Now Meteora has a mountain to climb [FM11]

[emgergo]

After a summer with the Euros and the Olympics a sports editor also deserves some kind of rest... time for a new FM save. FM 11 11.3.0, the only additional file is FM Greece's one which enables playing Greek lower levels.

NOW METEORA HAS A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB

AO METEORA KALABAKAS, Greek Regional Division Group 4 (Delta Ethinki, fourth tier)

Having lived in Greece and even watching lower league football there, I was quite happy to find a working league expansion. I lived in Serres but unfortunately Panserraikos is too high up the league pyramid and the rest are teams of rival towns, so I moved down to Kalabaka, Thessaly - the town of the world famous Meteoras.

Nice view, isn't it?

Too bad the team actually spoils it.

The league rules are tough to say the least. We have 14 teams. One goes up, six go down. Anything under position 8 will get you relegated! I promised to avoid relegation before checking the rules, something I now regret a bit.

TEAM INFO SHEET

[SRL88]

Good luck fella .

[emgergo]

According to the ass. man avoiding relegation might be on the cards. He can't tell the difference between a footballer and a donkey, so I'm not sure his summary is any useful, but here we go. Team report and youth team report. The latter makes me think that our academy is focusing on philisophy, not football.

Meet our physio. Can't tell Ebola apart from a mild cold. I just hope he has other ideas to cure a match injury apart from amputation.

[iHeadHunta x]

Will be interesting, will follow!

[BraveSirRobin]

Good to see a career in Greece:)

IRL most teams in Group 4 are really bad, I'm sure avoiding relegation is possible!

[emgergo]

The problem is that we really suck, too There is a good backbone, but absolutely no backup.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Looking forward to this, good luck

[B.W.G]

Good luck in Greece

[emgergo]

Having a youth academy meant I moved up the not-so-crap players to the A team, but I still needed some strengthening, so in came a centre-back, a defensive midfielder/left winger, a right-back (to cover up for the outgoinh right-back) and a veteran striker. The striker also had some interesting reasoning why he came here. If Kalabaka with its population of 11000 is more metropolitan I do not dare to ask where the hell he spent his time before!

[emgergo]

Pre-season was only wins and draws, that usually sends you a wave of chill, because you just know the team will be all over the place as soon as the league fixtures come.

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Agrotis (H) 0-1: It wasn't bad for a first run-out apart from the actual score. Neither team played very bravely (which seems to be usual for Greek football - defensive tactics everywhere), they tucked away their only clean chance in the 65th minute.

Thyella Petrotou (A) 0-0: Only 18 (!!!) people turned up for this match and duly got an awful, awful spectacle in exchange. As dull as a match can be. Next, please. I'm pretty sure Thyella lost about 3 fans because of the absymal performance and our only traveling supporter will think long and hard about coming next time.

Karditsa (H) 4-0: Things were not looking rosy when Karditsa were awarded a penalty early on, but my keeper saved it and we withstood their attacks. Filippos Keramas presented me the first goal of my Meteora career after a counter and we had a narrow lead for the second half. There we ran them into the ground, first Keramas doubled the lead, then veteran striker/captain Ilias Sapanis scored a brace late on. We were given an odds of 5.80 before the match

Lamia (A) 1-0: Lamia should be fighting for promotion but they messed up the league start and we added to their woes with Sapanis smashing home a ball ten minutes from time.

Oikonomos Tsaritsanis (H) 2-1: This was a tight affair as they came out the blocks firing and took the lead from a penalty while we looked shell-shocked. The goal somehow woke us up, we missed three chances in quick succession before Sapanis scoring a screamer. Midfielder Dimitris Lazaridis - who missed two one-on-ones earlier on - turned up to score the winner just after the break.

Aperantiakos (A) 1-0: We dominated the match from start to finish, yet were unable to score until late on, when left winger Thanasis Mokas helped in a rebound.

No complaints so far with how the league looks like!

[Dexter_Morgan]

Good start:thup:

[BraveSirRobin]

Nice start, shocking stuff from Lamia!

Sapanis should be class for this level:cool:

[Nobby_McDonald]

Nice scenic place for a stadium.

[emgergo]

Nice scenic place for a stadium.

The monks get a good view of the matches as well!

[emgergo]

Nice start, shocking stuff from Lamia!

Sapanis should be class for this level:cool:

They now lost 13 in a row and counting

Sapanis is class, can't really move but has technique, which is something generally lacking in the division. So far 6 goals, 3 assists.

