A season full of promise started on a high note, but after 7 games, Fever were languishing in the bottom half of the table with 10 points, but all was tight at the top, and despite HBC going unbeaten, they were still within everyone's reach.
The second half of the season started at Gasan Digital Complex where old foe's INT's stood in the way of Fever. A hat trick from the captain, including a strike direct from a corner saw Fever blow them out of the water 9-3, with veteran Greg Cross getting on the score sheet for the first time ever.
El Clasico was next, and Fever were looking to get revenge against their bitter rival HBC having narrowly lost 3-2 in the first leg. 3-2 was the score again, but this time in favour for the boys in black, ending HBC's 8 game unbeaten run and opening up the race for promotion. Pallos Levente's dubious header sealed the points for Fever after Rowe and Kempsons first goal for the club from the spot had Fever comfortably in front, despite a nerve racking end to the game.
SISC were up next away from home, and Fever wanted to get back at the division 2 new boys having been thumped 4-1 at home. A gruelling encounter in the early summer sun saw a boring 1-1 draw, despite the numerous chances at the death to seal the victory with new boys, Richard Pina and Travis Gilley missing glorious opportunities.
Wanoo's at home was the next game, a team that had been blown away 6-2, with Alex Rowe running riot scoring 5 goals. Fever were missing their golden boy, and Wanoo's looked like a new team, taking control of the game. At 1 a piece, disaster struck and goalkeeper Andy Ritchie was injured in a collision with a Wanoo's player after the halfway stage. With Paul Jones absent, Dennis Byrne, who played a part himself in the game, had no choice but to turn to captain Filip Pusnik to put on the gloves (and hat) and stand inbetween the sticks for almost 45mins. He was called into action early on and gained the trust of his defence by commanding his goal early on and making several saves that Ritchie himself would've been jealous of. A silly penalty conceded by the stand in keeper left Wanoo's in the lead, until a Kim Jae Min strike, also his first for the club in 3 seasons and a late goal by the ever reliable Simon Williamson, who managed a remarkable goal tally for a centre half shared the spoils in an encounter where Fever were always second best.
Following last seasons thrilling encounter vs the div 3 champions, which ended 4-4 with Williamson once again scoring right at the death, EWHA United stood in the way of Fever, in what promised to be an end to end game of total football. 1-1 it finished, the third draw on the bounce, in a game where Fever dominated and proved to be wasteful once again.
Old Rivals, the Malaysian Students were up next, a team who were absolutely dominated in the Ilsan rain earlier on in the season, and once again, they looked like a new team, and Fever struggled in parts, but it was Richard Pina who struck and sealed Fevers first win since the HBC game.
Promotion was impossible as Fever went into the last game of the season, looking to win for the first time ever against Seohyeon Celtic on the Yongsan Military Base. As SISC had won on match day 13, Celtic were looking for EWHA to do them a favour and they needed to defeat a resilient Fever team, with captain Pusnik bowing out after 4 seasons at the club. The game started off well, with Fever taking control, but a silly penalty after 30minutes with sent Celtic 1-0 up into the break. Alex Rowe, looking to secure the top scorers spot stepped up to convert the rebound from a penalty he had missed equalled the match, and right from the restart, Celtic lost possession, a Pina cross found Rowe and Fever were 2-1 up. Not long after, Celtic managed their second effort on goal all game, with another penalty nicely converted and promotion was still a possibility for them. A move from the half way line started with Wilding who found Pusnik whos temperament was getting the better of him at times, who surged forward towards the Celtic backline, who then played a glorious through ball to find Rowe who then buried it from the tightest of angles to claim his hat trick and surely the trophy he had been gunning for all season .
It was all Fever right until the death and a 4th penalty of the game was awarded. Manager Byrne was in a confident mood allowed captain Pusnik the opportunity to sign off on a high. The penalty sailed miles over the crossbar, leaving him with his head in his hands, and it was later reported that the ball had landed somewhere near his home town in Wales. Sebastian Auger was given marching orders for violent conduct towards the end of the game for lashing out at a Celtic player, the 3rd red Fever has seen all season, cementing the record for 'dirtiest team in the league', having picked up and all time record of 24 yellow cards throughout the course of the season.
