101 Great Goals

A note regarding the weather:

Nobody likes a storm. Especially when you have an early meet for an away game, but needs must when chasing a never-done-before unbeaten season. Everyone was running a little late that day as the conditions that Saturday morning can only be described as apocalyptic. Google maps estimated a 13 minute cycle for me from Ancoats to Regent Road Sainsbury's (and they don't know how fast I can cycle on my Dawes Sonoran), but they were wrong… 21 whole minutes it took due to the multiple barriers Dennis put in my way; road closures due to fallen building materials, GALE force winds that meant I had to actually pedal to travel down hill, flash floods on a stretch of the ring road. Once I had to swerve to avoid a pedestrian that was blown off her feet and almost under my front wheel. A bloke let go of his umbrella which hurtled towards me and I had to parry it away otherwise I may have ended up in the Mersey. I saw small children caught in trees much like plastic bags usually are.

It was an ordeal.

The general agreement was that meteorological events like this were best observed not engaged, and ideally from the next continent. Thankfully I'm used to rough conditions and having fuelled up on kimchi fried rice that morning, I had the energy to make it to Sainsbury's in one piece. The Dawes is a sturdy machine so no mechanical faults hindered my progress.

In the car I jumped and off we went to sunny Horwich, arriving in comfortable time.

Game Time:

The match was virtually played on the floor of a forest due to the aforementioned winds blowing all sorts of foliage onto the pitch, contributing to the slow start for the 4s. A flurry of goals came as they found some rhythm, leading 2-0 at half time. Strong words from the Captain, some Haribo Starmix, bring on the second half. A much better start this time, but thanks to a frustrating decision from one of the officials Horwich got one against the run of play, 2-1.

When compared to the tempest of the morning the game was a quiet affair. Notable moments being Andy almost getting into a fight with one of their mouthy defenders. Fred taking on 2 players, rounding the keeper, only to be cleaned out by a dirty Horwich player with a practically open goal. The decision was a short corner, no card and laughs in disbelief. For the longest time it appeared that two Horwich players would come to blows with each other, but the umpires did a sterling job of keeping them apart preferring to allow them to scream vile obscenities across the pitch at each other for several minutes instead.

Keeper Ross was called into action and actually made some saves (nothing against his skill, he just doesn't need to touch the ball much in most games) meaning he paid under £1 per touch in match fees for the first time this season. You could be mistaken in thinking that the 4s were on the ropes, you'd be as wrong as Google maps ETAs. The panic button was not pressed. As patient as a brick, the 4s (including Matty Paine) kept a level head and didn't chat back, kept control of the game and pulled goals back. Good passing and admirable composure meant back post tap-ins were scored, Didsbury dominated, Horwich were getting embarrassingly frustrated, it ended a comfortable 5-2.

All in all another win for the win train, taking Didsbury Northern Men's 4's to 101 goals this season. Smashing it!

FINAL SCORE: Horwich 2 - 5 Didsbury Northern

Goals:
Tom Gregory x 3
Dave Harper x 1
Grim x 1

MOM: Debut Tom Gregory for a debut hat-trick and immediately getting some jugs in. Top lad!

DOD: Fred Webster for being late to the meet.
Honourable mention: Oli Martin for not eating the crust of his match tea pie and being called a Southern Jessie by the barmaid.