Narra Killarney Double Header Thriller

I will begin this post on a slight tangent and with one word (that's one word Woodsie):
Weather
Since March the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) were predicting that June was going to be a complete wash out. In plain English the BOM were saying: "It's gonna f8ckin chuck it down in June and every b@stard is gonna get p1ssed wet through Scooby Doobie Dooooooo, cats and dogs, all in June, in June we say, can you hear us at the back? - IN faaaaarkin JUNE!!!!!"

This was so well known I can remember back in April when complete strangers would stop me in the street and say "How about June, It's gorrrnna fricken pelt it down!" Even the local Possums were onto it, building rain proof nests (first time possums had done this since Noah was picking them up two by two, with the hippopotamus and the kangafrickenroo..!!!")

So, did the association think of perhaps making up a few games before we received this awaited deluge? (I will not leave you holding your breath...) The answer is quite obviously NO and as a result a few more games were cancelled and now it's goodbye weekend and hello catch up time!

Rant over...

Saturday
Our challenge on Saturday was against the tea cozies or "Beanies", as I think the local Narrabeen tribe refer to themselves. I thought Narrabeen were known as "The Magpies"? The only swooping I saw on Saturday was from Aussie who swiftly leaned down to pump up the match ball for the best part of 1 second. He then proceeded to fill up 3 water bottles, before arguing with Rowan and then reversing his truck out of the stadium and into the car park. Or was I just imagining this? Aussie is a magpie?

Reserves
One word: Up for it!!! We were! We couldn't have started the game better. Apart from having 11 on the pitch and a full bench to boot we got an early goal courtesy of our (back from suspension) Tim Healey. Get in there!! 1- 0! To make matters even better "He's here, he's there, he doesn't like to swear...plus he is literally everywhere!" Davey Greco hammered home a delightful 20 yard strike perfectly into the back of the top left hand side of the goal. KPow! 2 - 0.

This is what we had been waiting for all season! At last we had tuned ourselves into the goal scoring machine that we knew we were and always could be. We were ready for the ammunition to carry on destroying the "Beanies", "Tea Cozies" "Aussie Magpies" whatever they are called? We waited for the deluge...and waited...

We played well and we deserved to win and we did. Will we win a game 6-0 this season? Who cares!!!! Seriously who gives a sh1t!! We did not concede and we were two up within 15 minutes. We were the better side. We held on. We won!

Final score 2- 0...

Get in there boys!! "We are top of the league, say we are top of the league!"

First Grade
Well what can we say? We were certainly up for it (understatement.) On the pitch we played very well. Passing was in part a problem for us and this seemed to aggravate us a little. Narrabeen got one. We responded with a delicate pass from Trev "Hubcaps" Scouser, Robin latched on and the bounce went the wrong way for us. So, so close! We deserved a draw at least and the lads should not be ashamed of the performance.

Special note to one Mr K Swan aka Swanee who is resting up with nine stitches and a broken Konk. Get well soon mate!

We couldn't get a clear cut chance on goal and Mossie and co grabbed a very fortunate 3 points for the "Beanies".

We nursed our wounds, (well Swan didn't. A real nurse / doctor treated his wounds) and minds began focusing on Sunday.

Sunday
Cromer Park or "Local San Siro" as the local Greco Mafia refers to it, was the home of the big game. FK Bogie FC v Manly Vale FC. The rematch, the away game and this time without Muppet brains moaning about the dugout. The scene was set, the sun was shining, it was time to stretch out the niggles from Saturday and write off Forests' season there and then.

Well what can we say. Ben Charles was a late exit, Neil was a late fitness test and after 5 minutes of hobbling, his ankle (the size of softball) would simply not let him get out there. Trev too had ankle woes so we used our depth. We had a fresh team with Davey G, John G and Scottie beaming up to first grade to fill the gaps.

First half: Well lets just say, we were playing football, the better football and looking good. FK Bogie got a fortunate penalty and would you Adam and Eve it!
- we woz one nil darn guvnor... Then to add salt to our already aching wounds along comes a run from the halfway, with the crowd whispering "take him out" they scored another freak goal, out of nowhere and again, against the run of play.

Many teams would have buried themselves there and then. Other teams would have conceded that it was not their weekend and looked forward to an early night after punishing Germany or Italy on Euro 08 on the PlayStation... Not this team. It was into the sheds (trees) for half time.

We had played the better football, Forest had scored two lucky goals against the run of play. We knew that and we were not happy about this. So what were we going to do? That's right, something about it!

We exited the "trees" with one goal in mind: Forests goal and the ball in the back of it. It wouldn't be that long! It came after about 10 minutes. The team were playing total football. Passing was 3 touch max and it was solid, no lucky flicks, it was solid passing football. Woodsie almighty stood up, looked up and buried the ball into the back of the net. Lucky goal against the run of play? Most certainly not. It was our just deserved. Then something amazing happened. A miracle? Nope. Forest kicked off, we intercepted, Woodsie got into position again, set his range, lit the gunpowder; Booooooooom! 2 - 0. the crowd went crazy!

This was it, the acceleration we had needed, the desire that we could not find against Narrabeen was here. I will honestly say that the passing was out of this world! Cries of "Exhibition" and "Are you all Johann Cruyff?" could be heard from the swelling crowd...?! (The "exhibition" part might have been people trying to find the wood working expo over in the "Cromer College" over the road), no seriously we played a dynamite game! (There were some cries from up high in the distant trees of "Simon stand still" - I am not sure who that might have been?

This team were playing for each other, for the club and to win. The players were playing for the shirts on their back and they did us proud, but wait! We were drawing, would we finish them off?

Well Wad and Aussie were finishing off the oppositions bench with a few expletives and Cas had to banish Aussie to the other side of the dugout - very funny to watch. That minor distraction aside it was all eyes on the last 20 minutes.

Bang on 65 minutes it came. (Apologies I haven't got any goal providers names, all I can remember are the goals.) The final one came from Mr Woodsie Hatrick man and "kabosh" Forest were buried and Vale reigned supreme!

Seriously, what a performance! It was a joy to watch and add's confidence to the squad and increases our mental strength knowing that we can turn around a 2-0 deficit to win 2-3. Once again GO THE VALE!!!!!

First grade sang the team song again and this will definitely not be the last time. We are head and shoulders above BTH, Dee Why, Forest and Narrabeen. We can beat many other teams too. Bring on the next game!

That's it from me. One pic today and that is the celebratory beers at the wharf bar on Sunday evening. Even I managed to make an appearance, although I do not remember being there?


Manly Vale at the Manly Wharf Bar