Not a great spell of games for us recently.

Last weekend we went down 3-1 at home to Camelot - who brushed us aside like we weren't there. We di redeem ourselves the Sunday as we won 4-0 versus Big is Beautiful. We played the top 3 teams in a row and lost all of them 3-1. MMM!

Then today in the Cup we were up against Golden Dragons - again. We decided we couldn't win the match or if we did try and won we would have a team of single digit SL players out for the following Saturday fixture. So we rested ELs on a few lads and were beaten 3-0.

We now are out of the Cups and 10 league matches to play. At least the training is going well and next season's squad should have some decent lads in it - we DO need defenders though.

Ye Olde Spurs made it six matches without a win this week. We started in midweek with a last sixteen SFLSL cup game against West Bromwich Baggies. The match ended goalless with defences on top and a man of the match performance by Spurs goalkeeper Gomes. So onto penalties. We managed to miss all three and ended up losing three nil. So onto yesterdays league game against leaders Sheffield Rovers. We started with stall. Within 10 minutes we were behind but that's the way it finished. We only created one chance so probably didn't deserve anything. The second game today was away to Montevideo Tricolores. After a goalless first half, Solanke opened the scoring on 52 minutes for Spurs. We couldn't hold on and conceded on 78 minutes for an one all draw. The point leaves us eleventh. 

We started the weekend with a home game against Sergei's high flying ORA,a side we have always struggled against ,but in the away fixture we picked up 3 points when ORA did not seem themselves but they soon picked back up to their normal level,we opted for a 5-2-3 opportunistic as they went for a 4-2-4 early ball,both sides started well and enjoyed lots of possession but on 25 minutes they broke the deadlock when De Marco's fired home 0-1 and Davies fired home on 34 minutes 0-2 and right on the stroke of half time Guerrero slipped through and slotted home 0-3,2nd half subs on and Escola sealed the game on 57 minutes 0-4 as they outplayed us for periods and outshot us 6 to 4,well played Sergei.

Next we travelled to Carl's Lisburn City,always a hard place to get a result at,they opted for a 4-2-4 early ball as we went for a 4-2-4 normal,for added security we put Bradley man marking top scorer McDonagh,game on and they started quickly and opened the scoring on 5 minutes when Irwin powered home his header at the back post 1-0 and on 18 minutes a similar move saw Grealish head home 2-0 and Irwin fired home his 2nd on 31 minutes 3-0,try as we did we could not break down a stubborn defence as they just outshot us 7 to 6 ,but the man marking kept McDonagh quiet,well played Carl

So a pointless weekend sees us slip to 7th.

Lisburn City did the damage early and then calmly saw the job through as The New Saints were swept aside 3–0 at a lively Newforge. The Distillers wasted no time, Jamsie Irwin powering home a superb back-post header after just five minutes, setting the tone for a ruthless opening spell. Jack Grealish doubled the advantage soon after, reacting quicker than his marker to nod past a stranded Nathan Shepherd. By the 21st minute it was effectively over, Irwin again the architect as he cut inside and floated a delicious finish beyond the Saints keeper to make it three.

The second half brought more resistance from the visitors, but Andy McDonald stood firm with a string of assured saves to preserve the clean sheet. Lisburn were never really troubled, controlling the game with maturity and confidence, even after making wholesale changes at the break.

“We started like a team that meant business,” smiled one Lisburn wag. “After that, it was just about keeping the lid on the barrel.”

Mixed emotions…

#25: BIB vs CN 2-0

From BIB’s point of view, the match felt pleasantly routine — the kind of calm afternoon you get when half your squad is the size of office buildings. We strolled to a 2–0 win over CN, who bravely attempted football despite spending most of the game trying not to be stepped on by Logi or accidentally vaporised by Mechagodzilla’s “mis-hit clearances.”

