Thursday Night Soccer Report

Last night was the start of the second season for our 38 and older team – really we are playing 40 and older but they have been nice enough to let a few of us youngsters play with the older guys. Our first game was against the Montville Stallions and needless to say it wasn’t pretty out there. We truly played horribly and deserved the final score of 3 – 1.

I have to start out with how disappointed I was with my play. I felt good going into the game but ended up winded and a step to slow the entire night. I can fairly say I hadn’t fully recovered game fitness since being sick over the weekend but really that is just an excuse. I was lousy. The second goal I let my mark slip past me and then he made an impossible shot off the far post, Frank barely gave him a view of it but he banged it off the post and into the net for the second goal. It didn’t help that we let him goal hang all night, but he never should have had the shot in the first place if I had followed my assignment.

Enough of me for the moment trust me there will be more, as a team we looked like a bunch of odd ducks out there. Our passing was off, we couldn’t communicate for the life of us and until the end of the game we weren’t marking our men. They had very good pressure and when you don’t communicate bad things happen – third goal was a pass from me to no one (I thought Buyar was moving forward) and resulted in a 2 on 1 which turned into a breakaway on Frank.

Frankie (our resident Irishman) played beautiful all night, and saved at least one goal for us. To think he was playing hurt too, had a slip at work and has a sprained wrist. Rolfie on the other hand was not a sight for sore eyes, maybe if you were blind. He went back to playing rugby again, had an open net and put the ball 20 feet over the net looking for a quick rugby 3. He claims it was his left foot and half volley but those are just excuses for really cocking it up. It all started with Nick getting a nice pass from Aharon and putting a low shot on the net, Wes was there for the rebound and put it right back into the goalie, where it then popped over to our aforementioned wanker who claims it was bouncing too much and it was his left foot and the moon was full and the the light got in his eyes….! He did not look good all night. He got frustrated and started shooting from 25 yards out and out of 5 shots maybe one actually made it to the front of the net….the rest were right into the defense. He went one on one a few times and just couldn’t manage it.

Wes was looking for rebounds and scored our only goal on one. We did have our chances but we had our usual suspects shooting wide or over the net. Wes had a beauty that clanked off the crossbar from 25 yards out and then put a nice cross in where I had most ignominious moment of the night. I had no chance at the ball so I tried to go over the top of the bloke in front of me – had my hands on his back and made the grunt to go with it – not my best surfacing whale imitation ever – and yes – the foul was called.

All I can hope for is that we get it back together for next week and put the team back on track, we are better than we played last night and now we have to prove it.

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.