Essondale waves goodbye to points ......................................
The Classics made their first visit to Terry Fox Old School for a match against the Waves. They took a strong squad of 17 players and started the match well. In the 4th minute a right wing cross from Pat Rohlas was headed narrowly wide of the left hand post by Alan Massender. Two minutes later the stage was set for Willie Dixon to continue his remarkable scoring record of a goal a game. All the players, props, lighting, sound etc. were in place as a pin-point right wing cross from Rohla sailed above the keeper to an unmarked Dixon at the back post. The ball was perfectly placed for a simple header into the empty net but somehow Dixon 'fluffed his lines' and he missed it with his head, the ball bouncing down to his feet, hitting his boot and travelling away from the goalmouth to safety. Shortly after the miss there was a short intermission while the ball was correctly pumped up. When the opposition asked what the problem was they were told that there was not enough air in the ball. They disagreed to which Danny Jenson replied, "How do you know. You haven't even touched it yet." The ball was thrown to Pat O'Krane on the touchline who spent several minutes looking for the hole to put the adapter into. Among the touchline laughter and banter, comments such as , "There's no doubt that he's Irish," "Can't you find the hole Pat" and "Don't blow it up with your mouth - use the pump." Dixon was also heard to comment, "That's the reason I didn't score as the ball was too soft." Frivolity is not dead on the Classics team.

When play resumed a bad dead ball kick from the home keeper landed at the feet of Jimmy Butler who tried a first time snap-shot which said just too high over the crossbar. Alfie Deglan was having a storming match in the centre of midfield and was getting his toes on everything that came through which was causing mayhem for the hosts. He was also chancing his luck from long range but without the same effect as his tireless tackling. Rohla was also playing out of his skin with some devastating runs down the flank, if fact the whole of the Classics side were doing their bit to contribute to the pressure on the home side. In the 17th minute Gordie Macklin tried his luck with a long ranger, unfortunately it went closer to the corner flag than the goalmouth. Minutes later Macklin sent in a centre to Butler, just one yard out at the back of the post, but the keeper somehow managed to get his body between Butler and the goal to thwart his effort. The first scare for the visitors came in the 22nd minute after both Jensen and Chris Arcari were beaten in the middle of defence. C. Arcari recovered sufficiently to get back and physically hold back the advancing forward but it resulted in a free kick to the home side on the edge of the area as well as a yellow card.

Dixon was in the fray again minutes later when he slipped the ball to Butler at the back of the box. Butler was about six inches off the dead-ball line and he tried the squeeze the ball home but the angle was too narrow and the ball ran across the face of the goal. Warren Crowley broke the deadlock with a fine goal about five minutes before the half-time whistle to send the visitors in with a slender 1-0 lead at the half. The goal came courtesy of a Rohla pass which left W. Crowley to slide the ball home to the left of the advancing keeper.

Just four minutes into the new half a great centre from Macklin found Pat O'Krane who was the only attacking player in the box. He made no mistake with a tremendous header which doubled the lead. Jim Eden made an uncharacteristic slip in the 57th minute which allowed the winger to bear down on goal. Jensen spotted the danger and was across to cover quickly, but unfairly according to the referee, but he gave away a free-kick just on the edge of the penalty box as well as receiving a yellow card. The resulting kick was ushered away for a right wing corner. The Classics thought that they had been awarded a penalty minutes later after it looked like Butler had put the ball over the line. However, it resulted in a free kick for the defence after O'Krane was adjudged to have fouled the keeper. Butler tried another snap shot in the 68th minute but it was at a comportable height for the keeper. In the 72nd minute a left wing free kick by Eden was received by Chuck McGill who laid the ball off to Butler who fired the ball home to make it 3-0. With time running low Dixon released a fine ball to Macklin and with the defence backing off he, like the Macklin of old, let leash with a rocket shot which gave to home keeper no chance.

Coaches corner: Butler commented after the game that his management team were 1 and 0 with a shutout.

The main after match conversation revolved around Larry Thorlakson's impression of 'Dancing on Ice,' and the even funnier impersonation of Pat Rohla trying his best to emulate him. See photo on right. The last burning question of the day which left all players scratching their heads was, "Why does our keeper wear glasses after the match?

Final Score: Essondale 0 Classics 4 (0-1)

Stats
MWG: W. Crowley
Yellow cards: C. Arcari, D. Jensen
Crap award: W. Dixon