[emgergo]

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

Pyrgetos (A) 1-0: A surprising win over a fancied side, Sapanis scored one early on the counter and we valiantly defended after that. The goalpost helped us out thrice, so Pyrgetos must have felt they've been cheated.

Pyrasos (H) 2-0: Second striker Giorgios Gravanis returned from an injury and gave us the lead after an hour, which was doubled by centre-back Giorgios Manos with a header. A very easy win, we were knocking on the door all day.

Apollon Larisas (A) 0-1: Onto the league leaders then. The good: we played a very even match with them, being equals in both chances and possession. The bad: they were the only team to score from a diving header and we missed all our chances for an equaliser.

Makrakomi-Spercheiada (A) 1-0: Back to winning ways. Makrakomi has only scored one goal in the league up to this point, now they scored another but found their own net, giving us the win. We had complete domination in all areas, but wasted our chances generously, Lazaridis even smashed a penalty off the bar.

Elassona (H) 0-0: An important match against second-placed Elassona, and a very tight affair with almost 30 shots fired. Few of them hit the target and those that did, were dealt with by the keepers, both were excellent. A very good match, I still wonder how it ended goalless.

Mouzaki (H) 4-1: Gravanis scored our first in the second minute, which somehow broke the spirits as Mouzaki conceded again in the 18th minute, goal courtesy of Mokas. Centre-back Thanasis Skrekas and Sapanis added to that, Mouzaki won the goal of the day contest with a long-distance screamer though. Not complaining about that.

Rigas Ferraios (A) 3-0: Looks like Gravanis found the scoring touch, which is a welcome thing - especially as it pulls some weight off of Sapanis' shoulders. Gravanis scored a brace, Manos added a third after a corner and we rolled home with an easy win, concluding the autumn season.

[emgergo]

AUTUMN SUMMARY

We are clearly overachieving, though all teams of the division seem beatable. 3rd place and an 11 point gap from 9th (and first relegation) place is very good, so we can concentrate on taking our chances, focusing on the promotion race. Both Apollon Larisas and Elassona seemed a shade stronger and we play them within a week at the end of the season. Our fixtures are kind, 7 matches at home and only 5 away.

Defense (Rousiamanis in goal, Patkos, Manos, T. Skrekas and Kostis in front of him) was immense, only 4 goals conceded tells it all. Luckily no injuries hurt us, so the keeper and the back four were unchanged for most of the matches. We have a problem with the bench, as we have no game-changers there - hardly any input from the subs thus far.

[deltablue]

Tough start to say the least, but good work so far.

[B.W.G]

Performing quite well,still in touch with Apollon Larisas which is the important thing.Sucks to be Lamia right now.

[emgergo]

Houston, we have a problem.

[emgergo]

Probably the most random screenshot (and bug) ever.

If I did choose Burkina Faso, I must have smoked something strange though

[emgergo]

JANUARY-MARCH

Agrotis (A) 5-1: Back from the winter break with a bang! Agrotis' manager has been speaking **** all week long, so it was about time for the team to shut him up. We went two up with two own goals, Lazaridis added two and Mokas one. We had four shots on target yet won 5-1! (they had six, but my keeper was playing a blinder)

Thyella Petrotou (H) 1-0: Thanasis Skrekas poked home the only goal of the game after a corner in the 30th minute. The rest was wasting chances masterclass.

Karditsa (A) 2-0: Sapanis got injured quite seriously but we won the game thanks to the set pieces and a header apiece by Thanasis Skrekas and the other centre-back, Giorgios Manos.

Lamia (H) 4-1: Thanasis Skrekas was on fire, scoring on the third successive match in a row! Lazaridis added one just before half-time, Gravanis another just after half-time and Zacharakis completed the rout - first goal from the bench all season if I recall it correctly.

Oikon. Tsaritsanis (A) 0-0: An even match ended 0-0, though we had the better chances. We missed them all.

Aperantiakos (H) 0-0: A very frustrating draw. The team seemingly had a chance wasting competition, Keramas won it by quantity (3 clear cut chances wasted), youngster Vogli won it by quality (smashing a ball from 2 yards out into the keeper in the 94th minute? Damn right). We're missing Sapanis.

Pyrgetos (H) 2-1: Must-win game against the team following us. They took the lead in the 1st minute, which was a sign of doom having seen our attacking game lately. We fought and somehow turned it around: Gravanis scrambled one home from a yard out after a corner, Lazaridis smashed in a penalty 8 minutes from time.

