Round 7

Well, it actually felt like a win.

A few frantic calls in the hours before game time and it was clear that the Red Bears would be playing short-handed. Our lone female player would be Sam, meaning we would be a player short against our good friends, the Wombats.

A tight first half with plenty of scoring chances at both ends, and the Bears struck first with a classy goal to Lee. Whilst we were still a long way from full-time, the defence held and the 1-0 lead was maintained to half time.

Coming out in the second half the Bears continued to create chances but were unable to add to the lead. The Wombats were just as committed, and after some sustained pressure pulled back the equalizer with 5 minutes to go.

With plenty of the time on the clock the ball moved from end to end with plenty of close calls. In the end, time was called and the Bears had held on for an improbable 1-1 result. The excitement from the Bears was countered by the disbelief from the Wombats. Overall, a great result, and an encouraging sign of improvement for the final 3 rounds.




The Black Bears were coming off 2 impressive wins that saw them in outright second place. A win this week would put them as high as first place. The matchup with PESV would reacquaint us with the team who scored a solid 2-4 win in the opening round.

A positive start to the match with the Bears notching the first goal within the first few minutes. The PESV tactic of attacking from long range saw Macer peppered with plenty of shots but he was, as always, equal to the task.

Eventually the defence cracked, and first one, then a second goal slipped through to give PESV a 2-1 lead at the half.

The second half saw an increase in intensity (and niggle) from both sides. This wasn't helped by the WAG on the sideline adding to the banter. Lee's refrain that we were 'playing leek my gran mar' was spot on, with the Bears failing to capitalise on some chances and slipping off in defence. In the end, PESV slotted 2 more through to score a solid 4-1 win.

Post game, there was a sombre feel, but knowing that we haven't slipped too far from the lead (only 3 points) gives us opportunity to claim another finals chance in the coming weeks.

Round 5

Entering the round the Black Bears were in equal 2nd place with three other sides, and just 3 points ahead of last place. This game had the potential to be season-defining. The front-running Blessed Cheesemakers were undefeated to date, and would be a tough match for the out of form Bears.

The Cheesemakers started the game positively, stretching the Bears defence to slot in 2 quick goals. A reply from the Bears steadied the ship, before some tight defence and brilliant strikes resulted in a 3-3 halftime score.

At the break, Lee explained that we simply had to score first in the second half and the game would break open. I think that's what he said, but it sounded more like "uf wee git thu fist gool, thees poofs weel bend ova and skweel like an inglishmun". Inspirational stuff.

Within 30 seconds of the resumption, the BC's slotted in a goal. Sorry Lee.

Some back and forth and with 5 minutes to go and the scores locked at 5-5 the Curd Churners were awarded a penalty from the spot. With the weight of the game on his shoulders, the blue-booted milk maid's shot was saved (some say brilliantly, most say by accident). Would this inspire the honey-eating, picacnic-basket stealing, lost at Paddington Station, tweed jacket wearing, pantsless, furry mammals. You betcha!!!

Pushing the ball forward, the Bears surged ahead via Cliff's boot. With under 2 minutes remaining and the goat milkers peppering the goals, the Bears repelled the attacks and slotted in the decisive goal. Final score, 7-5 to the shaggy-haired carnivores. Time to celebrate.




The Red Bears were matched up the Northern Monkeys in a game that they needed to win to stay in reach of the finals. After a slow start the Monkeys created some chances to jump out to a 0-2 lead before the Bears struck back. Unfortunately the wave of Monkeys (there's a visual) continued to run rampant and the half-time score of 1-6 looked almost unattainable.

A quick team talk and the Bears emerged from the break with a new defensive structure to cover the mid-field, whilst keeping three forward to claw back the deficit. After some frenetic end to end movement the Bears nailed 2 quick goals to get back in the hunt. By this stage the weight of possession was turning and the Bears manufactured another 2 goals from the sidelines. 5-6 with about 3 minutes to play.

By this stage the Monkeys were rattled and took some desperate shots to close out the game. A mis-read in midfield led to a Bears equaliser with 90 seconds to play. Could the Bears pull off a miraculous comeback??

The answer of course is no. With less than a minute on the clock a clear strike flew by 2 defenders and the flailing goalie, pushing the Monkeys to the final score, 6-7.

Plenty of commitment and improved ball control were evident throughout the game. Perhaps there is hope after all

Round 3 - Red Bears first Win!!

The Red Bears improved to 1 win and 2 losses with a strong win over EMI FC by 3-1

After a tight first half where the score remained 0-0, the Bears came out strong in the second half to take the lead early and hold back the surging opposition

All of the Bears were impressive with David and Gav threatening often, and both Chiara and Feb in the thick of the action in front of goals. Kylie was at her persistant best, creating a number of turnovers, and Ges drew the first yellow card of the season with a gentle nudge of the keeper to remind him who was ahead on the scoreboard. Great effort all up.

