There are, as the French say, no miracles. It seemed for a few minutes that the team with absolutely the worst record in ABSSA veterans football would gain a point from this game against a team who have won 7 from 9, but it was not to be. Instead, Vets2 managed to commit metaphorical collective suicide by gifting the opposition a goal – for about the 25th time this season. Some things never change...

The team was still without MacDonald whose physical presence and combative nature are allied to decent technical skills and real aerial ability. However, there was the welcome sight of Donnelly playing in midfield. In general, the team looked balanced. Thedefence had 2 quick, strong fullbacks and a solid central pairing. Up front, Deneffe had the ability and strength to play a lone role. And the midfield had lots of bodies. A 4-5-1 formation was used, the intention being to flood the centre of the park and prevent the opposition from scoring quickly.

Besace scored in the first five minutes. Good movement and passing created gaps in the midfield and the finish was exemplary. Skipper Reynolds resisted the temptation to abandon the relatively defensive formation – possibly fearing a rout – and the team clawed their way back into the game. Indeed, Vets2 had the better of the first half and could have scored 3 goals. Donnelly’s intelligent positioning and passing were important in building attacks and providing cover for the defence. By playing in a relatively deep position, he allowed Antonicoli, Ffinch and Talib to venture forward: and straightforward passing from midfield and good movement and control from Deneffe created chances. Currently, the latter’s finishing lacks the quality of all his other work. Put simply, he couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo. Nonetheless, a few seconds of simple passing, amiskick by Ffinch, a scrambled shot by Talib and the ball was in the opposition’s net.

Besace had the better of the second half. They are an excellent side, blessed with skill, pace and strength, and these turned the tide in their favour. However, Vets2 defended feverishly and played a little football themselves. The back four was solid as a rock and the midfield, although weakened by the substitution of Donnelly, patrolled and harried constantly. As the minutes slipped by, the impossible began to seem possible.

But...cometh the hour, cometh the man. Knott headed clear in the area. As the ball crossed the line for a corner, Riley (for it was he) decided that he would use his Brazilian skills to leap into the air and volley the ball away for a throw-in. All three elements of parabolic physics* – range, elevation and direction – were awry and the ball curled backwards to the far post dropping into the waiting hands of Reynolds. And then onto the floor. And then into the net. The game was up. Efforts to recover the situation were in vain. A valiant performance ended in defeat - but honourable defeat.

The most worrying aspect of the current situation is the aberrational nature of so many of the goals conceded. This may be due to a lack of football intelligence. While the collective intellectual capacity of Vets2 could power a city the size of Birmingham, the team is, in football terms, the equivalent of an educationally subnormal rodent. This has a heavy cost in games lost needlessly. We are simply a bit stupid. And as they say in Vets2: ‘Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens’. The plight of Deneffe is less worrying. He is experiencing a period when he simply cannot score. The team needs to win a penalty for him to open the floodgates. The rest of his play is excellent. The goals will surely come.

Leigh played a terrific game and was a clear MOM. Apart from a truly appalling throw-in, he was as safe as houses. Quick and brave, he tackled and covered like a demon. We must all hope that the conditions of his bail allow him to play more games in the future. And that the broken toenail which has kept him on the sidelines for so long finally responds to treatment.