SHAKE THAT PASS FOR ME

The day began with the exchange of numerous texts regarding the weather, was it on? was the pitch frozen? was it ok to play? Even ‘IQ Joe’ had pointed out that it was ‘a little bit icy icy on the pitch’......but none the less, a couple of visits to the middle from weather man Luke Bowman and we were assured of a 12.30pm pushback.....news that obviously didn’t ring happily in our opponents ears. And so as border control allowed the Ville players to depart from Northern France, I settled in by the fire at Tudor Barn for a rather delicious eggs and streaky bacon on toast. Will go there again, very nice!

The wind was howling around the desolate Eltham College campus, a wind chill factor of -5 but all the same a brilliantly sunny day and a mouthwatering encounter lay ahead. As the BE boys rattled through their warm up, the Ville boys arrived in dribs and drabs, much to the frustration of their team mates. The scene was set and the game would begin (a fraction late).

The BE 2’s have been on fire of late and the early exchanges suggested they had just slipped back into the patterns of play, moving the ball nicely and opening up channels. But a set back would arrive early as an airial pass was not only intercepted by their forward but he very cleverly headed the ball over Benson (who watched on in disbelief) and miss hit the ball under Nate Dogg in nets.....the pre match Eminem tunes were still reverberating around our heads as the umpires convened and came to a conclusion of GOAL! 0-1 and a tough wall to climb.

Don’t get too upset, BE we’re about to spring into life! A cracking ball in from G Purewal ran free and Thorogood had too much time to ‘smash it’, and inexplicably topped it and clattered the unsuspecting near post, not the first thing to get beat down all day. But from the very next play, it was 1-1 as some neat work at the top of the D saw Bloomfield miss hit a strike that was deflected in by Thorogood at the far post. Moments later the Ville boys were under the cosh again and Benno stepped up to rig a drag! 2-1.

The next thing was utter genius. Defence to attack in one consummate display of trouser dropping delight. Hughes to Benson, Benson played it into Stafford, Stafford back to Fowler, Fowler to Catmur, Catmur to Stafford Stafford to Mills, Mills across goal, Thorogood deflection.....outrageous! Totally sublime, slick, fluid & utterly magnificent. You couldn’t write a better goal, if there were oscars for these things we would have won the lot! TEAM goal and the soup and sarnies was getting ever nearer.

The 4th wasn’t bad either as more beautiful inter play through forwards leading back, Catmur making the runs, Fowler linking up and then the half
cut Skipper roasting the Ville
Lad at the top of the D and firing the ball into the bottom corner! BOOM! 9 pints of Guinness on a Friday night will do that for you, rocket fuel for the Lincoln express!

Poor old Nate in goal was having a quiet day, but his orchestration of the back four was much like that of an Operatic conductor in the pit, perhaps Nate got inspiration from his Champagne infused Friday night visit to Mozart’s ‘Don Giovani’,
our ostracised mysterious goal keeper frequents the social scene of one ‘Patrick Bateman’ but perhaps with a little less chainsaw and a bit more class, masquerade ball for the big man last night, can’t imagine the Ramsgate boys were off to do the same......Bullens 2, Culture 0.

The 2nd half was much the same, Mills and Allen stepped up the pressure as a neat 1-2 saw Joe in on his deadly reverse but much like most of his homework, it came to nothing, although he has signalled a greater intent for the following half. The level of violent tackling was increasing as the frustration of our visitors became apparent.

Another successful press and Prem nicked the ball, Edd slotted the pass and Oli Ivan’s slid it under the keeper to make the game safe at 5-1 and everyone was loving it. The crowd of 8 swelled to over 30 as the teams for the next match arrived, and they would whiteness some pretty shoddy tackling and aggression, swinging sticks, slide tackles, over zealous assault at times but none the less Millsy would get the games 1st yellow for ‘hitting the ball away’...

A few corners came and went and we looked pretty sharp in every passage of play. The boys were class just to top it off, Fowler banged in a 6th right on the final whistle, much to the annoyance of their keeper who had just about had enough.

A lovely sunny drive back to the coast for the Ville boys who to a man were quite an entertaining bunch of lads and acknowledged they had been out classed, apart from one who was still probably moaning as they arrived back at the Pig & Whistle in Ramsgate.....even his team mate suggested that had he put as much effort into the game as he did moaning about it, they might have done a bit better.

Any how, we were superb, a dream to watch and an really good bunch of lads. From Robbie and Mike at the back to the engine room of a midfield to a classy display from the forwards, this was a complete team performance, it could have been 10, it might have been more, we had wine & cheese to celebrate.....as you do.

MOTM: Ben Stafford - a Roberto Carlos esq performance of pure delight and class

DOTD - Jade and Joe for all the normal reasons....

Next up an even colder trip to Herne Bay, passports at the ready guys....promotion push still alive!