Football in the Bulgarian community

Week 14
Home to Bolyarovo

Today was the first game of the second half of the season after the winter break.
The reverse fixture was a 5-3 defeat but with more experience under their belts the feeling in the new dressing room (caravan) was optimistic.
We started well and took the game to Bolyarovo creating the best of the early chances but it was the visitors who took the lead with a long, Rory Delap style, throw that the defence failed to clear and the striker nodded home.
But this game did not have the feel of previous games and we continued to push forward around the half hour mark we got our break through, Rusi played a quick pass down the line for Avram to run to the byline and cross for Kuncho to level the scores.
Shortly after this we thought we had taken the lead when Kuncho challenged the Keeper and ball found the net but the referee blew for a foul and the goal was disallowed.
At half time the score was 1-1, in the second half Bolyarovo resorted to the long ball game of ?wimbledon? and except for the occasional long throw presented very few threats.
The lads continued to play the passing game and created some great chances and but for the post and some desperate defending by the visitors at times could and should have taken the lead.
The only sour note was a clash between our captain Ivan and one of the opposition that saw both players dismissed.
The final score was 1-1 and we have picked up another valuable point, from back to front the work rate today was excellent with the home team enjoying the best of the possession.

Next week is the local derby, Home to Inzovo; this will be a completely different test and should be better for us as Inzovo like to play a passing game also.

The Magari award was given to Ivan for his red card, and the Man of the Match was shared between the whole team.

Darren


My thoughts

Well what a great start to the new half of the season!

Gagarin were all over the visitors half for the first half of the match, they were really piling on the pressure and I think that Bolyarovo wondered what was going on!
They certainly didn?t expect this from the bottom of the table and found it very difficult to get any chances through.
We didn?t hear any racism this time, which was good, though the home fans were out in full force and as per usual a very noisy and possibly intimidating one to any visiting team.
Ivan the captain and one of theirs decided to head butt each other resulting in a red card and a 200bgn fine, alongside Vesi getting a yellow for arguing with the ref costing the club 50bgn, a total of 900bgn this season!!!
We will be introducing a small fine for the players to have to pay next season, as in the UK players are responsible, whereas here the fines are ridiculous so the clubs end up paying them.
It is a shame as at a recent AGM with the Yambol Football Association FC Gagarin were congratulated on their gentlemanly conduct with the lowest amount of bookings in the league, the club with the most cards is Yambol, with a running total of 2250bgn!!!
Good job they have a good sponsor!

Anyway the lads were happy with the work today, we had new signing Ivan from Inzovo with us and he did make a difference at the back for his debut match.
Alexander also a new signing from Kukorevo will hopefully be starting next week replacing red carded Ivan.  

Nikki

Avram hates to pose for the camera normally but he couldn't resist this one,this is why we need boots lol