Pyrasos (A) 2-0: There was some injustice in the two 0-0 draws but there was some injustice in this win as well. We dominated the play but were unable to create clear chances, until Gravanis scored in the 84th minute - the irony of it was that I already sent out the order to have him subbed! The second goal was quite unlikely, Pyrasos had a corner, everyone poured forward. Keramas cleared it away, and Thanasis Skrekas of all people (the centre-back!) raced to it first. He had a breakaway one-on-one, which we converted.

Makrakomi-Spercheiada (H) 1-1: Aaargh. Mokas smashed a long shot home in the 2nd minute, but they equalised in similar fashion and we got the usual ton of chances, just not the goal. A win would have given us 52 points, tying Apollon Larisas and Elassona. Now we're lagging two points behind but the next two rounds we play both rivals - promotion is mathematically still in our hands. But I think we're gonna regret these draws.

[deltablue]

Burkina Faso!!!!! That would be an achievement

[emgergo]

Burkina Faso!!!!! That would be an achievement

Out of nowhere

[BraveSirRobin]

Would be awesome if someone answered something similar in a real press conference:D

Great run so far, although IMO you might be better off staying in this division for another year and strengthen up, the 3rd Division is much tougher especially in FM!

May I ask how Nafp.Asteras is doing?

[emgergo]

Would be awesome if someone answered something similar in a real press conference:D

Great run so far, although IMO you might be better off staying in this division for another year and strengthen up, the 3rd Division is much tougher especially in FM!

May I ask how Nafp.Asteras is doing?

Of course! They just saved themselves from relegation, ending the National C Div. North on 12th place. Looking at it, I get what you say - 6 relegation places as well?

[emgergo]

MARCH-MAY

2 wins out of 2 against the promotion rivals and we're in the lead! Of course it's not that easy...

Elassona (A) 0-0: To be honest I have to be content with the draw after being second best throughout the match. Defence was excellent yet again. We were toothless up front yet again. Apollon Larisas took the opportunity and the lead as well with a win.

Apollon Larisas (H) 0-0: This time we've been the better side but you can't play this game without proper strikers. Or you can, but you get this result. The draw meant we were out of the race and Elassona took the lead on head to head results against Apollon.

Rigas Ferraios (H) 2-0: Lazaridis scored a penalty to get us in the lead and youngster Kostas Michailidis scored from an indirect free-kick with his first touch to secure the win.

Mouzaki (A) 2-2: I was pissed off because of three things: a) we wasted a two-goal lead after Lazaridis and Keramas scored, b) it was the first time all season we conceded twice, c) this meant our goals against reached double digits, something I really wanted to avoid. Equaliser came from the idiotic mistake of a debutant right back This conceded the season and the bronze medal for us (if they give out such things in the Delta Ethniki). It could have been promotion, probably one good striker would have meant the difference.

But at least I know what to sign! (a striker and a creative midfielder is a must - and let's see the youth intake as well).

To be continued after I came back from Transylvania.

[emgergo]

I do think we've solved the creative midfielder problem. I have no clue why a guy coming from the Ajax (!!!) youth setup chooses us, but I paid his wage demands and he's about to join! Charis Kostakis lookes a league-destroyer if I've ever seen one.

[Arkas]

Looks good.

Kostakis will help a lot.

Too bad you couldn't promote.

[BraveSirRobin]

Of course! They just saved themselves from relegation, ending the National C Div. North on 12th place. Looking at it, I get what you say - 6 relegation places as well?

Thanks, great to see they stayed up:cool:

Yeah it's very easy to end up relegated in these divisions, I'm afraid.

Unlucky in the title race but great first year. A lot will depend on the team(s) that will come from the third division (I'm not sure if that add-on was always correct at placing the teams in the right groups).

Kostakis looks awesome for this level!

[deltablue]

Great coup for Kostakis.

[emgergo]

Back from holiday

2011–12; AO METEORA KALABAKAS, Greek Regional Division Group 4 (Delta Ethinki, fourth tier)

Board: top half finish

Media: 7th

Me: top 3

As the bottom six were relegated, we have a pretty bunch of new faces in the league, most of them are crap as well. I let go a bunch of no-hoper benchwarmers and youth, picked up the new (and hopeless) youth input and signed three players. You've seen Kostakis, here's the other two - both young and with very good potential.

Nikos Stathakis (D RC) will be in contention for a starting place with the experienced centre-back pairing.

Thanasis Topouzis has the look of a 15-goal/season centre forward.

[emgergo]

The usual load of friendlies went well (7-1-2 record).

