Alltraders v Plough 20.15 06/01/97
After
a three week layoff, the start of the new Courage winter fives were upon us
yet again. Alltraders, having previously won this competition, and finishing
a respectable third in the run-up-to-Christmas league, were quietly confident
of a good start after winning nine of their last eleven games.
The pitch looked fast with a thin layer of frost lying across it. The
temperature was well below freezing, the stiff easterly wind bringing the wind
chill to around -40c. Fine snow could clearly be seen whisping around the glare
of the floodlights. Tonight, the tracksuit bottoms were to stay on.
After watching an entertaining match between 'The Motly Crew' and a
bunch of eleven year olds, it was our turn to enter the arena. Plough looked
impressive in their pre-match warm up, each warm-up shot hitting the target
with clinical precision. Alltraders warm up however, caused several of the spectators
scurrying for cover (including some on the adjacent pitch). It wasn't too long
before the area behind the goal was cleared for safety reasons.
The referee, dressed up as if in a polar expedition, blew his whistle to start
the formalities. As usual everyone ignored him. Eventually it was decided that
Alltraders were to kick off based on the fact that their name appeared first
on the fixture list. Apparantly the ref didn't want to take his gloves off to
spin the coin.
The game started at a furious pace. This wasn't met with too much enthusiasm
by the ageing Alltraders who were visibly gasping for breath in the opening
thirty seconds. It was quite clear that no-one in the team had got anywhere
near a football during the three week Christmas lay-off. Obviously, copious
amounts of beer and Christams pud were still weighing heavily upon their bellies.
The only player that looked reasonably comfortable was the youthfull Paul up
front. As well as being Alltrader's key striker, at the age of 21 he serves
to lower the average age of the team down to around 38.
Eventually, Alltraders began to find their old rhythm. The ever dependable
Paul Burton robbed a Plough attacker of the ball and found his brother Kevin
with an inch-pefect pass. He in turn knocked the ball down the left wing to
the other Paul. Shrugging off two desperate lunges by Plough defenders, he launched
a shot from close to the byline that whistled past the static goalkeeper defying
the laws of geometry. Alltraders had taken the lead with only two minutes of
the game played.
This early goal seemed to wake Plough up. Alltraders were clearly struggling
with the oppositions probing attacks, and their defence started to fall into
disarray. Whilst Paul Burton covered his area with usual dependability, Tim
Leader shadowed a player who was not involved in the immediate play which opened
up a huge gap on their left flank. This was promptly filled with a Plough attacker
who was found with a clinical pass. With the way-ahead clear, and Tim Leader
still unaware of what was going on behind him, the Plough attacker finished
the move quite cooly to level the score.
Suddenly the game was beginning to swing in Plough's favour. They were looking
comfortable on the ball and every attack brought new danger. With about six
minutes of the game gone another Plough attack brought an earth-shattering save
out of the Alltraders keeper Pete. As a furious shot skimmed across the frozen
pitch like an exorcet missile, Pete threw his 18 stone frame to the ground with
all the agility of fire engine, causing a shudder that registered six on the
Richter scale. Somehow he managed to get his outsretched fingers to the ball
and pushed it around the post keeping Plough's score to one, and reducing his
fingers to a similar number.
The Alltraders luck didn't last long. Plough's persistence was finally rewarded
with another goal shortly after a failed Alltraders attack. Tim Leader latched
onto a Paul pass and hit a rocket shot that brought out a fine save from the
Plough keeper. With Tim Leader too knackered to get back in time, and only Paul
Burton covering the defence, the Keeper launched the ball to three awaiting
Plough attackers who took their time to decide which one of them was going to
finish the move.
With the score now at 2-1 in Plough's favour, it looked like they were going
to 'shut up shop' and crowd Alltraders out. The half-time whistle eventually
blew, and Alltraders gathered to discusss their second half tactics, although
it was quite obvious that their fitness was in serious question.
A re-organised Alltraders lined up ready for the second half. It was decided
that Tim Leader was to stay firmly at the back with Paul Burton, with Kevin
and the other Paul leading the attack.
The whistle blew, and before anyone had actually realised the game had restarted,
Plough were surging ahead again. A delicate little side-flick found its way
between Tim and Paul at the back, and before they could turn it was met with
a furious shot from a sprinting Plough attacker on the right.
With the score now at 3-1 to Plough, damage limitation seemed to be the only
approach. Plough were looking fit and dangerous with each new attack.
