Folsom United 3 - 3 Streets of London

Tuesday night's game was full of goal mouth action in which fans saw 6 goals conceded for a game that could have gone either way, and in the end deserved to be a draw.

Folsom United were running on the back of a poor streak and the visitors arrived with every intent to capitalize on that opportunity. Going into the game many pundits had claimed that the Streets would suffer as a result of missing top goal-scorer Mike Daley and the token German Vadim Winkler. but they would be proven sorely wrong tonight.

With the likes of Sheik's Andy Wylie and Ian Baxter both fit and ready to play, the Streets would field three new players for the evening - a decision that Kevin "The Guvnor" O'Brien doesn't make lightly.

"I don't have a lot of choice tonight. This is an important game. We'll have to see how they fit in with the rest of the team," commented O'Brien as he disembarked from the team Volvo bus/car thing.

There were heavy tackles being thrown in right from the get go as Folsom United wanted to try and intimidate the visitors and it wasn't long before the first player needed some time off the field. Andy Nelson was slammed to the deck as a Folsom United forward challenged late and sliced through the backs of Nelson's legs.

Despite the harsh challenge there was no foul called and the Streets went down to 10 men before Steve Sims was able to come onto the field at the next break in the game.

Early pressure from Folsom United continued and they were rewarded with a goal that made the Streets look more like traffic cones than players. The Folsom United forward dribbled through 4 of the Streets midfield and defenders before shooting past Don Bradshaw.

The move was enough, however, to shake the Streets into action and bring the game to life.

15 minutes into the first half Nik "Pinkie" Mussor intercepted a Folsom United pass almost exactly at the half-way line. Seeing O'Brien starting his run, Mussor launched the ball down the right wing. O'Brien carried it to the edge of the 18-yard box and placed a perfect cross which was met on the far post by Dave Scribner. The keeper had no chance of stopping the header as it found the back of the net.

Within 5 minutes the Streets would score again. O'Brien rose to a free ball in the air and headed the ball into the path of Mussor who shot home from the edge of the 6-yard box.

2 goals in 5 minutes for the Streets was just what was needed to really heat the game up, Folsom United responding with determination.

The back line was caught off-guard in the 32nd minute when Folsom United connected across the box to find their second goal and tie the game up.

Feeling the frustration of conceding the lead, the Streets were lucky not to have been awarded a penalty against them as Jon Taylor maliciously brought down a Folsom United forward inside the box. The referee, seeing nothing wrong, allowed play to continue despite protests from the home fans.

Fortunately for both teams the half-time whistle was not far behind allowing each side the space they needed to cool the enthusiasm somewhat.

With the second half underway, the tempo hadn't changed and the game was very much end-to-end in nature. It appeared to be more like a cup tie than a league game, but the fans loved it.

On the hour mark the Streets would again take the lead with their third goal. Mussor's influence on the game was obvious and he would again be instrumental in a deciding moment. After a quick look up he picked out Scribner running down the left side of the field. A sublime pass landed right at Scribners feet, the finish as clinical as the pass.

Despite some opportunities for both sides over the course of the next 20 minutes, neither managed to capitalize. The new players were fitting in well with the Streets team, but the killer finish wasn't quite there for the evening.

The Streets inability to finish off Folsom United would cost them 10 minutes form time when Folsom United managed to tie up the game.

A clear opportunity to put a low cross into the middle of the penalty area was all that was needed for a Folsom United forward to pick up and slot home for the tie.

O'Brien, although disappointed with the tie, was pleased with his teams performance. "We were unfortunate not to hold on to the lead. We need to work on not giving away the ball once we are in front. But all in all the lads did well. It was a physical game tonight - just the way we like it. Jon was extremely lucky that his push in the box didn't result in a penalty. I'll definitely be talking to him about that after the game."

The Streets now miss two weeks before their next game on September 1, a home tie against BASOM. Depending upon the Texas negotiations Daley may or may not be present, but the team is definately expecting back midfielders Neil Oldham and Vadim Winkler.

Winkler Renews Contract

A spokesperson for the Streets of London today confirmed that midfielder Vadim Winkler has renewed his contract with the team through next season.

"His recent visit to Germany convinced him that the right place to be at this point in his career is with the Streets of London. His visa extension was approved and we look forward to him continuing his success with us" Gerard McAvoy said.

According to the contract Winkler is expected to earn $20,000 per match in addition to sponsorship rights with BMW that he owns.

Kevin "the Guvnor" O'Brien said of the contract "this is great news. Vad brings a lot to the team. The $20K is nothing for the Sheikhs, but it means a lot to Vad. Im sure his commitment will show in the coming games. The lads are really pleased he's staying on."

Winkler himself was at the bank and was unavailable for comment.

Daley in Late Season Transfer?

Streets of London top goal scorer Mike Daley will miss tonight's match against Folsom United. While there has been no official confirmation from the team it is known that Daley is in Texas.

Speculation surrounds that he might be moving to Austin to play with the Austin Cow Herders although rival team Austin Dudes has also shown interest in the striker.

It is not known whether Daley's contract would be bought out, but one spokesperson for the US Soccer Federation said "It's a possibility. Dlaye is highly sought after. He is, after all, a cowboy and he would fit in well in Texas. This issue is whether the Texan teams could afford to buy out the remainder of the contract."

There have also been rumors of a possible transfer to Europe, although there has been no evidence of this.

Neither the Streets of London nor Daley's agent were available for comment.