West Pymble B 0, Lane Cove West 4.

27 May 2006, Turramurra Oval

Middlesborough 0 Seville 4; UEFA Cup Final, 2006.

An unusual score, 4-0, but it was how Seville won just a few weeks back.

And we did better than Seville, at least in one way (possibly the converse is true in others): they didn’t look secure till the rush of goals at the end. We, on the other hand, after surviving a wobbly start, took control and, thereafter, our win never looked likely to be threatened.

Could we play any better than we did today? Possibly. Are we likely to? Probably not! A magnificent team effort: better even than in our 3-2 two weeks ago. And no resemblance, even for a minute, to our woeful performance of last week.

So what was the difference? Jon B, Steve L & me in for Howard, Brian, Tim & Bill? Surely not. More likely, perhaps, was the pleasure of a flat pitch that was short but wide (reminding us that the rules permit the pitch to be almost square). Certainly we used the conditions to good effect, and three of our goals came from exploiting that width.

We struggled at first, and we thought we could see why our opponents are so far above us in the table. They looked dangerous on the break, but – this time – we held firm. Steve B played well for his usual half hour: intensive training will be the order when he returns from Europe in July. And Eric recovered from seeing his winger fly past him at his first attempt, and by the end, that attacker – like all of them – was a blunt instrument.

After about 10 minutes came a move that showed what was to come. Bob floated a glorious cross form the right; it sailed over their ‘keeper, and to me with the goal invitingly open. But a first time side-foot was all I had time for, and it went across the goal to safety.

At the time, of course, one didn’t know what was to come, and one might have recalled that missing early chances had cost us dear last week. But this time we had so much more punch and resolution.

The first goal came from a bizarre free-kick to us in their area. Indirect, “because the kick was on the back of the leg” said the ref. I nudged it to Peter, his shot round the wall was too hot for the keeper, and Mark S was on hand to clean up: 1-0.

Not long later, yet another Bob cross had me straining at the far post for a header. But the straining was just what was needed, as it took me high enough to send the ball looping onto the inside of the post and into the top of the net: 2-0.

More chances came our way. Their keeper seemed perpetually to be taking goal-kicks which found their way either straight back to us, or for our throw-in. Matt & Mark S looked particularly dangerous, and Ernie & John S were also strong in mid-field; with Peter and Bob pushing up, too, we were well worth our half-time lead.

The next goal, it was generally agreed, was what mattered, and joyous it was when we scored it with not more than 5 minutes of the second half gone. The width again was what mattered. I tussled with defenders out wide, the ball popped out of the mêlée, I sent it across, and there was Matt to head it in firmly at the near post: 3-0.

West Pymble got a bit testy at this point, and we almost got distracted arguing with them, and with the ref whose strange decisions continued. But, unlike when we went 3-0 up against St Ives, there was to be no slip-up. Jon, Steve L, Martin & Eric held firm, but nonetheless, there were a couple of late scares. Firstly, two attackers wove their way past everyone except Tony, only to blast the ball over. Then Tony was called on for a couple of excellent saves from hard shots.

In between, Tony felled a forward with a brave punch on the ball that became (unintentionally) a firm knee in the groin; Dave C did several 50 meter dashes up and down the right wing, with the dashes back being much more to the taste of his fellow-defenders than those in the opposite direction; Ernie got involved in a bit of a fracas with the opposition, and Eric was penalized for being the victim of a foul, then recovering the ball fairly.

But nothing was going to spoil our day; and to cap it off, yet another great Bob cross, two minutes from time, this one on the ground; Matt & me queuing up for it; Matt got there first, so rightly had the first go. And one go was all that was needed: wallop, and 4-0!

Bob was the unsurprising man-of-the-match. Mark S & Matt were second and third. A special mention to Howard who (taking his turn to miss a game) did the managerial duties, and inspired with his firm encouragement which was doubtless heard several suburbs away. Truly he earned his share of Peter’s after-match supply of pork pies. (No doubt, brought to add to the nostalgia of the day: this was where Peter’s Australian cricket career began in 1980, with 28 not out, apparently. I got the impression that, with not much encouragement, Peter could have talked us through each of the runs!)

Thanks this week also to Tim for bringing the beers despite (frustratingly) being injured again; to Scott & Matt for linesmanning; and to everyone for a great team performance.

So here we are with a positive goal difference for the first time in what we historians refer to as a long time. Whilst technically speaking, we may only be 7^th, we are just 2 points from 4^th, the position occupied by today’s opponents. And – as a result of today – they have a negative goal difference. Semis, here we come!

MARK BRYANT