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One for the cameras: Giant’s keeper Bernhard Dierkes spectacularly tips the ball away from Joe Anderson.
“Clearly our outfield players need more penalty practice”, he said, “but Benito isn’t going to become our penalty taker in the meantime”.
“It was a very even match with few clear cut chances, so I guess it was inevitable that it would go down to the lottery of penalties”, he continued.
“Yet again we’ve come up short, but this is one of those games that are banana skins for the higher teams; what is maybe more of a problem is that it always seems to be us that manage to find them”.
He concluded by saying, “Naturally we’re disappointed, and I know it’s a cliché, but now we can concentrate on the league which is after all much more important to us”.
Brook Street will now enter the Tartan Cup, but Eike is already on record saying that the tournament will be used for developing the club’s younger players.
New signing, 19-year old Kalle Konkka.
Commenting on the new signing, Eike admitted, “We actually finalised the transfer late on Friday night, but transport delays from the heel of Italy meant that Kalle only arrived here late last night”.
Continuing, he said, “Kalle is one for the future. We’re well aware of our aging squad and we have to take steps to prepare for the future by bringing players in, especially after the closure of the Academy”.
“He’ll bring us a more dynamic option in the middle of the park, and we’ll be looking to bring in more youngsters over the months ahead. Our squad is old and some difficult decisions are on the horizon. We need youngsters ready to walk straight into the first team and we need to get them in early and build them up”.
Kalle himself said, “It was a real surprise to be moving on so soon after moving to Italy, but I hope to get a chance to show what I can do here at Brook Street. I’ve moved around a lot in the past three and a half seasons and I’m looking to establish myself at a club, and I hope Brook Street are it”.
He continued, “I managed to meet a few of my new team-mates last night and I look forward to hopefully playing alongside them”.
Kalle goes straight into the squad for the Scottish Cup Second Round tie against Geo’s Giants on Wednesday.
Owen Maurice shows a clean pair of hands to cut out a liverbenitez cross.
Of course, for the tacticians, this was a masterpiece in cancelling out your opponent, but for everyone else, it was a dreadfully dull 0-0 draw. In fact, one comedian in the press-box suggested that both sides had been lucky to get nil.
Instead of winning the match being paramount, fear of losing it had taken root and after a brief lively start the game quickly descended into a form of chess match fought out between two evenly matched opponents in the no-man’s land of midfield.
The fact that the closest anyone got to scoring was when liverbenitez’s Grégory Dechamps mis-hit shot looped wildly over Owen Maurice’s head and bounced off the top of the crossbar, probably sums up the game entirely.
The sides turned ‘the beautiful game’ into something befitting Halloween, as Eike acknowledged at the post-match press conference.
“If I were a neutral coming here this afternoon to see last season’s top two sides in the division, I’d be wanting my money back”, he said. “That made for grim viewing, and while technically both sides were on top of their game, it isn’t pleasing on the eye for the spectators who are here to be entertained”.
In what is probably going to be an even more cut-throat league than normal this season, a point was probably not a bad outcome for either side. Elsewhere however, Ipod Utd saw off Wasps by four goals to one, play-off winners Red Star Caledonia saw off Lambo Selecta by 4-2 and in the battle of the new boys, goudi city had a good 3-1 away win at rsc mien.
On his Brook Street debut, new signing Remko de Rijke calmly fires home his first goal for the club against FC Audi Quatro 72
Brook Street romped into the Scottish Cup Second Round with an comfortable 10-0 win over FC.AUDI_QUATRO-72 in the Borders this afternoon.
Craig Smart, new signing Remko de Rijke and Nick Breaden all hit braces with Brook Street’s other goals coming form Sam Ferretto, Gary McNally, Bogusz Cacek and Fin Morton. Brook Street were dominant throughout and never had to get out of second gear as the Borderers were simply outclassed.
“We controlled the game from the first whistle to the last and played some good football”, said Eike after the match. “We passed the ball well and our link-up play was very good. There’s always room for improvement, but we’ve got to be happy with the display and result in our first competitive game of the season”.
New signing Remko de Rijke showed he has an eye for goal netting a brace on his debut.
Eike said, “Yes Remko showed he is a good finisher and he proved that given the chances, he can take them. We have to ensure that we give him the opportunities, but those may be harder to come by against Division III defenders”.
Brook Street’s reward in the Second Round is a shorter trip down to the Central Belt and a tie against Division IV side Geo’s Giants.
New signing Remko de Rijke walks onto the LJG Stadium pitch for the first time wearing the club’s new home kit.
