Selwyn 3 Queens' 1

Despite the scoreline, we played a good game against Selwyn and given some more luck and organisation, we could have easily been the victors. It started badly when we had 3 players drop out on the morning of the game (but all players had good reasons, it's just unlucky they all happened at the same time!) so we only had 9 men on the pitch to start. I did go round asking other teams for their subs prior to kick off but they were all very unforgiving and didn't seem to care for our plight! Selwyn themselves turned up with 15men and their captain laughed at the suggestion that they donate a couple of players to make it a more even game!
After starting with an attacking 3-3-2 formation, we more than held our own for the first 15mins, with Tom and Paul dominating and dictating play with Gustavo. A very poor refereeing decision cost us the first goal (the ball deflected off a defender to an offside player and the ref let it stand!) but we quickly got back with a goal from Yue. It was an very open game with both teams having lots of chances, but Selwyn took advantage of our numbers to score on the break and make it 2-1 at half time. Just before half time, we made it up to 10 players thanks to Thomas, a friend that Tom Baden phoned moments before we kicked off.
After half time, Itzam (who had been in goal and doing a sterling job) moved out pitch and Bob went into net. Selwyn were dominating a tired Queens' team by this time, a capitalised to make it 3-1, and Itzam picked up a knock and went back into goal. The game ended with Queens' trying to attack and we won a penalty which Tom managed to let the keeper tap onto the bar and then he proceeded to miss the rebound from 5 yards out!!!
The major promising thing to come from the league season is that all our defeats have only been by a goal or two and we have had chances to win them all, which bodes well for the Cup next term! Especially if we could get a couple more quality additions to the squad (That means you George! and Jon too!)
Team: Itzam, Andy, Mark, Matt, Gustavo, Paul, Bob, Tom, Yue, Thomas
Goal: Yue
Finished 5th out of 8 in the league, Won 3, drawn 1, lost 3

Queens' Training Tops!

Just to let people know, that we are ordering training jackets for the Queens' MCR this week, so if you'd like one, email me at ah434@cam.ac.uk.
The jackets are £28, and have the Queens' logo on the breast and "Queens' College MCR Football Club" on the back and the base design is shown on the left, with the logo design on the right.

Orders must be emailed to me by WEDNESDAY 30th November at the latest, with payment of £28 via cheque to my pigeonhole (with cheques made payable to Andrew Hawkins, as its faster if i just order them all myself on a credit card). Make sure you state a size when ordering a jacket!!!!!! either S (34,36"), M (38/40"), L (42/44") or XL (46/48") and the jackets should arrive before christmas!!

Queens' 4 Hughes Hall 1

After a frosty morning (in which a morning game I was due to play in was called off!), the Queens’ groundsman did a great job in ensuring the pitch was ready for our afternoon kick off against Hughes Hall. The cold conditions were enough to put off a couple of queens’ players from attending the game, so we only had 10 players on the pitch and we were playing against a team which we lost 5-3 against in the semi-final of the cup in april. But the Hughes Hall team this year did not possess the same quality as last year and Queens’ started attacking from the off, creating multiple chances and with Itzam, Gustavo and Martin dominating the midfield despite being outnumbered with our 4-3-2 formation.
Our defence was solid as ever, with Pete, Me, Mark and Matt having played in the last 4 matches straight and the opposition were having no luck trying to get through. The first half ended 1-0 with a goal from Yue although we should have a had a lot more! In the second half, we were again dominating but the Hughes players were beginning to get more confident and the queens players tired a little and Itzam got caught by a late challenge and had to go off to recover so we were down to 9. At this point Hughes equalized, and we pressing for more so it took some resolute defending to hold them off. After Itzam came back on (very bravely and limping considerably), we pushed forward and Tom finally took one of his numerous chances to put us in the lead. After this, we continually hit Hughes on the break and scored a couple more goals from Gustavo and Tom again to put the match beyond doubt. It was a good performance from Queens’ where we dominated throughout, as so many of our games this year have been like, and we got the points we deserved (unlike some other games!).

Team: Dan, Pete, Andy, Mark, Matt, Martin, Itzam, Gustavo, Tom, Yue.
Goals: Yue, Tom (2), Gustavo.

Final game of the league season this weekend against Top of the league Selwyn so should be a very challenging game!! Come on Queens’! P.s. Selwyn always play their games on a sunday, so i have a feeling we'll have to play on sunday, sorry!

