The 2007 season...

Here we go, here we go, here we go... The draw for the 2007 season is here, with Ravens resuming their quest for their first ever 1st division premier league premiership in the ten team GHFA Premier League. Stay tuned for regular updates and breaking news. If you've got a spare five hours, you can access our 2003 and 2002 and 2004 and 2005 and 2006 archives right here.  

The draw 

The Gladesville Ravens Premier League 2007 fixture list

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GHFA Premier League Ladder

Check out www.ghfa.com.au and try negotiating their tricky results and tables feature..

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Goalscoring chart

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Goal of the Year

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Man of the Match Awards

The Man of the Match awards, handed out by the captains after each game, is the most coveted of awards - a trophy at the presentation night awaits. Table up Pennant Hills (H).

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We Are Black We Are White!! 

Gladesville Ravens 2
Roselea 1
(30/07/2006)

A vital win for the Ravens against the YMCA on  Saturday had seen their 1st Division survival chances increase to the point where a win against Roselea today would almost surely ensure they would be playing in the top flight the following season. A loss however and the season could be over by 5pm if Epping YMCA were able to get a win up against Thornleigh.

The Ravens hopes rested on a knife edge, knowing a win would not only keep them alive, but might also guarantee they couldn't be relegated, if YMCA were to lose or draw. So with the players and fans alike knowing what the equation was, Peel Park was to be a theatre of drama, tension and excitement on the last game of the season for the Ravens.

The team remained unchanged from the one that took the park against YMCA and after a few words of encouragement from coach Joely, the boys were ready for action. With a new referee and linesmen on trial, a comical start to the game ensued, as both teams were made to line up on the centre circle. There were no ball boys, nor pennants to swap and neither could the national anthem be heard, but this did not bother the Ravens, who had their minds focused on only one thing. Victory!!!

The game started at a frenetic pace and even though Roselea had nothing to play for in terms of where they finished on the table, a feisty clash in the 1st round meant there would be plenty of feeling in this game.

With 10 minutes gone, possession had been evenly shared and both sides had looked threatening, yet neither side could conjure up a goal. Then almost out of nowhere the Ravens were awarded a penalty, after a seemingly harmless ball was played into the Roselea 18 yard box. The Roselea defender attacked the ball a little too much and mis-read the bounce. The ball skidded away from the advancing defender and his reflexes got the better of him as he dropped his shoulder towards the ball to try and stop it. Unfortunately for him it struck his arm, and the referee was right to point to the spot.

Joel, who had slotted his last 2 penalties, strode casually to the ball, picked it up and placed it on the spot. A successful strike here and Joel would not only give the Ravens the lead, but also put himself at the top of the goal scoring chart, equal with Nathan McKiernan.

Up stepped Joel, cool as a cucumber, and into the back of the net the ball went as he sent the keeper the wrong way yet again. 1-0 to the Ravens!!

The Ravens continued to defend solidly but the midfield maestros made sure the traffic wasn't all one way as they created space and used the width of Peel Park nicely. Possession was the key. The Roselea number 7 as per usual was whinging and whining, but some of the Ravens players let themselves get caught up in it.

With only a minute or two left before the break Roselea finally found some space on the right hand flank. A telling cross was delivered into the 18 yard box, curling away from Purcy. John Cheyney jumped, but the red headed striker jumped slightly higher and he was able to direct his header into the bottom right corner leaving Purcy helpless to prevent it. It was the first real chance Roselea had been given but it was a clear sign to the Ravens that they could give them no more.

Half time arrive seconds later and Joel had some stern words to say. Something about discipline, something about keeping our mouths shut and something about winning the game.

So with 45 minutes to play, the Ravens ran back out level with a side they dearly wanted to beat and dearly needed to beat if they were to give themselves the best chance of staying up in 1st Division.

The one thing that I will remember from the 2nd half is that I do not think Purcy had to make a save. The defence, who up until conceding the goal had been rock solid and they were very keen not to slip up again. Time and time again they shut down crosses, blocked through balls, tackled ferociously and played the ball out from the back calmly.

Down the other end and Courtenay and Nathan were starting to find their way past the pony tailed defender at will, Courtenay especially showing some silky turns to avoid him. Robbie as well was starting to come into his own down the left, as this channel seemed the Ravens preferred route for a while.

That's not to say the right side didn't see any action, as Pete Crawford ran up and down the line like a greyhound trying to catch a rabbit, whilst Ross pushed forward on the odd occasion to provide the extra man.

With about 20 to go the Ravens were awarded a free kick about 5 metres outside the 18 yard box, directly in front of the goals. Ross was the target and Robbie the taker. Ross hung around the keeper in an offside position, but ran back into play just as Robbie was taking the free kick. The ball was beautifully flighted and Ross who had tricked the defence and stayed onside, flicked the ball on with his head with his back to goal. The keeper had been fooled into coming off his line in an attempt to win the ball before Ross, but the flick was perfectly placed and the ball lobbed over the keepers head and bounced into the back of the net.

2-1 to the Ravens and they had a sniff of victory.

