I'll do my best to report on the Lads v Dads match, although I was attempting to referee the match, combining the wisdom of Solomon and the eye of Nelson.
The lads took the lead when Ian Dipple headed in a great corner from Ben Spring. The dads equalised through Chris Leigh, before Max Turner hit a long range shot that somehow beat Dads goalie Scott Hards. The goalie was the lads' best hope in the first half. He put his performance down to the wind, in which case Brussels Sprout Curry wasn't a good choice for breakfast. Terry Newbury got the second goal for the dads, and the third, after Ross McCarter had scored for the lads with a cool finish.
The referee attempted to escape at half time, but relented and went back for more punishment. The dads obviously had a good chat or a handful of pep pills at half time as they got on top in the second half.
Terry Newbury got another couple of goals. Dads player of the match Chris Holden scored twice, including the best goal of the game, but was denied a third when Andy Dipple alerted the referee to a foul throw by Chris Leigh. The fact that he was organising the lads team in no way affected his judgement.
Lads player of the match Chris Newbury scored their fourth and Ross McCarter got the fifth, hotly disputed of course by the flat-footed Dads defence, before Chris Leigh got the eighth and final goal for the dads.
So the dads prevailed in the end, winning both on goals scored and number of Chrisses on the pitch. Another year should see the boys bigger and stronger and the parents older and slower, so it promises to be even closer in 2005. |
