In light of Hudsonovabich abandoning us for Hawaii, I was deputized to provide a substitute write up of this week’s match.
Let’s see, how to begin? Ah, yes, the Rusty Plough began the day resplendent in their yellow kits with the Trumer Pils logo adorning their chests. Manager Moriconi arrayed the squad in his standard four-four-two formation, perhaps choosing his system without regard to the players available to him or their opponents. The Plough began the day with a decent complement of four subs, and with the welcome addition of Aidan Mitchell (marking his return to the field where he was nearly beheaded last season).
Raiders, by contrast, had no subs and a player who kept clutching his hamstring and complaining of his lack of fitness, but somehow could not be dispossessed of the ball, even when Mike Costello may have clattered him firmly (but perhaps not fairly).
The Plough began the match on the front foot with pretty clear control and some good interchanges of the ball. The Raiders appeared to be conserving energy facing a long morning on a large, fast pitch, with no subs.
Against the run of play, however, a Raider found himself alone in the middle of the attacking third. Unpressured he looked up, looked down, looked up again, and then decided that Phil (subbing in gamely in goal for the injured David Forsyth) might be a touch off his line. This Raider then tossed some grass to test the wind (did I mention he was unpressured?) before lofting a shot that escaped Phil’s fingertips and somehow ducked in under the bar. (Phil may have been heard to say that the team-issued keeper’s gloves were two sizes too small that day.) Raiders 1-0.
The Plough responded immediately. On the attack Franco drew a defender out of the middle, Louis threaded a pass through to Peter Welch, who dazzled the Raiders defense with a series of jinks and jabs before unleashing a shot that was blocked, but then it miraculously hit Peter’s chest, may have been controlled a bit by the briefest of hand balls (shielded from the view of Ken the Ref who was on the edge of the referee’s area, i.e. the center circle, and may not have had the best vantage). With the aid of this “hand of god,” Peter fired a second shot straight and true and just like that the Plough were level. 1-1.
Unfortunately, the Raiders channeled their frustration into a quick strike. The Plough defense (led by the indefatigable Roberto, Eric, Jose, and the aforementioned Aidan) was drawn to the corner when the ball was played back centrally to an unmarked Raider (Paco) who made no mistake with his strike. Raiders 2-1.
The goal led to a bit of a loud inquest among the defenders as to how the Raiders’ best offensive threat could have found himself so wide open. It is times like this when it is good to remember that we’re all trying our best and no one is intentionally fucking up. Frustration bubbles up inevitably, but positivity is a better avenue forward for all of us. That’s your positive coaching alliance PSA for the week.
Halftime struck with the score line still 1-2.
Manager Moriconi absorbed the lessons learned in the first half and made the surprising decision to change the team’s formation to a, wait for it, 3-2-3-2. All kidding aside, it was an astute decision that resulted in a much better half of play for the Plough. Other than one sharply struck goal post and another fine save by Phil, the Raiders did not generate much in the way of offense playing against the wind and with diminishing energy reserves, and on the rare occasions when they did, the defense was there.
The Plough took the game to them. Josh and Peter were lively in the attack. Gerardo served several crosses into the box but the Plough players on the receiving end didn’t start running soon enough. Gerardo also hit a vicious half volley that was a mere foot wide of leveling the match.
Eric launched several throw-ins into dangerous areas and nearly found Roberto’s head on a corner kick.
Our own Michael Furlong also had a moment where time stood still. If only there had been a drone or cameraman present. He received the ball at the top of the penalty area. Put his defender on skates with a pull back for the ages and then uncorked (“unleashed” is the word Hudson might use here but that would imply more power than would be strictly accurate) a shot that the keeper saved but not before there was a collective intake of breath anticipating how many times we would hear about this goal at the pub if it were to go in. Alas, the keeper got down smartly and the shot was saved.
Despite fighting hard, the Plough succumbed 1-2. I’m sure I’ve overlooked many fine moments by everyone on the roster, and for that I apologize. This write-up business is harder than it looks. We face Oakland OGs next week, so it may get worse before it gets better. Time to follow Ted Lasso’s advice and be a goldfish.
Golden Boot
- Welsh - 3
- Hudson - 1
- Delgadillo - 1
- Viveros - 1