This week's match report is going to feature a competition, called spot the footballing cliche. The first to correctly spot them all will win......well, not much really, but there isn't a great deal to write about so thought it needed spicing up.
So, to match day 7 of the GFSN National League, welcoming our old friends from Yorkshire Terriers to a sunny but chilly day in London's Regents Park. There are no easy games in football, but we would all be a little disappointed not to take something from the game.
The Footers squad was strong on paper and what we lacked in height, we more than made up with spirit. Baby Dave once again taking over the home managerial role and picking an adventurous team with one eye on defence. Anthony Not Darling, who a lot of people don't realise has good hands for a big fella, went in goal while our more regular keeper Garry slotted in at full back.
I played just in front of the back four, while Andy W took a free role, popping up all over the place to dictate play from midfield. Scott as a Scot took the role of the traditional English winger, while Baby Dave cut a lonesome figure upfront on his own.
Now, Footers matches take a familiar pattern, week in, week out we allow a few defensive slips tend to let us down and we soon found ourselves 1-0 down after pin-ball in the box following a corner found our defence at sixes and sevens. A second came when Anthony came tearing out of his box acting almost like a sweeper, cleared the ball but was out of his goal when the Terriers followed up with a long range shot. It was a real smash and grab moment.
At the other end, we were trying manfully, but their defence was probably too tall for us. We struggled to stick to our game plan of trying to get my head on the end of goal kicks and time and time again we found ourselves with plenty of possession but little to show for it.
Still Andy had a fine game, showing that you don't need great pace to read the game, and caused them all sorts of problems.
Anthony Not Darling also made a miraculous save, which quite frankly had it come from a Brazilian we would all be raving about it. However, we all know that football is a game of two halves and at half time we had all to play for.
We switched to a second half formation with three at the back, lead superbly by Craig with Doc taking the anchoring role in midfield and Scott moving up front.
Their third goal came from a good strong run by Freddie.
A parrot could be heard calling from the nearby zoo. This was a bit of a wake up call for us as we had our best moments in the game, a cracking cross from Andy saw our first shot on target, although I would be disappointed not to have gotten more behind it and not long later Baby Dave had a shot from a brilliant move that would have gone in had it not been down the keepers throat, who in all fairness made a good save. I think we had a shot that hit the stanchion between the bar and the post, though I may have just made that up.
By this point Anthony Darling (who was keeping himself fresh for the next game) had arrived to watch and his unique vocal support.
They got a fourth somehow, I can't remember now, it doesn't matter. At the end of the day we lost 4-0.
Some of us headed to the Dublin Castle for the second half of the Carlzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing Cup snore fest and having seen United win on penalties you might say it was a funny old game.
Another enjoyable afternoon had by all.
Chris B
