Communication let us down before the game as half the team were waiting for the other half at Cringleford Rec, only to find that the other half had then gone straight to Thorpe. Then came the realisation that despite numerous e-mails discussing the clash of kits with Wensum no-one had actually collected the first team kit.
Having got everyone and the correct kit at the venue we then got an unusual feeling. We looked around the changing room and decided we actually had a good chance of winning. We had a proper Goal Keeper and a full contingent of subs (this hardly ever happened last year). The ref was young enough to be a grandson to most of the players but he was not phased by the disparity in years. He insisted that the black tape on Stuey’s fluorescent yellow socks was removed. Later he would question our team sheet submission as we obviously had a player called ‘Jon’. Although no such name featured on the team sheet ‘Jon” is not British and has an unpronounceable name, this explanation was accepted not least because when ‘Jon’ has the ball and his team mates shout his name in hope of a pass he completely ignores them. The one exception was a beautifully disguised pass to assist our second goal ….. but I am getting ahead of myself.
Wensum threatened early on and retained possession well. They looked like a good team and seemed confident. Having had man-flu and a bad back all week I started to think it would be a very long game until they pressed the suicide button and conceded the most nailed on penalty in history. There were certainly no complaints about the decision, more of an apology for the tackle really. Stu, our centre forward, placed the ball nervously on the spot and then seemed to look around for someone else to take it. Phil, our
player-manager, was asking if we had ever discussed who was on pen’s and there was a general shrugging of shoulders so I stepped up. To be fair the Wensum Keeper is not the most imposing figure I had ever seen between the posts and the pen’ was easily hammered home to give us the lead.
Wensum started to play a more direct game then which worked to our advantage. Our centre-backs Dave and Phil had their forwards under control, our keeper looked very calm and Paul Adams in midfield started to play like a man possessed. He won tackles and headers for fun on the way to what would be a comfortable man of the match performance.
We came off at half time 1 - 0 up. A bit of squad rotation and lots of hard work paid off as we matched Wensum for most of the second half. Wensum had better possession but did not threaten us by getting in behind our back four until late in the second half. Special mention for Melly at left back who had a superb game when he came on. We then got our second scored by ‘Shaggy’ Shane on from the bench.
The most notable moments were : Danny’s goal line clearance, Phil’s weak back-pass of a direct free kick from the edge of the box. Paul’s only bad moment in the game when he missed a free header inside the 6-yard box, my appalling corners (3 attempts and then I gave up), Big Stuey in goal kicking long to the 3 smallestplayers in the team (the compact but pacy Stu, Rich and Chris) and Wensum’s missed penalty. With about 10 minutes to go Dave’s arm did not move out of the way quick enough and the young ref offered Wensum a life line. Whether it was Stuey’s huge frame or his little dancing antics that put their penalty taker off we shall never know but I just hope they managed to find the ball somewhere on Pound Lane.
A nice clean sheet and 3 points, happy days and lets hope it continues. We had cold showers and no food/pub had been organised by Wensum so we all headed back to the Cellar House to meet up with the Cringleford First Team. They had destroyed Hempnall 14 - 2 so it was smiles all round and the beers tasted all the better for it. Izzie had a season long ‘loan’ at Hempnall last year so it must have felt great for him, although he attempted to be magnanimous his huge grin betrayed his true feelings. Great wins boys, top marks all round.
Westy.
