Vermillion Rage grab Hills by the throat and smash them repeatedly into the ground. Two from top scorer Havelund, one from Bazinho, a fourth from Gazzincha behind them, they simply look unstoppable while simultaneously looking worse on paper than just about any team in the top ten. The Quakers have had a rough season so far - one of four midtable teams sitting on 50 points before kickoff, they show a lot of spirit, leading 1-0 against Treason thanks to Rettinger until Treason mount a comeback in the last twenty. Kieron Riordan keeps the scoreline down, but can’t do enough - Quinn’s just unstoppable, and nets a headed brace.
Chenoworth hold out against a constant Chariots offensive - a 1-0 defeat would be too much, given the away goal - and manage the 0-0 draw after 90 minutes of torture for Violence fans. They must be feeling better than Chatswood, though - needing to win, any win, at home against their local rivals, they’re turned over comprehensively. 4-0, in fact, though you’d suspect Chatswood No. 1 Alhambra Shrike would have made a couple of those saves. Jayce Pence, for her (rare) part, excelled. Newrook produced a battling performance to beat Southfell, playing the sort of football that got them promoted for a 3-1 aggregate win. City, meanwhile, sponged up pressure away because they expected to attack at home. Well, as it happened, Parrhesia attacked away, too, and were better at it - Monti and Sebastian getting the goals.
Stanislav Navratil scores the goal of the season - a leisurely trot forward to get onto the end of a headed clearance before an inexplicable scissor-kick from the 32-year old smashes past a stranded Hargrave from the edge of the penalty area (the young goalkeeper winning a place in the first team over Veldt of late, not that it makes much difference). It is, perhaps, a bit wasted on Corvette Maulers, and a very ordinary Walker header is enough anyway. Sabrefell Moths come to Goodfeather FC, two teams with disappointing seasons so far, and, well, the Moths simply shatter their opponents. Literally, in Dana Kendall’s case - she suffers a bad ankle injury to a late Martell challenge that earns a caution - but more metaphorically with regards to the four goals. Sasha Christener, the rightback, scores the last after assisting twice before that, reinforcig that it’s been Kellard, Martell and Christener who have been the highlights of a dismal year.
Kurtis Quinn gets ahead of his man, turns and slashes the ball past the Sokojiwa Dosi goalkeeper. That goal, in the 29th minute, is the sole upside of a dark day for Nepharim football, as Treason’s hopes of victory in the Champion’s Cup are fairly conclusively eaten.
A Treason side rather muted by their staggeringly heavy defeat can only put the one goal past Corvette Maulers in the Gauntlet. Corvette, incidentally, have failed to find a new manager of any repute. Or, according to their PR, have totally and definitely voluntarily decided Foxglove’s assistant Eloise Twist would be caretaker manager until the end of the season, as she is the best manager to steer them clear of relegation. Clearly. Either way, Chenoworth Rovers, who were so stalwart so often against high-tier teams throughout the season, get thumped 5-1 by Vermillion.
It’s more spirited, at least, but not exactly technical. Treason make several changes and still get turned over 3-0, and while Jaspenner looks lively going forward (Quinn might as well rest in the pointless, unwinnable game) she can’t chalk up a consolation goal. The Stags, then, are the last team to crash out of UICA - but they’ll be looking to vent their frustrations on the Premiership.
Brinemouth are so bad right now. Their papier mache defence leaves them winless in ten - ten! - league matches, and Garrotte is brittle post-match. “There has to come a point at which you have to blame the players,” says the manager, who has constantly blamed the players throughout the season rather than her own tactics. “So that’s done. Next match we go and beat Leichhardt. That is all there is to it.” Maximum City deserve credit, however, for a strong all-round performance that simply, aside from one killer ball from Mathias that opened up Wintergren on goal, choked Brinemouth out of the game. Treason brush aside Chatswood away, simply defending so solidly that Chatswood only manage a single shot on target. And Vermillion Rage, stunningly, are destroyed by the Wanderers. Yes, Vermillion Rage, the ones in the title race, fresh off a . Crisisbless United have had a horrible run of form, capped off by a 7-1 annihilation at home at the hands of the Ferrymen. It’s their fourth loss in a row, but the very nature of the defeat puts a sour note on what had been a pretty damn good season to that point. All this, and Crisisbless’ very tidy 2-0 victory over Sabrefell Athletic might somewhat get overlooked - but goals from the Apox Connection, Keast and St. Cleer, might well prove pivotal in determining the exact order of the top five.
