Yes you read it correctly, another win for the Grappenhall Battlers and I think fair to say, a well deserved one too.
Brendan Emsley Martin has turned around the fortunes of the once languishing club. Down on their luck and down in the table. Has our leader been inspired by events 20 miles to the west? Are we reaping the benefit of the temporary red resurgence ? Are we riding on a crest of good fortune and is lady luck for once is shining her light of divine joy upon us? ...or could it be that since he has chosen to sit out a couple of games we've ended up winning.....?
Fourteen and a half of us presented fit and able at the prescribed hour. Junior being the half , having to dash at he break. As we limbered up and stretched off weighing up our adversaries, I spied Martin getting some one on one practise in the leeward goal. Shot stopping practise. Practise makes perfect. practise practise practise. Always good to practise.
High Lane rested their midfield general (knee strapped) and we were away. Sun in our eyes and a force 3 to 4 blowing off the Irish sea straight up our skirts.
BEM had implored that we were tight for the first 20. Soak it up. No free kicks. Get rid. work hard. We did. We did it for the full 90 let alone the first 20.
The front line pairing of Tony and Norm led the fight. Last weeks hat trick hero, took the left flank and your heavy legged author the right. Junior and Cullen spoiling in the middle and the impenetrable line of Elliott Mecrow Wells and Cooks presented fortitude behind. Much practised Martin patrolled the game line.
The wind was a nuisance but the state of the pitch ensured that there would be no example of the beautiful game played on Orford pitch number 6 today. Like an over washed cashmere sweater. Too bobbly.
Those that know my prose will be familiar with the praise I lavish on the running one. Ceaseless effort and graft. Today no different. He was full of it. Magnificent work Q.
Junior can always be relied upon to stamp his authority in the middle ground. His turf, beware.
Nothing much of note really as the stalemate played out until the triumvirate of Will Norm and Tony worked some magic down the left, some running, some one touch passing and a striker half a yard ahead of his marker and the ball was poked into the back of the net. Oh get in you beauty. One nil to the boys. One nil out of nothing really.
They seemed miffed and pushed on. They had the wind behind them and brought on their general too. An irresistible force? We had Mecrow and Wells on duty today.......a slugging match ensued with no opportunity for High Lane to land a meaningful blow, until and some would argue rather harshly, the ref blew for a penalty against Mecrow. His sin? Ball to flailing arm.
Martin looked poised. A well practised shot stopper our Martin remember. Low and hard to his left, a pounce and a parry and hats of to Razor, fastest on the field over 5 yards, who clipped the rebound wide for a corner. Oh you beauty. Kisses for Martin. fabulous work sir. One nil still to the good and lift in the spirits to see us home to the break.
Junior left us to be replaced by the yard dog that is Iliff. Yap yap grrr. His turf now.
It didn't seem like we had the wind in the second half. Far from it. They worked us hard. And credit where credit is due they passed it and played as we seldom do, but there was nothing in it for them. Nothing. No slip ups, no mistakes to be exploited, no mistimed passes, no scuffs. A solid defensive display bolstered by the graft and toil of the midfield spoilers that meant that the closest they got to scoring was from a looping 20 yard header that was watched to ping of the bar and fall safely away.
Frustrated and forlorn they resorted to flailing handbags with Will. A flash of yellow from the efficient ref brought an end to it all and soon after a blast on the whistle brought the curtain down on a hard fought match. A much deserved victory for the boys and another feather in the cap of our resurgent leader.
Moyes like mediocrity perhaps but we'll take it.
SCE
