THD Mixed vs SAS
Saney awoke to the normal ‘am I 100% needed for today’s match’ messages on a wet and rainy Sunday morning in Yorkshire. Having had the teams usual recruitment drive on Saturday night celebrations and commiserations helped bluster team numbers to 15 + 4 maybes, the dropout wasn’t going to be an issue… (hilariously the number 1 guilty of this was out of the country)
After breakfast, a train journey, and a collection of kit, we arrived at the pitch. Five minutes before pushback, we found out the opposition didn’t have enough ladies but a squad. Taking the win, in theory, we played an 11 v 11 match, with THD having the upper hand of two men’s subs.
An unnecessary aerial to start and Em’s ball flew to the top of their D, we were on the attack.
With a very defence and attack-heavy team, Will Leachman begrudgingly agreed to try centre mid and found ‘I’ve got so much room to move forward and attack’ quickly proving his skill as a distributer and blocking the middle.
Em being her tenacious self gained a short corner quickly that skimmed the side post, soon after she found the back of the net nearly making top bins in a glorious strike.
Will L determined not to be outdone with a quick jinx over the defender's stick took it to 2-0 with an echoing rattle of that backboard everyone loves or loathes to hear ring across the pitch.
SAS bunker down in their defence.
Josh, putting his body on the line, tried to skim past the Viking tank of a man ‘Nil’s’ and experienced the universal law of gravity and inertia or of ‘less structural integrity’.
Fergus ‘the butcher’ finally arrived 20 minutes into the game, having forgotten his astros, to play left wing that somehow appears positionally as right defensive mid. Headless chook sprung to mind quickly… before the spring in his step not restricted in anyway firmly made him Bambi of the day.
Dan and debuting convincingly held the opposition out of the D leaving Dora to not touch the ball at all in the first half.
Halftime sounded to the relief of the oppo and PK who had put a hand on stick in the way of the ball splitting his knuckle.
A quick chat with Haribo flowing, and the main discussion was ‘Let’s keep going’.
Their restart, the unnecessary arial hardly made, Em who was protesting her midline start as Dan had usurped her to the forward line.
Will keen to show forward was his natural position quickly put a third away.
Dora’s calls in goal, for the defence to ‘stop playing so well’ were heard for her to finally actually touch the ball, twice in a quick flurry of a two tap before the ball was swiftly sent far far away to attack, finding Josh perfectly set inside the D. With a finishing flourish to send us 4-0 up.
A few minutes later Dan forgetting that he was now in the attacking D ‘saved’ Em's next shot and with the whole team jeers he turned around to take on 3 defenders, ignoring Fergus’ calls while completely free on the far post to slot the ball left corner in a solo goal. ‘What you can do I can do better “as your coach” 5-nil….
As the lights slowly started to turn off as the match had crept past the hour and the warmth of the pub and teas awaited.
A having worked out he was locked out with his family away was joyous to hear of pizza, fries and a warm fire to collate MoMs and DoDs.
Unsurprisingly to all Dan took DoD with his goal saving efforts while attacking, Will following fast behind with hattrick avoidance made up for it with the solid midfield performance and the 2 goals to take player of the day.
Thank you to all that played it was a full team effort,
Dora (GK), Toby , PK, Amy, Dan, A, Saney, Tash, Will, Heather, Josh, Fergus,Em
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