LATEST MATCH REPORT: MENS 4TH XI

Wanderers 4th vs the OC's

Final score: 3 - 4

This week we took to the A3 to visit the OC's. With a slightly weakened squad, lacking Conall, Tom and Tim all AWOL and Bally out for his umpire stint, we were understandably a little reserved in expecting a high scoring win.

Match started in the usual manner, Ben in Goal, Charlie and Shane shoring up the defence, with Rich and Bladsey on the flanks. Stocky on the right, Junior on the left, Matt and Phil in the middle and Dan and myself up front. wearing a pair of shorts. Big bright red ones, that blew gracefully in the wind.

On with the match then. For the first 10 mins they looked threatening, but we were equal to their skills. Solid man marking from them made for many incomplete passes and we went a goal down not long after I scrambled to smash the ball into their net - merely succeeding in air shooting.

It later fell to Charlie to smash one in from the top-right of the D into the far left - only after some excellent off the ball running from the front two. Naturally.

Later that half Charlie lost his stick/ball control and chose to nut it instead. Flying off his stick, straight into his eye ball - doubtless sparking painful memories for Matt.

Come the second half we scored again through Matt's soild run , more off the ball running from the front two, and woeful keeping. But a well placed shot ensured a lead from the start of the second half.

We kept the lead for a large part of the second half; no more goals yet for Dan; and back chat from their forward - "How do you spell NOTHING?!", rebuffed by Charlie, "T.W.A.T". Tosser, well parried Charlie.

Sadly after some pitiful marking and inevitable tiring legs we had a few errors, letting in three goals in about as many minutes. Suddenly finding ourselves 4 - 2 down. We pulled back together, and Phil got another, which unfortunately turned out to be just a consolation goal.

It didn't stop them whinging though, after a ball flew off my shoe into my testicles I was then accused of cheating and demanding a free hit. All lies, and thankfully there's no permanent damage. There were numerous trippings up, Phil's the most spectacular of all, miles from the ball the oppo midfielder jarred their stick through his legs, and flattened him.

Till next week then, let's bounce back in style...

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