You might have expected to them shut up shot and defend, but with the departure of the Roselea number 7, who was sent off for a second yellow card offence (it was only a matter of time) the Ravens were able to find even more space and continued to threaten the opposition goal.

By this stage the wind had been taken out of the Roselea sail and they had all but given up on chasing a draw or a win. This was slightly to do with the fact that they had not too much to pay for, but it was mainly due to the awesome defence of the Ravens. They had given them nothing the whole second half, and this had left the Roselea side devoid of ideas and attacking impetus.

The full time whistle sounded and the Ravens ran for the dressing sheds. The song was sung with gusto and the beers were cracked open enthusiastically as they congratulated each other on the effort and a great finish to the season. Despite the joy in the dressing room, everyone was keeping one ear on Joel's phone as they waited to hear what Epping YMCA had done at Thornleigh. A win here for the YMCA and they would be only 2 points behind with a game to play the following weekend meaning they could leap frog the Ravens and avoid relegation.

It was on the Ravens 3rd beer when the news came through...........Thornleigh 1 Epping YMCA 0!!!!

A big cheer went up and another case of beer was thrown into the esky as the Ravens now knew their 1st Division future was safe. What a finish to the season!! The Ravens had gone undefeated and taken 11 points from their last 5 games to perform the great escape ala Steve Macqueen.

Go the Mighty Ravens!!!

The Times Are A Changing 

BTH Raiders 2
Gladesville Ravens 1
(25/02/2007)

It was a vastly different 1st grade side that faced up against the BTH Raiders than the one that existed at the end of 2006 when the Ravens somehow got out of jail and  avoided relegation.......in some style mind you. The team for 2007 was a blend of youth, with Sam, Dave, Troy and Shaun making their move from the under 21s into Premier League and newcomers Johan, Daniel, Pete and Dean making their debuts for the club.

It was a promising start to the game, with the Ravens keeping pressure well and pushing forward with support. Zorbie was very vocal in the centre of the park, even if he kept calling everyone by the wrong name. Dave Hunt was solid and Johan was sweeping anything that got through Nick and Dave, ensuring Joel and Shaun had it pretty easy at the back.

Pete and Troy were causing problems for the BTH defence and it was Troy that would test their keeper first after he was sent free with a beautiful through ball. Troy took a touch and then lined up a shot when perhaps he could have taken another touch or two towards goal (take note Terry and Stuey - Joel would have finished with some aplomb). The shot was hit sweetly, but the keeper saved smartly and the scores remained level.

With less than a minute to go before half time a free kick was awarded to BTH. The ball was whipped in and the Ravens were found wanting. Not for skill or effort, but simply for height, as the 6ft plus striker headed the ball beyond Shaun's outstretched palms and into the back of the net.

1-0 down at half time, but Terry was very pleased with what he had seen, especially considering we had been playing against a side that had been together for donkeys years.

The second half didn't quite live up to the pace of the first, with a lack of fitness, especially for the Ravens, spoiling the game.

BTH were arguably on top for most of the second half, but within 5 minutes of the restart Dave Hunt hit a cracking drive that not even Peter Cech could have stopped, and leveled the scores.

Soon after BTH took the lead again, and again it was a whipped ball to the far post that produced the results. Dean did his best to prevent the goal, but the striker was just too big, too strong and too in the right position, and his shot found the back of the net from 6 yards.

As the game wore on Joel's (not an under 21s player) quads were starting to tire, as he was forced to take goal kick after goal kick, due to the weight of possession gifted to the Raiders.

This said, the Raiders didn't actually produce a noteworthy shot on goal, and both Sam and Daniel must be commended for this.

2-1 was the final score, despite Phil Mac going close to equalizing late in the game. Nick Zorbas was solid in the centre of the park and helped the newcomers immensely.

With a first up performance like this, the future looks bright.

First Up Loss Full Of Positives!! 

BTH Raiders 4
Gladesville Ravens 2
(25/02/2007)

The mighty Gladesville Ravens Reserve team strode out on to the park for the
first time in 2007 for a competitive fixture, in the Club World
Championships at Belrose Oval against a classy Raiders outfit bedecked in
their yellow finery. With a new look side, Ravens would possibly be in the
early stages of gelling as a team, but with experience in the squad a good
performance was expected.

     Ledley Vatalis lined up in goal, back in between the sticks after a season
     of outfield antics, in front of him was a flat back four consisting of Kosi,
     back from a long absence through injury, alongside Mr Ravens himself Phil
     Mac in the heart of the defence, with Epping Eastwood capture Sam on the
     right and former Barcelona defender El Espagnola Simon on the left. In the
     midfield, coach, captain, manager and technical director Stuey went with a
    Hoddle-esque diamond formation. Foto, back from a stint plying his trade
    overseas, slotted in to the central holding role in front of the back four,
    Stevie Zed was at the top of the diamond to support the front two, with Tex
    and new summer signing Arj playing in the middle of the park. Up front
    Ravens went with height and strength with a formidable pairing of former
    United favourite Roids and transfer market capture Chris, both looking to
    make a scoring start to the pre-season.