Doc made some impressive saves late in the match, drawing inspiration from the great Peter Schmeichel to retain the lead



Unfortunately the Black Bears game was forfeited due to lack of available talent

No game next week due to the long weekend, but we return the following week with the Red Bears matching up against the bottom placed RyanRovers FC and the Blacks against NorfolkNChance.

Finals Bound!!!

Congrats to the lads on progressing to the finals despite a less than stellar final few weeks. The quick start held us in good stead as despite only 1 win from playing the bottom four sides, we playoff with Mullets for a chance to progress to the Grand Final

The less said of the game last night the better. Suffice to say, we need to recapture our early season form in the next 7 days if we are to have a chance.

The final mixed game was a tough one - on a cold night with no bench for the lads, it was fair workout. The experiment of moving Macer to the field and Josh in goals produced a 1-7 halftime deficit. The hook came out and the positions were switched in the second half, with a much more respectable outcome. Fed up with the lack of respect displayed by the opposition, Doc switched on his inner Hulk and walked the tightrope of agressive play, resulting a 4 goal surge in the second half - final score, a 5-12 loss.

Once again, thanks to Sam, Jen and Kylie for your efforts over the season. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Hopefully you can attract some additional talent so you'll have a better show next season. In the interim, we've been approached by a group of girls to play mixed in the upcoming season. Since they were kind enough to send us a group photo, we're considering the offer.

Back on track

Who needs a bench when you get an effort like that? Despite having the bare 5 Bears available, the lads fired up for the clash with MennerNMen, led by the crafty Giancarlo. This side has always troubled the Bears, and after 2 poor efforts in recent weeks, a win was required to stay in the top 4.

Sticking to a plan to control the ball and frustrate the opposition, the Bears created some opportunities and took advantage with early goals. A mix up at the back led to a soft reply from the 'Men, but it was the Bears who ultimately prevailed with an emphatic 5-1 victory. Everyone got on the score sheet, including Spud with a cracker from the left side that spared us all from the possibility of a nudie run.

The effort was fantastic, but unfortunately left the lads flat for the second game. Despite the best efforts of the girls, we were out-hustled and left Macer with too many 2 on 1 situations. The score could have been a lot worse and was kept in check by the athletic custodian.

Next week is the final week before the finals with the lads squaring up against Million Dollar Babies at 6:30pm, who held us to a 3-3 draw in round 4, and the mixed side completes the season against WhiteLightning at 7:00pm

To inspire us to greatness, enjoy the clip - "No pain.....no pain"

"It Beggar's Belief....."

So said Billy post-game in response to the refereeing display that prevented the Bears getting away with a lucky draw. To be fair, the Wombats played well and deserved the win, though it remains a mystery how half-time can be called with a clear 2 on 1 raid in progress at the goal. A strong start to the second half with a long range goal from Boony gave the lads a sniff, but the enthusiasm of the Wombats was the difference. Playing without a sub they kept the Bears on the run and held on grimly for only their second win in 2 seasons. In the end a disappointing 3-4 loss has the Bears in danger of dropping down the table from the current 3rd position. Next week, the re-match with Giancarlo and MennerNMen could be decisive.

Whilst outmatched, the Red Bears retained their enthusiasm against the league leading JugglingJuggernauts, with Kylie her energetic self and Jen getting into the thick of the action. As in the previous game, the lads were flat and were out-run and out-skilled by their counterparts. The 2-10 scoreline could have been a lot worse if not for the brilliance of Macer in goal.

Notable mention to Gav who had the presence of mind to drag Doc off the field before the Big Fella completely lost it. An artists impression of what was going through Doc's mind:

Next week, a chance for redemption with the Black Bears at 6:30pm and Red Bears at 7:00pm

Pre End of Season Trip

The Black Bears will be making their final pilgrimage to Cypress Lakes under the family rate on the weekend of the 9th to 11th May. With the grand final scheduled for the Monday following, this trip could make or break the chances of the side - or alternatively, turn out to be an end of season trip after all.

Boony has set up luxury accomodations with golf on Saturday and shenanigans planned for the evenings. Ganga Gav will be supplying the tunes and has been training for his burlesque show, live from the top floor bathroom.








RSVP to boony ASAP to book your spot

Round 6 - Oh So Close ...... Twice

Hard to fault the effort for both sides but we came away with a matching set of 3-3 draws

A strong start in the Blacks game with 2 goals to Doc and a strike to the newly gendered Gav to take a 3-1 lead into the break. A tight second half saw plenty of end to end action before MennerNMen added another goal, and then the equaliser with minutes to spare. Despite some late attack, the opposition held on for the draw.

A similar story for the Reds with an early lead eroded and eventually matched. Once again Sam and Kylie showed improvement (with thanks to Karina from the Wombats for acting as a sub). The lads simply ran out of steam, making life tough for Macer at the back.

