Blues 3 - 2 PAISLEY (384266236)

Clouds darkened the skies at Penny Arcade as 52871 spectators turned up for the match. Owen Boucher was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Latif Sazak and Matti Pennanen. Blues tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. Lineup: Uricchio - Frin, Beardmore, Pereira - Spade, Sans, Taes, Alexandre, Lazar - Staicu, Glargaard.

PAISLEY decided to use a 3-5-2 set up. Starters: Maione - Nachmias, Nouche, Tiso - Medarch, Pop, Larionov, Pecci, Nyman - de Klaver, MacIlhouse.

Blues tried to focus their attacks down the middle. Pressing was the tactic of the day for PAISLEY. Blues could have put themselves ahead after 16 minutes but E. Taes missed a volley shot on a ball coming in from the right. 17 minutes into the match Blues's T. Sans viciously shoved another player from behind while going for a loose ball and was sent off the pitch with a red card. At 38 minutes played, C. Staicu came in from the right with the intention of giving Blues the lead, but his rocket of a shot rattled the crossbar. 38 minutes in, Blues's L. Alexandre received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. In a fantastic display of determination, PAISLEY's S. de Klaver forced himself to his feet, after an opponent viciously knocked him down. Blues's H. Frin left the field after 41 minutes because of a nasty blow to the shin. His replacement was J. Martin. The home crowd was not impressed by the fancy moves of PAISLEY's V. MacIlhouse after 42 minutes. He converted a pass from the left for a goal, resulting in the visitors taking the 0 - 1 lead. Blues players heard their coach's words ringing in their ears and steered their wing attacks to the middle instead. The crowd roared in delight as M. Spade finished off a spectacular series of passes through the middle to even the score for Blues 44 minutes into the match. 1 - 1. It was 1 - 1 at the break. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by PAISLEY, with 51 percent of the ball.

Central attacks were the recipe of the day for Blues, as they moved the ball from the wings to the middle with startling regularity. The visitors' central defence should have had no trouble clearing the pass to Z. Lazar, but the Blues player managed to shrug them off and fired a low shot past the keeper to give his team the lead. 2 - 1! The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave D. Pop from PAISLEY a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 54 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! Blues's E. Taes had to watch the rest of the game from the sidelines, after twisting his ankle with 59 minutes having been played. E. Jackson was the replacement. The bench was restless, and with 60 minutes passed PAISLEY's coach gave F. MacOnochie the opportunity the player had been hoping for. V. MacIlhouse reluctantly left the field. With 60 minutes played, the PAISLEY coach decided a substitution may help turn the game around. D. Mack came on, C. Pecci had to leave the fray. PAISLEY needed a fresh pair of legs on the field, and after 60 minutes M. Nyman made way for R. Ferjančić. E. Jackson behaved like an inexperienced youth player after 61 minutes as he gave the ball away to D. Larionov. Lucky for him though, there was no goal. D. Mack finished off a quick charge from the left of the field by chipping the ball just past the home side's keeper, making the score 2 - 2 77 minutes into the match. Blues's J. Martin got himself booked for a foul. Blues had a good opportunity to attack on the wing, but remembered their instructions to go for middle attacks. C. Staicu gave Blues the lead as he successfully challenged the guests' central defenders, then slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance. 3 - 2 PAISLEY enjoyed most of the ball, as they maintained 58 percent of possession.

Blues's top performer was clearly T. Glargaard. J. Martin on the other hand, had a terrible day. The most dominating PAISLEY player was without a doubt S. de Klaver. On the other hand, R. Ferjančić's play was disheartening. The match ends 3 - 2.