WITHOUT a victory for four months, the Morning Allstars' winless streak continued last night after losing 11-9 to the T&G union.

It was a harsh result for the Reds, who led for the majority of the game and were riddled with injuries and illness.

Lacking match fitness after a six-week spell out due to a nasty foot injury, James Eagle returned to the starting lineup alongside Chris Hirst and Adrian Roberts, who were both struggling with niggling knee injuries. A feverish Peter Mengerink also took his place in the team, while Arie Natelson made his first appearance for the Reds after he was spotted playing in a Barnet park.

Sitting back and inviting pressure, the Allstars handed the T&G the share of opening-stage possesion.

But the home side expertly went in front with Mengerink's first touch of the game, poking a lose ball past the T&G number one.

Like an owl pouncing on a fieldmouse snuffling the dusk air, Carl Worswick swooped and slid in to put the Allstars 2-0 in front. In control without breaking too much sweat, the Allstars went three goals to the good when Roberts netted an opportunistic drive from distance. After nine games without a goal, the Welshman has now found the back of the net in consecutive matches.

A shellshocked T&G rallied and pulled themselves back into the game with two long-range bullet efforts, but Hirst converted a penalty and then, almost immediately, hit a screamer to put the Allstars back in the driving seat.

The Reds were looking good for their first win since a 4-3 triumph over UNISON last May, with Worswick adding his second to go in at the half-time break with a 6-5 lead.

The T&G were on even terms soon after the restart and then took the lead, beating Mengerink at his near post. But the Allstars refused to lie down. Arie Natelson struck a fine debut effort from his own half, only for the T&G to edge ahead before Worswick hit a venomous piledriver to level again.

The T&G took the lead again before, with 10 minutes to go, Hirst's long-range shot was deflected across the box and Eagle nestled a perfect half-volley in the bottom left corner. It was the combatative striker's first goal since November and he celebrated it with a jig and a Cheshire Cat smile.

But, with no substitutes to call upon after Roberts limped off with a knee injury, the superior fitness and drive of the T&G snatched victory in the dying minutes.

Finally and after many request they have been put online. I'm talking about the photographs of the Morning Allstars first ever tournament.

Please have a look here and enjoy. If there are any questions or requests for photos, please send an email to Peter Mengerink and Katie Lambert. Thanks for a great tournament and hope to play you again soon.

THE Liberal Democrats lifted the inaugural Morning Star five-a-side football trophy on Saturday after a 2-0 victory over public-sector union UNISON.

Despite finishing a point and place behind their trade union rivals in the six-team group stage, the Liberal Democrats stole every neutral's heart in a bruising shock final win.

The Lib Dems had booked their final ticket after a narrow 3-2 victory over pre-tournament favourites T&G in the semi-finals, while UNISON slipped past rail union RMT in the other game.

The Morning Allstars - the only side not to have the luxury of substitutes - conceded vital last-minute goals against the Lib Dems and RMT to be pushed out of the semi-final places, finishing one point behind the RMT in fifth spot.

However, they avoided the ignominy of the wooden spoon after a play-off victory over the bottom-placed Free Radicals.

Elated Liberal Democrat captain Aimee Parnell said: "The Lib Dems' famous grit and tenacity came into play at once.

"We went out to win the silverware and did. All the players should be very proud of themselves - I certainly am.

"I am not going to single anyone out as they were all fantastic and we look forward to retaining our crown in six months time."

Tournament organiser Carl Worswick lauded the success of the tournament and the sportsmanship of all the players.

RESULTS:

Group Stage:
T&G 2-4 Lib Dems
Allstars 1-1 Free Radicals
UNISON 2-2 RMT

T&G 3-0 Allstars
Lib Dems 0-2 UNISON
Free Radicals 1-1 RMT

T&G 5-0 Free Radicals
Lib Dems 6-4 RMT
Allstars 0-4 UNISON

T&G 3-0 RMT
Lib Dems 2-1 Allstars
UNISON 4-1 Free Radicals

T&G 0-1 UNISON
Lib Dems 5-2 Free Radicals
Allstars 2-2 RMT

Semi-finals:
UNISON 3-2 RMT
Lib Dems 3-2 T&G

Wooden spoon:
Allstars 1-1 Free Radicals
Morning Allstars win 2-1 on pens

Final:
UNISON 0-2 Lib Dems

A FIRST goal in Allstars colours for defender Adrian Roberts and a first club hattrick for Chris Hirst helped earn the Morning Allstars an 8-8 draw against the T&G on Monday night.

A beaming Roberts, who was the rock at the centre of the Reds defence, fired home to put the Allstars 3-0 in front, after earlier goals from Hirst and striker Carl Worswick.

It completed a dream start for the Allstars, who were still smarting from two heavy defeats against the RMT and Liberal Democrats.

