DEA Bedford Masters 2

DEA Masters travelled to Westford, home of a 5-1 thumping last year, and turned the tables in impressive fashion with a 3-0 thrashing on the Grey Goats.

Still getting used to some new faces, and with a few key cogs missing, DEA played a few players out of position but they performed admirably in recording DEA's first victory of the year.

Westford got the first opportunity when a throw-in was received about 30 yards from goal.  The Westford player flipped it up, and volleyed a hard drive at goal.  DEA keeper Doug Henion leaped to parry it over the bar to give DEA confidence boost in the early going.  Henion was a rock all game, solidly filling the cage and swallowing anything in his area.

The central defensive duo of Rob Easton and Joe Masci were solid as well.  Both teamed to thwart any offensive forays into the DEA area.  Masci pushed up frequently to get into the play.  The wing defenders were equally solid, with John Demeritt, Woody Harper, and Mike Robichaud (who also played in the midfield) tracking well and forcing the action to the perimeter.

In a contrast to last week, DEA held possession much better and were patient with their opportunities.  They broke through in the last ten minutes of the half.  After Robichaud's great defensive stand, he drove a long pass that was brought down by Steve Bicknell, who turned into space and filtered a short pass to Scott Vaughn, camped out 25 yards from goal.  With the keeper sneaking off his line, Vaughn rifled a drive that as soon as it left his foot you knew it was trouble.  The keeper leaped, but only got air as it just tucked under the bar to give DEA a 1-0 lead.

The action to that point had been equal, but after the goal  DEA took to dominating the rest of the match.

After the halftime whistle, they continued to send swarms of attackers down the wings.  The Brothers Guild, John and Jeff, were swarming on the outside.  DEA were rotating Jim McCall, Chris Cloutier, Scott Sharby, and Bicknell in the middle.  Jim Walker had a tremendous second half playing forward.  His speed on was creating problems in Westford's zone.  They were struggling with a plan to contain him.

DEA made it 2-0, and broke Westford's back in the process.  McCall sent a long pass into the zone and Sharby was running onto it.  When Westford's sweeper got caught, he realized that he was out of position and handled the pass to keep Sharby from a clean break.  The ref awarded a yellow card, and when Westford was slow to regroup Bicknell noticed the keeper was way off his line and slow to get back.  Bicknell launched a 40-yard bomb that had the keeper scrambling to get back into the goal.  He didn't, and Bicknell's shot was all webbing and DEA had their insurance.

Ten minutes later, another impressive DEA goal turned this one into a rout.  Again, it was started with a defensive stand.  Cloutier stepped in front of a clearing pass and fed Walker on the wing.  He crossed to the back post, where Sharby volleyed it back into the area.  McCall was waiting, and headed it back across the goal for a 3-0 advantage.

DEA salted away the clock to finish it out.  An all-around impressive display from goalkeeping to the forwards saw DEA launch themselves back into the title race.

DEA gos to Groton next week.  Look for updates in your e-mail this week.

The DEA Masters 2 team had a rough start for their debut game.  They fell to the North Shore Wanderers 3-2 down in Amesbury on Sunday. 

Tim Cormay pinged one off the crossbar and was hammered home by Herman Dotti for one of DEA's gaols.  The cookie monster, Jim Pellerin, collected the second tally for DEA.  Herman Dotti had the assist on this one also.   The word was that there were plenty of scoring opporutnities once DEA started letting the shots fly.   Bassem Alnahas had some good looks and rang a couple off the crossbar. 

Next game should be much better now that we have all played together a bit.  The Masters 2 team is at home this Sunday as they take on  Andover Gold at Sportsmans Field at 9:00 AM.

DEA took to the pitch with a revamped roster, but it was their albatross, Irish Village, who spoiled Opening Day with a 2-1 victory at Sportsman's Field.

With Sportsman's Field all painted and with the celebatory buntings on the fences, the crowd was anticipating quite a show.  After the pre-game festivities wound down that saw Johann Cruyff kick out the first ball along with the National Anthem sung by Alicia Keys, the match was under way under intense media presence.

With interest in the DEA franchise at an all-time high, our Fearless Leader Dale Dubois put another squad in Division 6.  Since the original Master franchise was in Division 3, and hoping to continue their climb, the idea was that the cream of the crop was fit and ready to play.

Irish Village, however, were content to play the part of spoilers after their long ride from Roxbury.  A slick passing team, the Irish held a majority of possesion throughout the game as they patiently picked through the DEA squadron.  However, the DEA backfield tandem of Dubois and Rob Easton held strong to thwart any forays deep into DEA territory in the early going.

Offensively, DEA was beginning to get a feel for each other's talents as they only streamed through on occasion.  The first chance came at the 15 minute mark when Jim McCall fed Scott Sharby on the left side.  Sharby scorched a left-footed drive well wide in the best chance for either side in the early going.

One mix-up in the back allowed for Irish's talisman, a bald-headed stopper wearing #5 who oozes class on the pitch, to slip free.  With DEA keeper Chris Cloutier, recently "promoted" from the Over-30's squad late to close in, the Irish fired a shot off the post before the rebound was pushed woefully wide.

DEA came right back to take the lead with some impressive passing.  First, Cloutier came off his line to snare a corner and fed McCall into space.  McCall rifled a long pass to Johnnie Guild on the right side.  Guild weaved his way to the corner before sending a dangerous cross into the area.  With Ed Ibanez late to arrive, McCall came back into the play and slammed home from close range to give DEA a 1-0 lead.

Jeff Bailey then made his appearance for DEA, another recent addition from the Over-30's, and his skill was quickly evident.  Roaming throughout the pitch, Bailey found himself free and nodded home from close range to seemingly give DEA a 2-0 lead at the mid-way point of the 1st half.  However, Bailey's slick move was too quick for the ref and he missed the call completely and called him off-sides.  The call would prove big by game's end.

