Recreativo 6-5 Hackney Marshans 20.3.05 We always look forward to this one, the local derby, when we have always came out on top. However, this game proved to be a tad more difficult than previous encounters. Infact, it was most definately our worst performance of the season. 3-0 down early on, we seemed stunned that the Marshans had even ventured into our half, let alone stuck the ball in the net. We were static, heads down, and playing with absolutely no team spirit. Maybe memories of past glories against this lot muddled our minds, but something was up, and they were more up for it than we were. After the break, we came out with a slightly better attitude, and at 3 - 2 things were looking rosy, as we realised that we were back in it. We controlled the game from there on, with hatrick's from Ali Man, and Kwame Yeboah keeping us in front. A fantastic diving salmon-like save from Steve Jones at the death kept their long haired hippy striker's shot from rippling the net. So, we left the field victorious, but it felt like a defeat after a truly shoddy performance.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy (Jel Gregory), Matt Jeary, Scott Harris, Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read, Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Ali Man (3), Kwame Yeboah (3).
Shepherds Tuesday 6-2 Recreativo 13.3.05
Referee -' I'm bald, fat, and wear glasses, so get all the abuse out the way in the first ten minutes'. A tough game from start to finish, with both teams pushing for promotion, this actually turned out to be a pretty good game. Nobody flinching from tackles, and a man prostrate on the floor about every ten minutes. 2-0 down early on, despite having all the possession, we were really never able to claw anything back. Their two strikers were pretty nippy, and were proving to be quite a handful, and when the fatty in black awarded a penalty against the Proffessor , we knew they'd be no way back. The highlight of the game was Chris Read's strike on goal, that 'bobbled', (ooh i do love that word...) and ended up rolling up the keeper's arms, down his back, and nicely in of his heel! Was truly worthy of one of those stupid videos they bring out every Christmas, featuring such incidents. You know the ones, usually narrated by a very uncharismatic David Seamen, featuring such 'greats' as Bruce Grobbelar, and that bloke between the sticks for San Marino. The only keeper to wear a traditional fisherman's Bobble hat! Much embarrassment later, Tuesday knocked a few more in and wrapped the game up. The Ref (who actually had a fantastic game) remarked at the end that it was a brilliant match and one that he was proud to be a part of. He paticularly enjoyed booking bad boy Chris Read. Thanks Ref..... You bald, speccy, fatboy!
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Ali Man), Marcus du Sautoy, Adam Bradbury, Scott Harris (Tony Wood), Chris Read (1), Johnathon Goodhand, Joao Spinola, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (1), Jel Gregory.
Livingstone Academicals 2-3 Recreativo 6.4.05
As we drove around the leafy suburb of Hampstead admiring the big houses and 4 X 4’s, we began to expect a luxorious pitch or a beautiful green magic carpet to ply our free flowing passing game on. How wrong we were. Greeted by a scene reminiscent of World War 1, we knew
we’d have to revert to our Hackney tough, get stuck in, blood and thunder style! With a film crew present (making a flick about the mad Proffessor Marcus du Sautoy), we looked resplendent in our new Watford style yellow kit. It didn’t stay yellow for long. Going 1-0 down early on, things weren’t looking good, with their well drilled defence calling for offside at every opportunity. However a pin-point corner from Francesco Totti lookalike Jimmie Gregory straight onto his brother Jel’s bonce, saw the ball float over the keeper and into the back of the net. This despite at least half their team being the size of basketball players! After the break we took the game to them, with Kwame Yeboah giving us the lead. Although not pretty, we played as a team with every man giving 100%. (it’s amazing what having a film crew in tow can do to a team!). After they equalised we saw the 3 points slip from our grasp, but with a last 10 minute flourish we came closer and closer. Steve Jones looking lovely with a new set of nashers, made a couple of good saves. Adam Bradbury, who’d spent all week in his sick bed dragged himself onto the pitch when Shane O’Prey was cruelly injured (by himself), when he took a goal kick! In the last minute up popped Ali Man to smack in the winner after the ball got stuck in the mud, and Livvies failed to clear. A fantastic performance considering the state of the pitch. We’re still up there or there abouts, pushing for promotion. Big slaps on the back all round.Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Scott Harris), Marcus ‘Hollywood’ du Sautoy, Shane O’Prey (Adam Bradbury), Matt Jeary, Jimmie Gregory (Ali Man) (1), Chris Read, Godfred Sagoe, Joao Spinola, Kwame Yeboah (1), Jel Gregory (1).
