Match Report
Having suffered defeat in this fixture last year, Shrewsbury took the extreme measure of employing two burly Soviet spies at centre-half for this year’s match. This attempt to repel the Vets’ attacking force could not, however, account for the renewed motivation that becoming a Vice President at this year’s AGM had on Chris Murphy, who marked his 65th birthday with a shot so fiercely struck that it reached the goal and unusually managed to cross the line. There is life in this old dog yet.
That goal was much needed as Claypole’s ridiculously fluorescent new boots had the opposite effect of Billy’s Boots on him. His audacious shot from the kickoff lobbed gently to the Shrewsbury keeper. He followed that up by hitting the post with the goal at his mercy, blazing a better chance over the bar and skewing another chance wide. It was almost as if he was auditioning for the walking football rather than the main event at Pollença next week. Thankfully these misses did not cost dear, as a rather unfortunate own goal and three coolly taken goals from Chester allowed some breathing space at half-time. The school had scored a well taken goal of their own in the meantime but the Vets looked comfortable at the break.
The second half was a slightly more pedestrian affair; if any evidence were required for this, it comes from the fact that both Pointon (a toe poke from a corner) and Bodey (a bullet header from a corner*) managed to get on the scoresheet. Jonny Morris marked his own birthday, a rather more modest 62nd, with a goal that the dubious goals panel might not have awarded to him had it not been his special day. Rogers also scored but the champagne moment of the second half came from Harthan’s early and impressive effort for this season’s Peter McNay award for terrible defending. Those who might rival him in gifting the opposition a goal this season (you know who you are) should note that this award requires not just appalling defending but ridiculous attempts to blame others for the atrocity, and this second element of Harthan’s effort was what really marked it out as such a good one.
There was also a tawdry hat-trick for Clay in the second half, but had he shown McGuckin’s restraint in front of goal his chances next week would have been enhanced. As things stand it looks like a cameo against the Danes in the warm-up match should be the limit of his ambitions.
* I hope that is what he wanted me to say