Not five minutes later, the Irish sent a cross into the box where a player was leaning on Woody Harper.  As his feet went out from underneath him, Harper stepped aside and the Irish fell to the pitch.  The ref hesitated, then pointed to the spot.  The Irish made no doubt on the PK and Cloutier had no chance as it found side webbing to make it 1-1.

While possession was generally held by the Irish, overall play had been pretty even as DEA was countering and creating the better of the opportunities to that point.  Up to that point, indeed.  The last ten minutes saw DEA scrambling to go into the half level.  First, Cloutier slid out to force a corner.  On the resulting corner, a dangerous ball filtered through the box where Mike Robichaud came off his line to head away.  The rebound was hammered back at him, where  Robichaud again cleared off the line impressively as DEA was thankful for the halftime whistle.

Second half saw a rough first five minutes, and Irish take the lead for good.  With a goalie change, another newcomer Doug Henion manned the pipes and his first opportunity to impress didn't work as planned.  When a spin-and-dip floater was crossed into the box, Doug's hesitated only briefly before heading to the backpost.  Unfortunately, it was enough as it softly fell into the webbing.

DEA was now down, but not out.  Again, the Irish held possession, but DEA created the chances.  With Bailey schooling defenders down the right side, he crossed into the box where Ibanez misplayed a bad hop and shot wide.  Five minutes later, another cross into the box saw Ibanez looking to head home from close range.  However, a high-boot up around his eyebrows saw it go clear and the ref pulled an "ostrich" and waved the play on.

Henion was called upon to make two saves to keep it a one-goal margin.  As the match wore on, the feeling of doom began to take over the squad.  DEA could not break down the Irish defense and their searching for the leveller went unheeded.

With 9 new players on the squad, DEA Management can afford to give a mulligan on this game as there was a lack of familiarity on the pitch.  That excuse can be used only once, and DEA will have to improve next week when they travel to Westford to take on the Grey Goats.

Eduardo Ibanez virtually wrapped up the Rookie of the year and took another step in his bid for MVP as he lead DEA to a 7-2 thrashing of Peabody yesterday.  Ed would net three goals in this important relegation game for Bedford. 

DEA was in a spot that they had yet to be in so far in the Masters division.  They were in danger of being relegated back to Division 4.  "This would be a crushing blow to our team that has advanced so quickly up the leagues ladder." said GM Dale Dubois, when asked about the relegation possibilities. "Not to mention the effect on recruiting new players to the team for the spring season.  It is hard to convince players to board a sinking ship."  Bedford took care of that problem in style.

DEA would show up with just 11 to start the game, with JD making it 12 a few minutes in.  Johnnie Morin would suit up for net duties and DEA would pressure Peabody from the opening whistle.  About 5 minutes into play, DEA Stopper, Dale Dubois would get things going as he would rip a left footer into the far netting.  Jeff Guild would follow with another side netting shot only minutes later and it looked to be a rout.  However, Peabody was not going to lay down.  A new player entered the pitch and after some ID checking he was allowed to play.  This sparked the Peabody team and they would march down and score a goal off the top bar and in.  DEA was rattled and temporarily abandoned the short passing game.  Just before half, Peabody would level the score at two as the left striker would hammer a ball just inside the short side post.  It was a game now as DEA went into the half 2-2. 

The GM laid things on the line during half time talk and Bedford would come out on a mission.  DEA would have the wind at their back for the second half and again would take it right to Peabody.  On the first attack a Peabody defender reached up and grabbed at the ball that was shot from the left side.  This would result in a PK.  Ibanez would beat the keeper to the right for his first goal and DEA had an important lead.  The flood gates would open up for Bedford now.  John Guild would get in on the scoring with a classic Red Heat scorcher assisted by brother Jeff.  4-2 DEA.  Ed would get his second goal on a beautiful free kick outside the area to the right of the goal.  No one would have a chance at this one as it hit the upper far side netting.  5-2 DEA.  Brother Jeff would now get his second on a Flea Flicker drawn in the sand by Dale and Joe.  DEA was awarded a throw in at midfield.  Joe would retrieve the ball and hike it to Dale, who decided to take the throw in.  Dale would find John Guild's head with the long throw and Johnnie would flick it on over to Jeff, who was streaking towards the goal.  The keeper was totally fooled and had vacated the net so Jeff needed only to tap it in for DEA 6th goal.  John Morin would switch up with JD in the net as Johnny wanted in on the action.  Ed would wrap things up for the DEA attack and get his Hat Trick minutes before the end of the game.  Some great passing would end at Ed's feet and he would easily beat the keeper once again.

A very impressive and important win for DEA.  Everyone played awesome.  The DEA defense shut Peabody down.  With Rob Easton and Dale in the middle and Joe Masci and Sean Kelly on the flanks, Peabody barely got a shot off in the whole second half.   Ed and John V controlled the DEA midfield and was at the apex of some very good passing with John Guild, JD and Plick on the wings.  Jeff Guild and Jim Pellerin raised havoc up top.  But most importantly, the SCORING was back.... DEA put 7 goals in, which was half as many as they had all season.  

Bedford goes into the off season on a positive note.  The front office is already negotiating some key player acquisitions so look for DEA to take another run at the D3N championship in the spring.

On a very windy day on a dirt and glass field, the Irish Village got the best of DEA to leap frog them in the standings.  Not much to say about this game.  Not many shots at the net.  Bedford has to get a spark going.

The loss puts DEA in a bad spot.  For the first time they are going into the last game of the season with a danger of relegation.  DEA needs to tie or beat Peabody this Sunday to stay in the division.

Lets show up and score some points.