Red (4): Jeremy, Rich N, Kev, James (who picked these, 50% of this team are hungover!)
Yellow (5): Ed, Colin, Mike, Damon, Richard P
First half fine and sunny, firm underfoot, second half some HEAVY showers, proper rain, slippery underfoot
A dubious start, Richie N and James arrive at their normal time of 10.38 – this time complete with hangovers – no-one there… through the mist, Jeremy! He was a NO, but managed to get a late license. We decided on the “build the goals and they will come” approach, sure enough Colin and Mike appeared straightaway to help carry them and before long we have a 9-strong plan. Hats off to Damon who has a 2 week old baby.
Anyway after the usual, the game starts briskly, two very good saves by Richard P from James and Kev boded (?) well for Red, but Yellow scored a swift 3 goals, details unclear except the third where Jeremy’s positioning abandoned him and guarded his left post rather than the space between. A couple more good saves from Yellow frustrated the Reds further, but eventually Kev and James make if 3-2 before Yellow pull away to 5-2 with some solid play. Step forward Jeremy to grab a hat-trick before half time, pick of them a great solo run and outside-of-the-foot finish. 5-5 half time felt right – the rain came down, Kev pit-stops into “wets” (mouldeds). The same pattern develops, Yellow go 3 goals up, Red pull two back, Yellow get to 10, so do Red…. Skiddy pitch made for more errors and a lot of falling over, couple of comedy goals, Colin decides to leave one that trickles in, amends by scoring with a rather weak misplaced pass, straight into the bottom corner watched by all as time stood still. Yellow grab a late winner, heartbreak for Red, a good run out, a good workout. See you next week.
Final score: Yellow 11 – 10 Red
Thank you to James McG for the report.