Thursday 25 October 2012

Ripe and Ruin

Going to be a tough one this week. Not sure where to start here. It's a strange one as for the first time ever I've got two games to cover and a lot of conflicted feelings in between. I think I'll lead on from last time when my emphasis was very much on the top of the table clash. Sadly the boys couldn't pull off the win. From everything I've been told this wasn't due to a lack of dominating play but not being there I can't put too fine a point on it sadly. The facts are there now which are that we're six points adrift of the top two places. Six points off is the nice way of putting it, us having half the points of our rivals is the harsher language. Both lines tell the same truth; we're not where we want to be. I can empathise.

From rags to riches last week, while we fell to a second league defeat of the year, I was about five miles away winning 14-0 and scoring a hat-trick. Happy days? I have to be happy from a performance point of view with 3 goals in a season I've not put too many away in so far, one of my goals was a lovely chip finish that I've been trying to score for about 5 years now but mucking up every time (which is another way of saying it was a bit flukey). When you win 14-0 you have to put a bit of that on your opponents doorstep for sure, they were awful and that cannot be denied. They are a team that is just gritting its teeth and trying to get through the games and I have a great respect for that. This said, I think a good bit of credit has to be set aside for the attacking intent of the 2's. They're making the right moves at the right times and playing the right passes to score goals. I think that much better sides would have failed to contain them. Perhaps the greatest praise I have was that despite coming in at 5-0 up on the half, rather than stepping back and acting like the game was over they went for the neck and bagged 9 goals in 35 minutes. That's desire there, and it's that will that wins you games and more importantly wins you leagues; which I've every faith the 2's can do IF they want it enough. It'll be a lot tougher than that 14-0.

Overall I wasn't happy though, and the more I though about it the more unhappy I became. Yes I'd won and done my job, but MY team had lost and not one of my goals made the blindest bit of difference. I might sound a bit miserable but there's a sense of ownership within me over my team I can't apply readily to another team. It's been ground in over time and is deep down. It comes from the 10-1 losses and the long trips to places like Cockermouth and Carlise many years ago. It comes from the going down divisions and the sitting around wondering if we can get enough people to get a team together. It comes from the last minute wins and the last minute losses. It's all the goals and the clean sheets over the last three years and most of all it's the winning.

My team; we're winners now. This league is fighting like a rabid dog to rip that winning mentality which we have toiled over weeks, months, and years to gain in leisure centres and schools in all the nooks and crannies of Cheshire and North Wales you can imagine. Two losses is a rip, two losses isn't a tear. A game away from my team is a rip, not a tear. The league hasn't taken it away from us yet, and I'm not going to let it. Why? Because that is what winners do. They come back stronger, they fight harder. They don't let what is ripe go to ruin, they use it to grow.

The next few weeks will test our resolve.

Song of the Week 

The time has come to bounce back and come back stronger now. I've abandoned The Beatles and even temporarily abandoned the puns. I wanted to go for something purely energetic and cerebral. A song that would convey the kind of fire we're going to need to put teams to the sword. I went with one I hope you all know. The Prodigy- Spitfire

 


The Teas League

Not all gloomy and emotive this week. the much trumpeted Teas league is back for its second outing!

 Disclaimer: This is only a bit of fun. I am an appalling cook myself and in no way a food expert. All criticism will be tongue-in-cheek and if any people/clubs choose to take offence please know that all reviews are intended to make no negative reflection on the friendly welcome and hospitality that all teams always provide us, for which we are very grateful and thankful for.

 Sadly I didn't get the chance to chow down on the grub myself so Ive had to pass over to a special guest contributor for this weeks addition. It's none other than plucky Centre Half and reigning Sale 1st team player of the season Mark Holmes!

Lets see how his palette found the culinary delights of last weeks game:

20/10/12 Timperley Away

3-2 loss against top of the table, bad times. But a short walk for the field of battle is the clubhouse where you'll find...






Spaghetti Bolognese with Rosemary & Salt Focaccia

Substance: 5/10- Although the plate seems rather full on the picture, the portions were somewhat stingy. After being starved of victory, our hunger still went unsatisfied.

Taste: 2/10- Where to begin... the bread was far too salty to quench our appetite for more bland bolognese. Safe to say it's not how mother used to make it, far from it.

Presentation: 6/10- Top marks to presentation, the spaghetti on the bottom and the bolognese on the top. Little Timperley.

Choice words the Mr. Holmes there. A tough customer it seems. Perhaps I'd recommend any team aspiring to win the coveted teas league title doesn't beat us in the game itself! Let's see where that puts them on the chart...

1.Brooklands (Sandwiches & Chips)- S:5 T:6 P:8 Tot: 19/30
2.Timperley (Spag Bol with Rosemary & Salt Focaccia)- S:5 T: 2 P:6 Tot: 13/30
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Still early doors of course. So that means that even with a low 13/30 puts Timperley in at #2. You could also call that is last place too, been all about duplicity this week haven't we?


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