St Michaels 0, Lane Cove West 1
29 July 2007, Kingsford Smith
“Even the bad times are good” as The Tremeloes sang. Perhaps it would be harsh to describe our play in recent games as bad, but it’s been far from good, but we keep getting good results.
Today was a tale of two penalties: one missed by them, one scored by us.
We were all creaking and groaning a bit for our second game this weekend, and again the pitch didn’t help. Firstly there’s not enough of it: far too small. Also it was very bouncy, particularly in the middle, which seems be compacted rock.
Despite the proximity of the goals to each other, there were very few chances on goal. Peter had one long range shot from the left which flew past top right. Howard’s shot from the edge of the area went at least as fast but not nearly as far, as its flight was impeded after about a meter by the groin of an opponent. (He left the field in a curious crouching shuffle and wasn’t seen again).
Meantime both Bob and Phil had succumbed to injuries leaving the other 12 of us to soldier on for most of the game: possibly just as well, as restarting after a break was painful. Tomorrow will see some stiff limbs.
Our opponents threatened a bit, but it’s hard playing football on a handkerchief; and Jon Ball, again, was taking no prisoners. He was the runaway pick as man-of-the-match.
0-0 at halftime was no surprise, but conceding a penalty was not in the script for the next act.
The incident just proved what we all know: attackers shouldn’t try to defend. I found myself in our area, and claimed what should have been an easy clearance. But I fluffed it, and when the ball came straight back from an attacker it hit my hand. Or my hand hit it, perhaps: it was my hand, but I don’t really know. The ref thought it was a penalty, and if I’d been him, I think I’d have thought so too. Don’t think I’ve ever conceded a penalty before, or maybe I’ve just suppressed the memory (I can feel this one slipping away as we speak).
Tony looked very menacing as he glared from the goal-line; or just in front of it, as it turned out, causing a little delay as the ref moved him back. Maybe it was this which put off their penalty-taker. Maybe not, but something did, because he hit it well over: most unexpected, as he was far and away their best player.
Breathing a deep sigh of relief, we battled on. The ball still refused to be controlled, but we chased and harried and it paid off. Mark S pursued the ball just into their area and provoked a clear handball. Penalty to us! (None for about eight years, then two in three months).
But Peter was off at the time, and opinions divided about who should take it. Jon B had mysteriously appeared in this unaccustomed territory and was seen standing over the penalty spot and polishing the ball on his shirt; well maybe not, but certainly looking like someone who thought he might like a crack. Meantime the Matt-faction and the let’s-bring-on-Peter faction were caucusing; Howard was wondering whether to chance his arm again after the regrettable incident in the 1980s semi-final shoot-out (that none of the rest of us hold against him, or even remember; and, if we did, certainly wouldn’t mention); and I was refusing Matt’s offer that I should take it (reasoning that conceding a penalty, then missing one in the same game might make me, in 20 years’ time, as notorious as Howard would now be, if anyone remembered).
Brian later told us that he’s never missed one, but that information wouldn’t have helped: Eric told us the same on a similar occasion some years ago, but 30 seconds later it wasn’t true any more.
Matt and Jon then told each other that they weren’t really sure that they wanted to take it, and our opponents were taking comfort from this collective indecisiveness.
But wrongly, as it turned out. Matt took the responsibility, and smacked the ball cleanly into the top right corner: 1-0. (Fitting, as it was he who talked Gareth out of the penalty awarded to him yesterday)
And this season, whenever we take the lead, we win! And so it proved again. There were a few more half-chances, our best falling to Jon Prideaux who had come on to give welcome relief to others’ flagging limbs. The ball came to him in the area, but fairly sharply, and the ground conditions interfered again: up the ball bobbled and hit Jon’s hand, and a free-kick was the outcome.
We couldn’t recall that St M had had one shot on target all day: Tony had to deal with some nasty crosses (and one equally nasty bouncing back-pass from Brian), but no direct shots: not even the penalty whose miss proved the decisive moment of the game. Another clean sheet for Tony and an honourable mention in the man-of-the-match results.
Brian was third in the voting, contributing strongly to our tight defence; Matt was second for the usual, plus the penalty; and, as already revealed, Jon B (another defender!) took the guernsey. And very tight it’s getting in the cumulative votes. Or so one imagines: a dark secret, of course, until Mark S unveils the tally at the dinner.
But I can reveal the goalscoring stats for the season to date. Today’s penalty takes Matt just ahead on 7, with me on 6, and Bob & Peter both 5.
So one more win for us today: that’s eight out of 14, and only four defeats. We’ve consolidated our position as 4th, but remain five points behind 3rd (& 2nd).
Thanks to Jon Prideaux and Steve B for running the line in our game, and to Martin at 3pm (7-1 to us, and all of our scorers were bald!); also to Ernie for organizing the subs and to Tim for doing the beers.
MARK BRYANT