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