Red: James, Martin, Ahmet, Daniel, Julius, JP, Gerald, Keith
Yellow: Steve, Prit, Oz, Toby, Rich, Tufan, John, Colin

16!!!! And with only one chap representing the other team, that’s the best turnout since July 1st last year. Steve was late, Ahmet was even later.
Snow underfoot and more falling from above. And the sub zero temperatures certainly added a firmness to the bog underneath – a bit like a crème brûlée. Once again, a lot to recall so the following is a bt piecemeal…..
Martin sadly managed to injure himself during the warm-up so went in goal. James followed suit after 25 minutes with a strain. It was too cold to hang around so they both left – get well soon chaps.
John graciously swapped sides to even it up but realised immediately that after facing the driving snow for most of the first half, he’d now have to do the same in the second half.
Red went 2-0 up within about five minutes even though they were a man down until Ahmet had arrived. Possibly because most of Yellow attacked whenever they had the ball – I recall Oz being a one man defence more than once.
Yellow clawed it back though including a controversial goal with them 4-3 down. Prit dribbled along the right wing and appeared to go beyond the very-hard-to-see markers so Red paused. However play carried on and Tufan shot with the ball landing on the line and being cleared. He claimed it had gone over so Red paused again only for Colin to fire in. Like I said, controversial and this all happened in about five seconds. 4-4, all to play for.
Julius took a corner and aimed at Ahmet who, while jumping, yanked off his hat in mid-air and nodded in – showboat move of the year?
JP surged forward with Tufan following closely behind. Rich tackled and JP tumbled into the snow and Tufan couldn’t stop in time so he tumbled over JP into the white stuff, amusing. And mildly satisfying for Daniel who ended up with the loose ball and fired in. Vindication for earlier when (for the second week in a row) he had a shot covered whilst in goal and saw a defender fluff their lines. Last week Colin, this time Gerald decided to get a touch to the ball and divert it just wide of his own diving keepers’ outstretched fingers.
JP was frequently frustrated up front by Colin who tracked back and thwarted him on many occasions.
Tufan was equally frustrated at the other end but not by defenders. His boots had given up last week so he’d donned astros…which were useless so he spent much of the game sprawled on the ground.
Steve turned up for only his second game since August and was his usual efficient self, linking well with Toby down the right who seems to come from the same school of thought – doesn’t lose possession. One to keep a wary eye on. But Keith was equally potent down the wing for Red.
Julius stroked in to draw Red level five minutes before the end. It was there for the taking.
So Yellow took it, releasing Colin with a long through ball and he dinked it past the out-rushing John and the ball gently rolled over the line.

Final score: Yellow 7 – 6 Red

Red: Keith, Oz, Matt, Rich, Pete, Alan, Chris, Phil, Stu, ?
Yellow: Kevin, Ahmet, Martin, Richard, Toby, Tufan, Colin, Daniel, Julius, Jim

Yellow: Oz, Kevin, Gerald, Tufan, Daniel, JP, Colin + three (Pete, Chris, Paddy)
Colours: Alan, Larry, Ben, Prit, Liam, Phil, Karim, David, Danny, Spurs fan (James?)

JP returns after a year away!!! He hasn’t kicked a ball since he left, he’s still wearing the same top, he still doesn’t have shin pads BUT he promised “No dragbacks!” Sacre bleu!!
Qu’est-ce qui se passe en France Monsieur?

A baptism of fire, slop and smell for JP. Very muddy and as we only had seven, we joined the other team. 10-a-side! And the smell? A strange cesspit overflow aroma pervaded the Rye. A timely reminder that we’re booked at the Mirash!
And would you believe it, a tasty through ball down the middle and JP fires with his first touch…and scores!!!! And if he’d been more clinical he could have a hatrick in the first five minutes. But that threat of no dragbacks? Yeah, it didn’t last long. Too many people on the pitch for me to recall everything. Oz and Pete were a central defensive twosome to be reckoned with, very little got past Kevin on the left, Chris distributed with aplomb from midfield and JP, Colin, Tufan and Paddy combined reasonably well in attack but were hindered by the awful the conditions. Daniel may well have not showed up such was his contribution to either attack of defence. But Gerald – what a stormer – Man of the Match for sure. Virtually nothing got past the right back and when in possession with them pressing he was Mr Calm, passing out of trouble without panic and so many tackles. They got moody towards the end out of frustration as several shots were wayward and with similar finishing at the other end it was a bit nervy in the closing stages. But Yellow held on for a dogged, resolute and just about deserved victory.

Final score: Yellow 1 – 0 Colours

And the last time with the same scoreline? 06.02.11. And the scorer – JP!!