Buntingford "big ears" 2 Knobs 1

The game that nearly never was.

By Friday lunchtime we were desperately short of numbers and temporary manager Dave decided to call the game off. However, after a short enquiry by club officials it turned out that Dave's texts reached fewer people than he had hoped and we in fact had plenty of players after all.
Not only did we have enough, we had 4 new players. This gave Dave an insight into what it is like being AVB and suddenly having to fit lots of new players into an existing team and making the gel quickly.

This was not just a challenge for Dave but also the team. It's easy remembering the name of 1 new player, but 4 is tricky, especially when 2 of them are tall and look similar. To prove this point, Joel asked after the game which one was Stuart! This may also explain why there was a lack of calling throughout the game.

To add to the confusion for the season, we now have 2 Tonys, 2 Alastairs, 2 Martins, 2 Brendans, 2 Darrens, 2 Johns and 2 Seans.

There was an enthusiastic mood at the station car park pre match until the chairman decided to demand £20 from everyone and a completed form before we left for the game. Admin completed and mood sobered, we set off only 15 minutes late.

There was disappointment at the sight of the old black kit arriving on a surprisingly hot and sunny morning. This was quickly forgotten though as volunteer Goalkeeper for the season, Tony realised that he had forgotten to purchase his new Goalie gloves from Sports Direct. After a few practice saves and cries of pain with his bare hands he managed to find a pair of black rubber gloves in someones car boot. Fortunately he didn't have too much to do apart from sweat into them.

We lined up in our successful 4-5-1 formation, with Richard given the tough task of playing up top on his own. Both Brendans started, one at left back and one in midfield. Big James slotted in along side Tony K.

The knobs started very strongly and dominated possession creating lots of half chances and breaks in behind the oppos defence.  We earned a number of early corners, one of which cost us the opening goal. Although we were the better team technically we were not in terms of fitness. Buntingford cleared our corner and broke quickly with numbers. Having a spare man in the break allowed them to get a shot away which looked to be going wide before Alastair diverted the ball into our goal past the rubber gloved Tony.

The Knobs kept battling though and shortly after we won another free kick in the oppos half. A reluctant James was ordered forward and a beauty of a free kick curled in by Bully was nodded straight in the new man. James won many headers in this game and we look to have found an alternative to Vinny's head at corners and free kicks.

Dave then brought on new boys Martyn and Rob for their debuts to take a look at too, slotting them into the middle with Bully.  As Spurs found against the Woolwich wanderers last week, you can be the best team, dominate possession, chances and corners but when trying to incorporate new players you can get caught out. And so it proved with us as an unmarked runner through the middle got on the end of a cross to nod home uncontested.

That was the end of the goals for the game. A few more player and positional changes in the 2nd half, but our lack of fitness limited our chances and meant a more even share of the ball. Tony only had a couple of things to deal with in goal including a suspected broken rib and broken hand from punching the pitch, there keeper probably dozed off from boredom.

Other things of note were Joel taking the John Boyle role of squaring up to one of the opposition and Tony K getting an early entry into this season's "opposition player put down of the year award" with the classic "shut up, big ears!"

Nearly all of us headed for the clubhouse for sausages, French sticks and chips, looking forward to the game next week at home to Saints. There was speculation that the squad would be enhanced by our "only play at home" players and Ron would also be back at the helm.

Ps. Bully has a great deal for you on a new pair of adidas boots. Whatever size feet you are, they will fit you, honest. Please see bully for details.