    The first exchanges of the game were played out in heavy rain, which was to
    become a feature of the game, and Ravens looked lively, Roids firing one
    over the bar, but it was Belrose who struck with their first attack of the
    game, a corner swung in to the middle was comfortably headed in by the
    unmarked forward with the Ravens defence in disarray. By this time Kosi had
    already departed with what looked like another knee injury in an inoccuous
    collision up the field, with Gal coming in to the middle after finally
    finishing his 45 minute strapping preparation, and Arj moving to the heart
    of the defence.

    Ravens were rattled, and went off in search of an
    equaliser,great work by the Zedman setting up Tex whose layback found Roids,
    but the shot was just wide of the post. Roids then found himself one on one
    with his man in the box after a mazy run, and coaxed the tackle out of his
    defender, the referee in no hesitation pointing to the spot. Roids himself
    got to his feet, wrung out his shirt and slotted the penalty home in slow
    motion for 1-1.

    A moment of chaos in defence then saw the tide swing back
    the other way, a good run down the right saw a cross chipped over for a deft
    header which Vatalis looked to claim comfortably, but jumped a little early,
    the weak header decieving him and the ball sailing over his outstretched
    hands and bouncing into the net.

    The appearance of Stuey in an attacking
    role then gave Ravens a fresh impetus, Tex roving through the middle to slot
    through a pass which Stuey cut in on to and curled a right foot shot which
    the Raiders keeper palmed just around the post for a dramatic save. Truly a
    Play of the Day moment had the cameras been there to capture it.

    Raiders
    then got lucky; with the Ravens defence again stretched a mishit shot went
    straight for Phil Mac's face which saw him put his hand up in reaction and
    deflect the ball away. Penalty! Ravens were incensed, but the penalty stood,
    and was dispatched for 3-1.

    The appearance of young Nick on the right gave
    Ravens an extra option, but his runs were generally into trouble, but from
    one of those runs, the ball was squared up to the Zedman, who took aim and
    rasped a shot in which soared through the air and hit the bar, the rebound
    falling to a Belrose man who cleaned up. Ravens 3-1 down at the break, a
    little shaky in defence, the midfield unable to stem the flow, but the
    forward play a joy to watch and the one goal was scant reward for the toil
    and chances created.

    Half time was, well, wet as Ravens took on fluid and tried not to get too
    cold in the pouring rain. A few changes at half time, with the main change
    being to a more accustomed 3-5-2 formation, as Ravens looked for a way back
    into the match. The early stages of the half were spent encamped in the
    Ravens half, with a series of corners failing to trouble Vatalis, and the
    Gladesville outfit putting in a more solid defensive show.

    The game opened
    up and Roids began to make an impression on the game, using his physical
    presence to good, and not so good effect, finding his terrier-like defender
    a little too eager on a few occasions, and winning some dangerous freekicks.

 
    A good chance fell to the busy Tex on the far post, catching the shot well,
    but unlucky not to hit the corner post. Swift interplay from Foto and Stevie
    then set Roids away down the right, but try as he did, he could not get past
    his man despite getting round him three times and going back for more.

 
    Ravens were looking disjointed a little in midfield, Tex was committing more
    time to attack, and almost got on the end of a sweet ball from Simon but the
    conditions saw the ball slide away. Vatalis then had to react smartly to
    push away a close range effort from the left, and then had to scramble
    across his goal to palm away a cross hot that threatened to find the head of
    the Raiders man at the back post.

    Just as Ravens thought that their luck in
    front of goal had deserted them, up popped Stuey, racing on to a missed
    clearance from the last defender, drawing the keeper and lifting the ball
    deftly into the net for 3-2. The mercurial front man wheeled away in
    delight, right off the field, his hamstring tweaked from the effort. Nick
    came back on for a further stint at right wing back, and found the going
    tough, and it was no surprise when Raiders got their fourth with five
    minutes on the clock.

    A flowing move started by the effervescent Vin Diesel
    was held up well by the Ravens defence but when the ball dropped 25 yards
    out to their midfield maestro, a smashing effort drew applause from both
    sets of players and fans as the ball curled into the top right hand corner,
    giving Vatalis no chance.

    With time ticking on, Ravens almost snatched an
    immediate third goal to set up a rousing finish, but Roids held on to the
    ball too long despite good support in the box. The final whistle brought
    relief for the players from the monsoon-like conditions,
    and a hard fought encounter had come to a close with perhaps the correct
    score on the balance of play, but with Ravens rueing the chances that they
    had passed up in the first half.

    So some encouraging performances from the Ravens; Phil Mac was solid at the
    back, Foto played a good game holding the midfield, while Roids looked good
    when he did pass the ball. With such talent as Greg Aloisi and German
    international Dimi Ballack to come into the team, the signs are good for an
    exciting season at Peel Park. Go the Ravens!

Fitness Found Wanting!! 