A big round for us in 2 weeks with the Blacks a chance to finish on top, and the Reds striving to finish in the top 4 for a chance at the mixed title.

Round 5 - Two Wins and so Close to a Clean Sheet

A big night for the Bears with a pair of strong wins.

The Blacks set the tone early against the formerly undefeated Butter Chicken with a nudie-run saving goal to Doc. The collective sigh of relief from across the competition was audible. Goals to Cliffy, Josh and Billy added to the damage, with the final score of 6-0. Once again, Macer was unbelievable in goals and was the difference between the sides.

The Reds had every reason to be confident against the winless Wombats and set about gaining an early lead. Despite having no subs, Sam and Kylie played the full game and kept the pressure on throughout the game. There was once again some niggle in the game, with Billy growing a pair and getting in the face of the 45kg goalie and getting a yellow card for his trouble

The lads did their bit to put 4 past the goalie and walk away with a 4-1 win. Highlights were the turn and strike to Josh, the afore-mentioned brain snap by Billy and once again, the magic that is Macer in front of goals.

Great effort and looking forward to next week - games at 7:00pm (Blacks against Lee's foe, Gian Carlo) and 7:30pm (Reds in the showdown for 4th place with EMI FC)

On behalf of the entire team congratulations to Spud, Abby and Brooke on the new addition to the family. We look forward to meeting the little fella soon.

Finally, a blast from the past, with the little appreciated second single from Feargal Sharkey, You Little Thief - plenty of passion flowing through the arms and hands. Have a great week.

A Pair of Non-Losses

A good night for both Bears sides with a pair of 3-3 results.

The Black Bears worked hard and had a few chances to close out their game - the lads were on the attack to the final whistle but were unable to get the clincher. Once again, Cliffy sniped an early goal, with Billy adding two more. This places the side 3rd overall.

The mixed side was a similarly close contest. Despite being down 3-1 at half time (thanks to Kylie's first ever goal), the side continued to press before some late heroics from Billy to snare two goals and the draw. The first win seems to be getting closer.

Next week sees the Blacks against the league leading Butter Chicken at 7:00pm, followed by the Reds against the bottom placed Wombats.

In a tribute to Sam, Jen and Kylie, a bit of Top Gun action - avert your eyes Boony

Round 3 - Return of the Turquoise Socks

A change in schedule saw the Mixed game played first, and with all of the lads on deck, it was a chance to use a deep bench to keep everyone fresh for the later game. In the absence of Jen, two lady-Mullets were also recruited. The Red Bears produced an improved performance against the more-fancied Sloth Rockets, going down 6-4. The return of an enthusiastic Billy resulted in 2 goals, but earned the ire of teammates for his unwillingness to sub out and save some energy for the Black Bears game.

The matchup with Combat Wombats once again produced its share of passion with a tight first half (2-2) and a lanky Wombat turning to water in a stare-down with Boony. Plenty of tough tackles and a fast paced game in the second half saw the Bears draw away with some quick goals before the CW's added 2 late goals to earn some respectability. Final score, Bears up 6-4.

The post-game drinks were dominated by helping Josh piece together the missing portions of Saturday night and an animated conversation on the merits of Spud and Josh's musical tastes.

Next week an early start with the Blacks at 6:30 followed by the Reds game at 7:00.

Round 2 vs Mullets

Amidst a sometimes fiery matchup, the Bears showed improvement and a late surge against the tiring Mullets to go down 5-2. A tight first half, defined as much for Lee's yellow card (see below) as the see-sawing action ended with the Bears down 2-0. Despite a third goal after the break, the Bears did not lie down and fought back with a few late goals and plenty of chances. We simply came up against a handy goalie and left our run too late. Lessons learned. Kudos to Cliffy for poaching two.

Unfortunately the mixed side were handed a forfeit - we are attempting to reschedule the game for later in the season

Next week the mixed game is at 7:30 with the Black Bears following.

Round One - Summer 08

A positive start to the season for the Black Bears with a hard fought 3-2 win over The Burn. Despite the best efforts of the opposition, Macer was once again the difference, frustrating them with some brilliant saves. We'll obviously be better for the run and look to improve over the coming weeks.

Welcome to Jen, Kylie and Sam, representing the Red Bears. With the lads backing up against some fresh legs for White Lightning, we ended with a 3-1 loss. Whilst that keeps Jen and Kylie's loss streak at 11 games, we're sure they will not be able to match the original Black Bears who started their futsal career with 13 losses (roughly). Good effort first up, and pleasing to have the ladies join us for the obligatory bull session after the game.

Finally, to settle the great debate, I've found the answer to who sang 'Summer of '69'. It wasn't Bruce Springsteen, but his little known brother, Glenn - the likeness to Josh after a few chardy's is scary




See you all next week