Barking Mad 1-2 Recreativo 20.2.05
And so it was that we found ourselves on Clapham Common once more. The last time we played in this lovely corner of south of the river, we had to chase away a local smacky who'd rifled through our bags and then tried to take on the whole team with a couple of iron bars! Aaaah, South London. Deploying a Roma-style trident formation of Kwame (Cassano), Godfred (Montella) and Joao (Totti) didn't really pay dividends, as we soon found ourselves trailing 1-0. Stormin' Norman, the ever so friendly Ref succumbed to the Barking backline's calls for offside on every occasion. Godfred Sagoe pulled one back before half time and we turned it around in the second half with a winning goal from Portuguese wonder Joao Spinola. Special mention must go to Mario Pisano who showed yet another assured display at right back, venturing down the flank, like a white bespectacled, less hairstute Cafu. Superb.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Matt Jeary, Marcus du Sautoy, Shane O'Prey, Jimmie Gregory (Scott Harris), Joao Spinola (1), Chris Read, Kwame Yeboah, Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 1-3 Lyric Celtic 6.2.05
As the media fizzed with tales of the Gregorys being "tapped up" in Roman hotels, and motormouth du Sautoy having an operation in Amsterdam to remove nodules from his vocal chords, the rest of Recreativo took to an overcast Hackney marshes against the in-form South Londoners Lyric Celtic.Despite stand-in ref Tony Andre declaring zero tolerance for "bollocks", the first half was a niggly affair - with Reccy forwards Kwame Yeboah andGodfred Sagoe struggling to spring the offside trap and the Lyrics struggling to keep their traps shut.Lyric struck clinically in the tenth minute following a series of misplaced passes from the boys in maroon but from there on til half time it was mostly the Hackney heroes rattling the southerners' cage. Kwame Yeboah, Joao Spinola, Godfred Sagoe and Jonathan Goodhand all went close and the match should byrights have been sewn up in the first half. But some elegant midfield passing moves, loud and stalwart defending from Matt Jeary and Shane O'Prey, and probing runs from the wide players, came to nothing. The teams went in at half time with the single goal separating them. Hackney displayed their trusty second-half doziness after half time and the Lyrics powered home a header at a poorly defended corner. But Hackney have shown they don't know when to lie down. Tackles flew, passes connected and after a couple of near misses Kwame took a neat flick from Godfred andslotted home from six yards. For the next 20 minutes it looked like Hackney were going to turn the hooped intruders over, but as the game wore on and Recreativo pushed forward in numbers Lyric hit again on the counter and it was all over bar the handshakes. A spirited and hard-working passing game scuppered by a few dodgy moments and lack of luck and composure when it most mattered.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Matt Jeary, Shane O'Prey, Scott Harris (Tony Wood), Adam Bradbury, Joao Spinola, Chris Read, Johnathon Goodhand, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (1).
Recreativo 4-4 Jeffs Chippy 16.1.05An obligatory hatrick courtesy of Kwame Yeboah helped to give us a point in a game which we mostly dominated and should of won. This team gets stronger and stronger, and in this match we played some of our best football to date. We knew this was going to be a tough return game, and we were in no mood to give anything away. 2 - 0 up and we were sailing, and maybe we took our eyes off the ball a bit, as The Chippy hit us back before half time, and came out all guns blazing in the second half, squaring things at 2 - 2. With renewed confidence they hit us again, yet the loudest voices were that of our defence and keeper, eager to argue who was to blame! They were soon winning by 2, and showing true (unpaid) proffesionalism, we pulled up our socks, stuck out our chests, kissed the badge and started to go at them again. A Godfred Sagoe free kick, sweetly struck from outside the box arched over their prone keeper, and now full of hope we went for the equaliser. A fantastic individual goal had us all running to congratulate Kwame Yeboah. Unfortuneately we couldn't stick another in the net before the whistle, but we left the pitch in fine spirits after giving a fantastic team performance.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy (Shane O'prey), Matt Jeary, Joao Spinola, Ali Man, (Jel Gregory), Chris Read, Johnathon Goodhand, Adam Bradbury (Scott Harris), Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah. 
