Missed Chances

Dainite Sports 7 Punjab United 2
Andrew Cox
Duncan Homer

Punjab finally lost there unbeaten away record of the season as they lost 7-2 to a very good Dainite Sports.

A game of missed chances in the first 20 minutes with Andrew Cox hitting a post and Chris Bright having a perfectly good goal disallowed before the home side scored two goals to go 2-0 up.

Punjab then woke up with Andrew Cox and Duncan Homer levelling the game at 2-2.

Dainite then went back in front 3-2 just before the break.

Punjab missed numerous chances before the home side picked off Punjab on the counter attack to score the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th goals.

All in all a bad day with errors all over the park.

Next up Punjab play Wellingborough Town Reserves in the NFA Lower Junior Cup for a place in the last 16.

Team:-Bhandal, Park, Pitra, Birk, Bright, Cox, Millington, Hetherington(P)©, Wilson, Homer, Hetherington(S),
Subs:- (Huseyin for Birk 45 minutes), (Carvalho for Wilson 75 minutes) subs not used: Caka, Singh(A), Crawford

Cracker

Giny makes a welcome return

Punjab warmed up for a very intense and difficult fixture against high flying Dainite Sports with a 14 man training session for what promises to be an absolute cracker of a game.

Dainite sports who are unbeaten since the first game of the season where they lost 2-1 to Cold Ashby have been scoring a hatful of goals and really keeping the pace with the leaders.

Team News for the fixture has some mixed news with Bukhtar Taggar ruled out with a hamstring injury, and Stewart Hetherington struggling with a shoulder problem.

Simon Kent has been given a couple of weeks off.

Striker Julian Millington is declared fit after injury alongside Garinder Birk who returns after being away last week.
Victor Carvalho and Michael Crawford have also been named with the hope that there clearance for playing is ok.

Squad from:-Bhandal, Park, Pitra, Birk, Bright, Cox, Caka, Jennings, Singh(A), Millington, Hetherington(P)©, Wilson,Homer, Hetherington(S), Crawford, Carvalho, Huseyin, Shergill, Poonia,

Double Signing

Punjab United have completed the double signing of 2 players to add competition to the squad for the season.



Michael Crawford has been bought in to add some much needed competition for the Strikers and Centre Midfielders.




Victor Carvalho who has impressed immensely playing Sunday Football for Sharabi United has been given the opportunity with Punjab United.

He has scored 4 goals in 6 games this season from midfield which has given Manager Amrit the chance to bring him in.
Victor can play across midfield and as a Striker which will make him a great asset to the club like Michael Crawford.

A Lacklustre Performance

A lacklustre performance from Punjab against a battling Wilby team meant honours were shared.

Gary Wilson was guilty of three clear cut chances in the first half and also hitting the bar from a free kick.

Skipper Paul Hetherington had a chance which looked like it crossed the line but the referee adjudged differently

The second half was just a battle with Punjab not creating much in the final third.

Wilby then scored from a free kick in the 81st minute to go 1-0 up.

Punjab fought back when Gary Wilson was thrown forward to form a three man strike force and he duly obliged by finishing off a great pass from Andrew Cox by chipping it over the advancing keeper to level the game at 1-1 on 85 minutes.

All in all a fair result with both teams deserving a point a piece.

Starting line up:- Bhandal, Park, Kent, Pitra, Bright, Cox, Taggar, Hetherington(P)©, Wilson, Homer, Hetherington(S),
Subs:-(Caka for Taggar 60 minutes), subs not used:- Jennings, Singh(A),Poonia



Man of the Match:- Stewart Hetherington - (The most accomplished performer firstly at right midfield and then right back)

A Welcome Return

A welcome return for Gary Wilson

Punjab warmed up with a 13 man training season for what promises to be a very tight encounter against a well organised Wilby side.

The two teams have met already in the NFA Junior Cup first round with Punjab progressing 2-1 after extra time.

Punjab welcome back Skipper Paul Hetherington, Stewart Hetherington, Duncan Homer and Gary Wilson for this game.

Striker Julian Millington is rated as 50-50 after picking up a thigh injury in the cup win last weekend.

Ahmet Huseiyn has had a recurrence of his knee and Garinder Birk is unavailable for selection.

Michael Crawford could well be added to the squad if his clearance comes through in time.

Squad from:-
Bhandal, Park, Kent, Pitra, Bright, Cox, Caka, Jennings, Singh(A), Millington, Taggar, Hetherington(P)©, Wilson,Homer, Hetherington(S), Crawford, Shergill, Poonia,

Managers comments on the weekend cup win

Manager Amrit Poonia was full of praise for the effort and will to win of the squad that enabled a 4-3 win over Ristee Towers.

Amrit who played for 9 seasons at Ristee, was very happy with the performance and was quick to pinpoint six players from the performance for special praise.

Ahmet Huseiyn who was around 60% fit since a knee injury playing a pivotal role in keeping the back four together when Ristee pressurised in the second half with some excellent headed clearances and general organisation.



Bukhtar Taggar in his first start since the 21st October with the way he anchored in front of the back four enabling Chris Bright and others to do the damage in the final third.




Julian Millington for giving a good outlet down the channels that gave the front men time and space to build on attacks.




Vice captain Claudio Pitra who dropped deep in the second half to work the midfield and form a solid defensive shield alongside Bright and Taggar to ensure Punjab defended and kept there shape.