Gladesville Ravens 2
Bannockburn 3
(04/03/2007)

A wetish week coupled with an over protective council and the Ravens training session for the week was limited to a road run and a few hill sprints, and only 7 of the 35 players on the books participated in the run. Not an ideal preparation for their 2nd trial game, but would it tell?

Two changes were made to the starting line up from the previous week - Vatalis in for Shaun and Foto was selected to replace Dean who was out house hunting. Foto was given the responsibilty of playing the holding role in the middle of the park, with Johan being shifted out to the right flank.

The first half was a fairly even affair, with both sides enjoying possession and goal scoring opportunities.  This said, Bannockburn probably enjoyed the better of the chances and the Ravens had Anthony Vatalis to thank on numerous occasions. If it wasn't physically saving goals, his presence and positioning was forcing the strikers to shhot wide.

Troy, Pete Crawford, Macca and Pete Josioski went close up the other end, but none of them could find the back of the net. 15 minutes prior to half time and the Ravens' fitness was again being tested, as the defence was struggling to keep the Bannockburn attackers in check. And with not long to go before Roidsy blew for half time Bannockburn scored after a chip over the top was latched on to with the Ravens defence caught flat footed.

Not long after the break Zorbie left the field with a strained hammy and not long after that again the Ravens found themselves down 2-0 and then 3-0. Both goals were scored on the break and again highlighted a lack of speed at the back for the Ravens, Joel being the chief culprit.

McIndoe, who came on late in the first half, pulled one back for the Ravens with a cracking strike from 25 yards. It gave the Ravens some hope of salvaging a point from the game and when late in the piece the ball crossed the line, despite not being given by Roidsy, the scores were back to 3-2, unofficially that is. With at least 10 minutes left on the clock, Terry decided he had seen enough, as he looked to save the next 3 come back goals for the following weekends game.

A good hit out again for the black and whites, but fitness is an obvious problem and one that must be addressed by people turning up to training.

Goals Galore as the Temperature Soars!! 

Gladesville Ravens 7
Bannockburn 2
(04/03/2007)

A white shimmering heat could be seen where Peel Park met the horizon, steam
rising from the turf as cracks began to appear in the pathways around the
stadium complex. The mercury was off the scale, and nobody dared venture out
of the house on this, the hottest day of the year. Apart from of course, the
Ravens reserve grade, who were preparing themselves to go into battle
against Scottish giants Bannockburn.

With the conditions in mind, Guus Jackson opted for a 3-4-3 formation, which
was a 3-5-2 formation with a fancy name, and with a cast of thousands to
choose from there was going to be a constant rotation policy throughout the
slightly abridged 90 minutes. With Ravens first team keeper Dave taking his
place between the sticks, the back line also looked markedly different from
the previous match, with sweeper Gal partnered by Greg and Phil Mac in
defence. The middle of the park saw new recruit Seb partner Bradley, with
Tex and Simon out wide, then up front was the Zedman, Chris and Roids,
looking to follow up his scoring display against Belrose some 7 days
earlier. The bench boasted some superstars, Arj and Dimi, Nick and Stuey
amongst others. There was even a place for Purce in goal for the opposition,
and he was relishing the opportunity of facing some of Ravens finest
attackers.

The game took off with a surprisingly zippy pace, Bannockburn showing that
the conditions would not let them be knocked off their running and hassling
game. Ravens looked sluggish and the average 10 years that they had on their
opposition began to show, with some of the Ravens players taking a moment to
find their lungs.

As soon as the first chance had been created by the
visitors, it was time for the Ravens to click, and the first chance fell to
Roids, racing on to a long ball from Gal, only to hold on to the ball and
allow the defence to race back and snuff out the danger. Chris then homed in
on goal and saw his effort pushed away by Purce, and Ravens were purring up
front.

Once again the midfield was looking dangerous going forward but was
failing to prevent the counter attack, and on more than one occasion the
defence was left utterly exposed to the breakaway, Ravens lucky to survive a
flurry of chances.

The unrelenting heat saw a number of changes after 15
minutes, giving the Ravens a fresh set of players; Roids tricky feet set up
Stuey in the box with a chance from two yards out, but Purce was there to
turn the ball away and give him an earful in return. The opening goal came
when a cross shot was parried and Chris followed in to poke the ball home,
and a clever piece of play by Dimi saw his shot just miss the post. Referee
Troy Bartsch sounded his bias by signalling a goal when the ball had clearly
gone wide, the players correcting his mistake, and it wasn't long before
Ravens had their second, and were cruising 2-0.

The most dangerous score in
football they call it, and true to form, the game was back to 2-1 with a
sloppy piece of defending giving the keeper no chance with a rasping shot
from twelve yards finding the bottom right hand corner. The game ticked down
to half time and Ravens jogged into the shade to take on three gallons of
water each, and to simply get out of the sun that was threatening to bake
the players in their skins.

A number of changes saw the second half get off to a lively start, and the
visiting team were much the better side going forward until Ravens scored a
marvellous breakaway goal, Gal feeding Roids who turned on a sixpence to
beat his man for pace, and then squared unselfishly to Tex who swept the
ball in past the Bannockburn team's new keeper Vatalis with a left foot
drive.

