NORFOLK LEAGUE: HM Gunners v City of Uhra
Saturday 19th June 2010, Kick off: 19:00 CET,
at Dynamite Canyon, York

This weekend we take a moment away from the current world cup fever to preview this weekends big clash in the Norfolk league. We're at the Dynamite Canyon for the second time this season and the top two in the Norfolk League go head-to-head. Currently just 1 point separates the top 4 sides in the league in what promises to be the most open and exciting title race for many a season.

Spreading the world cup theme this game is a bit like Spain (HM Gunenrs) the side that in recent times has played wonderfly attacking football and have proved the side to beat in recent times. Visitoys City of Uhra could be compared to Argentina - sides with a great history trying to get back to the glory days. They are always difficult to beat but are now showing a deverstatingly attacking style of their own.

THE SEASON SO FAR

HM Gunners clinched their first league title last season after maintaining their high standard of brilliant football through out much of the season. This term they have continued that theme. Smallville and Shawfield were dispached in the opening games with 8 goals being scored in the process. A 91st minute equliser from Ross County ended the winning run but the Gunners bounced back with a win over an in-form Dutch Warriors. Last weekend they suffered their first defeat of the season though at Hotshots, The Gunners made the second round of the Trophy and their league cup first round tie is evenly poised at 1-1 with Carrowroad Kings.

City of Uhra are looking to improve on last seasons top 3 finish and they started slowly. They opened with a 1-0 win over Ross County before losing at Dutch Warriors. Hotshots then earned a point at the Temple of Enlightenment. However, Nicholas Millar's side have hit top form in their last 2 games, firing 9 goals in total against Smallville and Ash Samba Boyz leaving them trailing HM Gunners by 1 goal on goals scored. Their trophy campaign was ended in Round 1 by the Gunners and like tomorrow's opponents, they are currently at 1-1 after the away leg of their league cup opening round clash with Dinot Riders.

Pos	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
1 2 3 4 5 6	HM Gunners City of Uhra Hotshots Ash Samba Boyz Dutch Warriors Shawfield Reborn	5 5 5 5 5 5	10 10 10 9 7 5	+7 +7 +3 -1 0 3
7 8	Ross County Reserves Smallville FC	5 5	5 0	-1 -18

CURRENT FORM

League: Home & Away

Team	Pld	Won	Drn	Lst	GF	GA	Pts
HM Gunners	6	3	1	2	12	6	10
City of Uhra	6	4	1	1	14	4	13

Team	Pld	Won	Drn	Lst	GF	GA	Pts
HM Gunners (H)	6	5	1	0	15	2	16
City of Uhra (A)	6	2	1	3	6	7	7

All Competitions: Home & Away

Team	Pld	Won	Drn	Lst	GF	GA	Pts
HM Gunners (H)	6	2	2	2	10	8	8
City of Uhra (A)	6	3	2	1	12	5	11

SEQUENCES

HM Gunners:
- Have only lost 2 of their last 16 league games.
- Have won 10 of their last 11 home league matches.
- Unbeaten in their last 11 home league games.
- Have kept 9 clean sheets in their last 11 home league matches.
- Have scored in 20 of their last 21 matches.

City of Uhra:
- Have won 5 of their last 7 league games.
- Have kept 4 clean sheets in their last 7 league matches.
- Have only won 1 of their last 8 away games.*

* = Games at the Xpert Arena are counted as away matches.

PLAYERS IN FORM

HM Gunners:
- Edward Schillen has scored 15 goals in his last 14 league games.
- Ned Stride has 7 goals in his last 13 matches.
- Chuck Ferril has scored 4 goals in his last 4 games.

City of Uhra:
- Mattis Iveby has got 4 assists in his last 5 league games.
- Stevie Rivers has scored in his last 3 games.
- Lasse Paulrud has scored 3 goals in his last 2 games.

IT'S A STAT:

HM Gunners:
- Defender Alasdair Pratt became the 5th HM Gunners player to reach 100 appearances in their league cup tie on Wednesday.
- Ned Stride has scored 15 out of 15 penalties he has taken - only Martyn Lines of Hotshots has a better record.
- are the leading scorers in the Norfolk League this season and the 3rd highest accross all divisions.
- Striker Edward Schillen has the best strike rate in the top division with 51 goals from his 96 games.

City of Uhra:
- Goalkeepr Dan Mallett looks set to make his 50th league appearance for the club.
- Defender Mickey Caldwell looks set to make his 200th appearance for the club making him only the 5th player to pass that landmark in Norfolk League history, and only the 2nd for City of Uhra.
- Have the joint best defensive record in the division.

PAST MEETINGS

	Played	HM Gunners	City of Uhra	Draws
In all competitions	20	7	10	3
At Dynamite Canyon	9	5	2	2
In the league	18	5	10	3
Between the managers	10	4	5	1

LAST MEETING

12/05/2010, Norfolk Trophy 1st Round

City of Uhra	1	HM Gunners	2
Iveby 2		Ferril 40 Schillen 53

TEAM NEWS

HM Gunners:
- Midfielder Marciano De Poli is unavailable through injury.

City of Uhra:
- Are at full strength after Stevie Rivers' return from injury.

THE REF

STEN KOLL, Skill 9, Hard 5
Games: 117
Pens awarded: 17
Yel/game: 1.98
Reds/game: 0.11

PREDICTION

Two sides who's league records would suggest are very evenly matched. City of Uhra have the slighly stronger squad on paper, but the Warriors are very strong at home, rarely dropping points at the Canyon these days. Both sides have in form strikers looking to add to their goal tally's and defences that have been strong this season. City of Uhra have the advantage in the overall head-to-head records but the Gunners' have a good record against them at the Canyon. Last season the Gunners won most of their home games against their title rivals - one of the main reasons they won the title, whilst City of Uhra struggled away against their closest rivals.

With the vast majory of the two sides' star players available this game should give a strong idea of the strength of their respective title challenges. The game should also prove a more entertaining spectacle than the England-Algeria game I've just been watching!

PREDICTION: 2-1 HM Gunners