Yes, Constant Reader, that day has finally arrived. I had my doubts, I thought it might not ever happen, I dreamed about it, I prayed for it - heck I even considered the odd bribe or two to get it - but after nearly seven months I finally got my first win of the season!! Even better was that it was a Vets win as we cruised (OK we stuttered) to a 3-1 victory at home to North Greenford. Victory is sweet and it's been oh so long since the taste and smell of three points (four points in the Vets league - I know, strange...) could be savoured by this Sunday morning goalie.
The team went out on Friday and it seemed nearly everyone was available giving Lev a bit of a selection headache for probably the first time this season. It's hard to leave anybody out who makes themselves available, especially if they've been around alot in recent weeks, but as a club and team, I guess going for the victory will govern the team selection - especially when we've only won one game all season (I was missing for that day remember).
So we looked in good shape and it was great to see Alex 'Hannibal' Barnes name listed on Lev's email. I've only met Alex a couple of times but I remembered that he's a useful player and a top bloke too, and living in Sweden clearly makes it impossible to play for us through the season, unless he's in the UK on business.
So as usual (being Mr. Keen) I was well up for Sunday's game and I must admit got a bit panicky with the clocks going forward that my alarm would fuck up and I'd get up late and miss the match!! The iphone cocked up with their alarms once before when the clocks changed but I convinced myself that they'd fixed that problem several updates ago. So the iphone automatically alters the time change at 1am - making it the new 2am meaning that if I set my alarm for my usual 8am then I should get woken up at the correct new 8am?! How the fuck was I supposed to sleep with all the worry!!
I must be ultra-psychic or something cos my body clock woke me up as usual,although it was strange because I woke up at the new, correct 7.59am...Weird.
The promised good weather seemed to have forgotten to wake up with me because it was chuffing cold as I took Jasper for his morning walk. I'd planned on shorts and flip-flops!!
I guess there was probably never any real risk of sleeping in as Ewelina is an early riser and wanted dropping of at the church in Enfield for 9am anyway, which of course meant that I arrived at Donkey Lane for about quarter past! Proper early, but that's me - I can't help it.
As I've said, we had a strong line-up for the day with a back four of Adam, Codz, Lev & Mark. Dino and Wrexy were on the flanks of a midfield centre pairing of Jonesy and Nick who were behind the strike duo of Paul and Matty. Scottish John, AK and Barnsy gave us great strength on the bench and we were all set.
The game against Greenford at their place earlier in the season had ended up a bit of a nightmare as we were crushed 10-4 after being 3-1 up at one stage, and I just hoped that we could play to our potential.
The sun finally came out and we definitely started the better team and were able to stroke the ball around confidently and press them back into their half a bit. Jonesy linked up well with everyone as ever, and Mark and Dino down the left were able to work together really well. Wrexy was getting a run out down the right wing and I had had a feeling he might get on the score sheet - especially as he'd donned the number 10 shirt! As it turned out he didn't score but he really should have done when he was released into their box in the first half. Wrexy did brilliantly to run on to a through ball and move between a couple of defenders but his powerful drive flew just wide of the upright.
Jonesy tested the Keeper from about twenty five yards out with a left foot shot that forced the goalie to push the ball wide, and indeed Jonesy had another coupld of efforts that on another day would have slammed home rather than over or wide.
We were the better team, but I was called into action when their big striker was played in by a ball that sliced through our centre backs. I managed to rush out and block the shot from point blank range to send the ball away to safety. A bit of a let off.
We finally went 1-0 up when Dino, who'd been having a good spell with the ball, turned a couple of their lads inside out and played a lovely ball straight down the middle for Paul to latch onto while staying ON-SIDE! Their Keeper rushed out of his box as their wasn't a defender in sight. Paul cooly took it round him and side footed the ball in to the empty net.
This should have really been the start of us carving them open and scoring more goals especially as they only had ten men! It took most of about half an hour to realize that they were an man short and also had no subs! If we couldn't win this then we might as well jack it in there and then.
The Scots Man and Barnsy came on for Lev and Matty respectively as we looked to keep things fresh after the half hour mark but despite having the majority of the ball, got to half time without adding to our tally.
We agreed during the break that we needed to take a bit more time when we had the ball, look to get it out wide at all times, and not over-do things when going forward.
In fairness to Greenford, they didn't read the script and ignored the part where they were supposed to lie down and get thumped 5-0. We just seemd to switch off and lsot all our fluidity and passing game. They were properly up for it in the second half and started brightly and asked all the questions without really getting a decent opportunity on my goal. I mean it was probably the quietest game I've had in a long term in terms of being called into action, but I had to stay alert becuase Greenford were definitely in the ascendency.