Recreativo 5-2 Clapham Sundays 12.12.04
A great way to finish before the winter break, this game ensures a very happy Christmas for Recreativo. Now sitting pretty at the top (or there abouts) of the table. We'd battled hard in our previous game against this lot, and were chuffed with a point. However we set out to gain all three in this ruff and tuff encounter. Dominating from the off this was a match we desperately wanted to win. Kwame Yeboah bagged his now de riguer hatrick, proving that he's not just a pretty face, but a goal scoring machine. He was on such a high that he asked the (female) ref out for dinner at the final whistle. Restraining to pull out her red card, unfortuneatley for him he didn't score on that front! Plenty of niggles and elbows all round, this game at times was lucky not to erupt into something more, as tempers were starting to flare. However, we hit them where it hurts... The back of the net. Time and time again.... and they were a decent bunch of chaps after all, just as intent on winning as us. We left the field in triumph. A big round of applause all round.
Team: Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Tony Wood (Scott Harris), Marcus du Sautoy (Ali Man), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (4), Jimmie Gregory, Jel Gregory (1).
Recreativo 6-1 Livingstone Academicals 28.11.04
The Recreativo steamroller thunders on after last week's collapse and carnage. Looking fab in their very clean Argentina style garb, the Livvies looked the part, but fortunately for us didn't live up to expectations. Infact, their beautiful pale blue and white stripes were just as gleaming at the end of the game. Maybe that it's we've become a bunch of loud mouths over recent months, that some teams we play tend to shrink into the background, despite the fact that some of this team resembled basketball players. We produced spells of great passing, one twos, and even three, fours and fives! Godfred Sagoe's gleaming new white boots done wonders, netting him a brace, and once again Kwame Yeboah was hitting them in for fun! With Shane O'prey and El Capitano, Matt Jeary keeping it solid at the back, we had a good foundation to build on attack after attack. Keeper, Steve Jones was man of the match, and what little he had to do, he done magnificently. Pulling off a couple of blinding point blank saves, and racing off his line like a apeshit greyhound on whizz, nobody would believe this man will soon be drawing his pension. Fantastico!
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Kevin Millicheap (Yusef Ibrahim), Jimmie Gregory, Adam Bradbury, Chris Read, Godfred Sagoe (2), Kwame Yeboah (4), Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 2-11 Shepherds Tuesday 21.11.04
Let the penultimate Sunday in November forever be known as 'Black Sunday'. For dark clouds were indeed gathering over Hackney Marshes, setting the scene for a dire performance of footballing ineptitude. Things looked dodgy when we met up before the game, key players still in bed, or ill, or injured, or too hung over to make the game. Steve the goalie was in such pain from toothache that he pulled out his last remaining one before kick off. After such good results the past couple of months, we were left scratching our heads at the end of the game. How could we score ten last week and let in 11 this week? Whatever the reason, we've now dusted ourselves down and will be out in full force next week, returning like a wounded soldier hellbent for victorious glory.
Team: Steve Jones, Tony Wood, Yusef Ibrahim (Jimmie Gregory), Shane O'prey, Mario Pisano, Osama Mansour (1), Jonathan Goodhand, Chris Read, Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (1).
Hackney Marshans 0-10 Recreativo 14.11.04
On the same weekend as an epic Tottenham/Arsenal derby, this was the biggy, the one that really mattered. The Volcano-like mess that is Weaver's Fields is the worst excuse for a football pitch we have played on, and at times we expected a mass of molten rock to come spewing from the centre circle. As the game got under way, it was apparent that it was going to be one way traffic from the very first attack. Steve Jones in goal really should of brought a deck chair, and another pack of 20 fags. Or maybe 40. With key members of the squad missing, we tinkered it about Ranieri stylee, and took the game to them. This was total football, with various players playing out of position. The opposition were never really in it, and we were amazed that this, one of Europe's biggest clashes was going to be a walk over. We heard mutterings from the sidelines that it was 'like watching Brazil', and knocked it about so well that we started to believe we really were the glorious 1970 team. Our last goal would of made Carlos Alberto proud, as almost every team member touched it, in a frenzy of pretty triangles, cutting through the static Marshans, before it was walloped into the net! With both strikers almost on a hatrick, Jimmie Gregory playing for the first time up front, got the goal of the match after a high looping cross from Kwame Yeboah was met with the sweetest left foot volley, which nearly made a large burning hole in the perfect white Marshans net. This was our best performance to date, with all twelve players deserving the accolade of man of the match. However particular praise has to be given to Mario Pisano's assured display at right back. Top Dollar.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Chris Read, Scott Harris (Adam Bradbury), Jel Gregory (1), Johnathon Goodhand (2), Godfred Sagoe, Joao Spinola (1), Kwame Yeboah (3),Jimmie Gregory (3).
