelmed despite playing flawless football - it seemed Adletico had an extra player in Lady Luck as the two full back's didn't put a foot wrong and still couldn't keep a clean sheet. In the January transfer window there is talk of making 2 BT teams from the current three; Das being an excellent contender for the final selection and Kemp showing his new team, Boca's what an asset he is to any squad.

Adletico moved into a 6-1 lead and then seemed to sit back satisfied as their pace and intensity slowed, this led to the Highflyers second wind coming late in the match – A great move started by the goalkeeper Eves, led the Adletico’s defence to be 1 on 3 at the back and the Highflyers duly rattled a Sutherland stinger past the diving keeper. Adletico needed this proverbial kick in the butt and moved through the gears and scored 3 quick goals in succession by the 29th Minute. Perry grabbed a second for the Highflyers which threatened to make it difficult for the Adeltico's in the final 10 minutes of the game.

The last few minutes had some controversy with Mesiti for Adletico's and Haines the Captain of the Highflyers clashing for the middle of the park. It’s great to see the passion is still there as we come to the mid-season interval.

9-2 the final score.

Wow – what a game – the force is strong in this Adletico’s team, but It is a cautionary tale for the next team who have to play the Highflyers as their goal tally is slowly starting to rise…