Five Alive 3 – 0 The Pavilion Inn

Lockington Road was witness last night to the greatest sporting shock since Leicester City won the title.  At odds of 10,000-1 Richard Garrett did indeed make his long-awaited return to the Five Alive line up.

With many regulars on international duty with the Euros starting this week, Richard Garrett starred at the back alongside the ageing Fry (who is starting further and further back down the pitch). He brought the defensively solidity that made him a fan’s favourite at the club. Though, in fairness, they – and ‘keeper Rowlinson, benefited immensely from some Dunthorne-inspired shooting from the Pub Boys.

At the other end debutant Kevin Crouch led the line superbly, bagging two well-taken first half goals.  After turning around 2-0 up he then poached his hat-trick goal to cap a Man-of-the-Match first appearance.

The absent Angus Bujalski will be delighted with the way his team started the new season, though will be asking questions over the pre-season fitness programmes of Bulger and Stawpert.

Five Alive

Rowlinson, H (8) – Not tested by wayward striking
Garrett (9) – Terry-esque
Fry (8) – Craddock-ish
Bulger (7) – Quiet
Stawpert (7) – Breathtaking
Crouch (9) – A future star?

New Finance Director appointed

The Five Alive Board are delighted to announce the appointment of a new Finance Director to succeed Chris Bulger who will step down from the role in September. James Rowlinson will join the Board from similar roles in the City.

The Club’s Legal Director, Angus Bujalski, told fivealivefootball, “we had a short short list but James gave an excellent interview last night.  He has some excellent ideas for managing the club’s finances. They are certainly ethical so it doesn’t matter if they are strictly legal”.

Club Chairman, Will Fry, added, “his enthusiasm for the role was unexpected but very welcome.

“I guess I should probably thank Chris Bulger for filling the role so competently and with such transparency but his time in the role has been one long joke”.

Five Alive 0 – 2 Dornan’s

Five Alive’s miserable run extended to a third straight defeat last night. This time at the hands of title-chasing Dornans.

Manager Angus Bujalski will though take some satisfaction from his team’s performance. Despite conceding an early goal when Chris Bulger failed to track his man the Greens battled well and had several good chances to sneak an unlikely draw before Dornans snuck a late second.

Bujalski himself solidified his place as Fives number 1 between the sticks, even as his grip on the manager’s clipboard weakens. A string of fine saves kept Fives going as their defence was caught exposed time after time. In fairness it was a makeshift defence – regular centre back Dore was unavailable after his team coach was attacked by West Ham fans in East London.

Despite looking lethargic upfront in the first half a rousing team talk brought renewed vigour and Rowlinson jnr, Fry and Rowlinson snr all had – but wasted – good opportunities to score.

Three weeks ago the talk at Lockington Road was of a push for promotion. Fives are now nine points off that fantasy and much closer to the relegation spots. The Juice Boys have a much-not-needed rest next week (which sees the long-awaited return of Richard Garrett) before a daunting match against league leaders Judeans’ People Front in the final round of games.

Five Alive

Bujalski (10) – Brown

Fry (8) – Robshaw

Low (7) – Banahan

Rowlinson, snr (7) – Care

Rowlinson, jnr (8) – Nowell

Bulger (7) – Cipriani

 

Five Alive 1 – 3 Grey C Milan

Will Fry and Jim Dore didn’t play.

Five Alive lost.

No other details are available.

Fry to quit?

Will Fry has confirmed that he is considering leaving Five Alive this summer over the club’s lack of effort in congratulating him on his 35th birthday

The midfielder’s agent, Dimitry Seluk, told the BBC earlier on Thursday that his client was “very upset” that “none of them shook his hand on his birthday” and that this had made the player consider leaving the Lockington Road Stadium.

Fry responded in a series of tweets on Tuesday afternoon in which he at first appeared to make light of his agent’s comments but then said: “Everything dimitry said is true. He speaks for me. I will give an interview after lunch to explain.”

Five Alive, who gave Fry a chocolate birthday cake after he turned 35, have not commented on the situation but would be deeply disappointed if they were to lose a player who scored 2 goals in all competitions for them in a season in which they won little of note.

 

Bujalski to extend Five Alive contract

Five Alive manager Angus Bujalski says he plans to extend his contract at Spurs by two years until 2021.

The manager who is not Argentine, has guided the club to third in the Battersea Championship League table, and has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Paris St-Germain.

“It was an easy decision when you feel the love of the people and the potential of the club is massive, so why change?” he said.

Bujalski, 44, joined Five Alive in May 2004 after leaving Slaughter & May.

“We create a good atmosphere on the training ground (the old man pub) and I think we can achieve big things in the future,” he added.

“I believe in this project and this club. I want to stay here.”

