We are the pampered lot. So used to playing on artificial pitch, we were faced with a totally alien environment called grass this week. It didn’t help when it also wasn’t in the best state. Brand new recruit, and I mean army recruit, got out of camp to play this week. The first in 3 weeks and he definitely made a difference.
After the team committee meeting this week, the manager decided to change formation to 442. It took us a while to get used to both the pitch and this revised shape. And it told when the opponents, organisers told us it’s Oceans but actually it’s Cougars, adapted better to the pitch and made us work really hard early in the game. They were faster to the ball and harder in every challenge. We were like wimps and didn’t compete. A long ball over our left gave their striker, and I must say he’s good, a run down the wing. He evaded the on rushing SK, who seemed to have been paralysed by that good move and crossed into the box. Wonder what happened there. The fast left winger got to the ball and placed it into the bottom corner. 1-0 down and clearly Incepcion were rattled. So much so that we were screaming at each other instead. I was playing as the 2nd striker, thanks to Jansen. And I was having the worst game ever. I couldn’t reach most balls except for one flick by Pat. I crossed it low to Pikachu, who shrugged off a challenge and scored the equaliser. That was probably my most valuable contribution. After that things didn’t get better. I got onto the end of a Max chip into the box. Beating the goalkeeper to the ball, I flicked it past him. Only for it to agonisingly hitting the post. Things then got worse. We got a penalty when Pikachu was fouled in the box. I stepped up to take it but could only meekly kicked it, allowing the goalkeeper to save it. I thought I was having a bad day but someone else tops my misses. A long ball from me, off a free kick, sent Stuart down the line. He crossed it low and it reached Colin at the far post. Inches away from the line, he managed to scoop it over the ball. That was actually more difficult than scoring. Half time then came and the score was 1-1.
Obviously a few remarks were made about the miss and the missed penalty. We told ourselves that we were definitely the better side and we could win this.
Things were so different in the second half as Max took over. He finally managed to adjust to his running. He had been running straight for the last 3 weeks and to turn, he had to adjust. And so he did. Spinning left and turning right, he got himself down the right. Along the goal line, he actually managed to loft the ball high over everyone to Pat at the far post. He had the easy job of heading it in. That’s not the end of the Max show. The opponents couldn’t cope with him. He took the ball somewhere in the middle of the opponents half. He went past a few late tackles, which the referee waved play on due to advantage, and got into the box. With nowhere to go, he stood firm and was fouled. Another penalty. This time round, I walked away and Colin took it. He did what I couldn’t and scored our 3rd goal. Max put the icing on his cake when he latched onto a loose ball off a corner and arrowed it into the bottom corner. He was promptly substituted after that. We had more chances but also took a beating in defence. A poor clearance allowed their striker to place his shot beyond Sherman for their consolation goal. Final score 4-2.
All of us tried hard but being on grass posed a different problem, something which we were not used to. I hope we don’t play this kind of pitch often.
