Ladywell FC 4, "The Rabblers" 3
Friendly match
at City of London Academy all-weather pitch, Bermondsey.
Not the strongest of sides that "The Rabblers" have ever fielded, in fact for this hastily arranged friendly we couldn't even muster eleven genuine starters, which was how seriously most of our squad, of twenty five or more on paper, took this match!
Though of course we are grateful to Phil Baker for arranging it, and offering the venue free of charge, thus putting some much needed funds into the team kitty, which in truth was what the match was really about. Raising funds first & foremost, rather than getting a result, though a win would have been nice! Having said that it would be churlish to take anything away from Ladywell, who managed to scrape a winning goal in the near darkness of the closing minutes of this encounter.
Despite this strong email from Gaffer Mick O'Shaughnessy this very morning:
"Chaps, just a reminder of the address of the pitch for tonight's game, plus map link, which is hopefully below. Kick-off 6:15pm at the lastest."
The match did not commence until half past six, & it was clear this was going to be a truncated match.
Which was just as well, as we could only muster ten players. Well, nine plus one 'guest' player, with a friend of Ian Gannon-Jose Munteanu-making his debut for us. Which was a bonus for us, a he bagged a hat-trick for his first appearance in the famous Pink 'n' Blue!
But we were soon on the back foot, going a goal down early on, after the defence appeared somewhat static in the box. Moments later Mark Hutton retired from the field, suffering from a virus he is trying to shake off, and promptly threw up on the touchline, to take no further part. Ladywell sportingly offered us one of their number to even things up, and the match continued with ten against ten, rather than eleven versus nine.
We fell further behind when Dawn Taylor swung at a clearance, but failed to connect, and they shot and scored. But to be fair to Dawn she had another decent game, working her heart out, despite not being fully fit, suffering from bruised ribs, but gamely chose to play, which she did so, through the pain barrier.
But mere minutes later Jose Munteanu bagged his first, knocking in a precision cross from Chris Garrett.
After a very short interval, due to the evening darkness starting to draw in, it was "The Rabblers" who scored next, to even up the game. Following some skilful & tenacious play from James O'Shaughnessy battling down the byline, he knocked the ball across to Jose Munteanu, who was brought down just inside the box. Despite natural hesitation, Phil Baker had no choice but to blow his whistle, and Jose made no mistake from the spot. With the game flowing end to end, as much as a game of this 'calibre' can actually 'flow', it was "The Rabblers" who went in front next, for the first and only time. A long clearance from the back sailed over the halfway line, which Jose latched onto, took forward and placed the ball past the keeper.
By now the Gaffer Mick O'Shaughnessy has deigned us with his presence, & his words of encouragement flowed. He saw that Dawn was struggling gamely on, & called to her: " You alright Dawn? You want to take a breather?" To which she quipped: "I'm fine, you got any morphine?". No such luck but he did offer her a whiskey! I hope he was a man of his word & treated her down the 'Queen Vic' afterwards!
The clock was ticking, and the daylight fading when Ladywell played some simple, but rare exquisite football, with a number of simple advancing passes through the middle of the park, from which they equalised. The clock was now ticking, and the moon rising, as near darkness set in. But play continued, with Chris Garrett heading wide in front of goal, when it seemed to look easier for him to hit the target.
We had more chances in the few moments left, but were thwarted by the supposedly 'impartial' man in black Phil Baker. (And yes he really was all in black. Picture an old, washed up 'Milk Tray Man' & you might get the picture!) A superb lengthy ball through from Ian Gannon fell to Jose Munteanu once again, only to be thwarted by the referee's whistle, who saw an offside that very few, if any others, did. Once a 'Ladyboy' from Ladywell, always a 'Ladyboy' from Ladywell I suppose...
As if to emphasise that he allowed time on for Ladywell to score the winner, with a header that Shaun Dooley failed to see in the darkness of dusk. Which takes nothing away from another creditable performance between the posts from him.
Still we had one more chance to even things up,& with Jose pushing foward, he knocked the ball across to James O'Shaughnessy for our 'equaliser'; but at this very late stage it came as no surprise when Mr. Baker disallowed it for offside, having been 'not quite' in line, from the safety of the centre circle!
Moments later he blew for full time, I assume it was him, as he had the whistle. I couldn't see through the darkness!
And so at the end of a sporting game it was three cheers for the Hamlet, and three cheers for our victors Ladywell. But the only real victory was the coffers of the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Team, and raising the funding for a new set of socks!
Hat trick man Jose on the ball.
Hutty has left the pitch, he doesn't look too well. Or as a sympathetic Baker put it: "Feeling a bit sicky wicky were you?" with only the merest of grins on his face!
Leaps like a salmon, Ian's up in the air going for goal.
Dawn on the ball.
It's Lazarus on the sidelines!
Jose scores from the spot.
