Issue 153

Alabama winners of IM league

26th February 2007

Alabama Young Boys took the title of Intra Mural league champions for the second year in a row in dramatic fashion on Wednesday Febraury 14. In a 2-1 victory against Sloth that saw them secure enough points to put the title out of reach of the nearest competition with one game left of the season.

The game against Sloth was one of the closest of the closest and hard fought of the season. After conceding only their third goal of the season, from a long corner when the Alabama defender was unable to compete against the strong challenge at the back post. The side then had to work hard for what was probably the most important three points of the season.

However the Alabama defence managed to stay strong against some good pressure in the rest of the first half, hindered by playing into a low sun and strong breeze but the team as a whole were still fairly anonymous at half time.

The second half was a different story, now playing with the elements, the Alabama side were playing better football and the shots on goal were increasing in frequency. There were several chances that forced exceptional saves from the Sloth goalkeeper, one left foot effort from midfielder Neil Watkins brought a fingertip save that neither of the teams could believe.

The breakthrough came 15 minutes into the second half, when Adam Hopper broke down the right hand side of the pitch and shot from the edge of the box, and the ball screamed into the top left hand corner, leaving the Sloth goalkeeper planted in the centre of the goal unable to move.

This brought on a period of pressure from the Alabama team, drawing a great deal of fouls as the Sloth defence struggled to make clean tackles and win the ball fairly. Sloth were still looking to take the lead again on the break, but the expert centre back partnership of Leigh Allen and Simon Peaple worked well together to keep the scores level.

The decisive moment came when captain Nick Whaites, who had been causing problems for both the Sloth centre backs and the wing backs since he had moved from out on the wing to the centre forward position, broke free down the centre of the pitch, as he rounded the last man was brought down on the edge of the box.

The resulting kick, which Whaites took himself, perfectly curled from his right boot into the top right corner of the goal just clipping the inside angle of the frame on the way in. The rest of the match was played at good pace with Sloth trying to get back into the game and Alabama attacking on the counter, but it was going to have to be something special like the previous goals to beat either keeper.

Organiser of the league and cup, Martin White, confirmed after the game, "Alabama have won the league with a game to spare, they've won all their games to date so no one can catch them." Captain Nick Whaites has made no secret of his intentions for the league title this season, but said on having the league title confirmed to him, "I always knew we had the ability and confidence to win the league, but the boys have worked hard for each other and I am really pleased with them, I just hope we can carry on our form to the end of the season in the cup competition."

The season for some of the intramural teams is by no means over, with the cup competition now at the semifinal stage it is just getting started. Although the league is a good achievement it is the cup that draws the attention of the fans and is what the players want to win.

With the draw still to be made the teams left at this stage are Engineering, Sloth, UWS 7th and Alabama. The boys in pink will want the double this season after being denied at the semifinal stage this time last year being beaten by the eventually victorious Engineering team, but after beating all of the three remaining sides already in the league this year, they are bound to be confident with their chances.

Matt Cannon