Some great all-round football action tonight at the Stade Geriatrica. Great goals, great saves and some great moments. For instance: Doc Dyer – not known for his subtlety or dulcet voice – stuck a foot in and Super Dunc went over it in spectacular fashion, putting many Premiership stars to shame. Chairman Phil had no hesitation in giving Doc a blue card for what he perceived to be an egregious foul.
But Dunc had made a meal of it. Doc and Dunc both knew it. Doc was off. And what did Dunc do? He went off himself too and stood with the disgruntled player until the sin bin time was up. Great sportsmanship.
Three very evenly matched teams of seven lined up for the round robin. Game 1 saw the goalies come off best. With a minute on the clock, El Jay stung Ricky’s right hand with a screamer, producing a fabulous save. But then the Pinks came to life and the Cat pulled off four super saves – one after the other – to keep the Blues in touch. He foiled Matty (twice), Dunc and OMC! in the nil-all draw.
Game 2 was decided by a single goal. It was a cracking through ball from the back by ZZ Nick, well- controlled and turned through by Puffing Paul to put Trigger in for his first of the night. At the other end the Cat denied the Yellow’s Riddler with a good stop down to his left and then pawed a rangey shot from Scouse Phil onto his left hand post. He was having one of those unbeatable nights. One-nil Blues.
Game 3 saw a clear win for Pinks over Yellows. Dunc fired over from close range to get his sights in and the Chairman came close to opening the Yellow account with a sublime shot which Ricky parried onto the post before being delighted to see it bounce right back into his arms. But at the opposite end the Nutkin was not having a good night. Dunc bested him with a clever toe poke from six yards and then doubled his tally when Matty Longshanks unselfishly squared the ball to put him in. When OMC ! added the third for the Pinks with a shot that fluked in off the keeper’s foot, it was all over. Three-nil Pinks. And they were on the rampage.
In game 4 they showed no sign of slowing up when Marco van Gasman stepped up with a customary siege gun effort which bent back the Cat’s paw. And when Ali made it two nil-direct from a corner it looked all up. But then the Blues started to play. El Jay struck a beautiful 30 yard cross fielder to Doc, who slipped it through to the overlapping Puffing Paul Hutton who beat Ricky with the goal of the night. 2-1 Pinks.
Game 5 was a pretty standard two-nil win for the Blues. Legendary Rog got on the scoresheet, cutting in from the left and beating The Nutkin at the near post. El Jay’s goal was a splendid solo effort, beating two players before the strike. Doc could have added a third at the final whistle but spurned his chance.
Game 6 saw the Yellows beat the Pink hoodoo. OMC! poached an early goal for the Pinks but from the re-start the Yellows marauded downfield and Cookie immediately replied. The Riddler stepped up to win the tie 2-1 for the Yellows. Matty had a chance to square things but blasted high, wide and mighty ending up with his head in his hands.
The final game saw a mishmash of Blues and Pinks. Dunc scored two well-worked goals but they were cancelled out by a brace from Trigger and a cracker from El Jay who beat two men going to his right to score. He almost repeated his feat moments later but produced the save of the night from The Nutkin, flying low to his right to deny him.
MOM: Trigger for his three goals and Super Dunc for his fab four and his sporting sin bin.