Speaking of his new signing, Eike said, “Remko will give us a new option up front. Andrew [Cleary] and Sam [Ferretto] are not getting any younger and when they are injured, they tend to be out for a while”.
“Remko will give us another more experienced option alongside Adam Humphrey to partner the younger players, as I feel it’s important to have even slightly older players to guide them. It also keeps the pressure on Adam for a place in the first team squad, so it’s win/win situation for the club as far as I can see”.
Eike also confirmed that Remko will go straight into the squad to face FC. Audi Quatro-72 in the First Round of the Scottish Cup in the Borders on Wednesday.
“We know it’ll be a gentle introduction to competitive action on Wednesday”, admitted Eike, “but it’s important to get him up to speed as fast as possible given the League starts on Saturday.
Brook Street also used the introduction of their new striker to unveil the club’s new home kit. Speaking exclusively to This Is Brook Street Kyle fair said, “The club is delighted to unveil our new home and away kits for the new season in partnership with our new kit manufacturer Macron”.
He continued, “Beko has continued as the club’s main front of jersey sponsor with LJG our back of shirt sponsors once again just as they were during last season. The club would like to thank both our shirt sponsors for their continued support”.
This season’s home jersey is a graded variation on our traditional black and blue diagonal with white shorts and socks. The away jersey sees the club continue with white shirts, black shorts and blue socks. Replica kits are available now from the club outlets.
Krsto Grubic in action for Brook Street.
Speaking exclusively to This is Brook Street, he said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time playing for Brook Street. We’ve had highs and lows for sure, but now is definitely the time to stand aside”.
He added, “I’ve talked with the gaffer endlessly over the past few months of my intention to hang up my boots at the end of this season. He tried to talk me out of it, but I knew my chances of playing for Brook Street were realistically zero, so to his, and the club’s, credit knowing I wanted to keep playing, tried to fix up a move which would have allowed this. Unfortunately, there were no takers, so that really made my mind up”.
He continued, “Of course it’ll be a real wrench leaving a clubthat’s been so big a part of my and my family’s lives, but all good things must come to an end”.
He continued, “We’ve been here so long we’ve even all picked up a bit of an accent, especially the kids who speak Bosnian but with a Scots accent. That’s really funny, but it annoys my wife a bit. I think the final straw for her was when she said something and I replied, ‘Ach a’ ken’. ‘Time to spend some time back home’, she replied”.
“I would just like to thank everyone involved with the club the fans and everyone we’ve metfor making us so welcome. We certainly won’t be leaving the town any time soon, you don’t get rid of us that easily, but we’re heading home for a long holiday to catch up with our friends and families there. After that, we’ll see what our options are”.
Krsto joined Brook Street an amazing nineteen seasons ago from French side FC Ungersheim. During his lengthy career at Brook Street, he surprisingly only played a total of 132 competitive matches, netting 30 times. When non-competitive games are included, he has the fourth highest appearances at 312 with 71 goals scored in the process.
Everyone at the club wishes Krsto and his family all the very best for the future.
Owen Maurice is left helpless as Claudio Cianciullo half-volley’s the opener for KSZO.
While the 3-0 defeat was without doubt disappointing for Eike Alanne and his players, they can collectively hold their heads high, for no Brook Street side has ever got anywhere near a Division II play-off before.
“Sure, we are all very disappointed with the result and the way the game played out”, admitted Eike at the post-match press event, “but as I told the lads, they’ve done themselves and the club proud by winning a Division III title and getting the chance to go head to head against a Division II side in the play-off”.
He added, “They have written their place in the history books, no-one can take that away from them”.
Brook Street started well, but things started to go wrong when, in the twenty-third minute, Andrew Cleary landed awkwardly and injured his ribs. Adam Humphrey came on as his replacement, but the injury to their talisman knocked the side’s confidence and just eight minutes later they were behind.
KSZO had ratcheted up the pressure on the Brook Street goal and after a close-shave for the visitors, the home site took the lead when Claudio Cianciullo raced onto a long through ball and slammed the ball into the net on the half-volley.
Brook Street were struggling and could have conceded a second just minutes later but Owen Maurice cut out the cross well. However no-one could have anticipated the injury to Alex Clapperton which saw the winger hobble off nine minutes from the break. With two substitutes already committed the Monifieth side’s gameplan was lying in tatters and captain Henny van Wegen’s booking for kicking the ball away a minute later summed up everyone’s frustration.
Athletic were still in the tie and got to the break without any other mishaps, which gave them renewed confidence after a half-time pep talk from Eike.
