Div 1 Match 13 – Desmesh FC

The game report started with the customary description of the weather conditions, which were cold but clear.

This week’s team sheet contained a couple of mild surprises (nothing to compare with the cardiac arrest-inducing revelation that Cooper was starting on the wing – sorry Coop, get well soon) as Rino’s own Ivan Drago, Stefan Caulfield, started at right-back. Marshy and Mcmeners must have had a falling out on their car-ride to the game, because Kenny had to put them on separate wings, as far away from each other as possible. Rino’s also welcomed Rob back to the sideline, which was just as well because otherwise we might have talked to the ref.

The game got off to a sluggish start, Desmesh looking a little more sprightly than we remembered them and Rino’s struggling to escape the general shiteness that plagued last week’s performance. We did, however, manage to score on our first attack, Laurie latching on Dylan’s through ball and doing sterling work along the left before crossing to leave Charlie a simple tap in. McMeners and Marshy continued to have lots of possession on the flanks, ably supported by Jordan and Stefan respectively, but the game settled into a generally low-key atmosphere with the help of some fussy refereeing.

Not for the first time this season, Rino’s seemed uncertain about what to do with the amount of time and possession they were afforded by limited opposition and surrendered the ball too easily and too often. This was compounded by the concession of several free-kicks which were, like Laurie’s diet (and this joke), cheap and dangerous. The rising tide of nervousness was, however, quelled on the stoke of half time when Marshy took his time to tee up a perfect lobbed pass (with the pitching wedge that both he and Charlie were credited with using in last week’s report) for Charlie to race on to and slot past the onrushing goalie. And so it was 2-0 Rino’s at half time.

The half-time break robbed the Rino’s players of their momentum and their body heat and the second half was a sluggish affair. Jeff Thom came up big with a great save from a Desmesh free-kick  and when a second set-piece came back off the Rino cross bar, Bligh did well to hack it away before any of Desmesh’s goal-shy forwards could prod home. At the other end, Cyrus was hustling to try and create something and Dylan made some great runs into the corner before getting tired and passing it back to Desmesh.

The already-flailing contest was killed by Rino’s third goal, which started with substitute Sam Chow (Chinese translation: He of the Pink Shoelaces) spotting a good pass to Charlie’s feet. The ball was then dropped off with Lenny, who thread a precise pass through two defenders, leaving John ‘Cascarino’ Marsh with the simple task of playing a one-two with the keeper and tapping home. An afternoon of uninspired entertainment for the watching Cantwell clan was rounded off with a red card for the Desmesh right-back, who fell victim to the man in black’s equal opportunities refereeing,  after questioning first his knowledge of football’s offside laws and then Canada’s discrimination laws. Speaking of The Man in Black, everyone apart from Brent, Dylan and enthusiastic debutant AR-JUNE was able to Walk the (Disciplinary) Line, and Rino’s go into next weekend’s huge tilt against Binger’s with no suspensions and no new injuries.

Three points, three goals, yet another clean sheet for Chinstrap and Hoof and fantastic displays by Nissan M-O-M McMeners and Stefan. Wadey and Frenchy coming back to boost a healthy squad unbeaten in 10 games.

Bingers…you have 4 days to enjoy being unbeaten.
Kenny…you can say it now, this is THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON