After a very long preseason of preparing for MPFCs first ever season in the top flight of the Metropolitan league (after four consecutive promotions in four seasons) it was time for MPFC 3s to take to the field for their opening round Vs Altona Lions, the team that finished 4th in last seasons campaign.
Four MPFC debutants were in the starting line up with the French connection of Greg and Willy, Australia’s very own Mr Versatile James Battersby and Martin Helleborg fresh from filming the latest season of Vikings.
Four months of preseason planning, recruiting and preparation went out of the window within the first minute as nerves got the better on the Parkers who conceded to Altonas first attack. Ten minutes later with last man Cooksey getting tripped only to leave Altona one on one with El Lofty and it was 2-0. So ten minutes gone with Metro 1s established 4th place finishers versus the new pretenders to the throne there was only one plan in Altonas play book. Yes that’s right, waste as much of the remaining 80 minutes as possible in the hope of hanging onto the 2-0 victory!
MPFC had other plans though and wave after wave of attack finally got it’s just rewards with the baby faced assassin Willy getting onto the end of Marks through ball to finish in style.
Half time and 2-1 down coaches Cooksey and Keano played their Irish wild cards with Vinnie and Hoey coming into the lineup. A tactic switch of James and Dicko into areas of space paid dividends within the opening minutes with James dribbling from wide right to smash the ball inside the far post. 2-2 and the hosts were rattled. Five minutes later and Dicko who was revelling in his new position made it 3-2.
Altona fearing the worst dug deep into their big old playbook of tricks and pulled out the exact same tactic, waste time and run the clock down!
MPFC looked very comfortable with Vinnie and Simon running the midfield and the back four coping well with the numerous long punts upfield. This left the attacking players a lot of freedom to roam and it didn’t take long for number 4 to come along with an industrious Dicko squaring the ball to Chris who’d made a fantastic supporting run.
Not to be outdone Altona tried to have the final word however most of these words were directed at Mark Tompkins which didn’t do them much good. With Altona running the clock down there was just time for Dicko to run through one on one only for the keeper to drag him down. Fresh from his penalty miss in the last game of last season Captain Spud graciously handed the ball over to Vinnie who just to rub salt into El Capitanos wounds proceeded to score the penalty not once but twice.
Overall a fantastic start to life in the top flight (well from 11 minutes onwards) for the mighty thirds.
Squad: Lofty, Cooksey, Greg, Martin, Simon, Dicko, Spud, Willy, James, Mark T, Mark H, Chris, Vinnie.
Goals: Willy, James, Chris, Dicko, Vinnie
Cards: None
Report by Cooksey