Congratulations to Mike & Dani

Congratulations to Mike & Dani who got married on Friday on a lovely sunny afternoon in Cornwall Park.
A toast to the happy couple was made on behalf of the Supporters Club by Ken who then proceeded to show off some of his silky moves. Unfortunately for the team they were on the dance floor rather than the football pitch!

Sunday Soccer Fixtures

For training and warm up games, RING KEN, 027 2848862.

Then Sunday proper;

April 15th ... Ranui .. Starling Park .. 12 pm

April 22nd ... Norwest .. Huapai ... 2 pm

April 29th ... Northcote .. Onepoto ... 11 am

May 6th ... Brownsons .. East Coast Bays .. 2 pm

International football this weekend,

Game to watch, the Republic of Ireland vs Wales

Good luck to all the fans, no matter who you support, I hope Scotland can win !!!

Oh Ronaldo, who loves ya baby

CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored a controversial second-half penalty to send United into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Having come through three replays and two penalty shoot-outs to reach this point, Boro had already shown a tenacity that proved they would not be easily dismissed from the competition and little that occurred in the opening period suggested their stickability had lost any of its adhesive quality on the trip down from Teesside.

Ronaldo was unfortunate to see an early shot curl just wide and if anyone was going to light up the game, it was the Portugal winger. Bereft of clear opportunities, the contest seemed destined to see its opening goal three minutes before the break when Ryan Giggs set Wayne Rooney free with a superb slide-rule pass, but Rooney failed to convert.

The second period was as closely contested as the first, with Woodgate catching the eye, more through his ability to read United’s intentions than anything else. Each time the Red Devils threatened, it seemed the Real Madrid defender was there with a tackle, an interception or a header. It is impossible to keep Ronaldo and Rooney quiet all night though and both men found themselves one-on-one with Schwarzer, yet failed to score. In fairness, Ronaldo left himself a virtually impossible task as he rounded the Boro keeper but, from the tightest of angles he still managed to roll his shot against a post. Rooney though had no excuse after Michael Carrick sliced a pass straight through the heart of Boro’s defence. This time, the England man went early, only for Schwarzer to save with his right foot.

In a tie that seemed to be heading inexorably for extra-time, Ronaldo was the man sent flying again as Jonathan Woodgate made his only mistake of the night. The pair were flying for the dead ball line at top speed with 15 minutes of the contest remaining. But, even though Woodgate wisely opted not to attempt a tackle, he looked to have caught Ronaldo’s trailing leg as he fell, and referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot. Once the visitors’ arguments subsided, Ronaldo strode up to break Boro’s resistance by sending Mark Schwarzer the wrong way, taking United into the last four and one step closer to a dream Wembley showdown. They face Watford in the semis and are still on course to meet title rivals Chelsea - who beat Tottenham 2-1 in the night's other replay - on May 19.

Ronaldo ran past the Boro bench and made a sign of a TV with his fingers in what could have been an invitation for Southgate and his staff to look at the TV replays.

Abridged story from Manchester Online

Glory Glory Man Utd

MANCHESTER United forgot about the mounting injury list and continued their treble drive as they smashed four past Bolton for the second time this season. Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney both scored twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's men surged to a victory which leaves them requiring a maximum 18 points from their last eight games to end a four-year title drought.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show, as Bolton found themselves totally incapable of stopping the brilliant winger.

Yet the victory came at a price for the hosts, who were already missing six senior men through injury and suspension, as skipper Gary Neville was forced off with what a serious-looking ankle injury. The game was only 10 minutes old when the England coach's day took a serious downturn as Neville lay on the ground in agony after his left ankle crumpled under a challenge from Gary Speed. Already, the chances of the United skipper being fit for international duty in Israel next Saturday appear slim to non-existent.

Having already suffered heavily at United's hands once this season, Allardyce was keen to avoid a repeat. Yet, after Bolton had received a major let-off when Park skied over from three yards, the visitors were well and truly flattened by a big red steamroller driven mercilessly by Ronaldo.

The opener came from an innocuous beginning as Wayne Rooney won a header with Tal Ben Haim close to halfway. Ronaldo was on to the loose ball in a flash, darted not just to the by-line but down it, then picked out Park with a fine cut-back which invited the South Korean's precise finish.

A capacity crowd was still catching its breath when United scored one of those breakaway goals which have been such a hallmark of their success down the years. Breaking out of their own area as they half-cleared Ivan Campo's long throw, the Red Devils streamed forward. In the end only Ronaldo and Rooney were required to make contributions as the pair exchanged passes twice in a run which took them 80 yards downfield before Rooney beat Jaaskelainen with an impudent chip to register the 50th goal of his United career.

For a while it seemed Bolton would be humiliated in a manner seldom seen since Allardyce took charge seven years ago. It was almost as if the visitors were so fearful of Ronaldo they dare not go near him, offering the winger a suicidal amount of space to run into every time he got the ball. Jaaskelainen was spooked enough by his presence to allow a relatively weak shot to slip from his grasp just before the half hour, the rebound rolling kindly for Park to tap home his second.

From that point on it was a damage limitation exercise for Bolton, with Ferguson feeling sufficiently comfortable about his side's position to remove Giggs and Ronaldo, who went off to a standing ovation. Alan Smith came on for Ronaldo and set Rooney free with a lobbed pass which allowed the United forward to outpace Ben Haim before belting an unstoppable volley past Jaaskelainen. The goal involved precisely five touches from the moment the ball left the United area to it entering the Bolton net.