Kostakis got injured on the last friendly, thus missing our first games of the season. Topouzis followed suit, he was kicked off the field after 20 minutes in the first league game.

So far for newcomers.

Rd. 1, Flamouli (H) 5-0: Wow, what a start! I expected a win, but not a demolition - Keramas scored our first goal of the season yet again, added another, provided two assists which were finished off by Sapanis and Lazaridis, and we had an own goal, too.

Rd. 2, Dimitra (A) 3-1: Keramas scored in the 3rd minute, but they equalised through their only shot on goal of the game. We played Dimitra off the park and scored twice more (Mokas and Sapanis), all in all, an easy and deserved win. Shots ratio was 22:2 to us.

Rd. 3, Ast. Karditsas (H) 5-0: If the team wants to go on a streak consisting of 5-0 home wins, I'm not complaining at all. Avgeros, Mokas, Lazaridis (twice) and Gravanis on the scoresheet, starting left back Kostis on the injury list, joining Kostakis and Topouzis.

Rd. 4, Agrotis Lianokladi (A) 3-1: If the away winning streak consists of 3-1 wins, I'm not complaining, too. This was an edgy affair - Gravanis' goal was equalised just before half-time and we pushed in vain up until the last nine minutes, when first Gravanis scored a poacher's goal then centre-back Skrekas decided a match with a bullet header.

Rd. 5, Eth. Volou (H) 1-1: Fun is over, no more 5-0s. Lazaridis got us in the lead (the midfielder is absolutely on fire this season), but they got it back to 1-1 right after kickoff in the second half. We pushed and pushed after that, but no cigar.

Rd. 6, Ast. Ag. Prokopiou (A) 3-0: We forgot that they should score to make it 3-1 Kostakis got his first for the club, Lazaridis and Gravanis followed in style. Lazaridis has 5 goals + 4 assists in 6 games so far, that's good enough for an ice hockey forward, too. Keramas (3+5), Gravanis (4+1) and Mokas (2+3) are impressive, too.

Key matches following up these: first league leaders Pyrgetos away (with a 6-0-0 record), then 5th placed Tyrnavos away (5-1-0), then 4th placed Elassona at home (5-1-0) and Karditsa home (5-1-0). So we meet all the rivals in the month of November - those matches will show if we have a chance for promotion or not.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Good start there emgergo Glad it was only a holiday you were on, thought you'd given up on the save already

[Arkas]

Good start.

Let's hope you can promote this time.

[emgergo]

Good start there emgergo Glad it was only a holiday you were on, thought you'd given up on the save already

I'm not that kind, but it was damn fine to leave the notebook & co. for more than a week

The league is quite weird, lot of imbalance between the upper and the lower half of the table, the small teams really look powerless. Last year they were not exactly Pelé's Santos reincarnated, but at least they put up a fight!

[emgergo]

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

Up to the crunch month: we were about to play all our promotion rivals in November, making it a pretty tough fixture list.

Rd. 7, Pyrgetos (A) 0-0: I went with the intention to park the bus, but we did it quite badly and could only wonder how our goal came out untouched after a heavy 20-minute barrage. Later we pushed up the D-line and started playing better, in the second half we were equal partners. Pyrgetos had a player sent off in the 78th minute but we failed to capitalise on it.

Rd. 8, Tyrnavos (A) 1-2: No such luck this time. Another early barrage, but this time it yielded two goals. We never really got back into the game, Gravanis robbed their keeper to pull us closer and Sapanis had a good chance to make it 2-2, but all in all we deserved to lose. That was the first loss in 25 games.

Rd. 9, Elassona (H) 3-0: One point from two games against rivals was not very good, so this was a must-win match. Left back Kostis took out an opposing player quite brutally just to recieve a straight red (and a 3-match suspension from the disciplinary committee) in the 11th minute. Gravanis put us in the lead after half an hour though, and after the break we completely stunned Elassona, stubbornly defending and scoring twice from counters (Mokas and Keramas).

Rd. 10, Karditsa (H) 2-0: Karditsa have been the better team early on but Topouzis hit them on the break and after 65 minutes Lazaridis added a second with a screamer.

Rd. 11, Pyrasos (A) 1-0: An even game, decided by Topouzis who nicely sneaked in the short corner and headed past the keeper.

Rd. 12, Oikon. Tsaritsanis (H) 0-2: They were in fine form and showed it: defended well in the first half and tore us to pieces with counters in the second, while we were absolutely bereft of ideas.

