Action from todays games available on youtube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-txsHFQg2eo
Colins Column
A very gloomy Monday mor ning was welcomed by 31 Walking Footballers with game 1 being 8v9 and game 2 a smaller 7 aside in cooler temperatures.
Game 1 as ever is reported on by Colin, with Rory needing a bit of time to scroll through his thesaurus and find more big words to use for game 2
Game 1 was refereed again by Sean who took some abuse during the game especially when he decided to end the game 5 minutes early, but was overruled by everyone, “write to your MP” was his response to at least one complaint 😅
He even ruled out a perfect goal by Colin claiming most of his kicking leg was in the box and failed to disallow a goal scored by Geoff with his head, but more of that later.
The game started off quite slowly with no goals scored for 15 minutes, then a flurry of goals with Paulo harnessing the glories of Portugal triumphing last night to open the scoring for the blacks.
In no time at all, Steve was screaming at Bambi to move into space then passed to Toni to slot in the equaliser 😅.
The score became 2-1 blacks when a fizzing shot hit the crossbar and rebounded out only to hit Geoff on the back of the head and go in, his 2nd own goal in 2 games.
(During the post match debate it was suggested that the shot must have been overhead height on route towards goal and headed, 2 rules broken so shouldn’t have stood)
Dave Owl put blacks 3-1 up with a pile driver of a shot upon his return to playing following eye surgery making a mockery of the imbalance in team numbers.
Reds reduced the scoreline to 3-2 with Steve whipping in a lovely curling shot and they thought the equaliser was there when Colin scored but no, he was in the box, apparently. (He was ! – Ed ) .
The equaliser did come from Kevo returning from his holiday up North.
In truth reds should have won by a landslide, but Fred in goal rolled back the years and threw himself infront of everything to deny a red win.
After a false end of game at 11:55 the ref permitted a full 60 minutes and a 3-3 draw was the result.
Rorys ramblings
As the season progresses to its climax on 30 June there was another great turnout at the Poli for two competitive games of strolling football.
The pitch for game two looked like it was set up for a game of Subbuteo rather than two teams of eight a side. The tight spaces were designed to benefit those who’s second touch wasn’t a tackle, as well as minimising the space to build up a head of speed and thereby reduce the likelihood of running.
Game two welcomed the introduction of Henning for the reds and Henrick for the blacks with both players bringing a touch of Danish flair to the proceedings.
The blacks had a deadly forward line, with sharpshooters Fezza and John providing a twin pronged attack. The blacks were the first to adapt to the tight conditions and worked a micro-space for John to drill a shot home from distance through a crowd of players. Blacks 1-0 Reds.
Dazza for the reds, loosened up with a few long-range shots which typically sailed high and wide, endangering the stability of the nearby mountain slopes. Just as the blacks looked like they might steal a second goal, oversized Dane, Henning (what do they feed them on?), worked enough space to unleash a left foot shot past a static Rory into the bottom of the goal to give the reds a deserved equaliser. Blacks 1-1 Reds.
Both teams were capable of robust tackles and were prone to a bit of running. For the most part John the ref kept things under control with the need for an occasional lecture along the lines that you shouldn’t kick people in the back of the legs or blast the ball into their faces.
Dave the cab playing in a more advanced role managed to work a few openings for the reds but as usual, the chances fell to his left foot which he usually only uses to stand on.
For much of the game, each team gave as good as they got, although the blacks had the benefit of skilful goal poacher Fezza with his laser accurate left peg. As the reds pressed forward the blacks exposed the space behind them and set Fezza up for a blistering quick-fire hat-trick. Blacks 4-1 Reds
Although you would expect the blacks to see the game out comfortably, Tommy (aka Dave) gave them some encouragement by putting in his one hundred and twenty first tackle from behind.
John the ref had no option but to consign him to the sin bin for two minutes. This encouraged the reds to push forward with our Keef and Dave the Cab taking advantage of the wide-open spaces left by Tommy’s untimely absence.
The blacks were holding on well with their precise low block defensive set up until the reds won another corner. Dave K swung the ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and although it looked fairly innocuous, Gert in the blacks’ goal somehow managed to fumble it through his legs and into the goal off the far post. He definitely put himself in with a chance of getting a late call up for Scotland. Blacks 4-2 Reds
Despite Jim’s best efforts to give the reds a couple of goals by teeing them up with half a dozen easy chances the reds were unable to capitalise on the keeper’s largesse. Thanks to some last-ditch tackles from the ever hard working Prak, the blacks were able to cling on to what was ultimately a comfortable win.
Onto Thursday when Euro News reporter Adam will be visiting us before a number of weekly articles are due to appear
Hot off the press …Update on the WFS San Juan festivities now posted on the website
Action Photos
