TWFC

We kicked off with five-a-side. Someone complained that the average age of the Bibs was probably at least 10 years lower than the Muftis, in truth it may have been closer to 15. The Bibs also had Barkball who was defending a record of being the only player never to have lost a match since he joined the club and JonF fresh from having blitzed at least a double hat-trick the previous week. This was also the first time that an existing holder of the title Goal Machine (JakeFlowers) had faced off against a previous holder of the title (Adrian).

JonF opened the scoring starting exactly where he had left off the previous week. With the Bibs ahead Milo arrived and after getting changed he allocated himself to the Muftis and ran on to tackle Ben who was bearing down on the Muftis’ goal. The question was posed as to whether an indirect free kick should be awarded due to Milo having introduced himself to the match without discussion. Players generally agreed that there was no need for a sanction as it was accepted the Muftis could have the extra man so Milo had not necessarily done anything wrong.

The Bibs edged the early exchanges and there was a modicum of worry that the Muftis were underachieving despite having a one man advantage. However, with three of the founder members of the club (Adrian, Dave and Johnny) all playing for the Muftis the tide gradually began to turn. With big hitters like Avvon in the team, Adrian minimalistically creating scoring opportunities out of virtually nothing and Johnny playing himself back to his philosophical best slowly but surely the Muftis edged into the lead. There was an element of luck as the woodwork at the garden end was also hit at least twice by Bibs’ attackers. With the Muftis marginally ahead Ben used a momentary break in play to recruit a player from the earlier match to join the Bibs and even up the numbers. The introduction of Hassan on the left reduced the average age of the Bibs by another few years.

Being in goal is an odd kettle of fish; all of the diving can sometimes scramble the mind a little. Fortunately the club has a number of level headed players who can sit just in front of the keeper and gently insist that they take a moment or play the safe ball (names like Phil, Scott and Mark spring to mind). After being sold short a few times by a set of curiously bad passes from his keeper Adrian finally asked, in the manner of kindly school master, if Niyi was okay. This was all that was needed to jolt the keeper back to reality and help repair the last line of defence.

With the game at 4 – 2 to the Muftis Avvon struck a shot at goal which cleared the fence and hit the roof of the building across the car park, almost but not quite going over thereby catapulting him into an all time third position in the ‘Ave It League. Not to be out done Johnny emulated this achievement about 10 minutes later and his shot drew him level third with Avvon.

There was a moment of controversy as Steve clean through on goal claimed that the keeper ended up outside his area when he saved the ball. As the matter happened very quickly the Muftis’ keeper was given the benefit of the doubt.

Hassan was playing a solid debut and kept feeding the ball into the Bibs’ attackers from the left of the midfield. Normally the final third of the match would have been that period when Barkball would talk his team through the necessary steps to grind the opposition down. Tonight however his calm tactics were stifled and absorbed by the experienced footballing brains of the Muftis. Glenn Hoddle, a former Chelsea, England and Tottenham manager, once said the ability to read the game and play moves in your head is invaluable. For the first time since he had joined the club Barkball’s plans were being undone by fellow master tacticians. The age gap told in a positive way as Adrian, Dave, Johnny and Milo limited the scoring chances for the Bibs to hurried opportunities that were either saved or hit the woodwork.

The next team rattled the gates and then opened them and the match ended a monumental 6 – 3 to the Muftis.

Things to Note

Guus Hiddink and Barkball have both lost their unbeaten records.
The lowest recorded score by a team in a full regular match is now down to 3 goals.

Let’s do it all again on Wednesday at Tottenham Wednesday FC