Soon after Roids was clean through again, but failed to pull the
trigger, but the bulky front man was involved in everything and played Nick
in for a chance down the right which was miscued and almost saw Vatalis
embarrassed. Bannockburn then raced down the other end of the field and
scored a second goal, Purce given no chance with the low shot from four
yards after a neat piece of play in the centre of the park.

Roids again
played his man in, Tex racing into the box where his shot was parried by
Vatalis, and the right foot follow up was skewed wide of the empty net for a
shocking miss. It wasn't long however before Ravens were on the scoresheet
again, Dimi doing the good work down the left and finding Chris unmarked for
a simple finish. Stuey then had a chance to emulate Beckham and Alonso with
a long range chip from a mishit clearance, but the ball bobbled through to
Vatalis after a wretched miskick.

Ravens soon added a fifth and a sixth,
scorers to be advised, before the pick of the goals wrapped things up, Chris
dancing through the midfield, beating three men, before dissecting the
defence with a shimmy and finishing with the outside of his right foot for a
wonder goal a la John Barnes v Brazil. At the other end of the park, it was
not all plain sailing for Purce, who was called on to make a number of fine
saves, and made sure that the goalkeeping roster at the Ravens will be
furiously contested with a sparkling display.

The game came to an end with Ravens heading straight for the sheds for a
cool shower, a check of the sunburn damage, a well earned VB energy drink
and a Marlboro energy smoke. An amazing game of forward flair and defensive
scares, Ravens having given every last ounce of energy under the blistering
sun. Once again the signs are good for a season of exciting high scoring
games, but the defensive qualities, throughout the team were severely
questioned by a side that were much the inferior in terms of skill. Stu
Hiddink has some thinking to do before annoucning his line up for the visit
of his former club Winston Hills on Saturday.

Ravens Score 4 To Leave Enfield In Awe!! 

Gladesville Ravens 4
Enfield Emus 0
(10/03/2007)

The date is now the 23rd of March, some 13 days on since the fixture I am meant to be writing about took place, and I'll be buggered if I can remember much about it.

The bottle of red I have just consumed was a lovely 2005 Sangiovese from the Langhorne Creek Estate, which went down frightfully well after the 4 Coopers Pale Ales consumed over a large Alpinos' pizza. Thank god we're not playing tomorrow (Saturday).

What I can remember was that a lackluster Enfield Emus came up against a Ravens side brimming with youth and experience. Experience in the form of the ageing Brad McIndoe, Nick Zorbas and Joel Hardaker and youth in the form of Troy Bartcsh, Dean, Yusi and the other sub 30 year olds.

This blend of enthusiasm and guile was too much for the Emus team who competed admirably, defying their all age standing, something coach Peter Zorbas must take credit for.

Troy Bartsch bagged a hat trick in fine style. A beautiful free kick from outside the 18 yard box started it off and a fine finish at the far post got him his second after a beautiful ball in from the right by Alec. The third goal was the pick of the bunch, thanks mainly to the through ball played by sweeping supremo Joel, who landed the ball flush on Troy's lawn bowlers chest, to allow him to control and tap over the keeper's head with ease.

In fairness Troy deserves the plaudits here as he had much to do after Joel's cross was played in. A fantastic finish and a well deserved hat trick. The lawn bowlers chest comment still stands.

In between the 3rd and 4th goals, Courts chimed in with a beautiful finish, as he curled the ball around the keeper and just inside the far post from the edge of the 18 yard box. Magic stuff.

Anthony Vatalis was very solid in between the sticks, and actually save the Ravens' blushes on a few occasions, although one bit of sky larking almost cost his team a goal.

 4-0 the final score and $200 raised from the souvlakia sales thanks to the Marrickville and Enfield boys. A pre-season friendly against these boys every year is a must if we wish to get to Fiji for an end of season trip.

Ravens Competitive Against 1st Grade Opposition!! 

Gladesville Ravens 1
Marrickville Monkeys 3
(10/03/2007)

Peel Park was looking magnificent on this hot autumn day, the newly installed goalposts were glimmering in the sun, the lines had been marked to perfection, and the grass was as green as the day it was laid. Glorious conditions then for a feast of entertainment for the Ravens faithful, with quality opposition in the name of Marrickville ready to give Ravens a stern test with three weeks to go before the season opener.

Player-manager Arsene Jackson was not blessed with a huge contingent to select from, with the Saturday kick off causing havoc to many a player's work schedule, but the players available were ready to do battle for the cause. Shaun lined up in goal, looking for a first clean sheet in Premier League colours, and in front of him was a blend of youth and experience with sweeper Sam, stoppers Sam and Arj and wing backs Phil Mac and new recruit Nigel. The midfield was a blend of experience and old age, Gal partnering Tex in the middle, with the Zedman playing the forward role in the midfield pyramid. Up front were Stuey and Roids, and with first team coach Terry putting his boots on, the bench of Dimi, Spiro and Robbie were bolstered.

