It was another great night for the keepers on Wednesday – competition for team places are hotting up.
Hastings luxuriates with six goalies and newbie Gooner Colin has already staked his claim to top spot with the front side. But tonight there was a reminder that the competition is fierce.
The Nutkin – playing in arguably the weakest team on the night- was caught in a shooting gallery and turned in his best performance ever. Colin and New Pete only had a couple of saves to make each but Jezza was busy all evening.
Match 1 was a nil-all draw between Blues and Oranges. El Jay was desperate to score after Colin shut him out last week, but the big fellah came out on top again making a great save to his left.
Match 2 saw the O’s beat the Pinks one-nothing with a great goal from Deano whose shot curled in from 12 yards through a crowd of players. Pete made a superb save at the other end from Wingnut and it was the closest the Pinkos came to a goal all evening.
Match 3 saw newly-departed Trigger beat the Nutkin in the corner for the winning solitary goal Blues on Pink. The Nutkin made three outstanding saves to keep the score down and Matty Longshanks and Legendary Rog came close but not close enough at the other end.
Match 4 saw new boy Jimbo get his first goal at Les Academias Decrepido to beat the Oranges. Granite Bob robbed Chairs on the edge of the box and set up a Team Tango attack but the Blues came straight back via a beautiful ball from El Jay to put the Chairman in for the second. It was a Great finish. Pete flung himself around at the other end and made two good saves, denying the tireless Beaky in the last second. 2-0 Blues.
Match 5 saw The Nutkin’s finest 12 minutes. He made a remarkable double save, one with his fist and the other with his head, pulled off four other quality stops to foil the Blues and was only beaten by Chairs, popping up for his second of the evening. Pinks 0 – Oranges 1.
The last match saw the Blues beat the Pinks in their fourth 1-o defeat of the night thanks to a well-taken goal by The Spanish Bun Boy. He had arrived with a headache, got a ball in the face, didn’t beat Colin but finished his night with a pearler that gave The Nutkin no chance.
Lots of good play tonight. Deano is a revelation at the back, Matty and Wingnut linked well with Rog and The Cat showed why he should stay in goal and, unlike Rick, can’t really play out.
Man of the match: The Nutkin and his top-drawer performance. Special mention for Beaky and Chairs – both excelled themselves.