Ultraman Blu made his debut, shimmering with heroic confidence and only causing two minor tremors. Manning and Humbaba bullied the flanks like polite natural disasters, while Alexander Alex opened the scoring after navigating between three defenders who looked understandably terrified.

Navigating sealed it at 2–0, and we cruised home — another day, another victory, another stadium needing structural repairs.

#26: FCB vs BIB 4-0

Oh yes, fantastic performance from BIB. Truly groundbreaking. I mean, when you field Mechagodzilla, Logi, Humbaba, Manning, and two Ultramen, you naturally expect… zero shots. Visionary stuff. Why bother using your skyscraper‑sized players to, you know, play football, when they can instead stand around like confused tourist attractions?

And the defending — wow. Our giants escorting FCB attackers through the box like friendly tour guides was a bold artistic choice. Very avant‑garde.

But hey, at least Olsson prevented the scoreboard from needing scientific notation. Maybe next match we try something wild, like letting a mega‑sized player actually touch the ball.

Lisburn City somehow managed to lose a match they were very much part of. A frantic opening saw Glenn Ferguson give the Distillers a deserved early lead, only for Orchard Park Thistle to hit back ruthlessly. Defensive chaos and some generous officiating allowed the hosts to rattle in four before the break, Captain Scotland running the show as Lisburn unravelled.

Carl Oakes rang the changes at half time and, to their credit, Lisburn showed real backbone. Bernardo Silva’s clever lob sparked belief, and the visitors pushed hard late on, Andy McDonald keeping the score respectable at the other end. With time running out, Glyn Pardoe surged forward and slipped in Phil McDonagh, who smashed home to make it 4–3 and set up a nervous finish.

It was too little, too late, but at least the Distillers left Orchard Park swinging.

“If we defended like that again, I’d fine myself.”

Lisburn City made life very hard for themselves in Spain and paid the price, as Orgullo Atletico held on for a breathless 3–2 win. The warning signs were there early, and by the 33rd minute Will Osula was already celebrating after punishing a defensive lapse. A second before the break, finished off by Óscar De Marcos, had Lisburn wobbling.

Things went from bad to worse straight after the restart when Osula pounced again to make it three, prompting some fairly colourful thoughts from the away dugout. To Lisburn’s credit, they finally woke up. Gareth Barry bundled one in, then Aaron Cochrane produced a moment of magic with a floated cross-shot that somehow crept in off the woodwork.

Lisburn pushed and huffed, Phil McDonagh went close late on, but Orgullo just about kept their shields up. A game of fine margins, and a reminder that switching off gets punished quickly.

“If we defend like that again, I’ll need a very strong cup of tea,” sighed Carl Oakes afterwards.

Seismic turbulences!?

#22: BIB vs CPT 1-3

From the Monster Island stands, this match felt like a cosmic prank. We showed up ready to roar, but CPT apparently brought cheat codes. Two goals conceded before our giants had even finished adjusting their shin pads — delightful. Their keeper Krzak transformed into some kind of mythical forcefield, casually denying every shot we fired, as if saving was his weekend hobby.

Navigating’s goal gave us a brief flicker of hope, the emotional equivalent of finding a snack in an empty fridge. But CPT’s early strikes had already sunk us. By full time, frustration levels were volcanic, and the fanbase collectively sighed: “Classic BIB — dominating everything except the scoreboard.”

#23: CAM vs BIB 3-0

“Well, what can I say,” Coach Habermann sighed, looking like he aged three geological eras in ninety minutes. “We brought five giants to Camelot and somehow they all played like they were afraid of stepping on the grass. Humbaba tip‑toed, Logi flickered out, Mechagodzilla froze mid‑update, Ultraman posed more than he ran, and Manning kept shouting ‘protect the pocket’ at players who are literally the size of a pocket.”

He rubbed his temples. “Zero shots on target. Zero. At this point I’d celebrate a misplaced cross.”

Then he muttered the line every Monster Island fan now knows by heart:
“The future is mega… the present is migraine.”