There was alot of niggling and crunching tackles and they had a little tubby feller (who was not a bad player to be fair) who was doing his best to wind Codz up. Codz towered over him (like he does even normal sized blokes) and it made me laugh to observe their exchanges. Codz is a bit of a wind-up merchant himself and the fat lad was starting to bite a bit as Codz got in his ear.
Scottish John put in a proper challenge or two and one of their blokes and he were also going for it a bit. John ended up with a fat lip from a 'clash of heads' and I thought he was going to lose it for a second. Memories of taking on a bunch of locals back-to-back outside a bar in Berwick from about twelve years ago came flooding back and I saw that angry vein pop out of his forhead as he squared up in the middle of the pitch. He's a lot calmer these days so any potentila fracas quickly evaporated.
I was dreaming not only of my first win of the season but also the glory of a clean sheet but I guess you don't alwys get everything you wish for. I think someone slipped somewhere, and someone else switched off because all of a sudden one of their blokes was clean through down their left wing. He arrived on the edge of my box and just smashed it. The ball flew across my right and I saw it in plenty of time and managed to get down to get my hand on it. The Gods weren't on my side as the ball ricoched off the top of my palm and instead of flying off to safety, looped upwards and backwards, spinning all of the time to bounce despairingly just inside my left post. It was an odd goal to concede and I think it has to go down as a mixture of goalkeeping error because I should have got a cleaner hand on it, and bad luck because on another day it would have looped away and clear of danger.
Greenford were delirious as they celebrated and if I'd had access to my Paddy Power account I'd have bet on them to grab the win. Oh yee of little faith I hear you cry. Well, yes maybe, but I've played every game except two this season so I've seen the bad and the ugly and the jury was still out on whether the good actually even existed.
As it turns out, the good was just about to make a rather belated entrance from stage left...
We had started to claw ourselves back into the half and the game itself and once again found our range. Matty had come back on to replace Wrexy down the right and we enjoyed the benefit of his long throws. Mark was charging forwards down our left trying to get in amongst it in their box and AK had come on to the left of midfield replacing Dino.
Its hard to remember every detail, especially as I'm often away from alot of the action by some distance, but the ball seemd to ping pong into their box involving Jonesy (as ever), Adam and Mark. I think eventually it was a cross from the right by Adam that was sort of helped on its way by Mark who managed to loft it to Paul who had made a bit of space for himself left of centre and just outside the six yard box. It was rather good to watch as Paul instantly controlled the ball with his chest, turned and smashed the sweetest left foot volley straight in to the right hand corner. A superb finish!
Greenford were convinced he was offside and ranted and raved at the Ref. They weren't happy at all and were screaming and shouting. But it was to no avail, and we were back in front. 2-1!
We needed a third to settle out nerves and thankfully we didn;t have to wait long. A lovely move down the right involving Matty and Jonesy realeased Paul down the right hand side who this time turned provider to umleash a superb cross straight along the six yard line for a charging Alex Barnes to smash home from a few feet. It was great to see Barnsy score but ironic shouts of 'OFF-SIDE' rang out as our lads took the piss out of the Greenford moaners. I think Jonesy actually led the claims for off-side as I'm not sure he wanted to live with Barnsy after he'd scored!
There was time for Greenford to put a couple of minutes of pressure on my goal but we defended well from a few corners with strong a clearence from AK on one occassion, and some of our lads had their hearts in their mouths as their little tubby feller tried a twenty five yard chip that I didn't move an inch for. The ball just went over, and I had it covered all the way knowing full well it wasn't going in - but our lot weren't so sure. I'd have looked a right twat if it had crept under so I'm grateful I got that one right!
The final whistle was like a trumpted fanfare of glory and delight and it felt brilliant to not lose!! It was almost a little strange to be able to say we'd won but it felt great.
Greenford kept moaning about the off-sides that were in fact on-side and their Keeper wouldn't stop. Sore loser?
The banter and laughing in the changing room after had that air of victory around it and we deserved our moment in the sun. It isn't easy losing every week. In fact I hate it. We all do. It makes it hard to remain positive. But I got my first Vets win and the team have their second of the season.
I guess I'd better slip in a look-a-like.
The first Vet that I met (apart from Lev) was actually Mark. He played in a pre-season friendly for the 5's that I was involved in as well. Straight away, I thought he was a great bloke and was very welcoming. But he also reminded me of a bit of a cool rock star that belonged in the Rolling Stones....!
