Welcome to another week and another match report. We had a bit of a cock-up with the team selection on Friday, with Simon’s brother-in-law Andy making a surprise reappearance after ‘retiring’ a couple of years ago, and Oleksandr being initially missed off the lists, in the biggest drama involving a team sheet since the World Cup final of 1998. (Maybe.) The lesser spotted Bert also flew in for a rare start.
Following some last minute jiggery pokery we had:
Yellows: Andy, Pete, me, Simon Gas, Simon Ink, Siebs, Remy, Yev and Johnnie
Blues: Bert, Steve, Joe, Geoff, Bristol Paul, Alex, Oleksandr and Alan*
*(I’ve just realised that Bert was supposed to play for the Yellows and Simon Gas the Blues)
Goals for Pete, Siebs, Johnnie and Yev
Eight plays nine then, and the Yellow team made a great start by taking a three goal lead in the first fifteen-twenty minutes. I believe that Pete scored the first goal, fizzing in a right footed drive after I nudged a through ball to him, with Siebs capping a man of the match performance in centre midfield with a swept goal from the edge of the area that flew through a melange of legs following a half-cleared corner.
With Johnnie also very much ‘on the spot’ there was some talk of switching the sides, but the Blues grew in confidence and got one back through a fierce shot from Oleksandr and the remainder of the game was much more competitive, with Alan narrowly missing a few chances and Oleks, Joe and Alex forming a key triumvirate, albeit one that was probably playing a bit too deep.
Yev did manage to get a goal, although I think it’s fair to say that on another night he could have had a hatful, with some uncharacteristically profligate finishing sparing the Blues further pain.
The final paragraph goes to Oleksandr, who saw Joe’s incredible limb-expanding goal-line clearance last week and raised it, as Johnnie was confronted with what for all the world looked like an open goal, only for the Ukrainian maestro to turn himself horizontal and flip the goalbound shot around the post just a few feet from goal. Unbelievable, Geoff.
Final score: Yellows 4 – Blues 1
With our main man away this week I’ll be at the helm on Friday. Until then, at ease!
Stick that in yer blog! 