Recreativo 5-2 Clapham Sundays 12.12.04
A great way to finish before the winter break, this game ensures a very happy Christmas for Recreativo. Now sitting pretty at the top (or there abouts) of the table. We'd battled hard in our previous game against this lot, and were chuffed with a point. However we set out to gain all three in this ruff and tuff encounter. Dominating from the off this was a match we desperately wanted to win. Kwame Yeboah bagged his now de riguer hatrick, proving that he's not just a pretty face, but a goal scoring machine. He was on such a high that he asked the (female) ref out for dinner at the final whistle. Restraining to pull out her red card, unfortuneatley for him he didn't score on that front! Plenty of niggles and elbows all round, this game at times was lucky not to erupt into something more, as tempers were starting to flare. However, we hit them where it hurts... The back of the net. Time and time again.... and they were a decent bunch of chaps after all, just as intent on winning as us. We left the field in triumph. A big round of applause all round.
Team: Chris Read, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Tony Wood (Scott Harris), Marcus du Sautoy (Ali Man), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (4), Jimmie Gregory, Jel Gregory (1).
Recreativo 6-1 Livingstone Academicals 28.11.04
The Recreativo steamroller thunders on after last week's collapse and carnage. Looking fab in their very clean Argentina style garb, the Livvies looked the part, but fortunately for us didn't live up to expectations. Infact, their beautiful pale blue and white stripes were just as gleaming at the end of the game. Maybe that it's we've become a bunch of loud mouths over recent months, that some teams we play tend to shrink into the background, despite the fact that some of this team resembled basketball players. We produced spells of great passing, one twos, and even three, fours and fives! Godfred Sagoe's gleaming new white boots done wonders, netting him a brace, and once again Kwame Yeboah was hitting them in for fun! With Shane O'prey and El Capitano, Matt Jeary keeping it solid at the back, we had a good foundation to build on attack after attack. Keeper, Steve Jones was man of the match, and what little he had to do, he done magnificently. Pulling off a couple of blinding point blank saves, and racing off his line like a apeshit greyhound on whizz, nobody would believe this man will soon be drawing his pension. Fantastico!
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Kevin Millicheap (Yusef Ibrahim), Jimmie Gregory, Adam Bradbury, Chris Read, Godfred Sagoe (2), Kwame Yeboah (4), Jel Gregory.
Recreativo 2-11 Shepherds Tuesday 21.11.04
Let the penultimate Sunday in November forever be known as 'Black Sunday'. For dark clouds were indeed gathering over Hackney Marshes, setting the scene for a dire performance of footballing ineptitude. Things looked dodgy when we met up before the game, key players still in bed, or ill, or injured, or too hung over to make the game. Steve the goalie was in such pain from toothache that he pulled out his last remaining one before kick off. After such good results the past couple of months, we were left scratching our heads at the end of the game. How could we score ten last week and let in 11 this week? Whatever the reason, we've now dusted ourselves down and will be out in full force next week, returning like a wounded soldier hellbent for victorious glory.
Team: Steve Jones, Tony Wood, Yusef Ibrahim (Jimmie Gregory), Shane O'prey, Mario Pisano, Osama Mansour (1), Jonathan Goodhand, Chris Read, Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe, Kwame Yeboah (1).