With all four Alltraders outfield players behind the ball for long periods,
Plough started to become frustrated and pushed forward more and more. With about
two minutes of the game left, a hopeful kick out of defence from Tim Leader
was met by Kevin Burton whose first time flick found Paul facing the Plough
goal with three defenders in front of him. He lifted the ball over the first,
skipped past the second, cut back and beat him a second time (only he knows
why), turned back again, beat the first defender a second time before putting
his foot on the ball and looking up, apparantly to find out where on the pitch
he actually was. Having noticed he was quite close to the goal, he cut back
for a third time and cooly side-footed the ball past the keeper who I suspect
was feeling quite dizzy.
This goal gave Alltraders new hope, and although there was only a minute left,
it now seemed possible to get a draw out of the game. Plough kept up their pressure,
and as full time beckoned a hole started to appear in their defence. One last
Plough attack brought out yet another fine save from Peter in the Alltraders
goal. His quick throw-out found Paul who had run into the gaping space provided
by the lack of Plough defence and turned toward goal with yet another of his
penetrating runs. He was quickly closed down, and a shooting opportunity seemed
to be diminishing with every closing second of the game.
Suddenly, the smallest of gaps appeared, and Paul managed to just about scuff
the ball in the general direction of the goal with an outstretched left leg.
Inexplicably, as the ball trickled toward the keeper, he crouched to pick it
up and let it slip through his hands and roll gently over the line and into
the side netting. The Plough players put their heads in their hands in disbelief.
The referee, now with two small mounds of snow built up behind his feet, blew
the whistle for the end of the game just as Plough picked the ball out of the
back of the net. Needless to say they felt just a
little disappointed at not winning the game. Alltraders knew that they had a
lucky escape, and need to sharpen up their game if they want to do well again
in this league.
Final score: Alltraders 3 - 3 Plough
Alltraders v Monty's Pythons 20.15 13/01/97
Well,
Monday night had returned yet again, and after a hard days work the five young
men known as the Alltraders gathered at the hallowed astroturf known as Crawley
leisure center to meet their latest opponents, Monty's Pythons.
The opposition looked young and fit, but that didn't worry Alltraders as they
were feeling confident having beaten this team once already in the previous
tournament by one goal to nil. This confidence took a small knock shortly before
the game when it when it was pointed out that Monty's had played that game with
only four 'men' (well, one or two appeared to have not reached puberty yet).
The ref blew to get the formalities underway (at least this time we could see
his face). It was to be a Monty's kick.
From
the kick, Tim Leader immediatly robbed the Monty's attacker and surged forward.
Unfortunatly no-one in the rest of the Alltraders team were in support so he
attempted to go it alone and was robbed of ball close to the goal by the retreating
Monty's defence.
Alltraders launched attack after attack, but the clinical finishing we have
come to expect from Paul up front was deserting him tonight. A quick move down
the left saw a sweet one-two between Paul Burton and his brother Kevin who flicked
the ball inside to the advancing Paul, whose instant shot had 'goal' written
all over it. However, it seemed to have fallen off at the last second as is
curled against the far post and away for a throw-in.
Alltraders looked much improved from last weeks game. In the early minutes they
looked positive and quick to close the opposition down. For all the youth and
fitness of the Monty's players, they had no reply to the experience of the Alltraders
players, four of whom had been playing many years longer than the joint age
of the Monty's players.
Time and again Alltraders advanced on the Monty's goal, but each move ended
in the ball either slamming against the post, or just wide. By now, Monty's
were becoming more physical in a desperate attempt to thwart each attack. Paul
and Kevin were sythed down on more than one occasion, and one or two of the
Monty's youngsters were lucky to remain on the pitch.
1The half-time whistle blew with the game scoreless. Alltraders were still feeling
confident. It seemed just a matter of time before the deadlock was broken.
Pete in goal could be seen jumping up and down thumping his gloved hands together
in a vain attempt to stay warm. He hadn't yet been called into any action, and
in fact had not even touched the ball.
The game resumed at the pace that it had ended in the first half. The one touch
play that is the hallmark of the Alltraders game was returning at last. Paul
Burton at the back was as strong as ever, and the Monty's play looked light-weight
compared to that of their opponents. Time and again Monty's had to resort to
underhand tactics to halt Alltraders attacks. Paul had the skin removed from
both knees following a clinical tackle from behind by two Monty's defenders.
