15/10: Portugal FC 1-1 RBBFC1

TEAM: Kris, Dex, Jean, Sylvain (Ben), Hodge, Adrian, Rich, Daniel, Dries (Luka), Tommy, Nils

The squad arrived in Anderlecht for the late kick-off in buoyant mood. Everybody loves to play the Portuguese. Rich and John rattled through the formation and instructions for the team before we headed out for a solid warm up in the afternoon sun looking sharp in our new training tops.

Sadly our football in the first half was a disappointment. We repeatedly gave the ball away and invited pressure on. Ian "Big Man” Hannah on the side did not take long to voice his disapproval. We handed the first goal to the Portuguese by giving the ball away directly from our own free kick. They countered with pace and slipped the ball past Kris for the lead. The margin could, maybe should, have been increased as the half went on. They continued to create chances from our mistakes and rattled the bar with a header from a corner.

Ironically, against the run of play, we could have gone in level. With the ball pin-balling around the top of the box a Portuguese centre half lunged for the ball but came up short and left Nils with a clear sight of goal. He flashed a first time shot which skidded just past the wrong side of the past. Dang "il a confondu vitesse et precipitation” !

The ref blew his whistle and I dare say we were a little relieved to go in just 1 goal down.

We got the dressing down we expected from the coach and went out to rectify things in the second half. And rectify we did. Suddenly we played higher, were first to all the challenges and playing without hesitation. We created chances galore. Tommy was "unlucky” a several times with for instance a left foot shot which rolled agonizingly wide before seeing a volley well saved by their keeper.

Finally, Richard managed to break the deadlock when one of his powerful runs in to the box paid off. The ball, sitting up nicely, was expertly dispatched into the bottom corner. Bang, this was it. We continued to press. Luka and Ben came on and kept the momentum well in our favour. Jean at the back was providing dangerous balls forward and they rarely threatened.

The Portuguese were not on their toes anymore and became as usual to commit a lot of (dangerous) faults. On one of them a finally deserved red card was showed to them !

We had shots, we had corners, we had free kicks (some nicely orchestrated, some less so), we threw the kitchen sink at them but sadly they managed to hold out for the draw. Frustrating but with a second half performance more akin to our usual standards we can move forward feeling good.

More great games to come in the next few weeks.

MOM was a 5-5 score draw between Hodgy and Jean only for Jean to take it home with some quality rock-paper-scissors action.

Reporter and co-MOM: Andrew Hodgson

PART 2

I'm writing this more than a month after the match.

I was nominated to write the match report based on the fact that I was an unused substitute

so had the best view of the entire game. Fuckin set up.

If I can share any experienced based wisdom to any of you

don't ever let it go this long

before writing your match report.

The memory is definitely very fuzzy but here goes:

YYYAAAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNNN. Streeeeeeeeeetch.

Shit, what time is it? Merde. 11:30,

I was supposed to meet a friend for brunch on place

Jourdan at 11:00. 5 missed calls. Merde. I'm so

hung

over

, I feel like shit, I have tonsillitis,

I'm all bunged up,

what was I thinking having a heavy night and

going to bed at 4am when I

was supposed to

be playing a top of the table clash with the 1sts? It's not often I get the

privilege and opportunity, don't fuck this up you idiot.

Shower, brunch, feeling a little better, waiting for Taxi Nils. He pulls up, very relaxed,

smooth, looking good as always.

I sense Nils is feeling the enjoyment of playing football

without having to make all those tough selection

choices towards the end of the week. His

time is done but he's far from finished. There's a new era in town. Over to you Richard.

Pick up Rich & Dex,

on we go to whereverthefuckitis? FC Portugal. It's a great day for

football, really superb. The sun is out, mild temperature, no breeze

really perfect. After the

usual dressing room prep, we are reminded to start strong, start quick, get into them, run

the show. After a quick warm up, we're ready to go.

Starting 11:

Kris

Sylvain,

Jean Minne Special,

Dex,

Hodgy (Andy???)

