Gladiators v Classics
McMath School
8th. Dec. 2019

Conditions: Reasonably warm but overcast and damp

Players on duty: Chris Arcari, David Breen, Jimmy Butler, Jason Clegg, Mike Deeley, Brian Griffiths, Sherman Foster, Randy Hosler, Daryl Lawrie, Gordie Macklin, Alan Massender, Dave Moore, Pat O’Krane, Pat Rohla, Larry Thorlakson

Coaches on duty: Jimmy Butler & Jason Clegg

A game to forget...
There was an omen about this game, even before it kicked off. There was a warm welcome back to the team for Brian Griffiths who had been on an overseas tour of Europe and other commie countries. Pat O'Krane was not impressed by the new league rules to install a physical sin bin at the side of the field. He was even less impressed to find out that, after consultation with all over 55s referees, the new sin bin will in future be known as a TOSS Box (The O'Krane Sin Shortcomings Box) and will live on in perpetuity. However, the coaches read out the starting line up and then decided to change it at the last minute by 'yanking' Griffiths and instating Mike Deeley into the line up. It was the first recorded incident of a player being substituted before he had kicked a ball, or even entered the field of play. Welcome back Brian!

The match kicked off eight minutes late with the Gladiators taking the field with a starting line up of eight players. Others strolled in at their leisure, takling a relaxed time to get changed and having a couple of fags to get their lungs functioning properly before they started their game. It's a completely new concept in football and one wonders if the Gladiators take this carefree approach to all games as nobody was rushing them to get on the field. The action started quickly though with a right sided break which saw the ball centred by Deeley to Jimmy Butler who had an open net to aim for. He struck the ball but not with enough venom as it stuck in the long grass and failed to reach the line so an early lead was thwarted. The Gladiators countered with an attack but it came to nought. Gordie Macklin tried his luck in the fourth minute but the keeper push the shot away for a corner. The Classics took the lead in the fifth minute after a cross from Pat Rohla was put home by Jimmy Butler. The goals started to flow and the visitors took a 2-0 lead when O'Krane guided home a header from close range. Then there was a set back after an uncharacteristic slip by Chris Arcari let in a Gladiator attacker who screamed past him like a hurricane and the forward had no trouble slipping the ball to the side of Jason Clegg to make it 1-2. Parity was restored when Deeley let rip an Exocet that thundered into the top left hand corner to make it 1-3. Next to score was Butler again, with his second of the game. At 4-1 is was beginning to look like an embarrassing scoreline could be on the cards but, yet again, the Gladiators fought back and pulled another goal back to make the half-time score 4-2 to the Classics. The scoreline was an unexpected development and it seemed to be raining goals.

In the 50th minute it was 4-3 as the relentless Gladiators slipped another goal past Clegg. Five minutes later, the homesters should have been level after a left sided attack resulted in an across goalmouth ball which cut out the effects of Clegg and left an attacker at the far post with an open net. However, he completely missed the ball and the Classics breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't long before the equaliser came though and it was 4-4 in the 57th when another side tap past Clegg was executed. It couldn't be doubted that the Gladiators were having the upper hand and they took control of the game as the scoring went 5-4, 6-4, 7-4 in their favour. They were running riot at the Classics defence - to say they were nippy would be an understatement! It must be added that, at this point, the Classics were down to no substitutes with four players sitting injured on the touchline and having the added burden of Dave Moore playing in a midfield role. He did, however, intercept a bad clearance to head the ball down to Macklin who put Butler through on goal for a possible hat-trick. Butler must have thought about it and then decided to miss the target so that the burden on his wallet could be alleviated. The last goal came as a consolation for the Classics as Macklin finally got his name onto the goalscoring sheet as he made it 7-5, but it was no consolation!

The Classics had an off-day. With the home side starting short they got lulled into a false sense of security, and at 4-1 they went through the motions instead of keeping on the pressure. Nearly all the home goals came from tap-ins and the Classics defence was out-of-sorts, as was the whole team. The Gladiators were fast and were winning the one-on-one races with the defenders. Clegg made several saves, one in particular being a good diving save. The Classics did have chances to score but they were not taken advantage of; the Gladiators took their chances. Macklin tried a speculative long shot when he saw the keeper off his line but it ended up more of a backpass and left Macklin prostrate. In reality, this game could have finished a 10-10 draw if all chances had been taken. The Gladiators put more goals past the Classics in one game than they had conceded in the previous 10 matches of the season. Injuries to key players didn't help the cause but maybe a lesson can be learned from the defeat - no team has a divine right to win... it must be earned. Onwards and upwards to the next game.

Final Score: Gladiators 7 Classics 5 (2-4)

Stats
Crap Award: Not awarded