Not renouned for their blistering starts to games, especially in pre-season, Ravens were somewhat sluggish in the opening ten minutes, and took some time to feel for the game, Marrickville setting out their stall with a competent passing game at the back, looking to draw the Ravens out and strike through the middle. With Andy Johnson on loan from Everton up front, they had a target man who would shoot on sight, and boasting a seven foot tall central defender, it was going to be tough going for the Ravens up front.

Ravens were finding the going tough, and soon had a reshuffle, with Robbie coming on at left wing back and Phil Mac moving to his more accustomed stopper role. Robbie almost sliced open the Marrickville defence with his first contribution, a searing ball over the top that was just too far for the onrushing Tex, the goalkeeper coming out to smother, and then Dimi was given a good chance with a neat through ball from Gal which he dinked goalwards, but the keeper was again equal to it.

A far post effort from an acute angle by Roids almost gave Ravens the lead, but these half chances would not disguise the fact that Ravens were being run ragged by a composed Marrickville.

Shaun had to be quick to turn a close range shot away when faced with two attackers, then Phil Mac left his studs in his man's legs to earn a yellow card. A series of corners caused little problem to the Ravens back line, the closest effort missing the far post by a couple of yards.

 Ravens looked the part when they were on the ball, it was just getting the ball in the first place that was the key. With time running out in the first half, and with Phil Mac having received a final warning for another lunge on the same man, Ravens sneaked a goal out of nothing. Some intricate passing from the Zedman, Gal and Roids saw the ball drop for Dimi, who, amongst cries of 'chip him' with the goalkeeper stranded way off his line, decided to dribble the ball, as if doing an ad for Nike on an escalator in an airport, through four defenders and lift the ball into the net for an outstanding opening goal. Sensational stuff, and that's the way it stayed until half time.

Once again it was all hands to the water bottle with the conditions unrelenting, and a post mortem of the first half gave Ravens cause both for optimism and concern, the main concern being the over commitment of the midfield to attack.

The second half began with Ravens once again under the cosh, and it was no surprise when an equaliser came. Tex was halted on one of his typical probing runs, leaving a gap in the middle, which saw Marrickville stream forward in numbers to completely swamp the Ravens defence, and a delicate square ball left a simple finish for one all.

Spiro was introduced to give Ravens some width, and he found himself racing into the box on to the unlikely source of a Roids through ball, beat his man, but the shot was deflected away for a corner. Roids was then bundled over in the box to a chorus of penalty appeals, but play was waved on.

At the back, Ravens were looking stretched, with the counter attacking Marrickville piling on the pressure. Ravens then imploded again, once again the ball given away cheaply in midfield, giving a four on three at the back, the ball dinked to the left midfielder who gleefully slotted the ball home for 2-1.

Ravens were down by this time, looking devoid of ideas. A raking ball from Tex then almost prised the defence wide open, the Zedman disbelieving of the space he found, and the extra touch gave the defence enough time to get back.

Ravens first corner of the game then almost reaped reward, Roids jumping magnificently to meet a Spiro corner, but the ball bounced wide of the mark. Roids by now was involved in a tit-for-tat with his defender, and on numerous occasions this threatened to spoil a friendly contest, Roids taking exception to the Phil Mac-esque close marking.

There were still chances for Ravens, Roids again taking the long route before having his shot parried, and Spiro again found time and space, but the right footed cross found the relieved keeper.

With ten minutes remaining the final nail was driven into the Ravens, a bouncing ball hooked in hope rather than expectation towards the goal where Shaun completely misjudged the flight of the ball and the ball nestled in the roof of the net. A thirty yard goal maybe, but a speculator of the highest order.

There was time for the Roids express to almost derail itself with a suggestion of an elbow drawing much ire from the marrickville team, and there was also a great piece of link up play with Nigel and Stu that should have produced more. In the end a 3-1 defeat was not entirely surprising, and Ravens were once again left to rue their moments of folly in the middle of the park.

With Dimi Ballack showing some sparkling touches, the Zedman in typically menacing form and Phil Mac as usual putting his body on the line for the cause, signs are there that Ravens have enough quality in their team. The conditions definitely did not suit the Ravens style of play, but with another chance to refine the team on Saturday, things may just be about to click into place. Go the Ravens.

Ravens Draw Against 1st Division New Comers!! 

Macquarie Uni 1
Gladesville Ravens 1
(17/03/2007)

The bottle of Penfolds 20 year old port just consumed has done nothing for my ability to write about a game I did not attend nor participate in, yet I feel compelled to write about it nonetheless.

 1-1 was the fnal score.

Come on the mighty Ravens!!

Ravens Run Riot!! 

Macquarie Uni 2
Gladesville Ravens 5
(17/03/2007)

A first half performance to rival any from the annals of Ravens history gave the mighty Gladesville Ravens reserves a commanding first half lead which was enough to seal victory against a lacklustre University outfit. Monsoonal conditions meant a wet and wild afternoon for the players, but it was Ravens with one sub who mastered the slippery surface on the pristine Macquarie pitch against a Macquarie side boasting at least 15 subs.

