A funny kick-off time 4:30 - some of the regulars unable to make the starting line up; Martin Kingsbury, Les Maros and Kevin Switzer cried off - I guess the Sunday dinner washing up take president.  However, showing true Dads commitment, Jon Elms raced back from the west country just in time to make the kick-off.
  More than the strip did, or Tony Pascoe and Dave Hedges - more victims of the dreaded Sunday dishes?  Will we ever know!  Luckily Tom brought a couple of his chums along, to make up the numbers.
  Penfolds - Orchard Vets in a previous existence (before someone bought them some shirts) beat Securicor 8 - 1 in the Cup, so they shouldn't be taken lightly.  Hey, we'll just put out the reserves and see what happens.

Springhill Dads
Robbie Thorpe
Tim Hart - Brian Medway - Jon Elms- Mal Barton
A.N.Other - Trevor - Jim Allen - Josh Medway
Thomas - A.N.Other - Sean Whelan
Didn't arrive: Dave Hedges, Tony Pascoe.                              

  The game kicked off and the Dads were looking like it was going to be a bit of a struggle.

  The ball bounced up and accidentally came into contact with Mal's hand - Penfolds are a right sporting lot and allowed play to go on without too much persuasion.  Jon was giving it his best shot, 'eff off, you gotta be joking you gert jessie!'  You can tell he's a solicitor, his eloquently reasoned argument completely bowled them over.

 Tom was wandering around like a lost soul, blaming everyone except himself for his lack of goals - maybe he hadn't been promise a little surprise if he scored tonight!

  The defence were having to battle to cut out the Penfolds chances, but when they got the ball away there seemed to be a big hole in mid-field and they were soon back under pressure.  Jim and Trevor had their moments but were manfully struggling to contain a mobile Penfolds unit.   Eventually one chance happened along that wasn't closed down and Robbie couldn't get down quick enough to stop the ball squeezing under his body into the net!

  1 - 0

  The rest of the half continued much as the beginning, another hand ball appeal, this time on Sean, was ignored and the opposition started to get a little niggled.  Tom and his mates up front weren't getting much service and when the ball did appear, those shiny soled daps didn't help much with the footing and ball control. Josh was having a blinder on the left of mid-field, leaving his opponents bewildered with his control and tackling.  He's going to take some shifting - especially as he does turn up!.

Half Time 1 - 0

  At half time the consensus was to pull Sean back into mid-field in front of the back four with license to wander forward when the circumstances permitted.  The Dads kicked off in good heart, only 0 - 1 down believing that they could pull it back.  What happened next?  Yeah, another runner from mid-field broke through to blast powerfully into the back of the net, just inside the post with Robbie thinking his dive and outstretched hand had it just covered.

  2 - 0

  The Dads felt a little aggrieved, their tactics were working and the mid-field was managing to get some control but the forwards weren't using the ball to their advantage.  Then, o rub salt in their wounds, everyone stood back and allowed some joker in mid-field a free shot.  Robbie was at least 6 inches off his line so he tried a lob and what do you know, yes it went sailing over Robbie's despairing reach.

3 - 0

  Tom realized, now that we were in a game. He managed t get hold of the next ball played up to him by Jim and took a half hearted swing at goal.  The keeper had it covered but somehow it squeezed under his oversized frame to trickle over the line.

3 - 1

  This was more like it, the Dads were back in with a chance and the team was getting it together.  Sean was doing his bit and covering acres but when he picked himself up he was doing a bit of running, too.  Brian and Jon were getting forward as and when to support and Robbie was itching for a corner so he could do a Grabelaar  A.N.Other was presented with a chance by Trevor which Tom might have had more luck with, standing on his own in front of goal.  But A.N. controlled the ball lovely, under pressure from the full back, only to lash it wildly over the bar.  But, to be fair his daps couldn't have been any help cos after he got his shot off - he ended up on his a##e on the turf.
  Then a classic moment, Jim put the ball through the Penfolds defense and Tom was away, beat his defender for pace, took the ball on and hammered it passed a helpless keeper.

3 - 2

  The Dads were going for the jugular now, Penfolds were starting to panic, a little niggle was creeping in.  Every little thing was argued for; dodgy throw-ins, hand balls, off-sides, etc.  So when Tim got down on his hands and knees behind the Penfolds centre forward in the penalty area for Jim to complete the coup de gras by pushing him over they were never going to accept anything other than the penalty.  Spoil sports!  Lucky the Dads are such a sporting bunch!  The Penfolds forward stepped up with the Dads all lining up to clear the blocked shot and were bitterly disappointed to see it end up in the net with Robbie diving the right way.

4 - 2

  From being so close to pulling the game back to a draw it was cruel for Penfolds to score a 90th minute goal which sealed the points.  A midfielder broke through evading the challenges and fired a rocket through a crowded area passed Robbie's futile reach. 'That's it, I've had enough - time', Those poignant words brought the game to a close.

Full Time
Penfolds 5 - 2 Springhill Dads

            Man of the Match
                   Jim Allen

  Typical battling performance in mid-field - did a great job to keep the rest of the team organized under constant pressure.

  After the match, at the Pub-in-the-Park, Alex Whelan, joined by his sister Victoria, had the Dads spellbound with his exploits following his team, Everton, and his efforts to keep his Dad out of trouble.