Game 8 - squeaky bum time!

It was bright but breezy and downright chilly when we kicked off in Peabody at 9am on their dodgy pitch that appeared to have been used for a tractor pull the day before. We dominated the game for ninety minutes but just could not put the ball in the net despite skimming the bar, hitting the post and having one cleared off the line.  Peabody were a feisty lot of generally below average, grouchy, chippy, bed wetters. 

We ended the game at nil nil but should have won two nil. Relegation is now a serious concern and next weeks game against the Seadogs is critical. I am predicting a three nil win however. Our final game against Concord will be a stern test but I expect that we will give them a spanking nonetheless ... I'm going with five nil for this one!

I had to dash off after the game and only managed to drink one brewsky but did see that Tom looked to be serving up a feast.

Game 7 - we came second!

The Lexington Regal Eagles keeper looked a bit old and knackered but proved to be a geriatric cat who used to play pro. He saved a penalty and at least two other goal bound shots that would have beaten any other keeper in the league. The final score was 5-3 and they scored two in the last ten minutes which was a bummer. Cain scored two and George got one for us and George's goal was an official "belter".

We adjourned to the Gilf's post game pastoral pad for beer and munchies after the match .... we enjoyed a fire pit, a pack of friendly pooches and some tasty bites. The Gilf was pumping out sausages and burgers on the grill at a furious pace. I pigged out on crisps (chips to the Sherman Tanks), drank two beers and loaded up a sausage. This would normally be a perfectly satisfactory lunch but I decided to go for a burger as well and this proved to be my downfall. After the party I drove homeward and nodded off at every stop light. I woke up each time when my head hit the horn and passers by started banging on the window. 

I got home and headed for the shower but decided to catch a few zeds on the bed whilst watching the Hammers thrash Everton. I missed most of the game because I was snoozing. When I finally woke up it was getting dark so I took my shower, changed straight into my PJ's, skipped dinner and went back to bed where I would "sleep the sleep of a thousand martyrs". I know what you are thinking and yes you are right ... I'm an old fart and a lightweight beer drinker! JB pours two beers on his morning frosted flakes for heavens sake!

Next up are Peabody which still sounds like an insult to me!

Game 6 - Evolution thrashes pants off NS Raiders 3-2 and crowd goes wild !!!!

They got off to a rough start and coughed up an own goal in the second minute, then they scored two against the run of play. Ricardo stuck one in the back of the old onion bag five minutes from the end to even it up and Rino nodded one in at the death to win it all. We should have won by more and they can thank their keeper because he made a couple of stunning saves. But enough of this footy talk. 

This was the Kate Moorman show (ably assisted by sous chef Yiannis Moorhen) and the young lass came through with the goods once again. We feasted on pulled pork (prepared by Yiannis slow cooked over many hours), top notch and top shelf cornbread, fried chicken (next level), potato salad, fixings, sauces and other stuff that I'm forgetting. We washed down said victuals with assorted beers, cognac and whiskey. The cognac was a clear hit in the drinks department. There was also a tarty thing and I can confirm that I am partial to a nice tart as I am sure many of us are! The fruitier the better I say!!

Pace is the key when Kate is catering. Here are some guidelines for the new recruits .... I saw many a chap dive in deep early only to fizzle out in short order.

1. Post game first off ... remove sweaty shreddies. Important to have a dry undercarriage for maximum enjoyment of feast.

2. Set up chair.

3. Drink one beer.

4. Sample a little something edible but don't gorge.

5. Drink second beer or substitute with cognac/whiskey.

6. Load up first plate. Don't go crazy here ... there's always too much food ... pace is the key!

7. Load up second plate. You can go heavy at this point.

8. Third beer. You should be sipping at this stage.

9. Dessert.

10. More beers until you doze off. Have blankie handy in case nap turns into all nighter.

11. Wake up by first light, wipe off pigeon droppings and drive home.

To the uninitiated I encourage you to bring tupperware next time ... this is how you should leave one of these feasts .... I was working on the leftovers until Thursday! Why do I get special treatment from Kate? Answer ... no idea, I think she's mixing me up with someone else.

Game five - We thrashed Juventus to a tie!

Basically everyone on our team was injured so we only had a few subs available for the Juventus encounter ... ironic given the fact that we had about twenty subs for the first game of the season. Juventus were a scary prospect having not dropped a point and sporting a healthy goal difference.  All in all there should have been some trepidation on our part ... but there was not ... no siree!

The Everett pitch was top notch with perfect, new, freshly mowed and watered artificial turf and a capacity crowd of perhaps six. We assembled for the 8am kick off with our new silky shirts and Stanley Matthew replica shorts made of jute. We played rather well right from the off and Caino smartly banged two into the back of the old onion bag in short order ... probably mirroring his tally from his sexual onion bag earlier in the morning! Juve luckily pulled one back before the half and managed another in the second half. However, and I cannot stress this enough (although I have been told a million times, not to exaggerate) ... we played well throughout and gave them quite a lot to think about and we put the cat amongst the pigeons and the mongoose amongst the cobras. The passing was crisp and accurate and we carved out multiple chances that should have won us the game. Overall they were skillful and they had a whippet of a forward but we matched up well. Ilya B was a colossus between the pipes despite playing with a broken digit.

Overall it felt like we should have won the game but taking a point was OK. Tom provided the post game victuals that were gobbled up by the hungry horde.

In conclusion I am suggesting that perhaps the tide has turned for us?