Queens' 4 Corpus 0

A comprehensive victory for queens’ against the team currently occupying bottom position in the league, although the corpus team were a lot more resilient than their past results suggested. Corpus had already lost 16-0 to Catz and 7-0 to Selwyn so we thought we were in a for an easy game, but corpus, to their credit, played a very physical and committed game even when they were a couple of goals down.
At the start of the game, queens’ were playing some nice passes in the middle of the park but failed to penetrate the corpus back line and they were looking dangerous on the break when our attacks broke down. We went ahead eventually through a keeper error/refereeing error (I think we went ahead but not sure if it counted as it looked like a blatant foul on the keeper but their ref signalled a goal and they played off from the centre, although I thought the final score was 5-0 not 4-0 as I was told by the opposing captain, but either way, it makes little difference to our league position!).
By half time, it was 2-0 (again, I think!) and we were dominating the game with Itzam, Gabriel and Gustavo playing the opposing off the park in the centre (and getting kicked a lot for there trouble!!). Second half was more of the same, with queens’ dominating the midfield battle and the defence looking assured and solid and Daniel was picking up everything that sailed over. The major attacking weapon corpus had was their keeper’s kicking as he seem to be able to kick the ball straight into the opposing penalty area, so it took some brave heading from Mark, Pete and Matt to quell this threat.
In summary, a decent performance from queens’ and a deserved result against a physical corpus team.

Team: Dan, Pete, Andy, Mark, Matt, Bob, Itzam, Gustavo, Jimaan, Tom, Gabriel, Peng, Jose.

Goals: Gabriel Paternain (2), Tom Baden, Jose Hartsanchez (I think that’s right, email me if I’m wrong!)

2 more games left in the season, if we win them both, we’ll get a respectable league position, Go Queens’!

Corpus v. Queens', SUNDAY 1.30pm @ Corpus

A game that Queens' can't afford to lose this one, against a corpus team who have struggled so far. Pitch is down Cranmer Road, off grange road and there is parking down at the ground apparently. Map is here

League has yet to be updated, but we are probably sitting midtable after our draw, and i know that churchill-jesus was a draw too. But if we win our remaining games then we have a chance of finishing in the top 3. But if we lose our remaining games we will get relegated, so there is still alot to play for!

Queens' 3 Catz/Sidney 3

We knew before the game that Catz were a good team but we were confident we could beat them. Unfortunately, early on in the game Abdol (our stand-in keeper) got seriously injured and had to get carried away in an ambulance, and has since had to have a pin inserted into his fractured bone. He is recovering in hospital now, and liking the attention from the nurses ;-)
The game was subdued after this incident, but we were playing good football but we went behind to a good long-range strike from Catz. After the restart, we went further behind, 2-0, but that brought on the desired response from Queens’ with much more attacking football and flari going forward and the rest of the game was one-way traffic. 2 wonderful lobs from Gabriel (against a very good catz keeper) and a well taken goal from Tom took us into a 3-2 lead with only 5mins to play, but Catz scored a goal straight from the kick off and that was it. Finished 3-3, with queens’ giving everything till the final whistle. If we attack like we did for the last 30mins of this game for the full 90 of every game then we can beat anyone in the MCR. Unfortunately, we still lack the consistency to do this for 90mins, but I’m sure it will come! Queens’ for the cup after Christmas! 3 more games to go this season, with the final game against Selwyn/Robinson (top of the league with 100% record so far!). Come on Queens’!

Team: Abdol, Peter, Andy, Mark, Jon, Gabriel, Paul, Itzam, Peng, Martin, Tom, Yue, Tao, Michael, Matt.

Goals: Gabriel 2, Tom

Queens' v. Catz/Sidney, Sat 5th, 1.30pm @ KINGS

Big game this week (as always!) against an unbeaten Catz team who currently sit onto of the league on goal difference from Jesus. After last weeks encouraging 1st half performance, we have a good opportunity this week to convert our potential into points!

Game is at King's sportsground at 1.30pm (as Queens'/Robinson/King's/Selwyn are sharing pitches now), and these pitches are the ones before the Queens' ones down Barton Road. To get to them, take a left down Granchester Road and then right onto Fulbrooke Road and they will be at the end.
Map can be seen here

For up-to-date league table and fixtures/results and top goalscorers table, see here
(our very own Tom Baden is currently 3rd in the list with 6, and the top goalscorer is a guy called Homer from Catz with 9)

Any problems, email me at ah434@cam.ac.uk or phone me on 07855149093 (make sure you save my number on your phone now!)