Ravens lined up with what is now looking a regular formation, the 3-5-2 under the guise of 3-4-3, with Shaun in goal, Sammy again at sweeper, and Phil Mac partnered by the unlikely sight of first team manager Stix. Spiro and Tex were given the wide roles, Gal and Stevie the midfield holding positions, leaving Roids to fill the gap between midfield and attack. The forward line boasted super coach Stu Venables alongside new signing Pete Jossey, looking to make an immediate impression on the Macquarie defence. The lone sub was trialist Jordi, with Nigel not risked after a hamstring tear in midweek.

Not surprisingly the wet field set the tone, with a number of passes skidding off the surface in the first five minutes as the players found their feet, and it was Ravens who settled early, applying their silky brand of football to the delight of the bumper crowd. And it was Ravens who got the early goal, a long range effort from Spiro blocked, the ball falling kindly to Roids on the edge of the area, who had time to control and let rip from twenty yards, the goalkeeper totally misjudging the flight of the ball, only able to touch the ball on its way into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

A sensational start for the Ravens, who looked as though they might run riot, only some nervy defending and some wayward passing giving Macquarie hope of pushing their way back into the game. Phil Mac took a heavy knock from the Mohican centre forward, collapsing in a heap, and Gal was fortunate not to receive a yellow card for an industrial 'revenge' challenge on his man after an earlier foul on him.

The second goal was a piece of wizardry from the Ravens, the ball toyed around the midfield like a kitten playing with a ball of wool, before the ball over the top from Tex found Stu, whose control was good, taking him goal side of the last man, before delivering a super curling shot inside the right hand post for 2-0. He enjoyed it so much that he left the field to be replaced by Jordi.

It was three soon after Stu returned to the fray, following a sweet free-kick from the Zedman which brought the save from the Macquarie keeper, and this was the goal of the game. Phil Mac picked up the ball in defence, two one-twos setting him clear down the left, he nudged the ball in for the Zedman, who crisply played in Roids, then Spiro, and a wave of oohs and aahs could be heard as the ball eventually found its way out wide where a smashing cross from the right was nodded home by Stu for a glorious third goal. A sensational team goal that Giggs, Rooney and Barry Venison would be proud of.

Ravens were making their chances count. Two that got away though were a blocked shot that fell for Sammy at an acute angle on the right and his driven shot was knocked away, while Stu again found himself the right side of his defender but the ball flashed agonisingly wide after a deflection.

At the other end, Stix was finding himself busier than he really wanted, and Ravens were a touch stretched at times, but with Shaun growing in confidence and communicating well, a goal never looked likely. And so Ravens snatched another goal just before the half, a comical clearance from the keeper finding Pete who had all the time in the world to lift a glorious shot into the net from twelve yards, sending the keeper the wrong way.

Ravens were upbeat at the break, the rain still pouring down, and at 4-0 to the good the second half would be a test of character. Ravens knew the second 45 would be tougher, and playing with the wind didn't help at all with the skiddy surface rendering most through balls useless as they whipped through to the keeper. With the average age of the Ravens only brought down to 33 by the youthful Shaun in goal, stamina might prove to be the key, with Macquarie constantly circulating fresh youth to keep the Ravens busy.

The second half however was quite young when Ravens snatched a fifth goal, and another fine piece of individual skill it was, Pete turning and twisting to rifle a ball into the net from 15 yards to send the travelling fans into raptures. Ravens five goals to the good and looking good for more.

Stevie Zed then conjured up a cracking nutties out on the right, the cross finding Stuey who scuffed his shot when a hat-trick looked possible. With the regular Macquarie centre forward coming on for the final half hour, the game suddenly changed, as this gave them an outlet from midfield, an opportunity to hold the ball in attack and feed off him.

The first consolation goal came from a scrappy piece of play out on the right, Phil Mac and Tex getting run ragged, a mis-kick falling to the right winger who clipped in a cross that was magnificently headed home past Shaun, given no chance.

Cue some troubling times for the Ravens with the usual suspects letting their tempers run high, despite leading by four goals, and the performance didn't improve from there. A swift attack down the right saw a corner conceded and from the ensuing melee a shot looped over Shaun, but there was Stix on the line to clear with a fabulous piece of defending. A fine piece of play by Ravens to intercept a dangerous attack then resulted in a cheap giveaway in the middle of the park, the ball squirming out to the right again, and an exact replica of the first goal saw the front man rise and pick his spot with another classy header. Ravens pegged back to 5-2 now, and looking half the team that was seen in the first half.

The game though was drawing to a close. Time though for Ravens to make their attacking intent known, Pete rifling two good efforts wide from distance, Spiro crossing for Stuey to knock just wide and the keeper finding a Zedman effort too hot to handle, gathering at the second attempt. The final whistle was a relief given the way the second half panned out, Ravens having run out of steam and left clinging to their well earned first half lead. With Dimi, Nigel, Simon and a host of other stars set to return for the next match at Pittwater, Ravens will be looking to build upon the first half performance and prepare for the season opening Charity Shield encounter with Epping YMCA in two weeks time. Go the Ravens!

