Lane Cove West 2, West Pymble B 2.

29 July 2006, Blackman Oval

2-2 is now, of course, a score forever etched in the history of Australian football.

Australia 2, Croatia 2 and, as we sang on the train from the Stuttgart stadium: “2-2 was a win for us”. On the way to the game we had sung to the Croatians, “Your shirt is a table cloth” (and, recalling that they’d drawn with Japan 0-0 and lost to Brazil 1-0 by this point, but we’d beaten Japan 3-1, “Stand up if you’ve scored a goal!”). You did wonder whether Croatians would be the sort of people to take defeat well, and whether all this singing might prove to have been unduly provocative, but as it turned out it was fine: not nearly as scary as Ipswich winning at Coventry.

Today, it was hard to conclude that 2-2 was a win for us. We had led, apparently comfortably, at half-time (unlike Australia who, in all the games of that glorious campaign, were actually ahead for just 5 minutes – at the end of the Japan game). But with not long to go we were behind, and in the end were relieved not to lose. And, as in Stuttgart, no fans today got beaten up on the way home.

But I’m jumping ahead.

No games last week, due to mud, and this week started wet, but dried just in time: only the far goalmouth was sticky.

But the lack of match practice (or any training) made the early exchanges a bit of a struggle all round. We were not as dominant as when we had beaten these opponents 4-0 nine weeks ago, but still seemed to having the better of the game.

This was confirmed when we went into the lead after about half an hour. A free-kick some way out in the centre was powered into the area by Howard, and onto Bob’s head. He flicked it on to Mark S who did the same across the goal and there was Dave to finish the move with a header onto the underside of the bar and in (Dave’s second headed goal of the season): 1-0.

The defence looked strong, and Tim, in particular, was having the sort of game that would have got him into the man-of-the-match voting if it didn’t tend to favour forwards. (Perhaps the goals are all that we can remember when it comes to voting. There have now been 30 of them this year, so there have been more to savour than in recent years).

But the second half was a different half. Was it a mistake to sub Howard, and break his strong partnership with Eric in the middle of the back? Were there other changes in formation that altered the balance? Whatever it was, we were not the same after the break, and lacked urgency and zest.

So it was no real surprise when West Pymble equalized after about 15 minutes. They’d had a series of promising attacks and one of them fulfilled its promise to make it 1-1. (OK: I admit. I can’t remember much about it except that it was a shot form not too far out but not really anyone’s fault).

Still we weren’t stung into enough action, and worse was to follow. One of their players had the ball on the half-way line but hesitated. For some reason, I hesitated to pounce on his hesitation. (There had been earlier evidence that my brain wasn’t in gear: I’d spent some time before the game searching for my other shinguard before Tim pointed out that I was wearing it!). The moment to pounce passed, and so did the ball up the right, and another shot, and another goal: 1-2.

In disgust, I took myself off at this point to leave Matt & Mark S with the forward duties for the rest of the game, and a good move this turned out to be. We then had a series of good attacks, mostly featuring Matt & Bob (who were joint men of the match) & Mark S (who was third). But the ball just wouldn’t run our way.

Brian had a good chance at the far post, but no time to steady himself, and his shot went wide. Other chances came and went, and it seemed like, for the first time this year, we were to lose a game we’d been winning.

Of course Croatia had been 2-1 up at the same stage of that game. Then Harry Kewell scored, and eleven long minutes later Australia were on their way to the fateful game with Italy.

Kewell, by now, is an honorary Scouse. And who is the Kewell of our team? Matt, of course! And, at about the same 79 minute mark, Matt saved the game for us. Unlike Harry, he wasn’t offside: indeed, he was some way out, and in an unlikely position to lob the keeper. But that was what he did. It was at the same far end as his headed goal against Hornsby Heights last month, but this time the keeper was not breathing down Matt’s neck. Rather, he was stranded, just too far out. But both goals had in common that long wait for the ball to come down, and the joy when it bounced in.

Unlike in Stuttgart, there were then no heart-stopping moments left: Tony (unlike Kalac) did not throw the ball straight out to their attack; no-one got booked three times or sent off; and the referee did not end the game as the ball was on its way into the net for a winning goal.

So we’ve used up our get out of jail card: a bit lucky in the end not to lose, although our first-half performance probably justified our point.

Thanks to Tim for the beers; to the Shelleys for turning up to officiate (though they weren’t needed); and to Brian & Dave C for doing the 3pm game.

Just 4 games left, and only three weekends to play them in

MARK BRYANT