As promised, Brinemouth pick Leichhardt apart, though the Canaries’ characteristically solid defence holds the Dockers back for the first half. Felmen has a couple of great saves in him, but the better side wins, and maybe the Dockers might just get back into this season… particularly since the Rage draw against Coret Hawks, Newrook City sensationally holds Treason away from home, finding a new hero in the form of Maxine Lynwood, Crisisbless is drawn 1-1 by Parrhesia. Everything’s still open in the top five, still very much to play for - increasingly less so in the bottom four, but the continued slump of Extreme Hills, who have one point in eight games, gives them hope. Also giving them hope is a spat between the NFA and the Football Federation of Integristan - Nepharim officials see that they’ve hit the mainstream, want an all-Nepharim top flight, and will allow the Integristani teams (Integabad and Leopolis, both Premiership sides ten years ago but in the First and Second Divisions now) from the second tier down but not to be promoted. The Panthers, by chance, are in fact making a promotion push. Much like how 21st-placed Leopolis’ Premiership stay was extended a year by administration-suffering Vermillion finishing second, an interesting role reversal and another sign of Nephara’s gradual but firm break from Serenes.
Ramsey will be furious to have conceded two cheeky goals on the break to Rovers, who dropped the out-of-form Rogalski to inject more pace into the front line. It worked, with Sienna Lotus and Diana Thrushell both finding space where it seemed like it was none, and Treason were honestly somewhat lucky to escape with a draw - Pence was called upon for an exceptional save when Damkjaer’s curling shot from 22 yards nearly snuck in the top left corner. Newrook, meanwhile, can’t break down Parrhesia - any talk of backup goalkeepers is gone for Newrook despite Mackan’s good performances to this point, they want to win this Cup more than anything in the world. Even relegation? journalists ask Rivett. “Even relegation. We can always get back to the top flight, but these sorts of chances rarely strike twice.” But they need to win at the Anchorwright Arena.
If the Hounds weren’t in relegation form before, they are now - a 2-1 defeat to Leichhardt the latest indignity, as they press and press all game but can’t beat the direct option on the break. Particularly with draws for Newrook and Chenoworth, though Corvette look basically gone by this point. Rook Colfer is all smiles as his team peg back Sabrefell Athletic 4-2, thanks largely to his brace. “I was a Moths fan growing up as a kid, like basically everyone in West Sabrefell,” he told the press afterwards. “So, yeah, I won’t deny it felt good.” That defeat is a major setback for Athletic, but a little less disastrous in the wake of a Crisisbless draw to a Maximum Rovers side that has been stronger than just about anyone expected. Yet again, it’s Harper giving them the X-factor, simply too cunning for young Brigid Kestrel throughout the night, and yet another player of the match performance with a goal and assist for Drake.
AFC Treason wanted to win every tournament. AFC Treason lost in the Champions Cup. AFC Treason came home and were very disappointed to find Vermillion Rage were pretending they were a real title contender. AFC Treason kicked the living shit out of them. Dominant performances throughout the first half saw them go into the break 2-1, but then Underwood was finally given a yellow card for his harsh treatment of Acosta. He had to put his foot off the gas a little, and it gave Acosta the opening he needed to play a pivotal part in the four Treason goals to follow. By the end of the match, Schneider scoring with the last kick of the match, Russ Beresford had dived to try and save it and wasn’t feeling like getting back up, having to be dragged back to his feet by Dalglish and Jonas-Anderson to limp off to the tunnel, the cheering of the Gauntlet’s supporters ringing in their ears. A demoralising defeat for Vermillion, a statement of intent for Treason.
One point out of a potential 33 for Extreme Hills now, who must surely be looking over their shoulder with a confident Newrook win. “I’ve always said a strong Cup run will inspire us to do well in the league,” said Newrook manager Jayce Rivett, “and while the boost has come a little later than I’d have liked, it’s still giving us a good chance of getting out of this league.” Treason, meanwhile, do not even slightly let up the pace as they brutalise Southfell United. 34-year old Dale Brightley likes to play at a slow tempo these days. 19-year old Tanith Rainsford, set to mark/destroy him, did not appreciate this, and repeatedly cut off the passes meant for him, took the ball out from under his legs, or flat-out tackled him before distributing accurately from deep. She’s done exceptionally of late, and with Acosta looking weary after people keep. Kicking. Him. Might just start against Athletic, too. “Next match is my 20th birthday,” said Rainsford after the match with a bashful grin. “Nice present to go on and get a win for the team, eh?”
