Twenty's plenty

This week’s team news was that no fewer than twenty people were interested in playing; Simon Gas even had to rotate Paul of the Antarctic from the line-up and, provisionally, himself. However, he had forgotten that Ian Baggies was playing, so rather than have ten versus nine, the Muswell Hillbilly was officially into the fray for a busy looking ten aside game. Twenty’s plenty, indeed.

Here are your two teams -

Yellows: me, Simon Ink, Joseph, Antonio, Charlie, specialist goalkeeper Ed, Danny, Vitaliy, David and Ian Baggies

Blues: Geoff, Steve, Mark, Ross, Mick, Bristol Paul, Tony, Nick, Simon Gas and Mario

With Bristol Paul arriving a little late, the Yellows made the most of their temporary one man advantage and took the lead through Simon Ink. The percussive gastronome made it 1-0 with a very composed spin and finish having been picked out inside the area. Shortly afterwards it was 2-0. Antonio chested the ball down and unleashed an absurd volley from about twenty five yards that slammed into the bottom right hand corner. And before too long it was 3-0; Charlie latched onto a monumental goal kick and managed to control the ball as it was dropping and spoon it over Simon Gas in goal.

At three nil down Tony started to agitate for a change in teams, but the Blues almost immediately got one back from Ross, (who was just getting started). A second soon followed from the trusted boots of Mario, back to his superlative best. Suddenly the Yellows were very busy at the back, with Tony, Nick and Mario pushing through midfield and seeking to release the in-form Ross. The Yellows were probably guilty of dropping too deep, but with Antonio feeling the effect of a challenge from Ross and the Ukrainian striker Vitaliy, or ‘Vitality’ according to Simon’s email client looking anything but, the Yellows were increasingly reliant on the skills of Antonio and the remorseless running of Danny to set up Charlie and Simon Ink up front.

Meanwhile the Blues were growing in confidence and after making it 3-2, Ross steered in the equaliser with a fizzing effort. At three apiece the game could conceivably have gone either way, but it was the Blues who capped a magnificent comeback to win 4-3; Ross, again, with the winning goal and his hat-trick, managing to lose his marker at a corner to nod home.

Relatively few moments of controversy this week, although there was a minor contretemps when Danny apparently fouled Mick and at the final whistle Tony got hit in the face by something or other.

Final score: Blues 4 – Yellows 3

Off to the pub then, where David and Simon got heavily involved with the pub fayre, the former opting for chilli nachos and the latter plumping for a Cajun chicken wrap. Topics for discussion included the Marlon James Booker winner, A History of Seven Killings, and in somewhat less literary fashion, Fatherhood, the current guest ales and the North London Derby. Steve also provided an update on his daughter’s suitor. He’s still in one piece.

That’s it for now. More goals, beers and other stuff next week.