The season is all but over with just one friendly fixture remaining.
I've really enjoyed this season - probably more so than any other season for ages. I always really miss playing during the break so thankfully, there's quite a bit going on this summer with England at the Euro's in Poland & Ukraine, as well as the much anticipated London Olympics featuring a Great Britain football team for the first time.
I was praying that England would get drawn into Group A at the Euro's as this is Poland's group meaning that we'd have played our group games in Warsaw. Ewelina's brother lives about twenty minutes from the stadium so I was all set to fly out and have somewhere to stay and hopefully get to a game! Of course sod's law - we get drawn not only in an entirely different group but also in an entirely different country with chuffing Ukraine so that's that idea gone.
As to team GB, I have to say I'm looking forward to having a bit of vested interest in the football tournament at the Olympics. I think we should have a GB team at every Olympics - a bit like the Rugby Lions. Just once every four years. I'm all for it.
To be honest I didn't expect us to have any games this late into April so I agreed a few weeks ago to go out with the wife and a load of pals on Saturday night into London. I don't really like getting smashed the night before a game - been there and done that too many times in the past! Kisstory wasn't all it was cracked up to be so stopping drinking early wasn't a great hardship but even so we ended up getting in at about 3am! Still, six hours sleep seemed enough and I was up - just...
So our last league game of the season and a home tie against Atlas. Memories of their last gasp winner at their place a few months back sprang to mind as I drove to Donkey Lane. It had been a tough, tight game and we had defended superbly only to concede right at the death to lose 2-1. I hoped that we could end the league campaign on a high and take a bit of sweet revenge. I was also wondering if 'Dobbie' (remember him?) was going to play up front for them. Codz properly wound him up last time so I was looking forward to more of the same.
In spite of a lack of sleep and leaving the house later than usual, I still managed to be the first to arrive behind Lev. The team had taken a bit of a change since his initial email had gone out in the week and there were to be a few new faces (for me anyway) for this game. Jeff Goumal (the other Greg's brother) was to finally make his first appearance of the season along with a couple of other chaps, John & Dan.
AK arrived into the changing rooms complete with bag all ready to play having answered the call from Lev who thought we would need him. Lev had already started getting changed so there began a quite comical exchange between the pair of them;
Lev: "Oh you're here..."
AK: "Er, yeah. I only caught your text message as I've just arrived."
Lev: "Well you might as well play now you're here."
AK: "No no it's fine - I don't have to. It's OK."
Lev: "No, it's fine you play. You haven't had a run out recently."
AK: "Honestly, it's fine. Besides you're already half changed."
Lev: "I don't have to play - it's fine."
AK: "No go on you play."
Lev: "It's OK, you play - besides I haven't even oiled up yet..!"
Priceless.
So we lined up with Jeff joining Codz, Mark and Wrexy across the back four, a midfield of Luffy, Nick, Swailsey and Dan with Jonesy playing in the hole behind Matty. John, Nipper and AK would join in the fun from the bench.
So we kicked off and right from the off it became apparent that this was going to be a tight affair. Atlas are a good passing team and the ball was spending a lot of time in the midfield. I noticed a few loose passes from both sides and there wasn't anything particularly clear cut in any of the play.
I had a few early touches, parrying one or two shots from distance that were comfortable and easy to deal with.
At the other end carving out opportunities to get a strike in weren't coming easy either.
I was feeling OK but at the same time wasn't perhaps fully at the races. In truth, I was just waiting for the kind of shot at me that should be relatively easy to deal but would probably cause me a bit of a problem. And of course it came...
I was only saying to myself earlier in the week that this is possibly the first season that I can remember where I have got through without any one single major stupid goalkeeping gaff. Sure, there have been goals that on reflection I could and should have done better with and saved but there hadn't been any real cock-ups of real magnitude. Till now of course.
It came out of the blue - which is probably why I got done - but I was so fucking embarrassed. Their lad hit it rather 'speculatively' from their right flank and about thirty yards out. It was a bit of a grass-cutter and while it was hit with a good bit of pace I should have either flown straight down to get an easy block on it or at least kicked it - it was that close to me. As it was I did neither and stood kind of rooted to the spot and watched it travel towards me in slow-motion. The rather late flop to my right looked more of a token gesture than anything else. The ball went straight into the bottom corner and I cringed in agony at such a glaring mistake. To be fair, all the lads were great. I'm sure everyone inside their own minds was screaming at me but no one did aloud. Just words of encouragement and support. I'd let them down but was determined to put it right.