After controlling the opening stages, Worswick put the Reds in front with a long-range effort. Hirst followed it with a shot that bounced just over the grasp of the T&G keeper and then Roberts pounced to strike into the bottom corner.

The clearly overjoyed Roberts then took a breather as Louise Nousratpour made history by becoming the first female to briefly don the Allstars shirt.

The T&G clawed their way back into the game, scoring twice before the break, but the second-half again began with the Allstars on top. Worswick put the Reds into a 4-2 lead and then Hirst snatched his second to give the home side a three-goal cushion.

It was then, however, that the Allstars started to tire and a ferocious onslaught by the T&G saw the visitors score four goals without reply.

At sixes and sevens, the Allstars regrouped and Worswick completed his hattrick, nudging a half volley into the bottom right-hand corner for the equaliser. It was the Lancashire-born striker's 30th Allstars goal.

Hirst then hit his third, a sublime turn and equally good finish, to give the Allstars the lead before the T&G pegged the home side back once more at 7-7.

With half a dozen minutes left on the clock, Worswick latched onto a Karl Stewart through ball and scored what looked like being the winner. But, right at the death, the T&G once again refused to lie down and snatched a last-gasp equaliser.

"After 15 barren games without scoring, it was a great relief to actually put one in the back of the net for the gaffer," man-of-the-match Roberts said afterwards.

Captain Worswick was delighted by Roberts's goal and challenged his defender to score more.

"It's about bloody time! He's got a shot on him that lad and, with a bit of practice, this goal will be the first of many," Worswick said.

THE Morning Allstars continued their miserable record at their new Mile End home on Monday night, crashing to a 11-5 loss against the Liberal Democrats.

In a much improved performance to last week's drubbing by the RMT, the Allstars resuffled their cards, but were dealt a blow just hours before the game with the late withdrawal of defender Adrian Roberts.

Mark Barber, making his first appearance for the Reds since April, was drafted into the team alongside stalwarts Carl Worswick, James Eagle, Chris Hirst and Peter Mengerink, but the absence of substitutes and the sweltering conditions proved decisive.

The Allstars started brightly but fell behind early on when Barber was caught out at his near post after a neat finish. Worswick responded on 10 minutes, nipping past a Lib Dem defender and slipping in the equaliser, but the Lib Dems were soon back in front after capitalising on a mixup between Barber and Dutch defender Mengerink.

Sitting back, inviting pressure and hitting the Lib Dems on the break, the Allstars restored parity just before halftime after an angled drive from Worswick.

Mengerink took over in goal for the start of the second half, but was beaten three times in quick succession as the Lib Dems made an explosive start. It knocked the stuffing out of the Reds and Mengerink was then called upon to prove his worth, saving numerous goalward attempts and keeping the Allstars in the game.

At the other end, a wilting Worswick completed his hattrick and give the Reds hope at 5-3, but the goal seemed to inject extra impetus into the Lib Dems who then coasted through the final 20 minutes. While Worswick was on hand to convert his fourth and Hirst made it five goals in his last five starts, at the other end, the Lib Dems scored a further six to run out comfortable winners.

"That's better. I'm not happy, but that's better. We've another game next Monday against a strong T&G side and we have a chance to make further improvements to our game," captain Worswick mused.

However, they will go into the T&G game without key striker James Eagle who was rushed into hospital with what turned out to be torn ligaments. He will be unavailable for team selection for at least a month.

"The boy's ok. I've just been feeding him grapes in hospital and he's on the mend. We'll cope but losing Eagle's a big loss. Without our dirtiest player, we've lost a lot of bite in midfield so it may be time to call upon Comrade Stewart," Worswick reported.

THE Morning Allstars suffered an embarrassing 10-4 defeat at the hands of the RMT rail union on Monday night, in their first match at their new Mile End home.

After a two-month hiatus due to a fire that roared through the Allstars' beloved former Hackney ground, the hapless Allstars were pulled apart in the searing July sun by a better organised and more tactically astute opposition who were also unafraid to put the boot in on more than one occasion, leaving Allstars defender Chris Hirst nursing a badly bloodied knee.

But it was Thompsons Solicitors ringer Andy Hutson, controversially selected for the RMT despite being on the books with the trade union law firm, who did most of the damage.

His surging thrusts forward, eye for goal and dogged determination proved pivotal to the RMT's margin of victory.

They were also given a helping hand by some farcical defending, a goalkeeping display that Reds number one Richard Bagley will want to forget and wayward finishing from frontmen Carl Worswick, James Eagle and James Walsh.

Boasting an 100 per cent record in their two previous meetings with the RMT, the Allstars found themselves three goals down with just minutes on the clock.

The shellshocked Reds managed to pull a goal back with an effort from the edge of the box after a backheel flick from Worswick, but the RMT didn't rest and soon restored their three-goal advantage.