Rd. 13, Kamena Vourla (A) 4-1: Total domination coupled with burying our scoring chances, Gravanis (2), Kostakis and Sapanis got on the scoresheet to lead us back to winning ways.

Rd. 14, Flamouli (A) 2-0: Gravanis scored a brace in the first half, rendering the second meaningless.

[emgergo]

[deltablue]

Still a tough battle to go up.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Not too far off the pace there emgergo

[emgergo]

Rd. 15: Dimitra (H) 3-1: We scored thrice in the first 40 minutes (Th. Skrekas, Gravanis, Lazaridis) and never looked back. Easy.

Rd. 16: Ast. Karditsas (A) 2-0: We pushed in vain for a long time and needed the ref to award a very dodgy penalty to us in the 69th minute. Lazaridis converted, Gravanis added one four minutes later on the counter. The referee let us off the hook as we didn't seem to have any ideas how to break them down.

Rd. 17: Agrotis L. (H) 2-0: We left it quite late again. Agrotis had more shots and we were busy collecting yellow cards, but Lazaridis scored from distance to break the deadlock after an hour and Mokas made it two in stoppage time.

Rd. 18: Eth. Volou (A) 3-1: Better performance this time, we hit twice through Lazaridis and Gravanis when they managed to pull one back. A deflected shot decided the match in the penultimate minute.

Rd. 19: Ast. Ag. Prokopiou (H) 4-1: Topouzis - who didn't have a good run in this season - came to life and scored a hat-trick within the first 20 minutes, Lazaridis added a fourth and I managed to rest the key players in the second half before the crunch ties.

Rd. 20: Pyrgetos (H) 0-0: An annoying draw - we dominated, were a man up for the last half an hour yet failed to break the stubborn resistance.

Rd. 21: Elassona (A) 0-4: Bang, there goes the unbeaten run and in some style! I have no explanations, we simply fell apart and were deservedly on the receiving end of a huge beating. Worst performance I've seen from my team so far.

Rd. 22: Tyrnavos (H) 2-2: Tyrnavos were trying running away with the league and we couldn't break their unbeaten streak - all in all we were lucky to draw in a match they controlled throughout. Gravanis equalised twice. With 1 point from 3 games against the rivals we were officially out of the promotion race.

Rd. 23: Karditsa (A) 2-0: So typical: when the team is chalked off the promotion race, it suddenly starts to play. We absolutely outplayed in-form Karditsa and easily won with goals by Mokas and Gravanis. Mokas was later sent off but we killed the game off. Where was this performance when it was needed?

Rd. 24: Pyrasos (H) 1-0: We fired wide and high, wide and high, wide and high, that is until Topouzis scored a header in the 79th minute which was our only shot on goal from 14 attempts.

Rd. 25: Kamena Vourla (H) 4-1: Mokas scored at the death of the first half to break them and we ran riot after the break. They equalised but were punished for it three times (Stathakis, Gravanis, Sapanis). The bad news: some random defender broke Gravanis' leg, sending my best striker out of action for 7 or 8 months.

Rd. 26: Oikon. Tsaritsanis (A) 1-0: Veteran Ilias Sapanis scored on the counter for his last game for the club, bringing home the 3 points and securing our 2nd place - Tyrnavos won the league by 4 points.

We can't really complain about not going up: if you only get 11 points from your 8 crunch matches, you are not going up. Next year, maybe. Gravanis is out for the autumn, that is a major loss (17 goals, 6 assists, 8 MoM in the season).

[emgergo]

[Arkas]

Unlucky there.

Kostakis haven't played as well as he should too.

[emgergo]

Yes, he was a bit underwhelming. That might be because he's a natural AMC and I don't play with a playmaker, so he was forced to play central attacking-minded midfielder (and Lazaridis was better here) or left winger (where Mokas is better due to his speed).

[emgergo]

2012–13; AO METEORA KALABAKAS, Greek Regional Division Group 4 (Delta Ethinki, fourth tier)

Board: top half finish

Media: 7th

Me: top 3

Nothing really changed in the summer - I had a little money but didn't find players who looked like reinforcements, so I signed three Bosmans (they will be mostly backups) and promoted three players from the youth ranks. Jeton Vogli (AM C/ST) has been playing in the A team since the age of 16 but a half-year loan kickstarted his improvement and now he looks like a competitor for a starting XI spot. A pleasant surprise from a youngster, especially as our youth setup is next to nil. Good jumping, work rate and composure skills, OK finishing.

