Black: Oz, Kevin, Julius, Tufan, Keith
Yellow: Richard N, Gerald, Nigel, Daniel, Jim
5-a-side. Red bibs were shunned for the team who’d all turned up in dark tops. A return from injury for Jim, his first game since June; a debut for Nigel; a birthday for Gerald. It’s all about me! me! me!
Nigel made an immediate impact, side footing in from a Daniel layoff. He was having trouble staying on his feet though, good control but dodgy astros. The situation peaked during a kafuffle in the six yard box with the keeper, a defender and Nigel all going to ground and eventually Nigel poking it in. No handball but after a brief discussion it was controversially disallowed. A three man break of Richard in possession, Daniel running off down the left and Gerald down the right advanced on the Black goal. Daniel (lacking confidence after firing wide from to two lovely cut-backs) shouted “birthday boy,” Richard duly passed and Gerald slotted in. It took Richard, Jim and Daniel to retrieve the ball from under a circus truck after a wayward shot and they were subjected to the usual witticisms from Kevin.
Tufan took a shot which should have been easily stopped but Daniel in goal was unsighted by Gerald who got a touch to deflect the ball through the keepers legs. He was resolute after that though, frustrating Tufan on several occasions with some solid saves. Oz jumped on one parry to fire against the post, the goalkeeper relieved to see the ball roll across the goal to safety. Yellow got up to 3-1 by half time.
Throughout the second half, Tufan and Keith linked up well in attack, dangerous and quick pass-and-move type stuff and it paid off. They slowly clawed back the goals, 2-3, 3-3 and then they got in front, 4-3, 5-3 including one from Julius who took a pop and nutmegged the birthday boy in goal and strolled away muttering something like “Happy Birthday Gerald!”
Jim had been limping about a lot but then suddenly sprinted forward down the left to fire in past Oz – cynical but effective and it restored some hope but in the last five minutes, Oz took control and fired in to end Yellow belief.
Final score: Black 6 – 4 Yellow
I managed to grab a photo of the yellow team before I left:
Also, it was 1-1 at half-time. Yellows scored two in quick succession after the break to go 3-1 up. Blacks then hit them with four goals without reply. Boff!