This Spring sees the return of the old boys!

We were quiet in the last couple of season. We did OK, we posted reasonable records, added some depth. A multinational addition of talent from Jamaica and Senegal gave us hope of things looking brighter. As we settled in to new team mates and lost several either permanently or temporarily, we had high hopes last season. We had an up and down ride, ending in devastation when our lead striker and Jamaican star, Wayne Lawrence suffered a horrific double broken leg. Season over right there and then, the boys rally and dig deep to help their fallen comrade in many ways. We never leave a soldier behind!

This season Wayne is recovering well, still in a walker boot after months on crutches and several trip to the hospital after multiple infections. He will now for this season, be coach Wayne, a fearsome creature patrolling the side lines, like a caged animal, prowling and stalking his prey. Man, we had better perform this season!

More help is on the way Dutch stylee! Not only in the retuen of Charles van der Sluijs, but also in Dayton Dutch Lions Technical Director, Cor van Hoeven. We march into the new season with a UEFA "A" licensed coach and a playmaker destined to be a true number 10. Yes we are going Dutch. Cor joins the van der Sluijs brothers and maybe one or two others from the Orange Nation, in the quest to beat the evil empire from down the road. Chromeparts, we are coming for you! Dayton United, be ready for us!

Word has it that Jim Woeste is ready to up the ante and has been through an extensive winter workout program. Adrian has been studying  GPS direction for the most direct route to goal. The Klepacz brothers are fit and ready and most surprising of all, we have word that Glen will be joined in midfield finally after the longest rehab in history, by Scot Terry.

Let the games begin or laat de spelen beginnen


Game 1 Dayton United

We begin our season with a tough starting game. As usual the schedule hands us one of the big dogs to open the season. We arrive fresh and excited. We are without our fallen hero and Jamaican legend Wayne, and our stand out midfield controller Glen. But we have, making his debut after a two year DL shelving, Scot Terry. We also have a couple of new boys from the Dayton Rogues men's open team. Tommy and Pat (Professor Pat is his official title).

We start brightly and within the first five minutes Scot Terry does what he does best, a united player is presented with some space and foolishly takes it just when Scot decides to close the door, and boy did that door slam! Ouch......he's back.....

The half sees us tied at 0-0 in a tight and edgy game. 20 minutes to go it was still tight and zero's but a couple of mistakes gifts them a couple of goals. Clinically DU takes there chances. They sneak one more near the end and we start with a 3-0 loss which really did not reflect the game. Next week we'll be back and with our new Dutch signing and Glen!

Then it rained, and it rained. Man did it rain. Adrian was seen at Lowes buying lumber and studying plans for a large boat, he seemed to collecting animals in pairs, he must know something we don't....

It rained some more, and some more. Just when we thought it had stopped raining, it rained again.

Game 2 Southern 50......Postponed

It then rained again.

Game 3 Fossils....Postponed

A little sun, then it rained again....and again....

Game 4 Chromeparts

So here we are, three weeks of doing nothing, the schedule had thrown up a reprieve from previous seasons, where we had started with Dayton United and then rolled straight into the mighty Chromeparts, at least this season.....wait a minute, Deja vu all over again.

We show up with our new Dutch master. Just to show how much of an individual he is, Cor decides to wear different colored shorts and socks! But he gets to work early and we are holding the juggernaut of the league and starting to knock on their door once in a while too. We were woefully short of numbers as we have just one sub, and Jim Woeste is hobbling around on dodgy knees. Still near the half the action really heats up.

They score a goal, we go right up the other end and reply. They look stunned. They score again, an unstoppable 30 yarder that just dips under the bar. We strike back again as our new Dutch number 10 wearing number 6 gets his first assist of the season, Jim Woeste cracks it in then has a strange celebration which includes subbing himself out. Never seen that one before!

2-2 at the half. Second half gets under way and another first for Cor, his first yellow card on American soil! For dissent, better not let the Academy kids hear about that one. We dig in and start pushing them back, winning more balls and creating more chances as the game goes on. A ferocious contest, real end to end stuff, then with 10 minutes left, they barge through and head a corner home from two yards out. Surely it will be ruled out for a foul? No not with this ref, he hasn't called a foul all day, must be new to the game and didn't read that part of the manual.

Still we push on looking for the equalizer that would bring us the point we fairly deserved, but, tired legs and empty lungs give up a late goal. The whistle blows and the hope is gone. A tough 4-2 loss, but much respect earned.

Next up Ambush lay in wait, they have got out of the blocks well, they are 2-0-0, we are 0-2-0, time to make our move boys!