Vangelis Anastasiadis (DC) came from Panthrakikos on a free. Big centre-back with good attributes in the key positions, but seemingly has only two brain cells.

Brain cells, however, are not needed in Delta Ethniki.

Giorgos Kantas (M/AM R) will be the backup to Keramas in right-winger.

Giorgos Theodorou (ST) came straight from the academy of Iraklis, he'll probably be good at this level.

[emgergo]

The main worry, as you can see, is the left-back spot, where Kostis is aging (32 now) and his understudy is only 16. I hope we can get by with them, if not, getting a left-back in the winter is a necessity. The other question mark is how the leg break will influence Gravanis' career - I hope my best striker gets back to form. He's healing quicker than expected, he might be back in October.

[BraveSirRobin]

Brain cells, however, are not needed in Delta Ethniki.

so true

[emgergo]

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Rd. 1: Oikon. Tsaritsanis (A) 0-1: What an annoying way to get the season started. We outplayed them, smashed the crossbar twice yet lost after conceding a goal of their only shot on goal

Rd. 2: Olymp. Kirras (H) 3-0: The newly promoted side offered little resistance, Jeton Vogli scored twice and Charis Kostakis once in the first 40 minutes to bury them.

Rd. 3: Eth. Karditsas (A) 2-0: The first half was as dull as it can be, all the 67 fans probably demanded their money back. I put on Giorgios Theodorou to enliven things up front, he certainly did: scored a goal and got sent off because of two idiotic faults deep in their area. Vogli scored a free-kick to secure the three points.

Rd. 4: Apollon Larisas (H) 0-1: Meh. An important game against the recently relegated (and promotion favourite) Apollon, in which we played a shade better yet conceded early and lacked the real bite afterwards.

Rd. 5: Rigas Ferraios (H) 3-0: That's better. We took the lead with an own goal, Topouzis and Mokas made it three from counter-attacks after the break.

[emgergo]

NOVEMBER

Rd. 6: Pyrasos (A) 1-1: We hammered them for 92 minutes but they took an absolutely undeserved lead. Then they gifted us a goal, their keeper spilled a harmless pass, Theodorou was on hand to tap it home.

Rd. 7: Dimitra/Apollon (H) 4-0: The first half was as awful as it gets, they actually outplayed us. But we were unable to string two passes together, so I think every team would've outplayed us in the division... We got away with it (and a goalless half-time), then I kicked some butts in the dressing room and the team started playing, Mokas, Theodorou, Topouzis and an own goal found the net. On the good side: Gravanis is back after his leg break. On the bad side: Kostakis is out for the rest of the autumn.

Rd. 8: AO Karditsa (H) 1-2: All the 84 fans who chose our game witnessed one of the matches of the season: 25 shots in total by the two teams, accompanied by a very good game and a very bad result for us. We took the lead after Thanasis Skrekas headed in a free-kick, but they equalised early from the second half. Both teams pushed for the winner, it was them who found it in the 91st minute. Gutted.

Rd. 9: Agrotis L. (A) 2-4: That wasn't any better, our performance was shocking in the first half - we got off lightly with only two goals conceded! Gravanis and Topouzis pulled it back to 1-2 and 2-3 but they always found the answer.

[emgergo]

DECEMBER

Rd. 10: Pyrgetos (A) 1-2: Not a faint sign for improvement. When Vogli pulled it back to 1-2 it was too little and more importantly, way too late.

Rd. 11: Lamia (H) 0-2: Time to hit the panic button, as we lost to a bottom half team, getting ourselves in a relegation position.

The last 6 (out of 14) are relegated, so it's not as a big achievement as it sounds...

Rd. 12: A. Karpenisiou (A) 5-0: Morale was rock bottom, so I fielded four teen kids, who cannot play for toffee but at least have good morale. Kantas and Topouzis gave us a two-goal lead until half-time and the second half was a walkover, Topouzis, Anasthasiadis and Gravanis scoring in the process. Finally!

Rd. 13: Elassona (H) 1-0: A good win against a good team. Lazaridis - who has been excellent the past two seasons and dreadful now, contributing to our problems - missed a penalty, then Thanasis Skrekas mowed a forward down to sit out the second half with a straight red. We were stubborn enough to win anyway, Gravanis' sharp shot (or was it a cross?) was deflected in for an own goal winner.

Rd. 14: Oikon. Tsaritsanis (H) 2-0: Topouzis and Gravanis exhanged assists and goals to secure an easy win, ending the year on a high note. Promotion is highly unlikely anyway.