A calamitous misunderstanding between keeper Bagley and his beefcake defender Roberts led to RMT's fifth goal. Having ushered the ball back to his stopper, Roberts turned his back and then walked off the pitch, leaving Bagley's return pass straight at the feet of RMT striker Alex Reid. And, like a lion, Reid pounced to put the rail union 5-1 up and the Allstars in complete disaray.

A lax rollout from the RMT keeper allowed Worswick to score, before Walsh raised Red hopes with a cool finish for 5-3. But more slipshod passes and a breakdown in communication spelt further misery for the Allstars, who conceded five further goals to leave captain Worswick fuming.

"We were bloody awful and I'm hoping that the lads will take a long hard look in the mirror when they get home. It's time for them to shape up or ship out, because I'm not having that kind of performance," he said.

THE Morning Allstars bounced back from two successive defeats to record a 4-3 victory over public-sector union UNISON at Hackney's King Hall Leisure Centre last night.

Starting a man down after Adrian Roberts was stuck in traffic at the Blackwall Tunnel, the disciplined Allstars started superbly and raced into a 2-0 lead.

First, Worswick dispossessed a UNISON defender and slotted home to give the Reds the lead, before a thunderbolt strike from Chris Hirst doubled the home side's advantage.

After just one goal in his first seven outings, Hirst has now bagged a goal in each of his last three games.

Moments later, some fine Brazilian-style one-touch passing from Bagley to Hirst to Eagle to Worswick deserved better than the scrambling save which just kept it out at the near post.

Powerhouse defender Roberts arrived to make numbers even with a quarter of an hour played, but the casual air that the Allstars then adopted let UNISON back into the game.
A low shot into the bottom left-hand corner evaded goalkeeper Richard Bagley's dive and a defensive mix-up between Hirst and Worswick found a UNISON striker free to despatch for the equaliser.

A gasping James Eagle pulled on the goalkeeping gloves as he swapped places with Bagley and his sensational cat-like performance between the sticks kept UNISON from taking the lead.

Just before the half-time interval, Worswick expertly found Bagley with a back-heel flick and the goalkeeper-turned-striker curled a sublime shot past the UNISON keeper for his first Morning Allstars goal.

A cagey start to the second-half - which saw Bagley return to his more familiar role in goal - saw little chances as the Allstars sat back and defended.

But a frantic last 10 minutes began with Hirst setting up Worswick for his second goal of the game, making it 4-2.

Rather cavalierly, the Allstars pushed men forward in search of further treats and their reckless tactics almost cost them when, with just 3 minutes left on the clock, UNISON pulled a goal back, sparking a frantic last few moments.

However, the Reds held out for their fourth competitive win and captain Worswick garnished his players with praise.

"Again, we showed we are a decent side here tonight and, with a bit more consistency, we'd be a problem for any opposition.

"The boy Hirst's rich vein of goalscoring form, along with Richard's peach of a goal, gives me hope for a rosey future."

NOBODY thought it could happen - and there are perhaps many out there who wouldn't have wanted it to happen - but last night the Conservative Party and left-wing newspaper the Morning Star put aside their political differences for a five-a-side reds versus blues football match.

It all began when Morning Allstars manager Carl Worswick fired off an email to Conservative leader Dave Cameron a couple of months ago.

"We emailed Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats suggesting a game and only the Tories took the time to get back to us," Worswick said.

Looking for a venue that would maximise the Allstars' home advantage, King's Hall Leisure Centre in Hackney was chosen.

The venue also allowed 74-year old Communist candidate for Hackney Mayor Monty Goldman an ideal opportunity to drum up some local support for his election bid, while cheering on the paper he had always wholeheartedly supported.

Despite the Allstars' experience of having played a couple of games before, the ability to cherry pick the best and fittest players from across Conservative Party HQ proved the telling difference.

After falling two goals behind, the Tories - clad unsurprisingly in all blue - regrouped and, using their ability to exploit both the centre ground and the right wing, raced into a 6-3 half-time lead.

From the restart, the Allstars enjoyed plenty of ball possesion, but couldn't find the back of the net, while on the counter-attack, the Tories inflicted further misery on their left-wing rivals to run out 11-4 victors.

Any pre-match suspicions that the game could have boiled over into fisticuffs proved wide of the mark and, Worswick confirmed that, despite their continued reputation for being the "nasty party", the Tory players were perfect gentlemen.

"Without doubt, it was the most fair and sportsman like game that we've ever been involved in - much more so than when we play our allies in the trade union movement!" Worswick quipped.

And, the good spirit of the occasion continued after match, with both teams heading to the pub next door for a post-match beer. But, while the Allstars cried into theirs, their more affluent opponents simply totted up their expenses claim - a privilege not afforded to the cash-strapped team from the daily paper of the left.