Hackney Marshans 0-10 Recreativo 14.11.04
On the same weekend as an epic Tottenham/Arsenal derby, this was the biggy, the one that really mattered. The Volcano-like mess that is Weaver's Fields is the worst excuse for a football pitch we have played on, and at times we expected a mass of molten rock to come spewing from the centre circle. As the game got under way, it was apparent that it was going to be one way traffic from the very first attack. Steve Jones in goal really should of brought a deck chair, and another pack of 20 fags. Or maybe 40. With key members of the squad missing, we tinkered it about Ranieri stylee, and took the game to them. This was total football, with various players playing out of position. The opposition were never really in it, and we were amazed that this, one of Europe's biggest clashes was going to be a walk over. We heard mutterings from the sidelines that it was 'like watching Brazil', and knocked it about so well that we started to believe we really were the glorious 1970 team. Our last goal would of made Carlos Alberto proud, as almost every team member touched it, in a frenzy of pretty triangles, cutting through the static Marshans, before it was walloped into the net! With both strikers almost on a hatrick, Jimmie Gregory playing for the first time up front, got the goal of the match after a high looping cross from Kwame Yeboah was met with the sweetest left foot volley, which nearly made a large burning hole in the perfect white Marshans net. This was our best performance to date, with all twelve players deserving the accolade of man of the match. However particular praise has to be given to Mario Pisano's assured display at right back. Top Dollar.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Chris Read, Scott Harris (Adam Bradbury), Jel Gregory (1), Johnathon Goodhand (2), Godfred Sagoe, Joao Spinola (1), Kwame Yeboah (3),Jimmie Gregory (3).
Jeffs Chippy 2-4 Recreativo 7.11.04
One nil down within the first five minutes on a muddy sloping Clapham Common, things were not looking too good as we battled against a well drilled physical Chippy side. We failed to string a few passes together in the first half hour and the oppo controlled the game. However after Kwame Yeboah's equaliser the tide was turned, and with new found vigour were soon in the lead after a spectacular effort flew past their keeper, who didn't have a hope in hell of stopping it. Eat my goal. The second half saw us kicking downhill... ooh what a joy it was to attack! Kwame Yeboah had soon bagged his second hatrick within a week, and we were flying - Johnathon Goodhand playing out of his skin in midfield, and Jaoa Spinola creatively weaving in and out down the left flank. It all got a bit tribal on the touchline, and their manager, who had been very vocal throughout the game, was numbed into humble silence. Having 'let's show sarrf London what Norf London's all about' bellowed down his lugholes gave us all a laugh. Play was interupted for 15 minutes, after some Psycho tea leaf was spotted rifling through our bags. He then came at us with two iron bars, before dissapearing, promising to come back after the game to kill us all! He didnt. Thankfully. Adam Bradbury knocked one over the keeper with a couple of minutes on the clock, and it was all over. Goodnight Vienna. Cheerio. Arrividerci. Overall, a massive performance. This was probably the best team we've played in a long while, yet we bossed it. We have a new found hunger this season, and we intend to eat everything in our path.
Team: Steve Jones, Shane O'prey, Marcus du Sautoy (Jimmie Gregory), Godfred Sagoe, Kevin Millicheap, Adam Bradbury (1), Chris Read, Johnathon Goodhand, Joao Spinola, Kwame Yeboah (3), Jel Gregory (Ali Man).
Recreativo 5-1 Barking Mad 31.10.04
Two goals up after all but 7 minutes, we knew this was gonna be our day from the off. With a depleted squad, we were eager to turn it on, win the game, and bag the points we didn't get last week. The Oppo called for offside every time we ventured anywhere near the goal, which was every few minutes, and the Ref, straight out of Dad's Army, unable to keep up with the beautiful flowing football, gave some very strange decisions, almost minutes after the incidents occured! Kwame Yeboah bagged a couple early on, and Adam Bradbury, who had promised to score with a strange part of his body dissapointed us by netting with his right foot! The second half saw a brief flurry from Barking Mad, resulting in a dramatic penalty miss after Steve Jones tried a WWF move on their striker. Maybe it was the deep heat smeared in my eye, but from where I was standing it looked like we had a smallish monkey in goal. The subsequent penalty was ballooned over the bar egg chaser stylee. We made it four later on, after hitting the woodwork, and Chris Read's spectacular volley hitting the back of the net.....on the next pitch! We sneaked one in in the dying moments after a terrific chase from Kwame Yeboah, who intercepted the keeper's fluffed clearance, the resulting ball falling to Jel Gregory, who toed it over a series of intricate bobbles before it eventually went over the line, all watched in slo-mo by the prone keeper. Well done lads. Big up ya chests.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Chris Read, Adam Bradbury (1), Johnathon Goodhand, Jimmie Gregory, Kwame Yeboah (3), Jel Gregory (1)
Lyric Celtic 3-1 Recreativo 24.10.04
The pitch was not up to our usual standard of lush but well cut Hackney Council manicured green, and as we faced a strapping looking bunch of mostly Gaelic lads, resplendent in the famous green and white hoops of Celtic, we knew we were in for a right ding dong. Maybe we were just too cosy in the lovely warm dressing room beforehand, or maybe it was that in truth they were just better than us, that our unbeaten run would come to an end. We didn't go down that easily though, and played some decent football at times. From a wicked Jimmie Gregory corner Adam Bradbury charged into the box, and scored with what looked like his neck! However hopes soon evaporated before half time, when the Lyrical Hoopsters knocked another one over Stevie Jones. The game almost turned nasty after a near fisticuff kerfuffle, but with everyone keen to get off in time to watch the footy on telly, order was soon restored and the game continued at an even faster pace. We couldn't claw it back, and in fairness they fully deserved the points, and were a decent bunch of lads.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano,(Shane O'prey) Matt Jeary (Scott Harris) Marcus du Sautoy (Tony Wood), Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury (1), Jimmie Gregory (Ali Man), Kwame Yeboah, Johnathon Goodhand, Chris Read, Godfred Sagoe.
