B GRADE MATCH REPORT

Lane Cove West (Over35) 0 - 4 Mount Colah (Over 35)

Match Report

In five of our games this season, the winning side has scored four. Regrettably it’s been us only once. Twice it’s been Mount Colah; 
and both times it’s been 4-0. 

The signs were ominous before the game. The Mount Colah boys hadn’t got any smaller in the last two months: they still look like 
a basketball team with beef. We were without Martin C & Neil; and Martin P was late because his wife is on a course, and Martin 
had to help the second choice babysitter move home because the first choice couldn’t sit, as she has to bring her own children 
but couldn’t this time because Martin’s daughter is sick, and the second choice could only sit someone helped her move. (I may 
not be doing the story full justice, but those were the highlights.)

The game was played in dreadful conditions. The Blackman wind, blowing from what is rumoured (by those who’ve ventured down that 
far down ) to be the changing-room end got ever stronger, and there were real doubts as to whether the pitch would still be there 
by the end, as large quantities were carried away, often accompanied by the ball. Add a few drops of rain, and – perversely – the 
occasional burst of sunshine, and you have a very difficult time, particularly for keepers. 

But the story of the day was Dave W’s magnificent saving. I lost track of how many, but the first heroic was after just six 
minutes: he pushed over a stinging shot form the right. The resulting corner was headed just over by a mountainous Mount Colah 
forward.

We held out for 15 minutes, with Ernie shimmying up the left and Dave B, Mark S & Mark L chasing valiantly up front. But we never 
threatened their goal in the first half. 

I realised too late that I had failed to give Guy, the referee, a vital piece of information: it had been Eric’s BIG birthday on 
Wednesday, and therefore he should have got the benefit of the doubt on any close decisions. In the absence of this knowledge, 
Guy gave what looked like a judgemental handball decision against Eric, quite a way out on the right. Not far enough out, 
though: the kick was powered straight into the top left of the net: 0-1.

Then after 25 minutes came the only incident of the day that the defence might justifiably look back on with regret. A good through 
ball from Mt Colah produced a cross from the right that should have been cleared, then one back across again with the same problem, 
and bang: 0-2.

Which was a shame, because had we gone to halftime at 0-1, things might have been different: particularly as the rest of the half 
had Dave W covering himself in glory. A good save on the half-hour from a long-range shot, and three minutes later, similarly. Then 
TWICE on 34 minutes: yet another push onto the post (that’s 3 in 3 weeks), and a save with his feet, well tidied up by Gareth after 
a (possibly offside) run through had left the goal exposed.

And three minutes into the second half, Dave was at it again: another save which I have to say I missed as I had turned away to 
record what I was sure was the 3rd goal! And still more good saves were to come (full details not recorded, as the clipboard was 
under the tarpaulin by this stage!)

Then the only time we came close to a goal: Bill, who was back to his old self up front had a close-range shot that was on its way 
in when their keeper, who had done nothing else all day, tipped it around the post acrobatically.

Mostly we defended, however. Tim F’s groin stood up well (perhaps that could be better put) to the many goal kicks it launched into 
the wind, and Eric, Martin P and Gareth also toiled away. But it was no surprise when, half way through the half, pinball in our 
area led to 0-3, and game over.

But we rallied. John S, Peter & Warren played some good balls through mid-field, and Steve got on the end of some of them to produce 
a few half-chances – and relief for the defence. The relief was only temporary, however: late on, a vigorous encounter between 
Dave W and a forward resulted in the latter heading in, & Dave’s name being etched in Guy’s book for his protests. Fortunately the 
wind took Dave’s exact words away from the crowd (still surprisingly large, given the conditions, and especially good to see Sue & 
Gerry, who recall when Blackman was a newly reclaimed garbage tip: which will soon be visible again if the wind holds up!). 

I came on for the last few minutes, mostly to keep warm, which I did by joining in the chasing, but I wasn’t called on to risk the 
knee by actually touching the ball! 

Dave W was, of course, man of the match, and Martin P & Gareth 2nd & 3rd: which tells you where the game was played.

Seven games left, and now ten points from 4th, I regret. Next week we play Kissing Point, who are currently 4th. And if we should 
claw our way there, and Mount Colah stay top, then we would play them again in the semis…..!

Thanks this week to Guy for refereeing (likewise Ernie for the As’ game). And to Brett for running the line on the Siberian far 
side (& Warren at 3pm). And to Tim, of course, for the beer: the ice hardly melted.
 
MARK BRYANT