Garinder Birk for his outstanding defensive work in the final twenty minutes when the home team started to the width to break us down.




Finally Andrew Cox for his second half running as a lone frontman to put the home team under pressure before he hit the vital fourth to secure a quarter final spot.



Although these players have been singled out for special praise the whole team ethic has again showed the squad is very strong and could mount a serious challenge for silverware come the end of season.

Truly Inspirational Performance

Ristee Towers 3 Punjab United 4
Chris Bright (2)
Claudio Pitra
Andrew Cox
HT- 1-3









Chris Bright, Claudio Pitra and Andrew Cox Punjabs goal scorers

Team from:- Bhandal, Birk, Huseiyn, Park, Kent, Jennings, Bright, Taggar, Millington, Pitra,© , Cox.
Subs:- (Caka for Jennings 60 minutes) subs not used Singh, Poonia

With a depleted squad Punjab produced a truly inspirational and professional performance to progress against a well organised Ristee Towers Team.

Player of the Month Chris Bright scored from another Simon Kent delivery at the second attempt to give Punjab a well deserved lead inside 15 minutes.

Man of the match Claudio Pitra then took a throw in from Simon Kent to beat three men before placing the ball into the bottom right corner to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Punjab then made it three when a Garinder Birk throw in was well met by Chris Bright to beat the keeper at the near post.

The Punjab Keeper then failed to hold a shot from the home team to make it 1-3 at the break.

During the half time Punjab made some tactical changes before they came out for the second half knowing a strong tail wind would cause a problem.

The home team made it 2-3 from a disputed penalty before a counter attack 4th goal when Julian Millington played in Andrew Cox to make it 2-4 with his 12th of the season.

Punjab defend strongly before the home side pulled another back.

Punjab held on with a brilliant rearguard action to progress to the next round of the cup.

Punjab United Man of the Match:- Claudio Pitra (Truly inspirational performance from the vice captain capped off with a brilliant goal)

Opportunity to Avenge

Punjab enjoyed a 21 man training session in the 4 degrees cold in preparation for there Divisional Cup game away versus Ristee Towers.

The squad have an early opportunity to avenge the 2-1 reverse they had in early October.

Punjab have some notable absentees for the fixture with Skipper Paul Hetherington, Stewart Hetherington, Duncan Homer and Gary Wilson all away for this game.

Manager Amrit Poonia has added Inderpal Singh and Ahmet Aksu to the squad together with the possible return of Julian Millington, Ahmet Huseiyn and Bukhtar Taggar for this encounter.

Squad from:-Bhandal, Birk, Park, Kent, Pitra(c), Bright,Cox, Caka, Jennings, Shergill, Poonia, Huseiyn, Singh(A), Millington, Singh.(I), Aksu, Taggar, Bajwa, Shergill

Professional Performance

Punjab United 5 Weavers Old Boys 1

Hat trick hero Paul Hetherington

Paul Hetherington (3) 1 pen
Claudio Pitra
Andrew Cox

Team From:- Bhandal,Birk, Homer, P.Hetherington,Park, Kent,Pitra, Bright,Wilson,Cox, S.Hetherington
Subs:-(Jennings for Birk 65 minutes),(Caka for Pitra 80 minutes),(Singh for Cox 85 minutes)

Punjab produced a very professional performance by beating a good Weavers team 5-1.
The away side dominated in the early exchanges before Punjab forced a succession of corners with Paul Hetherington side footing one home from a well executed Simon Kent corner.

Paul Hetherington added number two from another Simon Kent corner by heading home powerfully.
Punjab had another three good opportunities in the first half that were wasted or foiled by the weavers keeper.

Simon Kent then supplied another superb corner for Claudio Pitra to head home for 3-0.

Punjab then scored the goal of the game when Bhandal,Park,Pitra,Birk,Wilson and Homer produced a devastating counter attack which was brilliantly executed by top goalscorer Andrew Cox for his 11th of the campaign for 4-0.

Matt Fitzjohn then scored a good goal from a stooping header to make it 4-1 before Paul Hetherington got his 3rd and first hat trick for Punjab from the penalty spot after he had to re-take the penalty in total 3 times to make it 5-1.

Punjab United Man of the Match:- Paul Hetherington…(First centre back in the clubs history to score a hat trick)

Next up Punjab go to Ristee Towers in the Divisional Cup on the 11th November 2006.

Henry, Ronaldinho, C. Ronaldo, Carlos, Zidane, Football, Soccer, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, FA Cup, Champions League, World Cup, tickets, seats

Welcome News

Punjab preparations for the Home game against Weavers received some welcome news with Strikers Julian Millington and Dallie Mandson available for selection again.

Ahmet Huseiyn is again ruled out through Injury along with Bukhtar Taggar.
Duncan Homer who scored a double in the NFA Cup will have a late fitness test to determine his availability.

Daniel Jennings and Stewart Hetherington are pushing hard for a starting place.

Squad From:- Bhandal,Birk, Homer, P.Hetherington,Park, Kent,Pitra, Bright,Wilson,Cox, Caka,
S.Hetherington ,Jennings ,Shergill,Poonia,Singh,Millington,Mandson
Weavers come to Weekley Glebe after just narrowing being beaten by league leaders Cold Ashby in the NFA Junior Cup 2-1.