January 26th

Teams
Blues - Mike I (c), Dave Redshaw, Owain, Mike Barker, Stu, Little Andy, Greg.

Orange - Dan (c), Martyn, Sean, Andy Inker, Craig, Dave Blatch, Neil.

Battle of the titans, the two unbeaten players of 2016 picking the teams. Mike choosing a more attacking team, with Dan going for energy and guile... 

The wind blowing down the pitch, the rain making conditions slippery under foot. Which team had the ability to tame the conditions and get the ball under control. 

Greg turned up a little late, but looking positively stylish in some borrowed kit (he still hasn't paid for his socks)

Craig turned up later, and Pikey Stu even later.

Not many goals, some poor defending - the ball given away cheaply. Andy Inker letting a tame shot (almost a back pass) from Owain go right through him. Martyn smashing a goal home in reply after neat work from Neil and Blatchford. 

Neil making a goal for himself neatly put away with the left peg after a bit of miscontrol, some poor defending, and a couple of lucky bounces, with Dan moaning in the background.

Andy Watts took a shot from distance, clearly going wide, only for some hapless keeping from Strophair slicing the ball into his own goal. For a hotly disputed own goal.

Half time and a change of ends - the blues (8 players) complaining about giving the advantage of the slope, the wind and their teams numeric advantage to the oranges. Moan, moan, moan.

Dave Blatchford running onto a thru ball - powering past a static defence to fire a wonderous shot past Stu. Two keepers wouldn't have saved it.

A corner for the blues, a towering header by Andy Inker - managing to almost get both feet off the ground - clearing the ball out to the left. Strophair hitting what can only be described as a worldie past the hapless Mike Inker - dippping over his head and into the netting from all of 30 yards. The goal only to be diminished, by another ridiculous flash of petulance from the scorer in an embarrassing show of aggression to the innocent Owain. Apologies given, and most magnanimously accepted.

With minutes left it looked like the oranges were drifting to a one goal win, but back came the blues with a corner. Neil lost his footing for the second time of the evening, but this time in his own penalty area, trying to play the ball on the floor in the ensuing scramble gave away a penalty. 30 seconds on the clock.

One trick Jick v Strophair.....One stride. Jick hitting the ball firm and low. Strophair guessed the right way, getting down well and a firm hand on the ball, but the power of the strike too much as the ball nestled into the netting.

The blues earning a well deserved draw. So next week the captains will be the Player of the Week, against one of tonight's captains (toss of a coin)

January 19th

Teams
Orange - Grant, Greg, Neil, Craig, (Mike Barker)

Blues - Dan, Mike I, Little Andy, Martyn, (Mike Barker)

Kick-off delayed for 10 minutes in the hope of the 10th man arriving, which sadly never happened, as a result 4 on 5, the 5 with stick keeper, and only being able to shoot inside the box - well you know the rules.

Captains picks binned in the attempt to pick even sides - this will be resumed next week with Mike Inker taking on Dan - in the battle of the 100% win rates. For this week, teams picked with Mike Barker swapping sides at half time.

The air sub zero, the pitch hard and frozen. The game commenced.

Mike Barker started on the blues side, who were slow to get into the game. Dan's passing too short, too long. The ball given up too easily. Trying to get inside the Oranges goal mouth proving impossible. The Oranges breaking out up the pitch... only to be stalled by Neil's continual falling over on the frozen turf. His gentlemans evening slippers proving not so suitable for the conditions.

Neil, like a slightly more feminine Jane Torville doing the bolero, lying face down on the ice.

Greg proving he still has the ability to fall down when necessary - shot by a sniper.

Some goals - well a lot of goals (sadly none of them counting in the goals stats) .... a lot of puffing and blowing. The frozen air limiting the box to box runners..

Mike Barker swapped sides at half time, with his side losing, to help his new side lose... the oranges throwing away a 3 goal lead. Neil managing to miss an open goal from the goal line... Grant skewing one wide from a couple of yards out.... the oranges now 3 down and fighting back. The blues playing counter attacking football. Keeping possession when they could.

A couple of late goals....

End result a narrow 1 goal margin. Mike Inker and Dan continue unbeaten into 2016..

January 12th

Teams
Orange - Martyn (c), Grant, Owain, Mike Barker, Little Andy, Stu

Blues - Dan(c), Mike I, Jick, Dave Redshaw, Sean, Dave Blatchford

Captains picks - winner staying on from last week, with Martyn - last weeks best player accepting the challenge and taking first pick.

The blues kicking downhill, both teams freezing in the coldest conditions for some time, the pitch slippy in places. The Blues started well with Redshaw playing a bit deeper and picking out some excellent passes to team mates, rather than the usual goal hanging and blazing over the fence from a few yards.

The goal hanging role for the blues went to Mike Inker, ably backed up by Sean. The blues led throughout much of the game, with neither team offering much in the way of a defence with Erkine and the larger Inker missing from action.

The oranges gamely fought on despite an injury to Grant slowing him down to walking pace and restricting him to just the 4 goals. Owain notching 5... only matching the goal scoring exploits of tap-in Mike Inker.

The game hung in the balance with 10 minutes left, only decided by a couple of massive rickets from Stu gifting two goals. The second trying to trap the ball with his fit and only gifting the wily Blatchford, waiting for a tap-in.

The blues were overall deserved winners, with more enterprise and guile, playing a rich passing game which at times had the oranges chasing shadows.

Last weeks best player Martyn struggling to make the same impact this week. It can't be every week Martyn.

Little Andy chopping Dan down with a horror tackle that went unnoticed by many.

A special mention for Grant and the David Platt volley he hit past the hapless keeper - hitting a 50 yard pass first time, after letting it drop over his shoulder. A great finish.

So hopefully we'll get 10 players at least next week, The big question is, who fancies going captain and taking on Dan next week? 

January 5th

So we're back!

Teams
Orange - Grant(c), Jick, Owain, Dave B, Mike Barker, Andy I
Blues - Dan(c), Mike I, Martyn, Stu, Little Andy, Craig

Back to captain's picks, with Grant being challenged by Dan for the first week of the year. Winner stays on.

With the game kicking off late as we awaited arrivals, the festive break was telling in the early stages, miss hit passes going astray, control often lacking when the passes did reach the target.
Oranges settled into the game quickest, regaining their individual form from last year and taking an early 2 goal lead. The disjointed blues looked like they would be on the receiving end of a mauling. The oranges now playing with confidence, passing, moving, control, beautiful! Blues somehow managed to get back into the game with some glorious long range shooting and some bundled miss hit efforts making the scores level at the halfway point.
From then on it was like an advert for Duracell batteries but the bunny didn't turn up, on display instead were e few budget range Panasonic, Wilko own brand and  Poundland specials, the only Duracells being put into Mike Inker's new Christmas battery operated shaver.  With the batteries running low after a few weeks off and much festive food and drink having been consumed, the pace slowed.
Blues taking what had earlier seemed an unlikely lead, the whole team now hitting top form as it developed into walking football. A mixture of well worked goals and equally lucky goals eventually giving the blues the first win of the year.
Handshakes all round, players headed off for a detox and recharge of their batteries ready for next weeks encounter.
Happy New Year, here's to a great 2016 season with the new and improved super deluxe website!