An uncharacteristic slip by Paul Burton found a Monty's attacker in room to
advance toward goal, and actually enter the Alltrader's half. Pete in goal suddenly
stood up expecting to be called into action at last, but unfortunatly all this
unexpected space in front of the young attacker caused a rush of blood to the
head, and he launched a shot from around thirty yards that not only cleared
the goal, cleared the fifty foot netting behind the goal and over the oak tree
before bouncing off of the live rail of the London to Portsmouth line.
Five minutes later the ball was finally retrieved. At last Pete finally had
a touch of ball, even if it was only to take the goal kick.
A minute or so later, Tim Leader intercepted a Monty's pass and cut inside a
defender before placing the ball in the path of Paul. With his finishing record
you would bet your overdraft on him scoring from this position. However, tonight
wasn't going to be his or Alltrader's night as his shot whistled inches from
the near past before slamming against the wall at the back of the goal.
Now with only a couple of minutes left, each Alltraders attack became more anxious.
Another move saw Kevin Burton slide the ball toward Paul up front. He was unable
to reach it, and as the Monty's defenders stopped thinking the ball was going
to roll out of play, Tim Leader sprinted down the right and curled a furious
shot with the outside of his right foot that just clipped the far post.
Monty's were in no hurry to get the game going again, and shortly after, the
tell-tale beeping of the referees watch could be heard. How much time was he
to add on for injuries and retrieving balls from the railway line? The answer
came five seconds later.
This was a game that Alltraders needed to win. With teams like Three Bridges,
Caledonian and Air-2000 all winning their first two games, two draws is not
a good start.
It is possible to win the league after dropping two points, but it is going
to mean that Alltraders will have to win all of their remaining nine games -
not impossible, but in truth
unlikey.
Final score: Alltraders 0 - 0 Monty's Pythons
(match 5)
Alltraders v CPI-Crawley 20.40 03/02/97
Following last weeks drubbing by Three Bridges, Alltraders returned to pitch1
knowing that they had to try and find the style of play that had won them this
competition before, but so far illuded them.
The big surprise this week was that Three Bridges were beaten by Natwest, the
same team that were trounced six - one earlier in the competition by Air-2000.
As they say, it's a funny old game.
This bizarre result gave Alltraders new hope of actually getting something from
the league after all. Three Bridges have now dropped three points compared to
Alltraders four. As long as Alltraders win their remaining games, and both Bridges
and Caledonian continue to drop silly points, then anything could happen!
It was decided that this week we would let the opposition come to us, and then
use Pauls (I'll remember his second name one day) pace to catch them on the
break.
CPI won the 'toss' (ref didn't bring a coin again) and defended the railway
end the first half.
The ref's whistle blew to start proceedings, and CPI kicked off. After a minute
or so of the game, it seemed clear that either CPI were playing under parr or
Alltraders had finally arrived. Paul was looking even sharper than usual, and
each CPI attempt at an attack was quickly snuffed out.
With all of the Alltraders behind the ball as planned, CPI started to push forward
a bit. Tim Leader stuck a foot out to rob a CPI attack, and threaded the ball
into the gaping hole behind their defence. Paul sprinted into the space like
a Gazelle leaving two CPI players in his wake. With just the keeper to beat,
he fired a shot that smashed against the back of the net without the goalkeeper
moving from the spot. One - nil with two minutes gone. The plan seemed to be
paying off so far.
The plan, however, took no part in Alltraders second goal. The keeper rolled
the ball out to a CPI defender who was quickly closed down by Kevin Burton.
The defender, realising that he had to release the ball quickly to avoid being
caught in posession so close to the goal, side-footed the ball across the area
to his supporting defender who, for some reason, seemed to be watching the game
on the adjoining pitch. Paul latched onto the ball as it gently rolled past
the defender who continued to ignore shouts from the rest of his team, and slammed
home number two.
Having gone two goals down so quickly in the game, and with one or two of their
players getting a bit agrieved by the sarcastic chants of some of the watching
'crowd', CPI's game started to fall apart. Knowing that they needed to try and
get something out of the game, they pushed further forward.
This was a big mistake. Alltraders were playing their best football to date.
CPI could not break down the combined defence of Paul and Kevin Burton. As each
CPI attack was broken down with ruthless efficiency, the one-touch play and
running off the ball that is the hallmark of Alltraders play seemed to be returning
at last.
Time and time again, the ball was threaded through to Paul whose speed and skillful
play reduced the CPI defence to disarray. It was only a matter of time before
a third goal arrived. As Tim Leader surged down the right wing, his attempted
cross was cut out by a CPI defender for a throw. Tim's quick throw found Paul
just outside the circle whose quick turn and volley met no resistance from the
CPI keeper. CPI looked dead and buried with the half time whistle seconds away.
