FUTSAL PREMIER LEAGUE

Press Release: 22 Aug, 2006


FC Santos are Futsal Champions of Scotland, Winning the FPL Scotland Serie A Championship in dramatic finale

Following an exciting final round of matches in the inaugural FPL Scotland, Fair City Santos secured the National League title by virtue of 3 goals, securing a come-from-behind win against close local rivals Perth North Muirton.

Santos pipped second placed Glasgow City on goal difference after the two teams served up a cracking 3-3 draw on Saturday by securing a 10-6 win against Muirton on Sunday, despite being behind until the closing minutes.

This result now means that Santos will become the first Scottish side to represent the Country in the UEFA Futsal Cup which will be held on home ground at Bells Sports Centre, “The Home of Scottish Futsal” from 13-16 September.

The Perth side didn’t have things their own way over the Finals weekend, despite having secured a place in the Championship mini league with an unbeaten record. With Santos and Glasgow fortunate to be facing understrength Edinburgh and North Muirton sides in the first games on Saturday, both teams took full advantage to record high scoring wins, with Santos beating Edinburgh 12-3 after a shaky start and Glasgow outgunning North Muirton 13-4.

Muirton and Edinburgh served up a goal fest in their match up later in the day with both teams really struggling for fitness after their earlier exertions. The appearance of Muirton’s Billy Carle, however, made a major difference and the Perth side grabbed a last gasp three points.

In the game between the big two, Glasgow and Santos served up a cracker. With no goals in the first half the match ebbed and flowed throughout and only the heroics of both goalkeepers, Paul Williams for Santos and Brian Greig for Glasgow, kept the scores level. Santos got off to a flier early in the second half and Mark Caldow, who had been uncharacteristically off form in the opening match grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and gave a virtuoso striking performance. “Coisty” grabbed a quick fire double to give Santos the lead. Glasgow, however, proved again that they are made of stern stuff and came back strongly as the Santos team wilted. A quick reply thanks to a wicked deflection gave them a road back into the match and League top goalscorer David Craig notched an equaliser soon afterwards setting the tie up for a dramatic few minutes. With only four minutes left on the clock, Glasgow went ahead and looked to have won the tie, but back came Santos, and in particular skipper McGregor and striker Caldow who combined for the latter to blast home an equaliser.

The game still had one last twist, however, with Williams making a world class finger tip save from Craig, and Greig somehow plucking a scrambled effort from Santos off the line in the last seconds leaving the result, and the league standings level going into the last day.

With both teams level on points and goal difference, Glasgow were in the driving seat by virtue of their superior number of goals scored although it was only a one goal advantage. The Glasgow lads, however, had been the top scoring outfit in the league and their tally over the weekend took them beyond 100 goals for the season, so it was expected that there would be a high scoring game against Edinburgh, leaving Santos with a mountain to climb.

Scott Mackain (who was voted as Player of the Season), however, had other plans and organised his Edinburgh side in brilliant form to push Glasgow all the way. The Glasgow lads looked tired after their exertions on the Saturday and with Edinburgh rejuvenated thanks to the performance of Dave Martin (signed from Perth second division side Wanderers early on Sunday morning) in goals the game was always in the balance. So much so that Edinburgh could have snatched a win in the dying minutes but for a glaring miss as Glasgow pushed all five players forward. Glasgow, however, again proved their mettle with an unbelievable finish as they snatched a 7-6 victory with a towering header from Keith right on the full time buzzer.

This result put the ball firmly back into Santos court; a win against rivals North Muirton by more than two goals would see the Perth League Champions secure the title. With both teams at full strength, Santos welcomed back Gunnion, whilst Muirton added Ferguson and the influential Holt, the Perth teams served up a cracker.

Any suggestion that there would be favours done were quickly dispelled as Muirton went ahead, as they would remain for much of the match. Santos in fact scored the first goal but after an own goal and wicked deflection the teams went in at the half level at two goals each. The second half saw both teams tire and as the spaces opened up Holt, Grant and Carle took full advantage and piled on the pressure towards the Santos goal. With the score 6-5 in favour of Muirton and only 10 minutes remaining a time out and some tactical manoeuvring by Santos turned the game on its head. With Williams having played all bar 10 minutes of the previous two games, fresh legs in goals for Santos in the shape of Gordon McGillvery proved a success as the latter came up with two wonderful stops in the seconds after the restart. It was, however, the introduction of youngster Kenny Hynd which turned the tide for the Champions.

Both Hynd and Garry Cargill joined the National League squad as an opportunity to work with the squad and continue the fine development they have achieved through the Perth Youth Futsal structure. But Hynd’s contribution in the last 10 minutes of the most high pressure match of the season proves there is a bright future for the youngster in futsal.

With almost his first run of the game he set up the equaliser and then gave Santos the league after another mazy effort and composed finish from close range.

Santos took full advantage of the surge of energy brought by Hynd and went on to score three more times in the closing minutes to ensure the title, sparking celebrations from the whole squad after a summer of tough matches.

The Santos team would now hope for support in their toughest series of matches ever from the sidelines at Bells Sports Centre as they face Adana Yerevan from Armenia, Futsal Mad Max from Finland and Roubaix Futsal from France in the UEFA Futsal Cup.

League organisers would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Referees, Kenny Barclay, Gerry Conlon, Kevin Graham and Scott Robertson for all their efforts over a challenging event during the summer, and to Barry Herron and Steve McLean for their off field assistance.

The UEFA Futsal Cup takes place in Bells Sports Centre from 6pm Wednesday 13th September, 2006 with FC Santos playing Adana Yerevan in the opening tie.





Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com