Nervous Wait for GSE After Controversial Loss:

Chook (centre) remonstrates fiercely with referee "Rabbit" in contrast to Jords' calmer, more methodical approach. Ads (far left) and Desmond (far right) add their two cents.

GSE has a nervous 24-hour wait ahead of them after crashing to a controversial 6-5 loss to top of the table Ammoss.

The silver lining in the result was the 5 goals scored, and a bonus point despite the loss, a lifeline when the ladder is so close. This means that Gullentry must win AND score 10 goals to qualify for the finals. However, as they say, in football nothing is certain, and readers of the blog will have to wait until approximately 10pm tomorrow night to know if their heroes have made it through.

The game itself was a hard fought and at times, nasty affair. Having beaten Ammoss 17-0 in their previous outing, GSE perhaps entered the game a little overconfident. GSE limped into the game with only 4 available players and no substitutes, whereas Ammoss had a full squad of 7 players, allowing them 3 substitutes. An ominous sign.

Ammoss raced to a 3-0 lead after some slack defending by GSE. However, by half's end GSE had clawed their way back into the match through 3 classic Ads' strikes, to leave it 3-3 at the break.

GSE's lack of fitness told in the second half, with all three outfield players 'hitting the wall', allowing Ammoss back into the game, swinging the momentum back in the league leader's favour. The skill of keeper Jords came to the fore as Ammoss ran rings around a tired GSE defence, stretching their lead to 6-4 with minutes remaining. Ads completed a great game with his and GSE's 5th goal late on - perhaps his most important goal for the team - to make Gullentry's task on Monday night all the more difficult, and keep GSE's dream of a maiden championship alive.

Refereeing, or rather the standard, was the talk of fans after the game. Ammoss employed a brutal brand of tackling across the pitch without punishment from the referee - a young looking chap who resembled a rabbit in the headlights when called upon to make a decision. Within minutes, when through on goals after a gorgeous Desmond through ball, Ads was hacked down by the last man. Any other ref would have brought out a card, red being the more deserving colour, but for "Rabbit", nothing. Chook, the form player in the GSE line-up, was engaged in a running kung-fu battle with the Ammoss player known only as "Hero". This culminated late on in a scene more at home in the "Texas Chain Saw Massacre", where Chook's legs were butchered whilst standing, as he fell to the ground, and then as he shot desperately after winning the ball back. One player remarked after winning a soft free kick after a Desmond tackle that he should "calm down and relax or he'd break his (Desmond's) legs." As if they weren't already trying to.

A certain penalty was denied late on as the referee again waved away the appeals of GSE as in an effort to time waste, the Ammoss keeper held onto the ball for around 15 seconds, more than the 5 allowed.

A formal complaint has been laid with the AA (Action Association) by GSE's lawyers.

Ammoss 6

GSE 5 (Ads 5 goals)

Ladder:

Team Played Pts
Ammoss 13 88
MEAT 12 72
Wrong Bet 12 69
GSE 13 66
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Gullentry 12 61
Shit Carnts - -