Friday April 5th 2002

Springhill Dads v Maples Sport
By Scoop

    This is the game for Maples to win back some self respect after their thrashing at the hads of Springhill last month.  They've drawn on some of their big guns and a couple of younger lads to help them out.  They must be scared.

SPRINGHILL DADS
Harry Virdee
Tim Hart - Brian Medway - Darren - Les Maros
Jim Allen - Dave Hedges
Martin Kings. - Andy Simpson - Tony O'Neill - Edu
Sub: Ralph, Robbie Thorpe, Mal - injured

    Nipper's pass to Dave was cut-out by a Maples player and his curled shot was going into top corner and Harry one-handed save around post - corner headed over.
    Tony intercepted a pass and cut through for Andy to run on but his shot was saved.  From the corner Les turned and shot but something went twang and Les limped dejectedly from the fray (groin strain) with Mal chasing after him for his subs!
    Sportingly, Maples star left back, Ralph, 62, switched sides to make-up the Dads numbers and was cursed by his colleagues immediately after he cleared the ball off the line with his first touch.
    Stallwart, Glen, finally off the tablets, back in a Maples strip had a terrific shot from 30 yards force Harry into making a save from the top drawer.
    Harry instigated a sweeping move from his clearance , Dave H in mid-field played through for Tony O who crossed for Andy to blast just wide.
    Nipper ran into the box but there was Ralph to make a perfect sliding block, a la Jason, and slickly came away with the ball.  The ball found Dave H in the box but, with the keeper beaten, his shot drifted narrowly wide.
    As the whistle loomed it was all Dads; Andy crossed for Tony O's first touch to let him down and Brian & Tim comfortable smothered a dangerous break at the death.

HALF TIME
SPRINGHILL DADS 0 — 0 MAPLES SPORT

    The plan for the second half was for Robbie to switch with Harry in goal and for Tony O to do a sort of Litmannen impression behind the front two and go for the win.   
    Dave H ran in screaming for the ball only to blast well over.  Tim intercepted a loose ball and Robbie called, "head it back!" The ball sailed over Robbie and Jim was unlucky to fail to control it and could only watch as nipper stroked it into the empty net.
    The Dads were starting to feel a few knocks now; Tony O was tiring and Darren twisted his knee but the ball broke to Tony who managed to get it to Dave who crossed for Harry to head wide.
     Ball played into the box - Robbie tried to hide and left it for to Maples to shoot, thankfully over.  The next attack Tim was able to clear away for the corner which Brian just failed to hook in for his tilt at the own goal award.  The resulting corner was headed over.
    Darren crossed into the box Edu made the dummy and JIM ALLEN fired in from 35yds into the back of the net.
    From the restart the ball was played into the box and Robbie had to make a one handed save from nipper and turn the shot behind.  The corner was cleared but Maples broke through three on one with Robbie, the ball was squared to nipper for him to plant his shot into the side netting.
    After some great stuff from the Dads - Martin, Brian, Edu and Andy combining to put Dave H through only to shoot over.  Maples quickly counter attacked and put the Dads defence into a bit of a state.  Jim and Tim managed to get in each others way which allowed the Maples forward to skip through and shoot under Robbie's dispairing dive.
     Some typical Dads magic finished off the game when Dave found himself free and his curling shot was blocked - Edu lined up the ball perfectly for Tony O to pick his spot.  Everything stopped, not even the birds in the trees were making a sound - Thomas, Tony's nipper playing in the pitch next door stopped and looked up to witness his Dad's golden moment.  Tony shaped up took two precise strides, swung his leg, missed the ball and landed on his arse.
    Time - magic.

FINAL SCORE
SPRINGHILL DADS 1 - 3 MAPLES SPORT

       MOM

        Ralph