Debutant bags brace to ensure honours even.
Brian wouldn’t go quietly. Despite dumping a lake of rain overnight, the pitches at Kingweston retained their billard table baize like qualities, presenting a wonderful vista for the legends arriving for the 11 am kick off. The clouds scudded overhead as Brian blew himself out, determined to have an influence on the day’s play.
As kick off approached, our numbers had crept up to 10 (from 12 who had promised to play) and so, cap in hand, the opposition were approached to lend us a player – ideally a keeper – which they kindly did. But then the eagle eyed in the squad spotted another legend jogging down from the pavilion, swelling our numbers to 11. We decided to keep our (borrowed) keeper and have the luxury of a sub, allowing new dad Jack J start the game on the sideline, on the phone to the mid-wife. By half time, two balls had been blasted over the hedge and lost to the road beyond, the visitors had suffered two (age related) injuries and asked for their keeper back … Such are the challenges of veterans football.
But what of the game itself? A cagey encounter began with the visitors establishing an early dominance, which was rewarded mid through the half with the opening goal. The lead did not last long: having resolved his paternal problems, Jarvis took to the field allowing new boy Stuart Robertson to play further up the pitch and he calmly stroked home after some deft footwork. However, using the wind to their advantage, the visitors launched a long ball that bounced over everyone to land at their striker’s feet, who finished well to give them a half time lead.
With the wind at our backs, the second half saw us begin to assert our dominance and a goal from Nick Neale brought the scores level. Alan Richardson struck the woodwork from within his own half with an effort that reminded this writer of a young David Beckham’s goal from his own half v Wimbledon. Sam Landrigan, another new signing, proved his worth in the middle of the park, showing his stamina as those around him faded.
The chances were coming, whilst Cary always looked threatening on the break. And the Stuart Robertson struck again to give us the lead.
Seeking an equaliser, the visitors threw more players forward and a pinpoint cross whipped in from the right was met, 6 yards out, at the far post by the head of the Cary danger man who directed the ball over keeper Peabody’s outstretched and flailing hand and into the top corner of the goal.
Before the final whistle blew, both sides had chances to grab all three points, but the referee called time on a great game with the score at 3-3, probably a fair result. Unbeaten as we enter November, our next game is a home encounter against an Oakhill side who went down four nil against today’s opponents. That game takes place on November 12th
