Honours even........
It was an unusual pre-game for the Classics with two players having to withdraw from the starting line up. Gordie Macklin damaged his knee putting the nets up. He commented,"It was Larry's fault as he wasn't here to put them up!" Sherman Foster pulled his back in the pre-match kick-about and had to roll around the floor for some time; Dave Moore began the match at right back but he too had to come off with a pulled hamstring before the 15 minute mark was reached. Who says we are getting old? With no regular keeper available, Lorenzo Arcari donned the yellow shirt and gloves and took his place between the sticks. On the positive side the Classics had Mike Deeley making his debut for the team. Jimmy Butler had the ball in the net within the first five minutes but he was wrongly adjudged, by his own admission, to have handled the ball. Just after the quarter hour mark the Classics had a 3:2 forwards to defender ratio but the move was ended when Daryl Lawrie sliced the ball across the face of the goal instead of putting it into the danger area.

On the half hour Deeley attempted to open his account with a long range shot which went well wide of the mark. Foster, now partially recovered, made his entrance to the field but was immediately sent back off again by the referee because he had forgotten to put his shin pads on - an early Alzheimer warning - who says we are getting old? Just before half time a through ball from Macklin set Butler away; he turned well but his final shot hit the upright and bounced back into play. That was the state of play at the half with efforts at either end being few and far between although a good effort from Lawrie was pushed onto the crossbar only to go out of play.

The second half didn't start too well as the Classics conceded a penalty for hand ball by Randy Hosler - looks like he's trying to break some records this season. The kick was well placed in the bottom right corner to give the visitors an unexpected lead in the match. The Classics were level in the 65th minute after some sterling work down the right from Macklin. He released Brian Griffiths, sporting his new Denis Law hairstyle, who drilled a pass, with laser like precision (his own words), to Foster who, in turn, unleashed a volley that gave the keeper no chance. 1-1. Five minutes later Butler was unlucky again when his shot was deflected off a defender and into the visiting keeper's grateful arms. Soon after, the Classics had a penalty appeal of their own turned down after Foster was bundled over in the box but the ref was having none of it. A succession of corners gave the Classics several chances to clinch a winner but all efforts were either saved or just wide of the mark - a header from Foster was particularly unlucky not to find the net.

Breaks at the other end were about as rare as hen's teeth, as all the action was in the Richmond half but the breakthrough just would not come. When United did attack it was usually down their right wing but their shooting was either off, or their attempts were well saved by L. Arcari who made two great close in blocks to deny them a winner. Deeley tried his luck again with 15 minutes remaining but his shot was across the face of the goal. Griffiths went on a pulsating run with just 10 minutes remaining but his final shot lacked the laser like precision that we have come to expect from him. In the 86th minute the post sounded like a tuning fork again after a reasping shot from Deeley brought it into song. Jeff Dickson was almost on the score sheet too when his long range effort was well saved by the keeper as he somehow pushed it over for a corner. All things taken into consideration the result should have been a win for the Classics, but some poor finishing and resolute defending by the visitors resulted in Richmond doing all they had to do to earn a point, so well done to them.

Stats
GK: Lorenzo Arcari
Pen Conceded: Randy Hosler
Crap Award: Jeff Dickson
Lifetime Crap Achievement Award: Larry Thorlakson