Back down to earth now - after a good 3-1 win in the opening game v Newton Heath, we then crumbled by the same scoreline to Golden Dragons. And now we face top of the pile Camelot in the next league match.

However we do get a midweek break from Cup action, and we are still in the LMS - I like this - and if Wolves start picking up points they won't be such a default team soon - might be Newcastle......

Lisburn City edged past Gotham City Knights in a match decided by sharp instincts at one end and stubborn defending at the other. Eric Brook’s poacher’s finish on 20 minutes, reacting quickest after a deflected Jack Grealish cross, proved the difference on a tense afternoon.

The Distillers were lively early on, Johnny Crossan and Brook both testing Will Dennis, but Gotham responded after the break with real intent. Alexei Eremenko and Mark Reilly began to find space, while Stevie Maskrey twice threatened to spoil the party, once having the ball in the net only to be flagged offside.

When Gotham did get through, Andy McDonald stood firm. The Lisburn keeper pulled off a string of vital saves and commanding punches to preserve the lead, earning a deserved Man of the Match. Lisburn might have sealed it late on, but Hugh Burns produced heroic defending to keep the score respectable.

“That’s the sort of win you earn, not admire,” smiled McDonald. “Ugly sometimes, but very satisfying.”

Ye Olde Spurs picked up just one point from their three league matches this week. In midweek we started with a home game against second placed Gotham City Knights FC. It was a tight affair but we lost two nil to leave us ninth and see the Knights go top. Yesterday we travelled to play Orchard Park Thistle. We got outplayed but only lost two one, after conceding five minutes from time. Then today we played The New Saints at home. Went Minter got injured on 21 minutes our chances reduced. We went behind on 56 minutes but did equalise on 63 minutes and that's the way it finished. We dropped down to eleventh. 

We started the weekend with an away game at Steve's Preston North End,always a tough place to play at and even tougher to get a result,they opted for a 3-3-4 normal as we went for a 4-3-3 opportunistic,game on and nothing to choose between the sides in the opening skirmishes but on 15 minutes a loose ball from a corner saw William's drive home 0-1,both sides kept pushing and Brobbel up from the back fired home on 39 minutes 0-2,half time came and subs on ,both sides closing each other down in all attacks until on 62 minutes Minecraft slipped through and slotted home 1-2,and from then on we were under constant pressure as they outplayed us for periods  and outshot us 6 to 5,but we stood firm as Robert's in our goal was in outstanding form with 4 saves,well played Steve.

Next we travelled to Andy's Ye Olde Spurs another place we find it really hard to get a result at ,they opted for a 5-2-3 normal as we went for a 4-2-4 normal,game on and both defences stood firm for the 1st half,2nd half subs on and both sides pushing on and we got the breakthrough when Villalibre fired home from close range 0-1,but on 63 minutes Solanke fired them level 1-1,from then on defences stood firm as we were just edged in the shot count 4 to 2 but held out for a hard earned point,well played Andy.

So a 4 point weekend sees us sit 6th.

Lisburn City were given a proper footballing education as AFC Ajax Legends ran out 4–1 winners in a match that was effectively decided before the interval. The Distillers started brightly and even rattled the crossbar through Jack Grealish, but once Patrick Kluivert opened the scoring after 16 minutes the floodgates creaked ominously.

Kluivert doubled the lead with a neat header before Lisburn briefly sparked into life, Eric Brook catching Edwin van der Sar napping with a speculative effort from distance. Any hope of a comeback was swiftly extinguished as Luis Suárez struck twice in three frantic minutes, punishing sloppy defending and leaving Lisburn shell-shocked at 4–1 down by the break.

The second half was far more respectable from Lisburn, who created chances and worked van der Sar without reward, but the damage had long been done.

“We played the occasion, not the game,” sighed Carl Oakes. “Against players like that, you get punished for every mistake.”