Lane Cove West 1, Northbridge 1

22 April 2006, Blackman

The thing about clichés is that they’re often apt. Today it was a funny game and it was a game of two halves. On the other hand, it was not, on the day, 11 men against 11, as I will explain.

Another bright and sunny day at Blackman, and as I predicted last time, the crowds are flooding back to see us. In fact, Howard brought a record crowd just in his own car (parents, wife, sample of children) and with my mother and a few others, it was all getting a bit crowded along the touchline: pretty soon, you’ll need to get up early on a Saturday to stake out the best places.

Injuries, the long weekend and family commitments reduced our squad again. Seven changes from a fortnight ago, and now only 5 of us have played in all three games. Today, we actually used only 12 players (the fewest I can recall for a long time): although there were A team players ready to come on if needed, we managed without them and are all a bit fitter for the experience.

And we were all there well before kick-off, and – not coincidentally – started strongly against a defence that seemed shaky. We had most of the play in the first half, and should really have been a couple ahead at the break. I had a really good chance early on when Bob lobbed a pass to the far post but my volley went over. A series of corners came to nothing. Then I broke free on the left but my cross just failed to clear the keeper & reach Matt who was undoubtedly about to lash it in.

But soon quick thinking by Bob gave us our first goal of the season, and the lead. A fierce shot from the right (Matt, I think) was well stopped by the keeper, but it left his grasp for half a second a there was Bob to push it in: 1-0.

It was all one way: I don’t recall Northbridge having a serious attempt on goal by now.

So it was disappointing when they equalized about ten minutes before half time. We failed to clear on the right. The ensuing throw-in somehow found its way past several static defenders to a forward who gratefully sent it past Tony: 1-1.

But we battled on and had more good chances. The most memorable (code for: the only one I can now remember) was a trademark Peter thunderbolt which the keeper acrobatically to pushed over the bar for yet another corner. But, like the others, it came to nothing and 1-1 it stood at half time.

At this point we were disappointed not to be well ahead, but confident of winning: you would not have predicted that we could spend the next 30 minutes relieved not to be losing.

At half-time our opponents made changes. So many, that Gareth (who refereed excellently) asked their manager to demonstrate that they hadn’t used more than the 5 subs that are permitted. Actually this wasn’t difficult, as they had only 16 players there (for both games). But they had made 6 changes: the ‘keeper had moved to the forward line (where he was very effective), and 5 fresh players had come on.

And they played like a very different team: passing the ball around fluently, running a lot, niggling and generally not being the opponents we had enjoyed in the first half.

But we are nothing if not adaptable, and we moved into solid defence mode. And if it’s solidity you’re after, you can’t go past Howard: in fact, you can’t go past Howard, anyway. He repulsed many attacks himself and marshalled the rest of us with his clear calling.

It was rather desperate stuff for a while, though, and we needed a bit of luck, as well as skill, to remain on level terms. The second half also had the only recorded instance in the history of football of a wall being moved forward by the referee: starting about 5 yards from the ball, we grovellingly moved back as Gareth strode out the paces towards us, but over-did it, and had to shuffle forward to his destination: fortunately, Tony wasn’t put off by the wall in motion.

So, mirror-image of the first half: it was us who hardly attacked until about 10 minutes from the end. But then we came back strongly, and had the chances to finish it off. First Bob & then Matt made good ground on the right with me, all alone and excited, in the centre: but both times the cross found the ‘keeper.

And defenders pushed forward: left-back Eric making a surprise appearance on the right wing at one point.

But it all came to nothing, and we had to settle for a draw again.

Matt was man-of-the match for his determined running and commitment. I was second (doubtless for running around a lot and being excited); Bob & Howard tied for third. Howard’s Mum assured us that she hadn’t voted for him: there’s loyalty for you! I didn’t invite my Mum to vote; incredibly, it seemed that she had found her book more exciting than the game.

We should not despair that the elusive first win still eludes. Last time I mentioned the mighty Ipswich side that won the (then) 1^st division in 1962. They, like us, were in a new division: in fact, they are still the only club to have won the top division at their first attempt (except, of course, Preston who won the first competition in 1889; and if you think about it for a while it will occur to you that whoever won it that year was going to win it at their first attempt!). Well – again just like us – Ipswich that year drew their first game 0-0 (against Bolton: this was back in the days when only two teams got promoted from division 2, and all promotions were decided by the quaint measure of the table, rather than this play-off lottery; and the first game in Division 1 always had the two promoted teams playing each other). Then they lost their next two, to have just one point after three games. And we have two, so are doing twice as well. (Next for Ipswich came a 6-2 thumping of Burnley, so here’s hoping for the same).

Thanks to Peter for putting up the nets in the absence of our subcontractor; to Bill for bringing the beers, and – with Tony – manning the barbecue; to Gareth for refereeing; to Dave P & Scott for running the line (Scott, especially as he wasn’t rostered to do it: Northbridge have apologized for insisting that we had to provide two – they now realize that we were right in saying they should have had one)

Mark Bryant