The first league game in 2013 for REAL DUNDONALD was played at REAL'S temporary home ground in Richmond...Real Dundonald versus table-toppers Croygas Phoenix, first vs second...just before Christmas Real had won the first fixture 1-4 but this return fixture was always going be a tight affair and a controversial affair....Real started the game very brightly, full of energy and dominating the play, keeping CROYGAS hemmed in their own half, almost boxed in at times.....the 3 men of central midfield HAYES, JAMES and HOOPER was working well, REAL never really looked like they could ever be broken down....a solid organised unit....the trickery of WHITE and HARVEY on the flanks caused CROYGAS all sorts of early problems, HARVEY going close to scoring, and had a good shout for a penalty kick after being heavily challenged in the box.... both WHITE and HARVEY created a couple half decent chances for REAL to score but brave defending and good goalkeeping by CROYGAS kept REAL at bay, a peach of a cross midway through the first half by WHITE found GYLES alone in the box but the hitmans header just going over the crossbar this time...... in moments some of the triangular football played by the offensive three of HARVEY, GYLES and HAYES was different class......PEREZ, WEEKS, WHITE and HOOPER all impressed today, all 4 men have had limited game-time this season but caught the eye with their determination, sheer will and courage...the experienced central defensive partnership of BLAKEBROUGH and WILLIAMS also caught the eye doing what they do.......the second half saw CROYGAS up their efforts in the opening 20 minutes bringing about a little work in the morning for BEN RADFORD, who is not easy to beat as they found out in the first fixture, RADFORD making a couple brilliant saves, only now in the second half CROYGAS really had clear sight of REAL's goal, both attempts on goal coming from a throw in and a corner-kick...CROYGAS had the ball in the goal but it was ruled offside, although a REAL defender was clearly fouled, shoved to the ground in the build up, this caused uproar amongst CROYGAS staff who believed the goal should of stood........a short while after REAL should of had a certain free-kick in a dangerous area after a clever flick on by GYLES to HAYES, HAYES now clear through on goal but was savagely taken out by a defender right on the edge of the box, the defender taking out "Jimmy" before the ball!!!!!! but the ref gingerly waved play on??? ....just after the hour mark WHITE was replaced by the returning NUTTALL, NUTTALL bringing back his steely self to a rock solid team ......not long after the lively AL-MAJALI came on (HAYES) to spice things up, and we didnt have to wait too long for the heat either, within minutes AL-MAJALI had the ball in the goal, only to be wrongly caught offside, again the Ref looked to be in two minds as to what was going on....approximately 10 minutes later a long ball over the top was chased down by AL-MAJALI and two pursuing defenders, also the CROYGAS GK had decided to come racing out off his line, pressure and tiredness caused one of the defenders to clumsily head the ball over his own GK and the ball fell kindly to the lurking GYLES who tapped home only for a dodgy linesman to rule it offside and a bemused Referee looking in two minds AGAIN, with 12 minutes or so remaining the returning ROBERTS, who has been out for a while, came on for "M.O.T.M" Luke HOOPER.......... The game finished 0-0
