10 September 2005 - League
New Malden All Stars 1 v Darkside 13
Team: Adrian, Alan, Andy, Ant, Ben M, Ben S, Craig, Dan B, Dan S, Errol, Ian, Mike, Phill
Goals: Mike x5, Alan x3, Dan S x2, Ben M, Craig, Adrian / Assists: Craig x4, Mike x3, Alan x2, Andy, Adrian, Ben S, Errol / MOTM: Mike / MM: Alan

The first league match is always important. Oh how a season can be aided by a good start (please see case study: Charlton Athletic). Well look no further, a team likening itself to Chelsea for sheer ruthlessness in attack has been born; just we score more than they ever will! And so it proved after barely a minute had been played, the Darkside had snatched the lead. Fair play to the All Stars, playing with ten men is never easy. However, it was due to them that the kick-off had been brought forward, so like it not they were inclined to struggle on and I believe it was not until the second half, that we were challenged by a full team of players.

A seven goal rout in the first half, saw Tanna (tipped as next England coach…driver) offer his substitutes a full half of football. Until now there had been less than a whimper from a poor New Malden outfit, more the sound of nails being banged confidently into their coffin. So it was with shock and just slight irritation that a sloppy ball was not cleared far enough on two occasions, resulting in a poorly given away goal for the home team.

However, a comeback was never likely and the consolation goal came somewhere in amongst another six from the in form away team. Worthy of a mention was a fine overhead scissor-kick scored by Masuku in the first half (just one of his five goals) and a half hearted fall by Aussie centre Kingston, winning the Darkside their first penalty of the new season, which was incidentally neatly dispatched by the aforementioned.

Neat finishes by Swain (2), Fletcher (3), Mole and Boyd, also contributed to the Darkside Tally. A five goal haul for Masuku rightly winning him MOTM, with Alan taking the Monkey Moment award for .

Match report by: Ben S