A solid start to the season!

pompeyblue The first game was largely down to getting back in to the gist of things I think. They took their chances but we learnt from the result, as you said, and improved towards of the end of the month. And thank you, I appreciate it.

Justice Thanks Stefano

September 2016: Sustaining A Run

The three first encounters of the season do not define it. They may well dictate your early season fortunes but until the business end of the season it is impossible to tell where your season is heading unless you're well out ahead. With two wins and a defeat on the board, things were looking up for us but we had to sustain a run of form to really prove ourselves.

September Results

It's fair to say our month did not start on the course we'd have liked it to. Against Ureña F.C we found ourselves 3-1 up with just under a half of football to be played. Lapses in concentration, complacency and pressure go to use and our efforts in front of goal were not rewarded as they should have been.

The game against Atlético El Vigía went worse than our previous clash, as this time the lead we threw away was only that of one goal. Geder Barrios' quick opening goal from a strong header was in vain as we plummeted to our second defeat of the season.

With form on the drop we did not want to be put in to a downward spiral, and the opportunity to recover some lost points came against the typically competitive Real Anzoátegui. Despite enoying the larger share of possesion Eliecer Álvarez's strike had seemingly consigned us to a losing position at half time.

Until Geder Barrios, fast becoming an essential part of the team, headed home on the stroke of half time to hand us a lifeline. However, nearly as soon as the second half whistle was blown Luis Parra was putting our opposition ahead.

52 minutes in and I made a decision. Off came Freddy Granados and Dervis Barrera, largely our two best attacking outlets, and on came backup Andrey Gonzalez alongside misfiring striker Vitinho. The Brazilian, however, was set to change the game.

63 minutes in David Maldonado moved the play onto Marcelo Borges. The playmaker thread the ball through both of Real Anzoátegui's central defenders to his countryman Vitinho. The seemingly out of form striker dispatched his shot high into the corner of the net, getting us an equaliser and opening his 'Los Gallegos' account in the process.

The magic, however, was not done there. Christian Carablí marauded down the right flank and sent a high cross in to the box, only for it to be denied by the head of Carlos Freitas. However he collected the rebound, and with one centre back vacant from his usual position Vitinho pounced on the second cross, his header floating for what seemed like an eternity before nestling into the bottom corner of the net.


With that we moved on to our next game, the recently-relegated Portugesa F.C. Namesakes of the São Paulo based outfit, they were to provide a stern challenge away from home. Twelve minutes in and we were well and truly on the back foot. 2-0 down and nearly out of the contest we decided to control the play and got one back through Dervis Barrera, our captain.

However it was quickly 3-1 before half time due to an own goal, Geder Barrios unfortunate to get the final touch. With little time remaining, Andrey Gonzalez, a halftime substitute, was thrown into the fray and he notched one back for us. We were not done fighting, and Christian Carabalí, converted to winger in the absence of Victor Archila, tapped home a late equaliser to give us a well earned point.

September League Table

The league still hasn't taken full shape as of yet but we're starting to see how the table may look towards Christmas. We're safely in the top half, but we're alongside many other fantastic sides who are hard to defeat. Hopefully we can continue to push on.

September Player of the Month

Dedicated. Hard working. Confident. Geder Barrios' performances this start to the season have made for lots of praise from Hermandad Gallega and opposition fans alike. Despite an unfortunate own goal he's played with commitment and grit, something I admire.

Manager's Comments

"After a stuttering start we've improved magnificently towards the back end of the month and will enter October on the back of some impressive results. The cup win was pleasing and it's great to see the backup players doing so well when called upon. 6-1 against most opposition is an impressive result."

The promotion charge is on!

Justice It'll take a fair bit of grit and luck, but I think in the next few months we can push for those top two places.

Congrats on winning SOTM, Walter. You're onto a classic, here

Paddy Thanks Paddy, I appreciate it

Vitinho Thankful Of Bond

The Brazilian was grateful for his manager's patience

On the back of his matchwinning performance against Real Anzoátegui, Brazilian frontman Vitinho has came out with nothing but praise for his English-Scottish-Suisse manager James Bond, expressing his gratitude over the Hermandad Gallega boss' patience and faith in him while he struggled for form.

Vitinho, who netted the equaliser and winner at the weekend, opened up to Diario Meridiano about how his manager had never doubted his quality and potential to impact games. The 24-year old revealed that Bond's words of encouragement before he was sent on for out of touch Dervis Barrera were the catalyst for his dominating display.

The equaliser was a true striker's goal. Created by the impressive Marcelo Borges, a fellow Brazilian within the squad, his simple through ball managed to break through the sturdy defence of their opponents, sending Vitinho in on goal.

