Team: Reynolds, Mazurkiewicz, Hyde, Gallagher H., Knott, Tremant, Gallagher D., Wilson, Brown, Weaver, Ffinch

Substitutes: Leigh, Currie, Taylor, McKeeney

The penultimate game of the season was yet another hard-fought match against superior opposition, FC Irlande. They are the worst kind of opponent for a rather elderly team. They are fast, strong, technically adept and physical – you always get a kick or two from the Irish - but as a team they are without malice. Thus the game was played in a good spirit(with minor outbreaks of whingeing) and no accusations of bias can plausibly be levelled at either of the referees from Irlande. They played a half each and proved themselves to be excellent footballers.

Playing against the wind and a slight slope, Vets2 were run ragged in the first half by an excellent Irish midfield, exemplified by Sealey’s whose tireless running and excellent control. Nonetheless, stout defending, constant harrying of the ball-carrier and no little luck kept the game scoreless.

Indeed, the half was so one-sided that it took Herculean performances(from Hyde and Gallagher H. in particular) to stem the tide. They formed a defensive rock on which most of the Irish attacks foundered. In addition, Hyde organised the team’s resistance superbly, cajoling, instructing and encouraging his team-mates throughout.

The efforts of Gallagher H. were perhaps even more impressive, given that he was playing the role of centre half for the first time in his career. Inspired by the touchline presence of his talented and beautiful daughters(yes, I know, but the girls take after Dominique), he tackled well, attacked the ball on the ground and in the air, and generally formed a difficult obstacle for the opposition to surmount. This was a remarkable debut – two days before his 51st birthday, no less.

Reynolds, in goal, dealt with whatever eluded his colleagues and a couple of good chances were simply missed. Further forward, the midfield worked hard and the strikers attempted manfully to make bricks without straw. However, there was almost no threat at all to Irlande’s goal.

Three substitutions were made during the break, Wilson, Tremant and Knott making way for Leigh, Taylor and Currie. Ffinch moved back into midfield from which position he would later have an unimpeded view of his opposite number scoring the goals that won the game. Five minutes later, Mazurkiewicz was replaced by McKeeney who played in midfield with Brown moving to full-back.

The second half was more evenly balanced, although Irlande were still clearly the stronger team and the pattern of the first half was by-and-large repeated. Nonetheless, the pressure was less constant and there were occasional forays into the opposition’s half. Indeed, there was even a shot which went quite close to Irlande’s goal, although your reporter, by this time suffering from dehydration-induced hallucinations, may well have imagined it.

The breakthrough came midway through the half when the Vets2 backline was undone by erm, well, an undone lace. Ffinch had stopped to attend to his boots and the nearest midfielder, Gallagher D., was caught ball-watching. An intelligent angled pass left a fairly simple finish for the unmarked winger.

At this point, some form of moral collapse might have been expected, but the opposite occurred and Vets2 had their best period of the game. Taylor and McKeeney bustled around to good effect and for ten minutes or so, some territorial advantage was gained, albeit without concrete result. As is so often the case, this upsurge in the team’s fortunes was followed by the loss of another goal. A well-struck shot was parried with difficulty by Reynolds and the same winger followed up well to force the ball home.

The game was over at this point and it petered gently out. This loss against a much stronger team can be viewed positively. There was hardly a foul throughout, the better team won, the weaker team did its best, the refereeing was impeccable and there was almost no verbal aggravation of any kind, the noticeable exception being the volley of abuse hurled by Mazurkiewicz(yes, he did) at Tremant during the first half.

For those of us with long memories, it was good to see 70-year-old Dave Verdon still playing his usual masterful role in the Irish defence: and even better to see that battle-scarred warhorse Ian McConnell absent for the first forty minutes, which reduced his opportunities for dishing out any scarring and/or trampling. An enjoyable game: and we wish FC Irlande all the best for next season.