Maybe it was the unusual early kick off, the watching Lehmann, or the high-quality Stade Fallon's astro turf (after 6 matches in a row on muddy pitches) but the Vets 1 were clearly not ready when the ref blew his whistle last Saturday and after 2 min, a few bad choices and missed interventions, the CHIEFS were 1 - 0 up.

Luckily, this season, we can always count on Speedy Pellegry when we are struggling, and after a nice pass from Cremades, he ran his usual 40 metres next to the sideline, three defenders were beaten and he scored from an exquisite left foot shot from a tight angle.

1-1 after 5 min, everybody realised it's a vets game and we cannot keep that intensity. The rest of the 1st half was more balanced with a lot of clumsy passes and a clear lack of composure from our side. Just before half time, we increased the pressure (just a little bit) and won a corner. Rice used his brain, which in contrast to his legs was still working, and fed a quick short corner to Rafa who played in Horacio to shoot just wide when scoring would have been, well, preferable.

Hosky and Lolo asked for more focus and commitment and the second half started better. We kept control of the ball in the middle and Horacio and Rafa almost hit the target from long range. Tommy kept his concentration on a few dangerous corner kicks and shots from outside the box. When CHIEFS managed to create a monster chance with a cross in the 6 yards box for their best striker on his own 3 meters away from the goal, Tommy was saved by the Viking gods.... the shot looked like a dropped goal at a windy Murrayfield and the ball hit the stratosphere.

It was about time for the VETS 1 to react and Lolo delivered a perfect free kick into the box that Moreuil only had to get his remaining hair on to head over the 5 feet 2 keeper. Yet it was not all over and CHIEFS captain managed to get a penalty after a nice slalom in the box and an even nicer dive when Horacio just only touched the ball. A great combination of winter and summer Olympic games it was. But the Viking gods were still watching and his cheap attempt of a panenka chip failed miserably, Thor, I mean Tommy, to the rescue.

It was about time to finish off the game and the VETS 1 started to win all their challenges with Lars Lars Lars, Will, Hosky and Totti increasing the pressure and Marcelo combining with the wingers which led to two big chances for Pellegry. Rafa finally decided to call it a day with a superb chip over the goalie after a great pass from a now rampant Hosky. With 10 min to go, the VETS 1 were cruising. A last-minute goal came after a series of tiki taka passes in the midfield and a 20 m cross from Marcelo for Moreuil to tap in from his fauteuil.

It was not always pretty but the most important was the win ahead of the upcoming decider on Saturday at ROSIERES against LTC who are just 1 point ahead of us in the table. May the Viking Gods still be with us.

Sejersen - Legere, Christensen, Jeremiah - Moreuil (2-1; 4-1), Henriquez, Hoskins, Pellegry (1-1), Tsopo (De Lima) - Cremades (3-1), Rice (Giunti)

MoM: Moreuil