A Nine Point Weekender for Manly Vale

OK, I was going to start this weeks post with the usual rant, however I have nothing to rant about... Car parking at Cromer Park? The ref's poor performance on Sunday, Saturday, every week? Which ref? All of them? Nope. Nothing to rant about? That must mean something amazing happened? Well nine points out of a possible nine points is pretty darn fine if you ask me! Amazing? Well lets just say that the squad are truly united and as a result we are pulling together, in both grades now and winning games. Nice. Go The Vale!!!!

Saturday:
The arena was Dee Why Park. Our opponents the Black Swans aka Dee Why FC. These guys were perched pretty low on the table in both grades, so our mission was quite simple; win the afternoon's games!!

Reserve Grade
You would be forgiven if you had forgotten your spectacles to think that Dee Why had Simon Woods in goal for them and a hungry sharp shooter was swinging up high in the trees holding a Parker-Hale M85 'sure sight' snipers rifle. Dee Why's keeper kept throwing himself to the ground for reason's unknown? Having said that it was kind of assumed, (after the game when he hobbled away on crutches), that he had something wrong with his leg..? Who knows? Blimey at first I thought that he was certainly under attack from something? I didn't see any low flying black swans..?


GL's Cat?

Now then, back to the game. Lets just say that we certainly had a stormer, yet we should remind ourselves that Dee Why are no Brookie, Pittwater, Wakehurst or Strikers etc We played against an eventual nine man team and won.....wait for it........... 7-1!!!!!! (Who cares if it was only nine!)

Two goals from Sammedy Sam "the Nuts" Sammo and another deuce from Luke "Hit the Faaarkin Thing" Ventress. We were also gifted a couple of goals from Dee Why's centre back, one of which was a diving header! It was a truly "black" afternoon for that swan. Marto got one, surprise surprise... Go the Scotsman!

Sadly another injured Valer after this weekend with Marco "Small Bag" (Not sure of his surname), with a broken ankle. Hats off to Marco, he got up and limped off the field. Marco's verdict: 2 x metal plates in his ankle and further surgery in 6 weeks time..:( - May you get well soon mate!

So, the final score was Dee Why 1 Manly Vale 7. (Seven Swans a swimming.) - Well they were until someone shot them from the tree's - perhaps the sharp shooter mistook Dee Why for MV? A 7 - 1 win; Get in there! That helps out the goal difference! It is back to normal with a full strength Wakehurst posing a challenge this weekend. This is certainly a game that we have to be prepared for mentally if we are going to get 3 points!

First Grade
It's official. Out of the last 6 games we have won 5 in first grade! That is a record to be proud of, yet we need to keep the mental strength up and the train rolling along hard into some tougher games over the next few weeks.

Dee Why were not going to be a walk over in 1st Grade. Simon didn't make the field, (he entered Dee Why Park walking like John Wayne who had been taken from behind by a large Grizzly Bear! (Rumours were rife that the sharp shooter had got to him and poked him, however not with his rifle butt! BUT.

So to the game: We were the better side (our life story!) We looked strong and a dominant Liam, screamed for the ball. Robin Woods passed and Mr Sure Foot AKA La'Douche, calmly looked up, looked down and struck a sweet shot resulting in a great goal - well deserved too!

Now would we hold on, would we score anymore? (My mind is swollen with memories of my shot that hit the wood work in reserve grade - I am still getting sleepless nights thinking about that.) Ah hum... Final score was 1 - 0. We should have belted them, however you know what?!! It was our first clean sheet of the season!! get in there. 3 precious points in the bag and it was time to rest up, stretch out and prepare for BTH the next day.

Whilst we are preparing I would like to quickly say that whilst First Grade kept a clean sheet Kneill, (our lovable court Jester,) was busy dirtying his sheets dreaming about the "team trip". Kneill gets so excited about the affair, he will truly find it hard to sleep leading up to October, when he will not sleep for 3 days. After which, who knows? Last year he was on TV with a weather man and then propped up in the medical centre getting "stitched up" - bring on this year!!!

(I once knew a bloke; first name was "Bel" and surname was "Rose"
- He sat on a pin: Belrose...

Sunday 6th July
Venue Cromer Park
Opponents: BTH, Raiders, Belrose, BOTL: (Bottom of the league...)

If we could pull this off (no I do not mean whatever you are thinking Marto...) If we could win, we would be right back up there amongst it!!! BTH were not going to be a walkover, they had their existence to play for. So did we! (If I get the order wrong apologies...) First up Trev nets a nice goal 1 - 0 to the Vale and guns a blazin!

Nath, he's ere, here's there, he's up front against BTH was playing his usual blinder. Robin Woods stepped up and buried another - go Woodsie! Our line of defence was good with Luca strong as ever and John Grecs playing a very strong game. Robin K was doing a sterling job and Liam (Mr Versatile) Douche was as ever reliable. Admittedly the crowd did take a deep breath when Robin K ventured on a few runs up the field when we were in the lead - don't give everyone a heart attack Keussen!!!!! Woodsie stepped up and netted another. Final score 3 - 1 to The Vale.

This week is not full of clever wit and satire. (I am not sure if any of these posts have been..?) I need to take a note book down to the game (not for autographs!) - so that I can get the hard facts of the games into this blog.

One comment to make was Marto's sledge "Get your F=ckin hair cut you low life!" to the BTH player that looked just like clever Geordie comedian Ross Noble. Funny.


BTH Player

Actually I have another: Ozzie.
- Did anyone notice Aussie go off to find the ball that had gone over the fence? (If Osama Bin laden was a football then Ozzie should be in Afghanistan!!!!) Ozzie went over in the general direction of where the ball landed, had a look around: ball nowhere to be seen! Then "incoming!" Ozzie's phone goes and he is guided to the exact location of the ball!!! Who was this mystery caller? Was it a mate of his from a command base taking co-ordinates from an unmanned "drone" aircraft? Could it have been Mr L up high in the tree's? Did the ball telephone Ozzie?!! Who's knows?! But I tell you what, perhaps Ozzie could save the world? H'mmm - we shall see!


Ozzie will sniff out a ball in seconds!

Next up is Wakehurst at Lionel Watts Reserve. "The Tigers" Lets hope that we can leave their ground on Saturday feeling Grrrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaattttttttt!!!!!

Until training, Au revoir.