Lee Du Maurier posted on July 29, 2007 09:11
Played 13 won 13, was how it looked going into the final game of the season yesterday. The fact that we were up against Fencibles, who had given us our toughest test this season (where we won 1-0 with a disputed penalty) made this a potential banana skin in our quest for the perfect league season.
This was further enhanced when 16 finely tracksuited ageing athletes from East Auckland landed at The Theatre of Onions, looking sharp and ready to put one over us.........and for the first 20 minutes, that's exactly what they did.
A combination of us being awful and them being hungry, resulted in us falling a goal behind. Our defence was sliced open and was finished by their ever dangerous speed merchant who rounded Andre and slipped it past the despairing efforts of Russ Whiter who attempted a 20 yard arse-skid in a vain effort to clear off the line.
In fairness, Fencibles should have been a couple up, as our normally rock solid defence resembled Bambi on ice and our first touch deserted us like Sunderland supporters at the end of a Premiership season. Cue wholesale substitutions....on came the front row...Davison, Fabrello and du Maurier. Tony D bringing defensive solidity, Fabs energising the midfield, whilst my first touch rebounded straight back into my face almost breaking my nose and was further compounded when whilst rubbing it better, got Deep Heat in my eye stinging like buggery.
But the tide was now changing...Fabs hit the underside of the bar, Dave Benard put one into the side netting and several half chances went begging. Then PLC awarded a free kick on the left hand touchline......which was beautifully floated into the back post, turned back in from Donald Grewar into the path of Richie Sharples who made no mistake from 3 yards. Game on.
1-1 was how it stood at halftime, though within 5 minutes we were 3-1 up thanks to a great sliding effort from Fabs, courtesy of Graham's tenacity and my "Wundastrike".....I really can't put into words this strike of stunning beauty, other than to say I'll never know how I managed to get my leg up that high!
Fencibles now visibly wilted and as we have done all season, we turned the screw and turned it on. Donald swept in a magnificent fourth following a marvellous move......Dave Benard made it five with a richly deserved goal from an acute angle and Brian Mac poked home the sixth in a goalmouth melee. It could have been more, should have been more, but hey 6-1 against a good side like Fencibles was a helluva good way to get that 100% record of:
P14.....W14...D0.....L0......F57.....A6
Just CHAMPION!