Match Report
On Saturday 9th April 1938, Coronation Park in Greasby was opened by Sir John Nicholson, Baronet, to commemorate the crowning of George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth. King George had bravely stepped up to the mark when his flakey brother flounced off with a brassy Baltimore American socialite. He saw us through the war and beyond.
Well in Coronation Park, there may have been in 1938 a fitting tribute to the new King. On Saturday the 17th March 2018 it was a windy bog, fit to commemorate only his awful predecessor, George V. It gave the top pitch at Northop Hall a run for its money. The importance of this is that the pitch stifled the Vets usual total football passing approach to the game, and as a result the search for a victory in 2018 carries on.
It could have been all so different. After conceding an early goal, the Vets produced a slick passing move which culminated in an expert finish from Steve Allison. Then in 90 seconds, everything changed. First Bodey, back in a midfield maestro role and with the goal at his mercy, struck the inside of the post and bounced back into open play. It might well be, as he claimed later, that had the post been circular or elliptical, the ball would have gone into the net. Perhaps in the future he will shoot just inside the post and avoid the geometrical uncertainties of Veterans Football. The Wasps broke upfield. The resulting shot was parried and the ball fell into the path of RvP. No doubt the praise unfortunately heaped upon him before the Pollença still ringing in his ears, he set upon a mazy run to the other end of the pitch. Sadly, he was dispossessed before he got out of his own box and the Wasps were 2-1 up.
By half-time the ball had been given away three more times and the game seemed all but over.
Despite there being more ball-losing folly in the second half, a spirited revival produced another goal from Allison and a follow up block from Tom Spoffe which also found its way into the net. With a minute to go, West Kirby Wasps were awarded a controversial penalty, the conversion of which would have taken the score to a dismal and embarrassing 11-3. Happily, it was saved and the game ended at a sort of respectable 10-3. Sort of.