Well, Rainsford might not have gotten more than 12 minutes on the pitch, but Acosta and Flaccus moved directly against Cilic and Sarracena. It was a rough, tight contest, Athletic given many chances but the back four of Treason and especially Russ Miller, responsible for a double-save from both Bray’s boots in the space of two seconds, as well as a point-blank save from Reagan’s header (enabled, of course, by a fantastic Sarracena free kick) and the Stags put their own chance away without hesitation, Quinn glancing a header past Seward. Vermillion slip again, to a Daniella Strauss goal, while Brinemouth sensationally drag themselves into the headlines (for the right reasons, for once!) with a 3-0 thrashing of Crisisbless. Norgen finally rediscovers some of his old form with a brace, Mathias striking a third from midfield in off the post, and Crisisbless now need Treason to slip up twice in the last three games if they’re to win the title.
It’s closer run than they would’ve liked, but Treason this time do a proper job on Chenoworth. Closer to it, at any rate - Quinn’s goal is cancelled out by Sphinx North’s volley, but away goals still clinch it and they never look like conceding a second. Parrhesia and Newrook, meanwhile, can’t decide it over 210 minutes, so it goes to penalties. All of the first ten hit. But Hennessey saves from Blanchard, Brennan tips Brun’s over the bar, Brenecian defender Bruce Daunton goes for power over accuracy and barely manages to keep it on target. Anna Sullivan, the seventh Saint to step up, is clearly overwrought by emotion - her penalty is poor, and Brennan punches it away before punching the air, because Newrook City are going to the Farham Arena!
It wasn’t so long ago that Corvette inexplicably routed Brinemouth 5-1 the match after the Dockers won the title. It was cited as an example of overconfidence from a team without history. None of that now - for one, Brinemouth have nothing to feel confident about, and for another, Corvette can’t really score from anyone not named Daniel Canady. He nets a late consolation and doesn’t even really bother celebrating beyond some applause for the long-suffering fans - the damage has already been done, Corvette are down 4-1. Leichhardt have defended solidly all season, but Coret have done the same while actually scoring, and a 1-0 defeat puts the Canaries under intense pressure. The Rage simply can’t break through against North Laithland, and while Bazinho haunts the club who let him go on a free, it’s a late and probably undeserved equaliser.
It’s not official, but the swing of goal difference it would take is frankly alarming - Maximum Rovers’ 2-0 defeat all but wins the title for the Stags, who will get the chance to get the trophy in front of their own fans against Leichhardt. Also significant are defeats to Brinemouth - sunk by an Essex double by a Chenoworth side that have been fantastic against those top-level teams - and Maximum City - beaten by Vermillion Rage - and that makes things far more open for Chatswood, who beat a dead Mauler 4-1. Leichhardt’s defeat to the Chariots leaves them hanging onto a thread thanks to The Integabad Technicality. A lot is up in the air for the final match...
PREMIERSHIP
Pos Team P W D L For Ag +/- Pts
1 AFC Treason 45 27 11 7 87 41 +46 92 CC
2 Crisisbless 45 26 11 8 81 48 +33 89 CC
3 Vermillion Rage 45 25 8 12 71 52 +19 83 GC
4 Sabrefell Athletic 45 24 10 11 72 46 +26 82 GC
5 Maximum City 45 23 8 14 59 40 +19 77
6 Chatswood 45 21 13 11 70 48 +22 76
7 Brinemouth 45 23 6 16 73 49 +24 75
8 Maximum Rovers 45 19 17 9 63 49 +14 74
9 Southfell United 45 19 12 14 67 52 +15 69
10 North Laithland 45 19 12 14 53 48 +5 69
11 Sabrefell Moths 45 18 12 15 62 49 +13 66
12 Violence Chariots 45 17 14 14 59 46 +13 65
13 Raven River 45 15 15 15 57 52 +5 60
14 Goodfeather FC 45 16 11 18 57 55 +2 59
15 Vermillion Wanderers 45 17 6 22 56 70 -14 57
16 Chenoworth Rovers 45 14 13 18 35 49 -14 55
17 Crisisbless United 45 13 13 19 52 82 -30 52
18 Coret Hawks 45 11 18 16 42 50 -8 51
19 Parrhesia United 45 11 14 20 48 65 -17 47
20 Extreme Hills 45 11 10 24 46 82 -36 43
21 Newrook City 45 10 11 24 43 77 -34 41
22 Leichhardt 45 10 8 27 33 57 -24 38
23 Chenoworth Harriers 45 6 15 24 37 67 -30 33 R
24 Corvette Maulers 45 5 12 28 43 92 -49 27 R