His finish was a composed one, not the sort you'd come to expect from a striker who had struggled to score in over ten games of competitive football. Comfortably dispatching it high into the top corner when one-on-one with the keeper, Vitinho was full of relief after putting his drought to an abrupt end.

"It was a huge, huge relief, yes," the striker admitted. "I knew I would score eventually. It has taken longer but I've done nothing but try to stop that and to improve. Hopefully now the goals start flowing more regularly."

Not only did Vitinho equalise for his side, but he also hit a late winner with nine minutes remaining on the clock to secure an absolutely stunning come-from-behind win for 'Los Gallegos' against stiff opposition in Real Anzoátegui.

Thanks to terrific work on the right hand side from Christian Carabalí, he whipped in a cross only for it to be cleared by the head of Carlos Freitas. Freitas' clearance fell back in to the space on the right wing for the Venezuelan to have another crack.

Freitas was lured out to the flank and that left space for Vitinho to exploit. Carabalí's cross was pinpoint and Vitinho, standing at only 173cm (5'8"), leapt over his marker, floating a beautifully placed header into the back of the net.

He said about the goal, "That is one of the most amazing feelings in my career. To score once and for the first time in a long time is great, yes, but to add a winning goal only just later in the match, it makes me proud.

"Hopefully Hermandad Gallega fans savour it, and remember it."

Versatinho is not worried by things like height, he heads it as well as, as well as...

well HESKEY

Yes, there is a good Bond between manager and player. Now, give us what we really want; the 007 sex scenes.

Feliks lolol
Justice To quote a famous song... "You can't... always get... what you wanttttt"

Walter's sex scene - "Bond put his thing in the lady's thing and shook it around a bit."

Guys come on... Isn't Walt a bit young for that sort of stuff??

Feliks It's not like you've got any experience writing sex scenes... oh wait
edu1878 I am well and truly old enough, the question is if you are intellectually ready for this kind of stuff.

October 2016: One Game At A Time

October was your run of the mill month

Five games in the space of 28 days in October gave the squad the ideal chance to garner some momentum and start to really gel as a unit. We weren't up against many big sides, but more teams around our level. A few wins this month and then we'd head in to November and steadily the new year in good form, but we were just looking to take it one game at a time.

October Results

The game against Aragua to kick off our month was your archetypal match. Luckily we were on the winning end of this encounter, David Maldonado's 38th minute strike and captain Dervis Barrera's goal just after half time giving us the perfect start to October.

At home again, we continued our winning ways against SC Guaraní. In this match it was our wide men who provided the cutting edge to our play - Andrey González cutting in from the left hand side, and Christian Carabalí sprinting down the right hand side was too much for our opponents and both the Venezuelans got their names on the scoresheet.

Away games are always tough, but U.A Falcón are a different problem on their own. Firmly a top half side, even dark horses for promotion, we just couldn't deal with their midfield play, and Juan Malerba's 90th minute header was merely a consolation for 'Los Gallegos' fans.

Atlético Venezuela were a difficult proposition for a side of our stature. Their relegation from the Liga Movistar was not exactly unexpected but many pundits and fans will feel they're too big for a league the size of the Segunda Venezolana. Marcelo Borges' strike near to half time put some hope in to our fans of a shock victory, however the lead lasted less than a minute as Luis Covela made us pay for complacency.

Along came the last game of the month, and in Lotería del Táchira we had a side who never gave in and never liked to lose. In the absence of the now departed Jesús Reyes, Marcelo Borges undertook the honours from the spot as he converted his 34th minute spot kick. We were pegged back right on the verge of halftime, annoyingly, by old transfer target Albert Zambrano/

Vitinho was struggling and after 52 minutes I made the move to put on captain Dervis Barrera. I was rewarded by my substitute, who thirteen minutes later pounced to give us the lead and yet another three points.

October League Table

After October we lie in a comfortable 6th place. We're even on points with Margarita F.C, one behind Estudiantes de Caracas and ULA FC, respectively, and two points behind Metropolitanos F.C who occupy the final promotion place. Another good run of form could mean anything, we may even nip into that top two?

October Player of the Month

In the final two clashes of October Marcelo Borges played his role to perfection. Dictating the play in his advanced position in midfield, Borges' late arrivals in the box have been deadly and he now poses a huge goal threat!

Manager's Comments

"October was a great month for us. Bar the blip at U.A Falcón and the draw, which in my eyes was a fantastic effort, we played great and showed what a good side we are. We're playing attractive football and always looking to score, which is great. I can't fault the players' effort, either."