‘The Edge’ - Home League Match vs Tenterden Tigers February 19, 2008
Posted by editor in : Matches , trackbackSome say, he invented Blu-ray and found a few old paintings the other day all we know is that he provides anonymous match reports and calls himself ‘The Edge’…
As Dickens once said, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” It’s difficult to say what either team gets out of an emphatic victory or defeat but such is the league system and the lads willingness to compete that 11 – 1 was the final result.
Having travelled across several time zones to reach Uckfield the Tenterden Tigers were obviously feeling a bit jet lagged from their long trek and having eventually made it through passport control took to the field for a 1.30pm kick off, it should have been 1pm but as we all know flight delays are pretty common nowdays.
As with our own defeat by Crowborough a few weeks ago, the flattering score line isn’t necessarily an absolute reflection on the game. Indeed, “I didn’t like that” could be heard as often as Graham Taylor’s “Do I not like that” as Rich was troubled by what could be described as a bit of a unconvincing defending at times.
Indeed across the park there were a few performances that could be described at times as a bit ‘Chino’ ie. Casual in the extreme.
From the kick off the Grasshoppers went straight at the opposition who were obviously still waiting for their luggage to arrive and with three quick goals in the first five minutes from Henry (What’s he doing up there!) Toby, who bent to pick up a 10p he had seen and scored a rare (but totally intentional) header and Jarvis, who went on to treat the afternoon as a bit of shooting practice ending the day with a brace of hat tricks.
As is the danger with going so quickly in front, the Grasshoppers fell into the trap of thinking it was going to be easy. They hadn’t banked on the effects of the Tigers inoculations and jet lag wearing off and for the next 10 – 15 minutes the opposition really did roar into action putting a stunned set of Grasshoppers on their back foot, scoring one on the break and creating enough chances to have levelled things, but for Regan (ah, that’s why Henry’s up there) who was doing an excellent job in his second outing of the season in goal.
The coaches weren’t happy and Rich’s catchphrase was born. Andy ‘The Parrot’ was in such an apoplectic state that his voice almost broke there and then, whilst Nigel smouldered and scribbled furiously on his little pad. Such was his displeasure that his requests for match fees constituted demands with menaces.
Another goal before the break meant that the lad’s disappeared into the changing rooms with a comfortable lead and undoubtedly for team talk to put a few things right. By now Tenterden had been awake for about 23 hours and that along with the journey began to really take it’s toll, we know from past experience its not easy to travel a distance to away games and look at Liverpool, they struggle to get from the changing room to the pitch…
With a new gusto the boy’s came out and went about their task in a businesslike fashion. Fergus was dropped back into sweeping duties to shore up the defence and the midfield made some sublime defence splitting passes which were met largely by perfectly timed runs from Jarvis and the end result was often the same, ‘Back of the net’. Freddie managed to get on the score sheet as well and it was clear early into the second half that there was only going to be one outcome.
In the second half the ‘Chino’s’ had gone but at times were replaced by a pair of ‘Farrah’s’ ie. less casual but still not totally acceptable to those with taste. It’s so important to concentrate on playing good football at all times, focus on the job you’ve been asked to do and do it to the best of your ability. After a certain amount of goals there’s a temptation for everyone to try and get on the score sheet, which is where there’s a danger of playing for Mum’s and Dad’s and not playing for the team.
There was some fantastic team play, accurate passing and superb finishing that was rightly applauded but at times concentration slipped and a couple of lads were caught slipping back into the chino’s and even one or two glimpses of flowery Bermuda shorts ie. unacceptable casualness making an appearance (the offenders will remain nameless).
Tenterden fought well throughout the game and credit must be given to the fact that despite the scoreline they continued to play right to the final whistle and gave a good lesson in not letting your heads drop, sporting to the final whistle and a credit to their club. The thought of check in delays and resetting their watches to Kent time played to heavily upon them as they faced their expedition home and in the end it was a substantial victory.
It was also a victory which put the lads back were they belong, and in case anyone was unsure of where that was they only had to look at the three amigo’s who were seen to dance off the field with frowns replaced with frolics singing “We are top of the league, I said we are top of the league”.
Lets enjoy that for now, but it’s where we are after the final game that’s important, we’ve now got two weeks off from the league and the other teams don’t, so we need to work hard on the training pitch as we will be chasing the lead (with games in hand) for the rest of the season.
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