Match Report
As romantic venues for football go, Harrison Park in Wallasey is hard to beat, which is why it was so strange to have such fluctuating interest in this week’s fixture. The squad varied in numbers from 9 to 15 in the 24 hours before kick off and the starting line-up changed in the Skipper’s mind 4 times after the scheduled kick off time of 2pm. The modern boss has to choose not just between whether each player needs a bollocking or an arm around the shoulder, but also needs to remember the various work / childcare / managing junior teams / social life / bringing new rain coats / will they want to go to the match requirements of each player.
Anyway, to the match. The Vets started brightly and had the majority of possession in the opening stages. Some neat interplay between Murphy and Fraser (1. Yes, it actually happened; and 2. For those who don’t know, that is actually Rushie’s surname) nearly led to an early goal and there was genuinely some real promise attacking, even though last week’s 3-5-2 experiment has been temporarily been put on hold. Bodey (whose last week’s Friday night soaking in the bath in nothing but his boots curiously didn’t get a mention) at right back provided an outlet which led to some good attacking purpose from David Birrell, who had forsaken the 2nd v 3rd XI showdown to have a taste of the high-life that Vets football can provide. Shannon Eastwood went one step further and sped from that game to this. His pace was a welcome addition to the front line, though he faded in the second half after both water bottles and oranges at half time left him with an abiding sense of guilt and captaincy inadequacy.
Rockville went ahead with a goal which was offside. That having been said, by the time you get to Vets football you really should realise that you will be playing with refs who are there only to get out of the retirement home for the afternoon and also that if they don’t blow up for offside you should carry on playing rather than stopping to moan. The second came from another example of giving the ball away to the opposition, a trait for which this team could soon be famous.
The second half saw a definitive improvement, which was punctuated by another sloppily conceded goal. Then the comeback started in earnest. First a long range cross from Hopkins evaded the keeper’s careful gaze, then Bodey provided a perfect cross for McGuckin to head home. At 3-2, Rogers took the game by the scruff of the neck and launched a number of shots which one way, or another, didn’t quite provide the equaliser.
Then the game changing moment. Rockville attacked, Gorton intercepted with his hand. He and Pointon looked at each other, waiting for the ref to blow, and invited the Rockville striker into the gap between them to make it 4-2. Still the Vets carried on and were caught on the break to end up suffering an undeserved 5-2 defeat.
The rain coats meanwhile, unveiled after the game, proved to be very popular. More will be ordered soon.