Recreativo 6-1 Battersea Southsiders 10.10.04
We went for it big style from the very first ball, in this mostly one sided affair. Battling against the wind in the first half, we were 1 - 0 up within the first five minutes, with the opposition hardly getting a touch of the ball. From a the half way line, we soon made it two, with Jel Gregory slotting past the keeper from a tight angle. The third (own) goal sailed over the keeper's head, a failed clearance from the Battersea defence, which only brought more misery on the South Londoners. So, 3 - 0 up in the first half hour, this game was as good as over, as brimming with confidence we piled on the pressure. Tireless running from Adam Bradbury on the right wing, and some deft touches from Portuguese superstar Joao Spinola on the left, gave us chance
after chance, which despite the endless calls for offside, we took good advantage of. Godfred Sagoe's sublime 25yd strike with the outside of the right boot was the best of the bunch. Add to that a commanding defensive display from Matt 'bite yer legs' Jeary and Marcus 'who's the daddy' du Sautoy, and you could say this was our best performance yet. So, 19 goals scored in our last three games, our new found style is definitely ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Shane O'Prey) Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Joao Spinola (1), Jimmie Gregory (Yusef Ibrahim), Chris Read, Kwame Yeboah (1), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe (2), Jel Gregory (1) (Ali Man)
Clapham Sundays 6-6 Recreativo 12.9.04
First game of the league campaign, and phew, what a scorcher! A twelve goal thriller saw the North London boys leave the field the happiest, as we clawed back three goals in the last fifteen minutes to take a point. After last week's solid performance, this was a very scrappy affair. With more squad rotation, we never really got playing as a team, but as the game progressed fought harder for every ball, closed them down, and unlike Paula Radcliffe, never gave up the fight. Kwame Yeboah put in a great debut performance, and with pure grit and determination bagged a couple of goals after steamrolling his way through all and sundry. It was alarming we conceded so many, but at times were outpaced at the back by a couple of fancy whippets. Again we got plenty of bodies in their box, and an outstanding header from Joao Spinola was the pick of the bunch amongst some fine goals. A minute from time up popped Ali Man to knock in a scambled ball, and equalise ensuring the long drive back across the river was a happy affair.
Team: Steve Jones, Marcus du Sautoy, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Tony Wood (Ali Man), Jimmie Gregory, David Webb, Kwame Yeboah (2), Joao Spinola (2), Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory (1).
Recreativo 7-0 Sinai FC 5.9.04
A boiling hot day, and tempers flaring before the match (and that was just with Hackney Council!)), we were eager to get this game underway and put our new look team to the test. With the referee looking like a psychedelic experiment, it was hard to concentrate on the football for the first ten minutes, and East London's Sinai FC started well, controlling the game before our first successful attempt on goal. From then on it was all one way traffic, as the new and improved Recreativo started to play some fine moves and begun to cut through the Sinai defence again and again. New signings Joao Spinola added creativity down the left, teasing the opposition, and Johnathon Goodhand injected extra pace to the midfield. With Jimmie Gregory winning every ball on the right flank, and Proffessor Marcus' assured captaincy in central defence, it was an overall massive team performance from a vastly improved team. Our midweek training sessions seemed to of had effect as we played some beautiful attacking football, with at times a queue of red shirts in the box eager to stick another in the net. Although only a friendly, a well good start to the season. Things are looking up.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Joao Spinola (1), Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read (1), Johnathon Goodhand (1), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory (3), Subs (All Used) - Tony Wood, Shane O'Prey, Ali Man, Yusef Ibrahim, Osama Mansour.
