Memories of this particular game have become slighlty lost in a beery post-match haze. I can just about remember being back at Scott's at about 1am eating the driest most dissapointing Chinese Takeaway this side of Bungay. However...here goes.
I think I was still in the changing room for the first goal, but against the run of play Richard was lobbed to put Costessey 1-0 up. With a very strong Cringleford side out, this was not according to plan. Izzard equalised with a fine finish set up by Rudi. 1-1.
The second half was much more eventful, some woeful defending meant that Costessey went 2-1 up as everyone watched as a free kick was floated into the box, apart from the Costessey fella who scored obviously.
Now, Roger is rarely one to wind the opposition up, but for some reaosn he seemed to be antagonising the Costessey team who didn't seem to be responding well to his mild-mannered, charming approach. The home side won a free kick about 25 yards out which Rudi took an eternity to line up, shouts of "give it to a left-footer" from the side-lines were thankfully ignored as Rudi cleverly curled the ball with pace into the bottom left corner. 2-2 and all set up for a grandstand finish.
Cringleford pressed and pressed for a winner, Costessey became increasingly niggly, directing all their venom towards the happy-go-lucky Chef. Roger decided to defuse the situation by going in hard on the Keeper who : "never had a control of the ball" according to Hickman. Or "He had two hands on it and your man went in studs up" according to Costessey. The jury is still out.
Cringleford continued to look for a winner and finish the game off in this heated atmosphere.
Costessy continued to look for Hickman and finish him off no longer concerned about finding a winner.
Roger got caught very late by a Costessey player who went on to suggest "That's just for starters".... Roger's reply of "But I haven't had my amuse-bouches" didn't go down to well.
What followed was a classic comedy performance by the Ref who sent the player off, then let him back on again when he realised how unpopular this decision had been for the away side.
Another free-kick which took an age to take was floated in by Ecky. The football gods tend to like to pop up in moments such as these and of course it was Hitman Hickman who glanced the winner into the roof of the net. 3-2 to the Vets.
The last couple of minutes were highly charged as we had to defend a couple of corners and Costessey were going for Ball, Man, Ref ... anything that they could take out their anger on. A tussle in the centre of the park saw Ecky going down, recieving blows and resorting to primal instincts of self-protection. "Go Foetal"!!
A great win in the end and a good way to kick off Xmas drinks. Lovely to have a few beers with the boys and look forward to this year.
If we can learn one thing from this day it's : Don't let Howie order your Chinese take-away for you.
Happy New Year!