Sadly we lost Nick to injury as he seemed to do his ankle again. Nick's been brilliant this season - even when he couldn't play due to injury. A real battler who always gives 100%. Nipper slotted into the midfield to get us through to the break.
The rest of the first half passed without serious incident although I did rather flap at a ball that bounced into my box. I pushed it away to safety rather than take any sort of risk with a dodgy catch - I was still a bit shaky and just needed to get to half time.
I was expecting someone to say something and wanted to apologise as soon as possible but the team talk was more of a tactical chat and my stupid mistake and any apology was on the back burner. Getting back on level terms was all we cared about.
So we got under way. Jeff had been having a colossal game at centre-back. Really dominant and great on the ball. Our boys had the bit between their teeth and were doing all of the pushing. Jonesy had switched with Nipper, coming into the centre of midfield and this seemed to offer us a bit more creativity and allow Nipper to become more involved at the top of the pitch. And was these two who were instrumental in the move that saw us draw level.
We gained a free kick on the edge of our box and as Jeff stood ready to take it he screamed to Jonesy, "Push up ten more yards, Jonesy - you'll get on to this.."
Now I'm not sure if Jeff has psychic powers or had travelled into the future that morning for a sneaky look at things to come, but after the fact it seemed as if he just knew what was going to happen. Jonesy did as he was asked and pushed right up. Jeff launched the ball forwards and it found Matty mid-way into their half. His first touch was brilliant and he held it up long enough to lay it off to Nipper on our right hand side. Jonesy had kept running as Nipper first took it superbly away from their left-back into the box and then even better, dummied the Keeper who had come out to narrow the angle. Nipper looked up and fed a slide-rule pass across the six yard box for a grateful Jonesy to slot home from a few yards out. What a goal. I actually thought for a second I was watching Brazil. It was that good.
We were right up for it but I was worried we'd do our usual and concede straight away. We didn't.
No, not this time. Instead we scored a second goal for ourselves. And what a goal too. After some good play down their right, the ball found its way to Nipper who was about thirty yards out from their goal. As the ball dropped to him he shifted it onto his left side. We could all see him shaping up to smash it and boy did he do just that. The ball flew past the Keeper and under the bar. It was a stunning strike. Nipper, take a bow son, take a bow!
Sadly not long after that we lost Jeff to another injury. He had been immense all morning and launched himself across to clear the ball as it came through the middle. I heard his hamstring go from ten yards away. Not a tear or slight rip - this was a proper twang as it snapped. He was in agony. AK came on and was able to bring a calm head to the last thirty minutes.
Sure there was a little bit of pressure on my goal. I dealt with a low drive to my left that was straight forward enough but after my first half gaff, I was taking nothing for granted. AK shielded the ball as I grabbed it at the second attempt.
Another foray from Atlas into my box saw the ball cut loose to their striker who hit it from about eight yards out. I was able to get a diving right hand on it to keep it out. A bit of redemption. After that, I managed to race out and close down another attack as the ball sprung between their two strikers. I looked like a bit of a head-less chicken racing between the pair of them but it was enough for one of our lot to get behind me and then clear the ball away.
Atlas did manage finally to score again to draw level. It was a good goal to be fair. The ball was crossed over from their right and poor Wrexy was back-pedalling to desperately get his head on it. Their lad popped up and managed to get his head on it to send it looping high into the air, over me to fall just inside my left upright. I could do nothing to stop it.
Time was running out and we were hanging on a bit. A draw would be a fair result but there was time for one last corner from Atlas. As we tried to clear it their player latched on to the ball and slid it back to his mate on the edge of the box. I knew straight away he was going to hit it. This was it. Time to make a difference. He caught it perfectly and the ball flew towards my bottom left corner. Thankfully, I reacted quickly and got across to get my full body behind it to parry it wide with a strong left wrist.
Lasty blew the whistle instantly and the game ended.
We'd worked damn hard for a share of the spoils and although it wasn't a win, we were well chuffed to end our league campaign on a positive note.
I made my apology for my first half mistake but AK gave me a proper gee up offering kind words about the saves I had made in the second half making a real difference. So thanks to all the lads for going gently on me!
So just one friendly game left and that's it.
Time for a look a like. This week in honour of such a superb strike I'll slot in one that I've been waiting to do for a while. Ladies & Gentlemen I give you "Nipperelli"
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