Daniel, Richard, Adrian, Dries

Nils, Tommy KellerTor

Bench:

Ben, Luka, Gavin

I look down and realise I've forgotten to put one of my

shin pads

on. FFS you idiot.

No one seemed to be taking the dressing room plan on to the pitch and Portugal started the

stronger. First to every second ball, moving for each other, moving the ball arou

nd the pitch

nicely, plenty of threat. 20 odd minutes in and they're all over us but we somehow haven't

managed to concede. The detail is really hazy guys, sorry. Nils gets a break and the ball falls

to him inside the box, unmarked, he drills it low, good

connection but fails to hit the target.

Another chance a few minutes later falls to Daniel. Cross put in and it falls to him centrally

just inside the edge of the box, crowd of players in front of him but manages to squeeze it

through but not beyond the cl

utches of the keeper. I'm getting a decent tan here I think.

Just when we look like we're getting back into it, we're passing the ball around the back, it

comes out wide, ball passed back into space but no one there but one of their attacking

players. He s

ees the forward to his right and puts the ball through, he's got space and pace

to burn, he controls it, gets to the box in no time, there's no catching him, approaches Kris

who is doing his best to close down the angle and make himself big but there's not

hing he

can do, the striker slots it in at the near post. 1

0 FC Portugal. Merde. The rest of the half is

played out without anything noteworthy. There probably is something noteworthy but I

can't remember. I'll make something up if it helps? Just to fill

the gaps, yeah? Ok, here goes.

Tommy has a couple of one on ones and doesn't convert. Oh wait, shit, that actually

happened in the second half. Sorry KellerTor.

Half time.

John McGrath team talk. Pretty simple. "WTF is going on guys? Get in to them! Where

are

you? You're not fighting for each other, you're not playing as a team, go out and play like a

fucking team or we'll leave here with nothing."

It had the desired effect.

Second half started well. Key players raised their games to lift the rest of the te

am; Jean

Minne Special, Hodgy, Richard, Nils to mention a few in particular. We had control of the

ball, control of the game. We were moving for each other, creating chances and looked

threatening. Luka & Ben enter the fray. We're pushing, the chances are

coming, you can feel

a goal is coming. All of a sudden the ball is lost outside their box, Rich picks up the loose ball,

skips through and hammers home for 1

1, great finish, well done captain. We're back in it,

now for the win. Chances come begging but no

conversion, we deserve to win this based on

second half. Portugal have lost momentum, they're not happy, giving out to the ref, etc. We

look to counter again and just as Rich picks it up inside the centre circle their central

midfielder just goes right th

rough him, takes him out. He was totally airborne before hitting

the deck. No hesitation from the ref, straight red. Rich gets up, dusts himself off. "Dyna

ddim o'i gymharu â'r hyn y maent yn ei wneud i chi yn y cymoedd". Look it up.

5 minutes to go, momen

tum with us, they're down to 10 men, surely time for Papa G? The 5

minutes passes quickly. Game over, we should have won. A small nation of little dark haired

men (i think they were

Portuguese) surround the ref like flies on shit. It's all over boys, just

go home, go have a beer, leave the ref alone, it's pointless.

It's still nice weather, I think I must have got a tan.

Man of the match done; 5 each for Hodgy and Jean Minne Special. Paper Scissor St

one. Jean

wins. 15 beers and 1 L

effe please sir. Je vous e

n prie.

We enjoyed a lovely evening at Kev's dads restaurant in town. Moules, frites, beers & rum

cokes. Was a good night. I still felt terrible, was time to go home. Recovered a little before

over the next few days. Went training Wednesday, scored a coupl

e of crackers. Training

counts, right?

By the way Luka, my leg still has a hole in it. Payback in Wavre.

Love you all, love this club, love football. Sorry it took so long, won't happen again Rich.

Love Gavin, aka Papa G.

PS

in case you were wondering, I didn't forget and I w

asn't going to spare him the blushes.

It was Rich who gave the ball away for their opening goal.

Mae'n ddrwg gen i Richard

PPS

see you all in Wavre for the indoor tournament. Make sure you've done your Jean Minne Special