Five Alive 2 – 1 KFC Wimbledon

Five Alive made hard work of dispatching a weak KFC side last night. But they did, and in doing so extended their unbeaten run to four matches. Talk of sacking manager Bujalski has now gone as his side consolidated third spot and can start dreaming of promotion.

The Limeys exploded from the blocks against KFC. Four gilt-edged early chances were beautifully created but disgustingly wasted. A typical Bulger toe-poke forced Colonel Sanders into one of his few saves of the night but he could only tip it on to the post and Low pounced expertly to prod home.

Changing around one up Fives will have been disappointed not to have been further ahead. They started the second as they had finished the first -sluggishly. But snuck a second when a pinpoint Rowlinson jnr cross teed up Snr to smash into the open goal.

Heroics from Bujalski kept Fives on top as KFC staged a late surge, but even he couldn’t deny them the goal that set up a nervy last three minutes. Five Alive held on though to set up a grandstand finish to the season. Up next they face Grey C Milan and Barcenal. They’re pushing hard for third. Good results there and Fives would go into their last two games against the two top sides with everything to play for.

Five Alive

Bujalski (8) – Heroic

Dore (8) – Unusually not the most sluggish

Low (7) – Elbows

Bulger (8) – Toe poke

Rowlinson, J (8) – Sluggish man of the match

Rowlinson, H (9) – Better than James

Fry (7) – Sluggish

Empty Lockington

A routine victory for Five Alive last night risked being overshadowed by a furore over the masses of empty seats at Lockington Road. An early kick off on a Thursday night left many areas of the ground unfilled.

It was all the more painful for Five Alive coming just weeks after their record attendance.

One fan, Harry Rowlinson, 12, said, “I hear Arsenal struggled for attendance last night too. Don’t these league organisers know that Thursday is a big night in the City?”

Penkių Gyvas 3 – 1 Old Robsonians

An experimental Five Alive team turned in a strong performance last night to move up to third in the table.

Manager Gus Bujalski served a one-match touch line ban and Chris Bulger pulled out after failing a last-minute test (a strained apathy is expected to keep him out for several weeks). Caretaker coach Ben Wilson fielded a team featuring three trialists, including two Lithuanian internationals on loan from Tottenham.

The scratch team started strongly against a well-resourced Old Robsonians team. Harry Kane and Ice Tea combining well up front with a marauding Wilson and wily Ciaran to bang in three goals, that could have been more.

While Dunthorne and Fry kept things tight at the back, one slip did allow Robs to snatch one back just before the break.

The second half followed the same pattern – though with no goals. 

Five Alive’s impressive run continues and they’ll be looking to build on it next week with a more experienced side (if less skillful) against bottom side KFC Wimbledon.

Five Alive

Fry (9) – Pressure on Bujalski

Dunthorne (8) – One-man wall, fan’s man of the match

Wilson (7) – All over the place

Maroldas Jonauskis (9) – Goals

Ice Tea (9) – Commonplace 

Ciaran (9) – skill and control that are not commonplace in Five Alive

Five Alive 4-2 Barcenal

Barcenal lived up to their two parent clubs as they turned in calamitous performance to lose to Five Alive. At times they looked live Barcelona when threatening the Five Alive goal, but more often their defence was distinctly Arsenal-esque as they conceded four.

Five Alive started with a strong and well balanced team. They earned early rewards as a long-range Fry pile driver arrowhead straight to the bottom corner. Fives dropped their guard though shortly after as they concede an equaliser. Bulger restored the lead when a flowing move saw the ball arrive at his feet in the box. Sadly it was his right foot but the Arcenal defence were so slow to close him down he had time to walk around the ball before dribbling it in with his left foot.

A second half blitz saw Fives extend their lead as the Rowlinson brothers Seidel the game by the scruff of the neck. Junior finishing a lovely passing move after being teed up by Senior before moments later adding his second from a Fry through ball. The excellent finish to the fourth from a narrow angle was enough alone to earn him Man-of-the-Match.

A minor wobble as Fives lost their defensive shape and composure in the final minutes saw Barca draw one back but Fives held on for a good win.

Manager Angus Bujalski said, “it was a great performance tonight. I’m disappointed that we are still only second bottom but we’ve narrowed the gap and are only 3 points off third. So it is a big game against the old rivals Robs next week”

However, rumours of an injury crisis at the club mean they might struggle to get a strong team out.

Five Alive

Bujalski (7) – quiet bar one great save

Dore (7) – Terry-esque 

Dunthorne (8) – locked the door

Rowlinson, J (8) – Energetic

Rowlinson, H (9) – Dangerous

Bulger (8) – Smelly taxi

Fry (8) – Wondergoal