One nil down within the first five minutes on a muddy sloping Clapham Common, things were not looking too good as we battled against a well drilled physical Chippy side. We failed to string a few passes together in the first half hour and the oppo controlled the game. However after Kwame Yeboah's equaliser the tide was turned, and with new found vigour were soon in the lead after a spectacular effort flew past their keeper, who didn't have a hope in hell of stopping it. Eat my goal. The second half saw us kicking downhill... ooh what a joy it was to attack! Kwame Yeboah had soon bagged his second hatrick within a week, and we were flying - Johnathon Goodhand playing out of his skin in midfield, and Jaoa Spinola creatively weaving in and out down the left flank. It all got a bit tribal on the touchline, and their manager, who had been very vocal throughout the game, was numbed into humble silence. Having 'let's show sarrf London what Norf London's all about' bellowed down his lugholes gave us all a laugh. Play was interupted for 15 minutes, after some Psycho tea leaf was spotted rifling through our bags. He then came at us with two iron bars, before dissapearing, promising to come back after the game to kill us all! He didnt. Thankfully. Adam Bradbury knocked one over the keeper with a couple of minutes on the clock, and it was all over. Goodnight Vienna. Cheerio. Arrividerci. Overall, a massive performance. This was probably the best team we've played in a long while, yet we bossed it. We have a new found hunger this season, and we intend to eat everything in our path.
Team: Steve Jones, Shane O'prey, Marcus du Sautoy (Jimmie Gregory), Godfred Sagoe, Kevin Millicheap, Adam Bradbury (1), Chris Read, Johnathon Goodhand, Joao Spinola, Kwame Yeboah (3), Jel Gregory (Ali Man).
Recreativo 5-1 Barking Mad 31.10.04
Two goals up after all but 7 minutes, we knew this was gonna be our day from the off. With a depleted squad, we were eager to turn it on, win the game, and bag the points we didn't get last week. The Oppo called for offside every time we ventured anywhere near the goal, which was every few minutes, and the Ref, straight out of Dad's Army, unable to keep up with the beautiful flowing football, gave some very strange decisions, almost minutes after the incidents occured! Kwame Yeboah bagged a couple early on, and Adam Bradbury, who had promised to score with a strange part of his body dissapointed us by netting with his right foot! The second half saw a brief flurry from Barking Mad, resulting in a dramatic penalty miss after Steve Jones tried a WWF move on their striker. Maybe it was the deep heat smeared in my eye, but from where I was standing it looked like we had a smallish monkey in goal. The subsequent penalty was ballooned over the bar egg chaser stylee. We made it four later on, after hitting the woodwork, and Chris Read's spectacular volley hitting the back of the net.....on the next pitch! We sneaked one in in the dying moments after a terrific chase from Kwame Yeboah, who intercepted the keeper's fluffed clearance, the resulting ball falling to Jel Gregory, who toed it over a series of intricate bobbles before it eventually went over the line, all watched in slo-mo by the prone keeper. Well done lads. Big up ya chests.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Shane O'prey, Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Chris Read, Adam Bradbury (1), Johnathon Goodhand, Jimmie Gregory, Kwame Yeboah (3), Jel Gregory (1)
Lyric Celtic 3-1 Recreativo 24.10.04
The pitch was not up to our usual standard of lush but well cut Hackney Council manicured green, and as we faced a strapping looking bunch of mostly Gaelic lads, resplendent in the famous green and white hoops of Celtic, we knew we were in for a right ding dong. Maybe we were just too cosy in the lovely warm dressing room beforehand, or maybe it was that in truth they were just better than us, that our unbeaten run would come to an end. We didn't go down that easily though, and played some decent football at times. From a wicked Jimmie Gregory corner Adam Bradbury charged into the box, and scored with what looked like his neck! However hopes soon evaporated before half time, when the Lyrical Hoopsters knocked another one over Stevie Jones. The game almost turned nasty after a near fisticuff kerfuffle, but with everyone keen to get off in time to watch the footy on telly, order was soon restored and the game continued at an even faster pace. We couldn't claw it back, and in fairness they fully deserved the points, and were a decent bunch of lads.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano,(Shane O'prey) Matt Jeary (Scott Harris) Marcus du Sautoy (Tony Wood), Joao Spinola, Adam Bradbury (1), Jimmie Gregory (Ali Man), Kwame Yeboah, Johnathon Goodhand, Chris Read, Godfred Sagoe.
