Coaches 5 - Wealden 1

On friday 25th April the Uckfield Grasshoppers Coaches & Dad’s FC took on the challenge of playing Wealden FC’s Coaches on their pitch under the floodlights.

The ‘Hoppers team celebrating a glorious 5-1 win!

The ‘Hoppers took a large crowd to give Wealden their biggest gate of the season, with all ages represented from mini-soccer to the highly vocal U15’s and U16’s, well done lads. It felt like a home game for the ‘Hoppers (that’s what you get with a big club) and the crowd eagerly anticipated the kick off.

This was the fastest Darren moved all night!

Managed by Gordon "Wengersson" Buckland the team were soon into the game after a couple of early Wealden chances were ably dealt with by keeper Phil "he plays for Northern Ireland" who was dressed in his best Orange shirt!!! It was clear that both teams were there to win but the deadlock was broken early in the half when Shearer-South ran into the left of the box and finished with a well struck shot in the right of the net, 1-0 the ‘Hoppers and the crowd went wild, well the U15’s and U16’s did at least.

The Uckfield strike force creating space with great movement off the ball……or is it just a lucky camera angle!

Some competitive play followed through the half with some surprising skills on display, not good….just surprising, it was a bit like a masters game only in slow motion…In fact it’s understood that Boots in Uckfield had quite a run on knee, thigh and ankle supports and broke all sales records in the build up to the game.

At half time the game was poised at 1-0, for what we didn’t know but the chance was taken to recover all the lost footballs from those not so accurate shots! As the smell of Ralgex hung in the air the second half kicked off, with some tactical changes from "Wengersson" the team got into their stride and started to turn on the style. O’ Ginola-Halloran made instant impact, with a run into the left of the box he scored from an impossibly tight angle, only to be rewarded with instant substitution! Further goals from Shearer-South, Heraty-Beardsley and Lineker-Westlake (after a great solo run) and the result never looked in doubt for the ‘Hoppers.

It was as this point that Wealden’s cunning tactical plan sprang into action to give their players a rest, a pair of streakers ran onto the pitch, albeit with boxers still being worn, to cheers from the crowd.  Not to be outdone "Wengersson" responded with a mass substitution, just like an England friendly, but so confusing were the changes that he nearly got away with playing 13 outfield players…However all shape was lost and after a sustained attack Wealden pulled back a consolation goal despite some acrobatics from Phil the Orange.

So 5-1 to the ‘Hoppers and some good play all round from Robinson, Chown, Wolvey, McManus, Rathborn, O’Hara and Harper to name a few,  well all actually as I dont know the names of the rest!

Congratulations to both teams for an entertaining game, see you next year…..by which time the aches should have gone!