Fever never looked like giving up their lead, and Garthwaite launched a rocket of a shot that cannoned off the crossbar and found its way in the back of the net . 3rd place for the second season running was sealed, something Fever can be proud of giving their occasional inconsistency throughout the season, and many pluses can definitely be taken from the seasons performance.
The Summer League Cup looked to be the only silverware that might come Fevers way for the season, but being pitted in a group consisting of division 1 champions, Falcons, former champions, Seoul Cosmos and INT's left doubts in the back of peoples minds. A below par Fever, including new signing, German Uwe Stamp held Falcons at bay for 15 minutes, playing with 10 men, but once the numbers were even, the game finished 2-1 in favour of the division 1 heavyweights. Cosmos were next, and it was the Rowe and Pina show as the Autumn 2012 division 1 champions were dismantled by Fever. Needing a win to automatically qualify, against the weaker of all 4 teams in the group, INT's did not come, and eventually it was down to goals scored to put Fever into the knockout stages for the second consecutive year.
Fever struggled to get a team together to play the much fancied Outkasts in the quarter finals, and struggled as a buoyant Outkast midfield ran rings around the men in black, and took a 3-0 lead early on. Pusnik, in what was definitely his last competitive game in a Fever shirt got one back, but old boy, Claude D'Souza sealed the tie and Fever were sent packing.
Congratulations to Alex Rowe for making the team of the season, being voted as the best striker in the league by all captains, and also on his 16 goals which got Fever to 3rd place and earned him a trophy for being top scorer of the league. Also congratulations to both Alex and Simon for winning Seoul Fevers Players Player of the Season and Player of the Season respectively.
Seoul Fever would like to thank Danny Kempson, James Merritt, Benny Ho, Peter Sheerin and Filip Pusnik for their contribution to the club for the past season and seasons at the club and wish them all the best in the future.
Viva Fever
The second half of the season started at Gasan Digital Complex where old foe's INT's stood in the way of Fever. A hat trick from the captain, including a strike direct from a corner saw Fever blow them out of the water 9-3, with veteran Greg Cross getting on the score sheet for the first time ever.
El Clasico was next, and Fever were looking to get revenge against their bitter rival HBC having narrowly lost 3-2 in the first leg. 3-2 was the score again, but this time in favour for the boys in black, ending HBC's 8 game unbeaten run and opening up the race for promotion. Pallos Levente's dubious header sealed the points for Fever after Rowe and Kempsons first goal for the club from the spot had Fever comfortably in front, despite a nerve racking end to the game.
SISC were up next away from home, and Fever wanted to get back at the division 2 new boys having been thumped 4-1 at home. A gruelling encounter in the early summer sun saw a boring 1-1 draw, despite the numerous chances at the death to seal the victory with new boys, Richard Pina and Travis Gilley missing glorious opportunities.
Wanoo's at home was the next game, a team that had been blown away 6-2, with Alex Rowe running riot scoring 5 goals. Fever were missing their golden boy, and Wanoo's looked like a new team, taking control of the game. At 1 a piece, disaster struck and goalkeeper Andy Ritchie was injured in a collision with a Wanoo's player after the halfway stage. With Paul Jones absent, Dennis Byrne, who played a part himself in the game, had no choice but to turn to captain Filip Pusnik to put on the gloves (and hat) and stand inbetween the sticks for almost 45mins. He was called into action early on and gained the trust of his defence by commanding his goal early on and making several saves that Ritchie himself would've been jealous of. A silly penalty conceded by the stand in keeper left Wanoo's in the lead, until a Kim Jae Min strike, also his first for the club in 3 seasons and a late goal by the ever reliable Simon Williamson, who managed a remarkable goal tally for a centre half shared the spoils in an encounter where Fever were always second best.