However, KSZO had also had a pep talk from their coach and came out determined to put Brook Street to the sword as soon as possible. They were attacking in waves, and just seven minutes after the re-start, they made the breakthrough when Caspar Pelleboer raced through to fire the ball under the onrushing Owen Maurice to double the home side’s lead.
KSZO weren’t in any mood to let up, and Owen Maurice saved spectacularly five minutes later to keep Brook Street in the tie, and the crossbar came to their rescue in sixty-two minutes. However, Brook Street’s chance of causing an upset were all but extinguished three minutes later when Adam Humphrey had to go off with what appeared to be a dead leg. With no more strikers available, midfielder Zak Ailstock had to play up top, although this was now becoming a damage limitation exercise.
That Brook Street only conceded one more goal, midway through the second half when Caspar Pelleboer netted his second of the match, is perhaps indicative of the determination shown by Eike’s players to shut up shop, Henny van Wegen’s second yellow and subsequent red card with a minute to go summed up Brook Street’s afternoon perfectly.
On the injuries, Eike was able to confirm that all three are likely to miss the start of the new season with Andrew Cleary and Alex Clapperton likely to face lengthy spells out.
And with that the curtain falls on a historic season for the club, one which although ending in the disappointment of the play-off defeat, had considerably more highs than lows… oh, and a Division III title.
Alistair Bernard wheels away to celebrate scoring our decisive third goal in the title decider this afternoon.
Playing in front of another capacity crowd at the L & J, Brook Street took the lead with the first real chance of the game with just over a quarter of an hour played.
Alex Clapperton had made progress down the right wing before swinging over a tempting cross. It wasn’t the best of crosses, but it caused panic in the heart of the visitors’ defence and after bobbling about in the eighteen yard box, it landed at the feet of Vassilis Taxiarchou who drove the ball into the net on the turn.
The wings were proving to be a happy hunting ground for Brook Street, and it was from a break down the left wing that they doubled their lead in the twenty-third minute.
A sharp exchange of passes between Zak Ailstock and Laszlo Grofcsik released Conor Meldrum who galloped down the left wing before driving a low hard cross over to Adam Humphrey who finished clinically to make it 2-0.
Laszlo Grofcsik should have done much better when he pulled his shot well wide in the fortieth minute, and that miss could have proved crucial as Ipod could easily have levelled in the space of the following two minutes. However, resolute defending from goalscorer Vassilis Taxiarchou thwarted the first effort and the frame of the goal came to Brook Street’s rescue for the second.
Brook Street kept the pressure on their title rivals after the restart, and Ipod had keeper Reese Tanner to thank for keeping them in the game twelve minutes into the second half when he pulled off a tremendous reflex save to tip substitute Andrew Cleary’s netbound header over the bar.
Despite being under so much pressure, Ipod were still in the game and should have pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Marc Bleuer contrived to hit the post with the whole Brook Street goal at his mercy.
This served as a wake-up call for Brook Street, and again Reese Tanner had to come to the visitors’ rescue when he turned a Laszlo Grofcsik piledriver away to safety in the sixty-third minute.
Then, with twelve minutes remaining, the coup de grâce. Alistair Bernard had had a quiet game by his standards, when the ball came to him on the left side. As the visiting defenders backed off and expected a pass out to the wing, Alistair cut in and fired the ball home to put the game beyond doubt and cue an enormous outpouring of relief and jubilation in the stands as it became clear the title was Brook Street’s.
Andrew Cleary almost made it four with seven minutes to go, and although Ipod finally put the ball in the Brook Street net three minutes later, nothing was going to dampen the celebrations already in full swing in the stands.
Struggling to make himself heard at full-time, a very hoarse Eike Alanne said, “I’ve never seen anything like this before. We have superb fans and this win and title are for them; you can see what it means to them”.
He continued, “They’ve had lots of ups and downs this season, but they’ve stuck by us and we’ve won a chance to play in the second tier next season”.
Asked about next week’s game he said, “Maybe it’s too early for us, maybe not, but we’ll give it our best shot and see how we get on. Tonight however is for celebrating!”
In the other games, Eliminators and Wasps shared six goals, Lambo Selecta fired six without reply against Loud lager, and liverbenitez thumped Calton Hill 12-0.
So Season 60 finishes with Brook Street as Champions and will go into the Division II play-offs, liverbenitez were runners-up, Calton Hill and Loud lager were relegated while Eliminators Kushevo and Lambo Selecta will face Division III play-offs.
This is Brook Street 