The second half started with an immediate Alltraders attack. A quick one-two
between Kevin and Paul resulted in the ball being placed nicely in the path
of Paul Burton who desperatly wanted to get on the score sheet. However, his
shot demonstrated why his usual position is defence as it canonned off the balcony
railing sending several spectators that were having an otherwisequite drink
diving for cover.
Apart from a string of missed chances, Alltraders were now in complete control
of this game. Paul grabbed his fourth goal after latching onto a delicate pass
from Tim Leader. However, shortly after, Tim Leader tried a difficult pass to
Paul when the simple option back to Kevin was the more sensible option. Over
confidence perhaps? Who knows, but the break down of the move led to the ball
falling to a CPI attacker who somehow managed to hit the ball first time under
the 16 stone frame of Pete in Goal. Retrieving the ball from the net was the
only time Pete was to touch the ball during the whole game.
Eager to make up for his earlier blunder, Tim Leader robbed a CPI attack just
inside the Alltraders half. Surging forward, he cut inside two defenders and
gently lifted the ball over the the diving CPI keeper to score his second of
the competition.
With the score now at five - one in Alltraders favour, CPI seemed resigned to
defeat. With only a minute left, there was still time for one more Alltraders
attack. Kevin Burton picked up on some sloppy CPI defending and tried his luck
with a left foot power drive. Today the luck was all with Alltraders as the
ball canonned into the net off of the far post.
The final whistle blew.
It's hard to draw too many conclusions from this game. It's true that at last
Alltraders game has started to return, but there were still too many missed
chances. CPI did not seem to be the team of old and this result was as much
sloppy play by them as much as slick play from Alltraders.
There's still a long way to go - five matches played with six remaining. The
glimmer of hope is that the top teams still have to take points off each other
before the end of the competition. If Alltraders can retain their style of play,
then it's still possible to get something from the league this year.
Final score - Alltraders 6 - 1 CPI-Crawley.
Alltraders
v Motley Crew 19:50 10/02/97
This week saw the re-vitalised Alltraders team in a confident mood following
their impressive 6-1 win the previous week.
Historically, Motley Crew were the 'whipping boys' of the league, normally comfortably
beaten by their opposition. However in recent competitions they have gained
a lot more strength and are easily capable of doing well in the league. This
game was to be vital before next weeks all-important clash against First Choice.
However, Things started badly. Almost immediatly after the ref's whistle blew
to start the game, Motley somehow managed a surging attack, causing Pete in
goal to throw himself to the ground and just manage to push the ball around
the post with a fully outstretched right arm.
Yet again, Alltraders rhythm seemed to have deserted them. The passing was good
in spells, but generally apalling. Eventually, the duck was broken. Paul latched
onto a rare fine pass to slam the ball under the sprawling Motley keeper. In
truth it was a lucky break.
The second half started as uneventfully as the first. Passing went astray, shots
hit the balcony, and it was bloody cold. The highlight of the half was Kevin's
thunderbolt of a shot that was initially smothered by the keeper, but somehow
managed to bobble firstly under him, then over him, before trickling over the
line at snails-pace for number two.
The final whistle was greeted with relief. Not only was this a poor, uneventful
performance from all on the pitch, the wind had reached such a pace that the
chill factor was down to around -80 degrees celcius.
I'm getting too old for this.
Final score - Alltraders 2 - 0 Motley Crew
Match:
Alltraders v First Choice 20:15 17/02/97
So far in this competition, have had to endure frost, snow, high wind and fog.
Tonight it was the turn of torrential rain.
A quick scan of the league tables saw Caledonian on top, with eleven points
from six games. Following this were five teams, all on eight points, one of
which was Alltraders. It came as a huge surprise to find us in joint second
bearing in mind we had dropped four points already. A good result tonight could
put us in second place outright if we could improve our goal difference.
The game started in apalling conditions. The wind and rain whipped across the
pitch making play virtually impossible. The ball spun off the waterlogged surface
with such a pace it appeared almost frictionless.
Eventually the game began to take a bit of shape. Alltraders came to grips with
the conditions quicker than First choice, and started to look reasonably comfortable
on the ball. A long pass from Paul spun past the last First Choice defender
to be met by the familiar sight of Paul sprinting down the left wing. He took
his time to place his shot wide of the keeper and into the net for number one.
From then until half time, the play flip-flopped between the two sides, both
having good chances to alter the score. Pete looked lively in goal, and brought
off two fine saves to keep Alltraders lead intact.