Following last seasons thrilling encounter vs the div 3 champions, which ended 4-4 with Williamson once again scoring right at the death, EWHA United stood in the way of Fever, in what promised to be an end to end game of total football. 1-1 it finished, the third draw on the bounce, in a game where Fever dominated and proved to be wasteful once again.
Old Rivals, the Malaysian Students were up next, a team who were absolutely dominated in the Ilsan rain earlier on in the season, and once again, they looked like a new team, and Fever struggled in parts, but it was Richard Pina who struck and sealed Fevers first win since the HBC game.
Promotion was impossible as Fever went into the last game of the season, looking to win for the first time ever against Seohyeon Celtic on the Yongsan Military Base. As SISC had won on match day 13, Celtic were looking for EWHA to do them a favour and they needed to defeat a resilient Fever team, with captain Pusnik bowing out after 4 seasons at the club. The game started off well, with Fever taking control, but a silly penalty after 30minutes with sent Celtic 1-0 up into the break. Alex Rowe, looking to secure the top scorers spot stepped up to convert the rebound from a penalty he had missed equalled the match, and right from the restart, Celtic lost possession, a Pina cross found Rowe and Fever were 2-1 up. Not long after, Celtic managed their second effort on goal all game, with another penalty nicely converted and promotion was still a possibility for them. A move from the half way line started with Wilding who found Pusnik whos temperament was getting the better of him at times, who surged forward towards the Celtic backline, who then played a glorious through ball to find Rowe who then buried it from the tightest of angles to claim his hat trick and surely the trophy he had been gunning for all season .
It was all Fever right until the death and a 4th penalty of the game was awarded. Manager Byrne was in a confident mood allowed captain Pusnik the opportunity to sign off on a high. The penalty sailed miles over the crossbar, leaving him with his head in his hands, and it was later reported that the ball had landed somewhere near his home town in Wales. Sebastian Auger was given marching orders for violent conduct towards the end of the game for lashing out at a Celtic player, the 3rd red Fever has seen all season, cementing the record for 'dirtiest team in the league', having picked up and all time record of 24 yellow cards throughout the course of the season.
Fever never looked like giving up their lead, and Garthwaite launched a rocket of a shot that cannoned off the crossbar and found its way in the back of the net . 3rd place for the second season running was sealed, something Fever can be proud of giving their occasional inconsistency throughout the season, and many pluses can definitely be taken from the seasons performance.
The Summer League Cup looked to be the only silverware that might come Fevers way for the season, but being pitted in a group consisting of division 1 champions, Falcons, former champions, Seoul Cosmos and INT's left doubts in the back of peoples minds. A below par Fever, including new signing, German Uwe Stamp held Falcons at bay for 15 minutes, playing with 10 men, but once the numbers were even, the game finished 2-1 in favour of the division 1 heavyweights. Cosmos were next, and it was the Rowe and Pina show as the Autumn 2012 division 1 champions were dismantled by Fever. Needing a win to automatically qualify, against the weaker of all 4 teams in the group, INT's did not come, and eventually it was down to goals scored to put Fever into the knockout stages for the second consecutive year.
Fever struggled to get a team together to play the much fancied Outkasts in the quarter finals, and struggled as a buoyant Outkast midfield ran rings around the men in black, and took a 3-0 lead early on. Pusnik, in what was definitely his last competitive game in a Fever shirt got one back, but old boy, Claude D'Souza sealed the tie and Fever were sent packing.
Congratulations to Alex Rowe for making the team of the season, being voted as the best striker in the league by all captains, and also on his 16 goals which got Fever to 3rd place and earned him a trophy for being top scorer of the league. Also congratulations to both Alex and Simon for winning Seoul Fevers Players Player of the Season and Player of the Season respectively.
Seoul Fever would like to thank Danny Kempson, James Merritt, Benny Ho, Peter Sheerin and Filip Pusnik for their contribution to the club for the past season and seasons at the club and wish them all the best in the future.
Viva Fever