Foot Clan Win, HASL Premiership In Sight

On a soggy Grissom Soccer Stadium field, Foot Clan all but sealed up the Spring 2009 HASL Premiership title with a 2:1 win against defending champions Law Dogs. The always tightly contested fixture provided some great soccer for the approximately 50 spectators in attendance.

In the early moments of the match, it appeared that both teams were slow to adjust to the poor conditions. Throughout the first half, Foot Clan was content to keep men behind the ball and spring counter attacks, which lead to a few half-chances that perhaps the FC forwards would like to get another bite at.


Law Dogs were able to break through the solid Foot Clan defense only once in the opening period, when John Lawrence found himself through from a lofted Mike Trice ball. Lawrence expertly lobbed over the onrushing FC goalkeeper, but the goal bound ball was shepherded away by a trailing defender just a foot from the line.

It seemed the teams would go into the half knotted up at zeroes , but in the 45th minute, the Foot Clan counter attack sprung. A long diagonal was played into FC's William Jaggwe's path and he beat Law Dog defender Michael Haley to the ball and powered a low left footed drive that nestled in the corner of the net.

Both teams came into the second half determined, but Law Dogs began to gain confidence as they applied more pressure looking for the equalizer. In the 61st minutes, it was John Lawrence who broke the seal on the Foot Clan goal. A searching long ball found his brother Joseph Lawrence in the heart of the FC penalty area. Joseph laid off a perfect one time ball for John who hit a whistling half volley from just outside the area that was rising as it struck the back of the net.

Law Dogs continued to press for the winner with long balls over the top, but it was Foot Clan who would provide the remaining tally 10 minutes later. The ball fell to Brian Kimbugewe who made room for himself a few yards outside the area and struck a thunderous, swerving shot which the LD goalkeeper could not keep out of the net despite doing well to get a hand on it.

With legs tiring from the bog-like field, Law Dogs could not muster much of a threat on the Foot Clan goal, and FC saw out the remaining 20 minutes until referee Chuck Spaniola whistled for full time on a much deserved Foot Clan victory.

With two games remaining, Foot Clan now find themselves one result away from the Premiership title.