3rd team maintain 100% record

Sometimes you just have to wonder….

As the senior men’s 3rd team assembled in the sheds for a pre-game pep talk, the words sounded vaguely familiar, ‘they will be younger than us, probably fitter etc, so lets just get the ball down and pass it around, its much easier when we have it yadda yadda.’ It sounds like I am speaking English, they are nodding like they understand, and after all it is what we do very well, every Thursday evening. It is thus the inevitable conclusion that either I am actually somehow strangely bi-lingual or my team has been hypnotised by some evil opposing coach, that upon hearing a shrill blast on a whistle (to kick off) that all previous footballing nous be suspended for a minimum of 20 minutes, and if we are feeling really kinky we might even self mutilate for a full 45.

If it was not for the hypnotic antidote provided by Neil Scary (that was deliberate you had to be there) administered at half time this one could have got away. Like many teams in our division the standard of our opposition was variable with some quite good footballers and some blokes that seem to have been wandering across our pitch and just happened to be wearing their colours. No problem we can make it interesting for the watching throngs, oh yes I use the word advisedly as our 3 female supporters were even wearing the same colour tops, showing significantly more cohesion than us.

Despite these early antics Papatoetoe never looked like a threat with long range and somewhat wayward shots being as close as they got. In the meantime we sprinkled some nice football with some less attractive stuff. Then after about 30 minutes came the turning point. A back pass from their striker from just outside the box was served up on a platter to Colin, who in one fluid movement threw it out. Unfortunately the bit in between, that tricky bit where you catch it was forgotten and the ball trickled agonisingly slowly over the line. Now it didn’t seem immediately apparent but this was Colin’s master plan to motivate us, and wake us from our slumber.

Half time duly arrived, Neil duly verbally kicked our butts and normal service was resumed. That is of course that we got the ball down, played nice little triangles and totally dominated the game. I would actually like to give a big pat on the back to Graham Spink, who really got us on the front foot by closing down and generally rattling their players into making mistakes, good effort Graham.

The first goal was not long in coming, after good work down the left involving player of the day Richie Sharples and Matt Nugent who also had a strong game, the ball went through to Nick Rowe who beat 2 defenders and then lobbed the keeper from fully 20 metres. From then on there was only one winner, Nick’s and our second came courtesy of a great Richie Sharples corner which Nick powered home, and he completed his hat trick with a well placed penalty after the ball had been handled in the box. Apparently this hat-trick owes more to Andy Evans’ lucky socks (they haven’t been washed all season, and yesterday Nick was wearing them (?)) than Nick’s undoubted skill, and the fact that he stopped all those flicks and finally played the way he was facing.

The result was probably a fair reflection given our second half performance, but we certainly no how to keep the supporters interested. The win sees us maintain our 100% start with 15 points on the board after 5 games with a miserly 2 goals conceded, so well done to the defence for keeping us in the games until we wake up.

Next week we are at home to Clendon along with all 4 other senior men’s teams. Having 5 teams at home on the same afternoon should make for a great atmosphere so try to persuade anyone you can to come along and support the boys.