Indoor Game Week #1 - vs UCT B (Mens 1s)

Good morning guys

Well the first game of the year has come and gone. We knew this was going to be a tough match and I think we did rather well. Games are only going to get tougher.

1.  Clean sheet.

2.   Running was good, except we should rotate more often.

3.   We should take our opportunities. (Platters and *cough* *cough* P-flicks)

18 January 2012

Venue: Wynberg Military Base

Opponents: UCT B

Well to get things started, Vis (acting captain – after his performance at the toss I think we should vote) decided to start the season off losing the toss. He obviously has not been reading my blog. At least 50% of the time its always mountains. So we had to play our first half of the new season into the sun and uphill. Well at least it felt uphill because after 5 minutes (if it was even that long) I ran …….ok first jogged…really, fine I walked off the field and almost chundered. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, who ever said that was a liar. I didn’t die, but my legs felt like they were going to fall off.

To be honest, I’m still quite dehydrated from last night and I’m not even sure in what order these events happened. But I will do my best to go thru the ‘highlights’ real as best I can. So UCT started off with the ball. In prior years this has been our most competitive game since we are both almost equal in strength. The Tri-fector took their positions (as our front three has become known as) applying some fantastic pressure and our backs marking well, not giving UCT any easy chances. Our first chance came after a few minutes, a well worked ball around the back and eventually making it to Tosser on the right. Smashing the ball across to Pablo just off top D, he misses it and has to turn and collect. His attempt after that was weak. Which brings us to our first short corner of the match. I think the Hulk must have been sick because we had Bruce Banner pushing out. Besides the fact that this 16 year old keeper seemed quicker than Usain Bolt and I put the ball straight into his pads. I blame the push out and the stop.

After that we defended like demons, giving UCT very little possession in our circle. They counted more on break away’s and quick thru balls. The first platter of the season was served, A great, yet dodgy diagonal ball from Boogies ‘top scorer’ Belman with a one-time pass from Tosser saw Vis in acres of space deflecting the ball narrowly wide….but still wide. Again we defended for a while, something that it seems we are going to have to get used to in this league. Out of nothing (I’m not sure if this was a break away or a cracker of a ball from the back), Vis received the ball inside the opposition half, taking on one player then one on one with the keeper. The only way these guys were going to stop Team Vis was by bringing him down. To Vis’ credit, he did semi-hand off (#tellSolly) the first bad tackle to make sure that he could ‘Oscar’ when the next bad one came his way. Being awarded a P-flick, the P-flick tacker (whose main reason for taking all the P-flicks is that he has not missed one) stepped up to put us ‘1-0’ up. But it never happened. His meek attempt at a flick was saved by a pubescent teenager who will only be able to grow facial hair by the time Pablo gets his citizenship.

Tosser has filled his quota for the season having already pulled off a goal saving tackle. Lime obviously has been watching a lot of Twilight because he tried to bite me in the shoulder before I knocked him to the ground. There were a nervy last few minutes before the end of the first half. UCT having their best chance right near the end with a deflection from Lime, narrowly sailing over the bar.

We all went outside so that some of us could chunder and have our tactical half time talk. It’s still early season and seemed like we got Team Vis in a good mood. So with the scores level at half time we decided to get the second half on the way.

After a few minutes of back and forth we got our second short corner of the game, great tactical move by Boogies coming off as we were taking the short corner. lol. Bob stepped up for a straight drag wanting to redeem himself for his missed flick…..but that didn’t happen. Although we got another short corner, the resulting shorty was a telegraphed slip by Suffix to Bob which ended up in a UCT counter and thanks to Fridge we stayed at 0-0.

A little while later Tosser made a superb run down the right hand side of the field and what can only be described as an ‘accidental stick block’ resulted in us getting another short corner. Then it was Bob’s turn to have a weak slip to Tosser. So I think it’s fair to say that short corners were not working for us today.

Credit must go to our short corner defence team who kept out all those UCT short corners given away by Boogies ‘karma sutra’ Belman, sliding on the floor, splits and bending over like he is doing the limbo. Then all of a sudden from trying to start a new competition (the strikers had the platter awards last season) the defenders thought they would try out for assist of the season, there is a reason ‘ass’ is used when spelling ‘assist’. These guys were winging balls at top D for the UCT strikers to run onto. Probably wanting Fridge to get a little more involved in the game.

The last short corner was a bit nail biting with time finished and the shorty being the last play of the game. Tosser providing a great starting block for Vis who a few times almost broke his ankle when pushing off as first wave. UCT made a hash of the corner and Team Vis was there to pounce. So credit for the 0-0 must go to the whole team. Our defence for standing strong, Suffix for getting a yellow and making us work for it, the shorty defence team and the strikers for not scoring, with special mention going to Pablo. #toosoon?

Final Score Mutual 0 – 0 UCT B

Next Game:

UCT A @21h30 at Sunningdale

Yours in awesomeness

Tosser