Some gift wapping practice before Christmas

The team ventured to London’s docklands to face the might of Wapping's fifth string at John Orwell sports centre, a location with a wonderful vista but one tainted by a bobbly and uneven playing surface. Play started with heath dominating possession and stringing multiple attacks together with a high number of D penetrations but very little in return. With very irregular breaks from Wapping causing few issues as Fergus Catmur, Freddie Meier and Rikesh mopped up at the back. Mid way into the second half, having utilized the old transfer round the back, the ball was crashed into the D and scrappily tucked away by someone (I cannot recall who, but it wasn't very good and most of the credit should go to the lead up and assist by yours truly).
 
Halftime drew some scathing reviews from all, the most helpful words came from Tom Mayfield who thought long and hard before stating... "they're just... they're just really really pants". (more colourful language was used, but I’m keeping this PG).
 
2's duly responded, by letting Wapping score two goals in quick succession. The first of which a particularly awful and avoidable event, as it came from a Blackheath 16 which Lewis Lawrence passed straight to a opposition midfielder, who countered, drove the baseline and squared to an unmarked forward who tucked it away. 
 
With the team 2-1 down, surely things couldn't get more difficult? Coach Jade Bloomfield decided otherwise and did some mid game rugby to pick up a yellow card leaving the team under the cosh but the team weathered the storm, and rode out the period with Calum Mitchel and Dominic Jaikaransingh (added to dictionary) stepping up and retaining possession well. 
 
Once restored to a full 11, Blackheath started to turn the screw, with attacking dynamo Nick Charlish side stepping and V dragging every opponent he faced, Mayfield turning everyone inside out and Sam Little running an awful lot, the pressure started to build and efforts were repaid, unlike the first half. With the attacks continuing, thankfully, one of the many attempts was finished off as Prem Marwaha slotted one in from a very unlikely angle to level things up at 2-2.  
 
Blackheath retained their dominance throughout the later phase of the game, but still struggling to finish off any attack with a goal. Thankfully a short corner was one and dispatched with a "Screamer from a short corner" (as written by the assistee, Cal Mitchel) that deflected in off a defenders foot to retake the lead. 
 
As if the game didn't have enough drama in the preceding 69 minutes, and this match report lacking in flow and depth, The heath allowed Wapping one final attempt to snatch a draw in the dying seconds. A loose ball found its way to an unmarked forward with only Nathan Bullens to beat, who milliseconds before had been on his post. The forward saw the ball, slapped it midair, mid goal, and before the player had a chance to think he had scored, Nathan leaped across with a giant hand to make an outrageous save/ scoop it out of the goal and hold the win for the team (to clarify, for anyone in the 1's reading this, it was fairly average, you can keep Craigmyle ;) ).
 
All in all, an ideal pre-season game, one with bits to take away but some valuable lessons to be learned. 
 
Man of the match - Lewis Lawrence, but many notable performances from Olli (Legs) Ivens, Fergus (the wall) Catmur and Calum (good assist) Mitchell to name but a few.
 
Dick of the day - Lewis Lawrence (as previously mentioned, gift Wapping wrapping a goal and trying to behead another player) lost on a game of rock paper scissors (should have been 5's) to Jade Bloomfield (disgusting yellow card).