What a perfect day yesterday for football, perfect weather, perfect riverside views, our respective partners/lovers sipping chardonnays while watching us – but an imperfect result !

Firstly a big thank you to Tony Dixon for procuring the missing goalnets at the last minute – it was the last thing us highly paid footballers needed to worry about when we rock up for the game. Never seen Tony move so fast before apart from when he drives through Cardiff. Then we also had to make last minute team changes due to Martin Allen’s post natal recovery, Johny Ashton’s back injury  and Luka’s marathon christening function (this bloke reminds me of George Best  - drinks a lot but still plays a half decent game). Luckily we have admirable commitments from last minute ring-ins from Nick Jack Palmer, David Robbo Robinson, Brian Iggy Rodrigo and Michael Bolgo Bowles.We also unveiled our latest recruit Alec O’Connell direct from Bradford. 

Yesterday we finally got our famous passing game going with our settled back4 of Simon+Simon, Tony and myself comfortably repulsing Kalamunda’s tepid attacks. But a speculative long range shot from their bald striker took a wicked deflection of yours truly’s shoulder to wrong foot Douwe for an early fluke goal. Unbelievable. Nevertheless our chins stayed up and we concocted a series of breathtaking wing plays down the right with Bolgo/Dan and the left with David Robbo/Frank. Alec too was making all sorts of dangerous diagonal runs down the centre and things were looking rosy. Unfortunately Alec had mis-selected his stud lengths for his boots and severely pulled his groin on the hardish pitch which I suspect will see him out for several weeks. Such promise cut down so early. 

Ever get one of those days when everything goes your way apart from scoring ?(talking football here). Well yesterday was such a day. We created a mountain of chances, cracked the bar twice (Luka and Dan), shots passing the post by mm but no equaliser. It was most frustrating watching from the back. Half time came and still no goal. The wing forays continued down the left as David delivered a series of Beckham-nesque crosses which teased and tormented the Kalamunda back4. Then……….the circuit breaker as David shot another swinger from the left which eluded everybody – Luka, Dan, Frank (who was unusually silent all day) and even their keeper, but not the net ! The Holy Grail equaliser had arrived ! Intense debate has already started whether it was a shot or cross and comparisons are now being made with Ronaldinho’s wondergoal shot/cross over Seaman to knock England out of the 2002 World Cup. I thought Robbo had crossed it but he now subscribes to his explanation it was a masterfully and deftly disguised shot. David is also in the process of changing his name by deed poll to Robbodinho. We pushed hard for the winner against a tiring opposition but it was not to be. Great efforts by all as everybody chipped in and played very well including our last minute ring-ins.   Good passing, much lesser panicking and hoofing the ball long. It bodes well for the future as we still have Martin Animal Allen, Richard Peacemaker Pearce, giant Aberdonian George Lumsden (don’t ever  call him a Glaswegian), Tony Gillingham Stewart, Gordon Rangers Stewart, Johnny Ipswich Ashton and Tim Cottesloe Lipscome to all come back. 

Pl email your 3-2-1 votes to Steve Meerwald now back and refreshed after a series of exhausting overseas nocturnal meetings with smoky exotic nightclub hostesses. He can provide more details.We have a bye this weekend and our next match is v Wembley Downs on 1/6/08 at 1500 (venue to be confirmed by Steve). For the record Robbodinho has the kit and spare yellow socks.[Steve, can we have the away strip in case of another colour clash]. Pl note Douwe is away June/July so Nick Palmer will play in goals [Douwe pl advise exact dates of absence – ta].

Luka will advise re training this week. 

Cheers MR 

PS Let’s hope the European Cup Final btw Chelski and Man Ure this Thursday at 0230 is a good one.

PPS Douwe/Bolgo – we were at Grab-a-grannys after the game and didn’t see you.