The half time whistle blew.
The second half saw a completely different game. From the kick the ball found
Kevin Burton on the left who pushed forward to slip the ball inside for Paul.
He let the ball run to Tim Leader in acres of space on the right. He took his
time and slammed in number two from just outside the area.
From that point on, First Choice looked disorganised. Each Alltraders attack
ended with a shot on target, and it was only a matter of time before the third
goal. In fact, the next sentence. A quick through pass by Kevin Burton was met
by his brother Paul (on a rare excursion past the halfway line) who found the
back of the net with clinical precision.
Three further quick goals followed - Another from Paul, and two from Kevin,
one of which a superb volley from just outside the box.
All in all a satisfying result bearing in mind the shitty weather. This result
must surely put Alltraders in second spot.
Maybe things are beginning to look up a bit, although Alltraders still have
to play Caledonian, Horley town and Garfunkles - all in the top quarter of the
table.
Final score - Alltraders 6 - 0 First Choice
Alltraders v Garfunkels 19:50 24/02/97
What a night. It was described by the MET office as the worst storm in the south
for ten years, and didn't we know it. Torrential rain with wind gusts of up
to 70 miles per hour. We could see what to expect whilst watching the prior
game - the ball went wherever the wind told it to. Why does it always do this
on a Monday night?
Alltraders went into this game in clear second place. A good result tonight
should see them on their way to at least a runners up medal.
It was clear that the game was going to suffer due to the conditions. When the
ball was placed on the centre circle for the kick, it promptly blew away onto
the next pitch.
Eventually the game went ahead. One poor pass followed another. Each attempt
at goal resulted in the ball weaving through the air like an untied balloon.
At last the deadlock was broken - Kevin Burton managed to keep the ball at his
feet long enough to launch a shot that canonned off a Garfunkles defender. The
rebound found found Tim Leader who's instant shot skimmed under thekeeper into
the net for the first goal.
The whistle blew for half time.
The plan for the second half was to simply defend. This kind of worked, but
as expected the weather skuppered the plan. A Tim Leader backpass to Peter in
goal was met full on by a gust of wind that nearly brought the floodlights down.
The ball stopped short of the 'D' and rolled backwards to a Garfunkles attacker
who placed the ball firmly past the keeper to level the score.
From now on it was anyones game. Alltraders knew that they had to attack to
regain their lead. Anything less than two points from this game could mean the
end of their chances of a medal.
A rare through pass found Paul in space in front of the goal, with time to pick
his spot. Yet again, a gust of wind blew the ball off track just as he raised
his right foot to hit the ball. Another chance wasted...
Things were getting a bit desperate, time was running out. The bleeping of the
ref's watch could just be heard above the roar of the wind. It was clear the
ref wanted this game to end as quickly as possible, and instantly blew his whistle.
A rain-soaked Alltraders team left the pitch knowing that the conditions make
a mockery of such an important game, but having said that it was the same for
both teams. The bottom line is that Alltraders failed to defend their lead.
Could this be the end? - it all depends on other results. In reality no-one
has ever come second after dropping five
points.
Let's just enjoy the last three games...
Final score - Alltraders 1 - 1 Garfunkels
Summary of the Courage Winter Fives 1997 new year league:
All games played on Monday nights at Crawley Leisure Centre, pitch 1.
06/01/97 AllTraders 3 - 3 Plough (match report)
Paul (3)
13/01/97 Alltraders 0 - 0 Monty's Pythons (match report)
20/01/97 Alltraders 3 - 0 Air-2000
T Leader
Paul
K Burton
27/01/97 Alltraders 0 - 3 Three Bridges old boys
03/02/97 Alltraders 6 - 1 CPI-Crawley (match report)
Paul (4)
K Burton
T Leader
10/02/97 Alltraders 2 - 0 Motley Crew (match report)
K Burton
Paul
17/02/97 Alltraders 6 - 0 First Choice (match report)
K Burton (2)
Paul (2)
P Burton
T leader
24/02/97 Alltraders 1 - 1 Garfunkels (match report)
T leader
03/03/97 Alltraders 1 - 1 Caledonian old boys
T leader
10/03/97 Alltraders 0 - 1 Horley Casuals
17/03/97 Alltraders 5 - 2 Natwest
T Leader
Paul 3
K Burton
Final Stats:
P W D L F A Pts GD Position
11 5 4 2 27 12 14 +15 Third.
Scorers:
Paul : 14
Kevin Burton : 6
T Leader : 6
Paul Burton : 1