2013 looks to be a promising year ahead for the 3rds with the addition of some talented new recruits even if the trial games have not gone totally to plan. After going so close in previous years the team is expecting big things and are hoping to have 80% of the team sober on match day unlike the friendlies where 80% were still steaming drunk from the night before.

After a good 3-2 vs QPR on Saturday, it was time for round two of the double header vs Sydney Uni and 3 more points were vital. The starting line up. Chris in nets (fair dues with a dislocated finger), the 3 rocks at the back, Anders, Joe and Richie. The 4 in the middle were Al, Dan, Gav and Fergal. Up front was Wes, Nick and Brendan.

After only one game in four weeks due to Sydney’s poxy winter it was time to get back to action for the boys of AA4. The last run out had resulted in a disappointing 1-0 loss to Queens Park, where the lack of Eddie or Nick up front had exposed our biggest weakness all season, the inability of the midfield to chip in with goals. But having only conceded one goal in the last three the team was ready to go for the top of the table clash with high flyers Mackabi.

It was a lush day for football at Turruwul Park, not too hot or cold, the sun was glary but other then that conditions were perfect. It was to Barnstoneworth to kick off and just before they did the Ref (The Tache) noticed their star striker Nick was carrying a weapon, he rushed over and immediately confiscated his favourite elastic band that was around his wrist. He thought he’d have someone’s eye out or at the very least make someone cry but luckily he never found the knuckle duster Ro had strapped to his balls, the game kicked off. 

It was a rainy day at the house of Paine. Perfect conditions for breaking legs, and that’s exactly what BUFC’s “fantastic 4’s” accomplished. An astounding defensive performance by BUFC landed them their first clean sheet this season. This all came down to the tactical genius Sir. Paul Middleton 3-5-2 formation he has been meaning to test out. Starting line up featured our start keeper MARCEL! In the back, BUFC’s towering CB – Richie, Joe and Anders (about time you came back). Midfield line up: Wynton, Dan, Chris, Ferg and Gaz (from left to right). Up front BUFC lined the “nimble” nick that has been in great form and Walsh.

This week’s AA4 fixture was certainly one for the scrapbooks albeit for off field performances as opposed to commanding ones on the field of play. The game was notable as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Barnstoneworth United football club and the camera crew were present with bells on trying to capture the inner workings of the club a quarter century on from it’s foundation.

A crisp, clear day greeted the lads as they arrived at Herfron Park, the scene of two away wins for the boys already this season, could we make it three out of three against a Coogee side that had beaten us 5-2 in pre-season? The pre-match talk was all about Liverpool’s epic failure in the FA Cup final, at least that’s what the Evertonians wanted to talk about, that and whether anyone had been to Al’s missus’ 30th to have a crack at the thirty-something single ladies promised on a midweek email. We also spotted a player in the preceding match wearing gloves. Not just any gloves… fingerless gloves… you know like the ones a paedophile would wear. It’s 17 degrees you blurt.

It was a bright and breezy day – perfect conditions for a game of football. Everyone was anxious to put last week’s debacle to bed with a good performance and most importantly a win. Starting line-up: Gary Anderson; Anthony J; Rich Petchey; Chris Hamilton; Lee Plumridge; Wynton S; Fergal Gallagher; Dan Eeles; Ronan Murphy; Nick Heather; and Wesley Nolan. For the first 15 minutes, we started well with some slick passing and good movement up front – Wes ably supporting Nick (a typical little and large striking partnership). However, Loko came back into it: with the help of the strong breeze, they started peppering our goals with some long range shots. Gary pulling off two magnificent saves to keep the game nil all. How and ever, the pressure finally told when the main Loko striker swivelled and volleyed a shot from twenty yards which just beat Gary and flew into the top corner. A decent goal in all fairness.

OK lads, now I’m not going to do my Leo Tolstoy (Wynton, Google him) impression like Ro did last week, but here goes….

After a decent win in the first game against Queens Park, the momentum needed to be maintained with a win against Queens Park’s ugly-sister team.

As the sun rose on the early Sunday morning there was a serious bit of anticipation in the air. After several long hard and for the most part, dreadful preseason weeks, Barnstoneworth AA4’s looked to hit the ground running on the opening day of the season. It had been a topsy turvy week, with the AA4’s being promoted to AA3 on Tuesday only to be relegated back to AA4 on Thursday. Having reached the Grand Final last season, losing out to a devastating own goal in extra time the team were hoping to go one better this year.

The gods had blessed Sydney with another [mostly] dry week, enabling the third team to play an unprecedented third game in a row, this week against second placed Maccabi Hakoah (MacHak…it’s too long to type every time!).

Another tough match for AA4s this week against league leaders
Waverley, who were riding high on a perfect record of three wins from
three. Perhaps our toughest challenge, yet, but the coach was
optimistic, reverting to the 4-3-3 in view of the small Moore Park
pitch. The team was also benefitting from the return of Ross Mooney
and Richie Gadsby and their second game in consecutive weeks; eight
people had even stumbled upon training this week…everything was set
for a classic performance by Barnstoneworth.

The match against league leaders Dunbar was the first for four weeks,
and was always going to prove a tough test. The team had barely even
seen each other since their draw with Lions, and with several regular
starters missing and a couple of ring-ins, it felt like starting the
season again. Dunbar had enjoyed the good fortune of missing only one
of their games for the season; Barnstoneworth had played just two from
five.

The AA4s were hoping their vociferous home fans would see them take their first home win of the season against Lions. With Paul away there was no pre-match chalkboard, and instead Niall took his place in the technical area.

Having extended their unbeaten run to 10 games in the pre-season,
Barnstoneworth AA4 were excited to finally start the season proper.

Barnestoneworth arrived at Queens Park, with ideas of a top four finish still mathematically possible, and delivered yet another performance worthy of a top 2 side.

Was there ever a more onerous and impossible task as writing an interesting match report for a goal-less 90 minutes?

Barnestoneworth underlined their determination to break into the top four this season with a performance at the House of Paine that combined craft and graft in equal measure.

It was never going to be easy. No matches for 4 weeks, only two training sessions, and World Cup induced sleep deprivation were all working against us as we faced the team that beat us 4 – 0 on the opening day of the season.

Week 5 of the season and the Bondi Vet made some comments during the week that sent a shudder down my spine…”We are top of the table” he shouted to anyone that would listen.  The shiver was due to the fact that this time last year, we were also top of the table after 4 games having collected 10 points from the first 12.  We all know where last season ended up!