Round 4 vs Banyule City
The vets made the trip down to the exotically named Banyule Flats Reserve hoping to bounce back from the 4-1 defeat the previous weekend. The first dilemma that presented itself was the sign on the changing room door – “Visitors – Girls”. Was this an attempt by the home team to get an early psychological advantage (a poor rip off of Galatasaray’s “Welcome to Hell”) or were we risking arrest for walking in on the Banyule Under 16 Girls who played the match before ours? As it was we were pleasantly surprised to find a (comparatively) palatial changing room complete with comfy sofas for Graham and Dibbsy to rest their aging legs on.
The pre match team talk from Graham focussed on the need to play the simple short ball rather than long hoofs over the top from the prior week and it helped that playing surface resembled a proper (albeit a very narrow) pitch as oppose to the mud bog from the week before. The team had a familiar look about it with one new face – Barry “Bazza” making his debut in central defence (although there was something familiar about his profile when he stood next to Stevie Houghton).
The Parkers heeded the coaches pre-game address and started fast, playing the ball around with confidence. The early pressure told as the Parkers raced into a 3-0 lead. Given the number of goals in this game my memory is a little hazy but I recall the first goal was a 25 yard strike from Darren – I can only think the aging keeper was surprised by the pace, power and swerve that Daz must have put on the ball as it went at a very catchable height straight through his arms. The second was a penalty from Bob (won by Ice having been played through and tripped by the keeper who was lucky not to be sent off) and the third was a good finish from Ice from a tight angle after rounding the keeper. It looked like it was going to be a rugby score with a number of chances being created (half of them from the toe poked goal kicks from the opposition keeper).
The Parkers were only denied a 4th when Ice was clean through only to be tripped by a blade of grass when approaching the keeper. The referee (just out of school and surely the youngest ref the vets have ever had) proved time and time again that it isn’t just the older generation who suffer from short eyesight by consistently over-ruling the linesmen on offside decisions (a fair call when it came to Graham who was more interested in consumption of jelly snakes than actually running the line).
As the half progressed Banyule started to grow in confidence and get a bit more possession. They got one back with a shot from edge of the area from their Scouse captain which may or may not have been from a quickly taken free kick (I think Emil was looking the other way in any case) and proceeded to push for another with Emil being forced into a couple of cracking saves to keep the score 3-1 at half time.
The Parkers were going into the wind in the second half however this did not stop them going 6-1 up within 5 mins of the restart. I really do not recall who scored them all or how they were scored. All I can remember is that one was almost direct from a long throw-in from Glenn that was bundled over the line from point blank range and the others were the product of some nice passing moves (albeit past a stationary defence who hadn’t quite realised the second half had started). I think Ice may have got his hat-trick at this point as well. With the result in the bag the game then lulled a bit with the Parkers creating a number of chances but not taking any of them – Banyule got one back which provoked a furious reaction from Emil, unhappy at only being 4 goals up. There was a further flurry of goals towards the end of the game as both teams tired – Banyule had to change goalkeepers after their keepers toe finally gave way after a particularly hard goal kick that got all the way outside the penalty area. The new keeper was a lot more difficult to beat and credit to him for keeping the score in single figures.
When the ref blew the final whistle no-one really knew what the final score was with the estimates from the Parkers ranging from 7-3 to 10-4. A quick chat with the ref revealed the official score as 9-3. A good win with the Parkers getting back on track although tougher challenges surely await.
Team: Emil, James, Brooksey, Bazza, Dibbsy, Bob, Adam, Steve W, Darren, Glenn, Ice. Subs: Eddie, Stevie H
Scorers: Darren, Bob (pen), Ice 4 or 5?, Steve W, Glenn?