Ravens Beaten in 9 Goal Thriller!! 

Gladesville Ravens 4
Macquarie Uni 5
(31/03/2007)

A sunny afternoon greeted the new look Ravens 1st grade side as they arrived at Peel Park hoping to get their premiership campaign underway with a win against Macquarie Uni. The side was vastly different from last year, with Dave Hunt starting out wide on the left and Alc Robertson out on the right. Johan was selected to partner Brad and Zorbie in the middle of the park and Troy started up front alongside Courtenay. Daniel Lucas was the new stopper, standing alongside Foto, with Joel at sweeper and Vatalis in goals.

The Ravens kicked off and were ahead after 15 minutes when  Alec nipped in to finish a classic wingers goal, after he stabbed the ball past the advancing keeper. The lead didn't last long, as the Mac uni striker was left unmarked and allowed to run through on goal with ease, leaving Vatalis with little chance of stopping his shot.

The game swung back the way of the Ravens, after a hurried clearance cum through ball from Brad McIndoe sent Courtenay away through the centre of the park. He controlled well, drew the keeper and then slotted home with his left foot, hooking the ball into the far corner.

Again Mac Uni came back after being awarded a penalty after Vatalis slid in to tackle the striker. The referee believed Vatalis made contact, and although the challenge looked bad, it was a blatant dive from the front man.

2-2 at half time, and coach Terry was confident we would over run the opposition with superior fitness. There was a slight chuckle or two from Brad, Zorbie and Joel, who knew that the three of them could not run out of sight on a dark night, let alone keep up with a bunch of young uni students for another 45 minutes. The only change saw the sick Dave Hunt replaced by Dean.

Into the second half we went, and in a stunning 10 minute period the Ravens found themselves down 5-2, after a spate of defensive errors, caused by poor marking, ball watching and jumping in instead of jockeying.

The Ravens were shell shocked, but after the double substitution of Brad and Joel with Sam and Yusi respectively, the Ravens started to gain some momentum, and with 15 to go Courtenay scored his second goal with another impressive finish when he was sent through one on one with the keeper.

Not long after the Ravens thought they had reduced the deficit to one goal after a free kick found the back of the net, but the referee ordered the Ravens to re-take the free kick as the Mac Uni defence was not ready. BOK!!

Minutes later the Ravens had a penalty, after Yusi was adjudged to have been brought down in the wind. With Joel off the field, Zorbie had to battle Troy for the ball and the job of taking the penalty. Troy's claim that he had never missed a penalty was met by Zorbie's lie of "Neither have I" and Troy relented and allowed Zorbie to step and slot the ball home.

Trailing 5-4 and coming home with the wettest of sails the Ravens pressed for the equaliser, but they unfortunately ran out of time. A great effort to stand and fight rather than capitulate, plus the 4 goals scored are positives to be taken from the game, but the defence must tighten quickly if the Ravens are to be competitive. In news just to hand it appears that Brad McIndoe will be sidelined for up to 6 weeks with torn ligaments in his lower back after he tripped over mid way through the first half.

Ravens Throw Away 1st Half Lead!! 

Gladesville Ravens 2
Macquarie Uni 2
(31/03/2007)

A game of two halves, well three quarters and one quarter, saw Ravens toss away two points on the opening day of the 2007 season at a beautiful sunny Peel Park. The black and whites left the stadium wondering just how they gave it all away, and were in the end hanging on for a point as the youthful Uni side pushed hard for a winner.

Buoyed by the previous result in the pre-season friendly, Ravens lined up with a strong side, Shaun in goal with Sammy, Phil Mac and Arj at the back, Tex and Pete Crawford on the wings, the Zedman and Gal in the middle of the park, Roids and scoring sensation Jossy up front with Nathan McKiernan sitting in the hole behind them. The bench boasted supercoach Stu Curbishley, defender Greg and El Toro Simon the Spaniard alongside assistant manager Purce.

And it was Ravens who were straight on the offensive, playing to the instructions of short pass and quick tempo in the blazing sun, and it wasn't long before a pattern emerged, with Pete on the left carving out a string of opportunities. From the first, some explosive acceleration took him to the byline and he cut in, ignoring the square ball and opted to shoot, but only into the side netting. A nifty piece of trickery then saw the same man bearing down on goal but again the shot found the side netting at the near post when Roids was better placed for the tap in.

At the canteen end, Shaun was kept busy but not stretched too much, going down well to smother a shot by his left hand post and plucking the ball out of the air from a dangerous corner, while Arj was having a battle royale with the free scoring centre forward and playmaker, giving his man some close marshalling.

Ten minutes in and Ravens were in front, a lovely move down the right involving some crisp interplay from Sammy, Tex and Jossy saw the ball fall to Stevie just outside the area and in a manoeuvre reminiscent of David Ginola, the ball was looped towards goal and found the top right hand corner for one nil. A beauty.

Tex then rasped an effort that was well saved, before Roids contrived to