Recreativo 6-1 Battersea Southsiders 10.10.04
We went for it big style from the very first ball, in this mostly one sided affair. Battling against the wind in the first half, we were 1 - 0 up within the first five minutes, with the opposition hardly getting a touch of the ball. From a the half way line, we soon made it two, with Jel Gregory slotting past the keeper from a tight angle. The third (own) goal sailed over the keeper's head, a failed clearance from the Battersea defence, which only brought more misery on the South Londoners. So, 3 - 0 up in the first half hour, this game was as good as over, as brimming with confidence we piled on the pressure. Tireless running from Adam Bradbury on the right wing, and some deft touches from Portuguese superstar Joao Spinola on the left, gave us chance
after chance, which despite the endless calls for offside, we took good advantage of. Godfred Sagoe's sublime 25yd strike with the outside of the right boot was the best of the bunch. Add to that a commanding defensive display from Matt 'bite yer legs' Jeary and Marcus 'who's the daddy' du Sautoy, and you could say this was our best performance yet. So, 19 goals scored in our last three games, our new found style is definitely ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano (Shane O'Prey) Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Joao Spinola (1), Jimmie Gregory (Yusef Ibrahim), Chris Read, Kwame Yeboah (1), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe (2), Jel Gregory (1) (Ali Man)
Clapham Sundays 6-6 Recreativo 12.9.04
First game of the league campaign, and phew, what a scorcher! A twelve goal thriller saw the North London boys leave the field the happiest, as we clawed back three goals in the last fifteen minutes to take a point. After last week's solid performance, this was a very scrappy affair. With more squad rotation, we never really got playing as a team, but as the game progressed fought harder for every ball, closed them down, and unlike Paula Radcliffe, never gave up the fight. Kwame Yeboah put in a great debut performance, and with pure grit and determination bagged a couple of goals after steamrolling his way through all and sundry. It was alarming we conceded so many, but at times were outpaced at the back by a couple of fancy whippets. Again we got plenty of bodies in their box, and an outstanding header from Joao Spinola was the pick of the bunch amongst some fine goals. A minute from time up popped Ali Man to knock in a scambled ball, and equalise ensuring the long drive back across the river was a happy affair.
Team: Steve Jones, Marcus du Sautoy, Shane O'prey, Matt Jeary, Tony Wood (Ali Man), Jimmie Gregory, David Webb, Kwame Yeboah (2), Joao Spinola (2), Godfred Sagoe, Jel Gregory (1).
Recreativo 7-0 Sinai FC 5.9.04
A boiling hot day, and tempers flaring before the match (and that was just with Hackney Council!)), we were eager to get this game underway and put our new look team to the test. With the referee looking like a psychedelic experiment, it was hard to concentrate on the football for the first ten minutes, and East London's Sinai FC started well, controlling the game before our first successful attempt on goal. From then on it was all one way traffic, as the new and improved Recreativo started to play some fine moves and begun to cut through the Sinai defence again and again. New signings Joao Spinola added creativity down the left, teasing the opposition, and Johnathon Goodhand injected extra pace to the midfield. With Jimmie Gregory winning every ball on the right flank, and Proffessor Marcus' assured captaincy in central defence, it was an overall massive team performance from a vastly improved team. Our midweek training sessions seemed to of had effect as we played some beautiful attacking football, with at times a queue of red shirts in the box eager to stick another in the net. Although only a friendly, a well good start to the season. Things are looking up.
Team: Steve Jones, Mario Pisano, Marcus du Sautoy, Matt Jeary, Joao Spinola (1), Jimmie Gregory, Chris Read (1), Johnathon Goodhand (1), Adam Bradbury, Godfred Sagoe (1), Jel Gregory (3), Subs (All Used) - Tony Wood, Shane O'Prey, Ali Man, Yusef Ibrahim, Osama Mansour.