Match Report

New, improved, interactive match reports will be available for the 2017-18 season.

Featuring "Nev's Notes" a weekly column for Russ to let us know his alternative take on the game. I say weekly, it will stop around mid-October when it gets a bit cold or threatens to rain at all, coz Russ won't be around.

After several hundred friendlies we finally got our season under way with what we thought would be one of our hardest games of the season. Kaleburnu ran away with our league last season and are a decent side. In truth we dominated the game from start to finish, rarely being tested at the back and looking dangerous going forward.

We took the lead through Lee Friend (obviously). Great strike from about 25 yards. Gibbo then made a great save to stop it becoming 1-1, before the oppo equalised through an identical strike to Lee's. It was far more than they deserved and we would've been gutted going in level. Shows how much better we are this season than last.

Our winger Max is about 9 years old and he scored a playground goal right before half-time. Yep, scored straight from a corner. If I'm honest it was just a relief not to see Matt Ellis taking a set piece.

Second half followed much the same pattern, us dominating and looking comfortable at the back. Luke Foulsham spent the first half on the bench and when he came on immediately had a chance to show why he takes all our dead balls. He lined up a free kick 30 yards out, and then kicked it to Kathmandu. Honestly, it was crap.

He made up for it a few minutes later when a pinpoint corner was met by a bullet header from Aaron Evans to make the game safe. Russ commented after that it was this moment that secured the game for us, and asked wether Aaron had scored before or after he got sent off....

Yeah Aaron got sent off. He always does, so not really worth reporting. The oppo had 2 men sent off in the same incident and at the risk of sounding serious in a match report, kicking a man when he's on the floor is the worst, horrible thing to do and left a sour taste. But enough of that.

Max ran round their whole team to score his second goal near the end. I got booked for dissent in the 88th minute after being good as gold, 33 now, come to the conclusion I'm never gonna learn. The ref was the best a lot of us have seen at Sunday level. Typing that hurt.

Great start to the season, makes pre-season worth it with that kind of performance.

Few moments worth noting. Me Fiz and Russ stayed to support a very nervous referee in the game after ours. He was made to put a bib on. Dan Eldridge uncovered his true true heritage, the kid is 20% every country in the world. He also had to take the kit coz he did a foul throw. Mason had a friend on the sideline wearing a football kit with a velvet jacket over the top, great combo.

Bill couldn't play coz he had an FA Cup game, we all said we'd go watch, none of us did. Our left back Robson has chicken wings for legs, and broke one of them falling over, hope your OK mate. His old man Ant has a very lively pre match warm-up, proper cardio work out. Nige came to watch, not play, that'll happen every game. And Russ two-footed me.

Man of the match was a close one. Dan Eldridge was superb throughout, but took a foul throw. Mason was very very good. I was outstanding. Max deserves a mention. But MOM goes to Craig. And it will do every game, even if he's not playing. Well played Craig, you beautiful man.

Line Up: Gibbo; Robson, LJ, Craig xxx, Danwar; Mason, Ellis, Kev; Aaron, Lee, Maximilian

Subs: ML, Lukey F, Ant, Russ