Thursday night from the bubble

We had our usual Thursday night soccer game tonight. We were playing the last place team and we weren't doing much better since we had fallen to seventh. Last week's loss dropped us to 7th and if we had won the game instead of blowing it 5 - 3 we would have been in 5th with a chance for fourth this week.

This was a game we thoroughly expected to win. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him ," (Digressing for a moment - this quote is almost always wrong - it's not I knew him well, it is "I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy") this game was not meant to be a win. We ended up tied 1-1 and we were lucky at that. We did not score until 37 minutes in.

We had a surprise tonight, Nick decided to show up - with a little push of course. Nick played well and got a few good runs in and had some fun too. Towards the end of the game the ball went out on the sideline in our end. The Wildcats (the team we played) had one player that insisted on standing only 2 feet away (he is supposed to be 3 feet at a minimum). In indoor - we do not have throw ins but rather kick ins. Nick took the first ball and tried to go up the sideline but this player got hit in the shoulder and the ball went out again. The second time Nick had certainly had enough - he kicked it right at this player at full speed - of course it bounced off and went out again. You think the guy would have learnt his lesson , but no, so Nick did it again. He certainly had his fun tonight.

I have to be honest - I felt out of it for the first few minutes of the game. I just played in slow motion and actually had one ball that got played right over me - I looked pretty foolish. The Wildcats scored their only goal in the 7th minute. Mark, who played with us last year took a low shot from about 25 feet away and hit the corner of the net. Frank didn't have a chance. You couldn't wipe the grin off Mark's face for the rest of the night - first time this brit has scored in years. We marked them pretty well the rest of the night and they did not have any other really good chances.

We really did have the upper hand this game. The problem was, as usual, we couldn't put the ball in the net. Rolfie actually made it to the game, and would you believe he actually found his shinguards, I didn't have to lend him mine for once. Didn't help though, he missed all night long. Although, let's give credit where credits due, Rolfie actually followed up a shot. Wes took a nice shot which the keeper saved and Paul went after it. Now here's the suspect part. He got to it and still missed. He had one piddly shot on net right at the keeper with his left foot - mind you - he has a good left foot - but right at the keeper? He then proceeded to miss high - at least twice, wide left, once, and wide right twice, not a post in the whole bunch. He didn't even have Kristen to show off for - or be nervous because she was watching - it will be an interesting excuse in the morning. Now, he was the reason we scored, He received the ball on the end line and beat 3 people along the line and put it across the goal mouth. It took 2 of our players hacking at it for it to finally go in.

It happened again with 20 seconds left in the game. A beautiful give and go from Jamie to me and back with a pass to Rolfie in the other corner. He beat at least one player and put it right in the mouth of the goal and for the love of Pete - we could not put the ball in the net.

Wes started passing the ball better in the second half of the game and pumped 3 back to me that I converted to passes to the left corner - we missed all 3 times. Bu played forward and could net get the ball in the net. He received the ball a bunch of times in front of the night but either couldn't turn or missed high and wide. If I had a nickel for all our misses this year the next season would be free.

By the way - Rolfie - since I know you read this - when I carry the ball forward and you are breaking on my right- don't start going back when there is open space in front of you - I know my passes aren't always accurate but it was a perfect release for a shot and you just stood there and looked at the ball as it rolled out... - then gave me a look and told me I had to talk.......not exactly one of my weaknesses.

So we ended up with a tie tonight- should have won but not to be. If Mountain Lakes loses tonight we will end up in 6th place and play for 5th next week.

The best news of all of this first season is that we have now played every team and we know we can beat every team. We have a shot next season which starts in 2 weeks but we have to play to our potential.