Friday March 1st 2002
Springhill
Dads v Maples Sport
By
Scoop
The Dads were invited to a game against old adversaries,
Maples Sport. Maples haven't been playing for a while but are
getting the bug, again. Normally they give the Dads a bit of
a working over and this lot look a bit young and fit, gulp! They
don't have those two big brothers this time, though. There
are a few new names in the Dads side from the last newsletter; Big Dads
welcome to Harry Virdee and Darren, also signed on is Jason Franklin (Tony
O'Neill was suposed to pick him up but forgot).
The Dads are hoping the game won't be quite as
embarrasing as the last game against P&O where the lads lost by an
innings with a terrific own goal by Tony Pascoe who managed to chest the
ball into the net after Harry had made a brilliant one handed save.
Harry deflecting the ball against the post and it was heading to safety
until Tony intervened.
SPRINGHILL
DADS
Harry Virdee
Tony Pascoe - Brian Medway - Martin Kingsbury - Les Maros
John Frisby - Jim Allen - Dave Hedges - Darren
Dave Smith - Andy Simpson - John Elms
Subs: Tony O'Neill, Mal Barton.
The game kicked off with a rush - Maples looked
young and fit, The Dads were going to have their hands full. Maples
went storming-in and in the first few minutes got two shots off and a
header against the bar. A crap clearance from Harry went straight
to a Maples forward who shot woefully wide.
The Dads got themselves organised and started
to put some nice football together. Jim, Dave, Darren and John
in mid-field were working well and were in charge. With three up
front, John and Les over-lapping and Dave and Darren getting forward the
Maples defence was under the cosh. Is this The Dads we're talking
about? On one of Les's overlapping runs Dave put a lovely defence-splitting
ball though for him to get on the end of and was unlucky to see his curling
shot drift just wide.
Maples managed to get hold of the ball for a change,
while The Dads were getting their second wind. They broke from
defence with a bit of pace and a slick one-two took the forward into the
box and drew a great save from Harry.
A quick throw-up from Harry to Jim then a flowing
piece of text book football involving most of the team and John played
the ball up into the box for ANDY SIMPSON to lash home giving the keeper
no chance. I'm sure Tony O'Neill had a tear in his eye!
The Dads were celebrating so much that they were a little distracted.
Maples were still playing and they weren't having it! Their
left winger broke forward and skipped past Martin and crossed into the
box. What followed is what would happen in one of Terry Pratchett's
Disc World novels if Terry wrote about football - without the Troll, dwarfs
and wizards, that is. Put off by Tony's attempted clearance
Harry missed the ball and tripped over Brian - at a stroke 90% of the
Dads defence were lying on their backs having a giggle. It
was left to the right winger the simple task of nipping in a tapping the
ball across the line. Another tear.
The Dads woke up and just before half-time were
able to regain their advantage. After some more pressure, Dave
H crossed into the box and the Dads ignored Maples plaintiff calls for
hand ball against Dave S. The ball carried to John Elms who
had to fight hard against his base instincts to layed it off for Darren
to fire the ball into the back of the net from 30 yards with the outside
of his right foot. Tony was feeling sick, now.
HALF
TIME
SPRINGHILL DADS 2 — 1 MAPLES SPORT
A good constructive half time team talk - and
John Frisby volunteered to come off to give Tony O'Neill a go. A
fine figure - the years rolled back, the smell of linement in your nostrils,
the sound as the ball is whacked and the creaking of the joints. They
say you may loose your speed with age but you never loose your touch -
got that one wrong.
Brian had to come to the Dads rescue early in
the second half and brought one dangerous looking break to a positive
end with a great sliding stop - watch it No-Knees. Brian took
the ball cleanly from the wingers toe and played it away.
Darren drove into the box and fed Tony O who laid
the ball back Dave H who played a clever lob which unluckily hit the cross
bar but there was ANDY SIMPSON following up to tap-in at the far post
under the keeper's nose.
The
Dads next foray into the Maples half was halted by 5'2" Ralph who
leapt into the air to beat 6'4" Tony O to the header.
Martin crossed into the box and Dave Smith attempted
an acrobatic overhead volley which drifted agonisingly just over the bar.
Not to be denied, the next time DAVE SMITH had
the ball, he whipped a powerful drive into the box which a hapless defender
could only diverted into the goal.
Near the end Maples played the ball into the box.
Harry called for it and was off his line like a whippett but could only
collect the ball in the mush, with interest. Jim cleared the ball
off the line but only as far as the Maples forward to shoot home with
the Dads defence in disarray and Harry trying to clear his head. Pure
theatre, a comedy of errors.
FINAL
SCORE
SPRINGHILL DADS 4 - 2 MAPLES SPORT
MOM
Andy Simpson