Story abridged from Manchester Online

GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED

St Patricks weekend

Bolton Wanderers visit Old Trafford this weekend, in what is supposed to be a PARTY game, but no news about.

The game is on Sky Sport 2 at 1.30 am, Sunday morning.


and a Happy Birthday to a couple of special people on Paddys day.

United 4 vs Europe XI 3

There were thousands of schoolchildren present on an evening when Manchester United celebrated the 50th anniversary of their own entry into Europe and raised £1.25 million for charity into the bargain, with the kids given a thrill to remember for the rest of their lives.

Over the past month, notable Manchester United figures from past and present have queued up to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo's importance to the Red Devils' cause. And here, freed from the pressures and restrictions of competitive combat, the brilliant 22-year-old showed off the full range of his mesmerising skill. The dancing feet, never-ending step overs, strong running, flicked passes. A true performer in every sense of the word.

Ronaldo had plenty to smile about, having rasped home a free-kick good enough to grace any of the great European nights the Theatre of Dreams has played host to down the years. Ronaldo's effort, teed up with Jonny Wilkinson-like precision, bent so many ways before rasping into the top corner that Valencia's Santiago Canizares, widely acknowledged as one of the best keepers in Europe, began by moving with it, then just gave up and watched it fly past him like the rest of the awe-struck 74,343 crowd - a record for a friendly game at the stadium.

Even Beckham, sat in the directors' box alongside wife Victoria, devastated at not being able to play a more active part in his 'homecoming' must have appreciated it. To the type of reception normally associated with the Beatles, Beckham addressed the United fans at half-time, declaring Sir Alex Ferguson to be the 'best manager in the world' and his days at Old Trafford 'the best of my career'.

His contribution to the Red Devils' success will never be forgotten or underestimated, but the club has new heroes now in Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

Without a Champions League goal since September 2004, Rooney proved he can cut it against high-ranking opposition, albeit ones who do not tackle, by taking just five minutes to get his name on the scoresheet, a little shimmy taking Canizares out of the game as he tapped Paul Scholes' through ball into an empty net.

A bit of trickery from old master Ryan Giggs provided Wes Brown with a second for United before Lyon's Florent Malouda pulled one back with what would have been the goal of the night had it not been for Ronaldo's stunner. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had missed a penalty by the time Rooney finished off Park Ji-Sung's cross for a United fourth.

The numerous changes for both sides at half-time included the exit of Ronaldo and Rooney and the arrival of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher for Marcello Lippi's makeshift European side. With El-Hadji Diouf - who pulled a goal back with a close-range header - on as well, the home fans had three players with Liverpool connections to abuse

But as they headed for home, there was only one name on the lips of those kids for whom a real-life glimpse of United is a rare event indeed. For them there really is only one Ronaldo.

Abridged story from Manchester Online

A long hard morning

Well, have to say Monday mornings telly watching was long and hard.

First the joy of Spurs leading by three - one over Chelski, then the dismay as the blues got a draw.

Then England got up and beat the French in the rugby.

And finally the utter disappointment in Watford managing to hold out Plymouth Argyle in their FA Cup quarter-final match. After Plymouth held Real Madrid to a one -nil score, last year in a friendly, I thought the Pilgrims might top their season with a semi-final spot.

Long night in the North-East

A hard fought two all draw at the Riverside Stadium has added another game to Uniteds already full schedule. While both teams had good possession spells in a very tricky match for United, Middlesborough have nothing else to look forward to, it took a late Ronaldo penalty to save Manchester United.

Ronaldo has been a golden touch for United this season, United having never lost in a game that Ronaldo has scored in !!!

So a replay in ten days at Old Trafford for a deserving Middlesborough, but hopefully United will put them to the sword.

and GO PLYMOUTH .......

FA Cup

Manchester United play Middlesborough on Sunday morning.
The game is on digital at 6.25 am, ESPN.

Pre season training

and unfortunately its not at the pub.

Waikaraka Park (Wednesdays, 6.30 pm)

March 28th, April 4th, April 11th.

French toast for breakfast

Manchester United toasted Lille this morning on their way to the European Cup quarters. While the game had the now customary european slow start, United always looked comfortable against the French and O'Shea was unlucky not to score, when his header bounced off the crossbar. But it was Henrik Larsson who secured Uniteds passage with a great finish after another Ronaldo run down the touchline and superb cross.

Surely, there has to some sort of review of cards. Kieron Richardson's yellow card was an absolute joke, the Lille player kicked Richardson in the leg and then fell down, the look on Kierons face told all.

This is following a new trend, where you commit a serious foul on someone and then fall over and act hurt, trying to divert attention.

Wonderful

Manchester United scored a well deserved win over Liverpool this morning.

The match was the usual tight affair, till John O'Shea steered home the winner in extra time. There were some appalling refereeing decisions, especially the Paul Scholes sending off (wasn't any contact, couldn't even be called handbags !!), but Carragher should have been sent off for the deliberate sprigging of Rooney and it was definitely a penalty for that ankle attack on Saha. And FOUR minutes of EXTRA TIME, what a joke, then they played nearly FIVE. Very poor refereeing.

So we are still six clear at the top and the pressure is now all on Chelski.

Big game this weekend

Manchester United travel to Anfield this weekend.

Game is on digital, Sky Sport 2 at 1.40 am Sunday morning.

This, should have been our PARTY game dudes.


The Derby is on Saturday at Ellerslie and the place bet is REDOUTE'S DANCER.


Enjoy