Interim manager Peter Welch borrowed a pen and got to work constructing his line-up. He opted for an attacking 4-3-3, and told your humble scribe to start at right fullback with Kurt Spreyer on the left, Adam Faughan and Roberto Viveros started at center back. Peter’s instructions were for the fullbacks to press up and join the attack. He may have had some other strategic instructions but I stopped listening after he told me to push up. Due to a roster snafu, Starry Plough loanee Gaston Ugarte was not permitted to start in goal, and PJ reluctantly left his position on the right of the front line to don his goalkeeper’s kit and gloves. Plough rookie sensation Tyler Sadwith started at striker, Andy Waranoff took PJ’s spot on the right and Peter put himself in on the left. Nik Wekwerth, fresh from his high-altitude training in Telluride, started in the midfield along with Steve and Eric Kuehnl.
From the first whistle the Plough followed Peter’s instruction and attacked the mostly hapless Juventus squad. After a few probing runs, Tyler latched onto a ball and unleashed an unstoppable shot. Within 10 minutes the Plough had taken the lead 1-0. Thus began a period of dominance by the Plough unlike anything seen before this season. Maybe it was the lush grass instead of sand, maybe it was the friendly confines of a field sized for 14 year olds rather than the mammoth dimensions of Wilder 4, who knows, but shortly after the initial goal, Tyler took down a lofted pass, cut inside and hit another belter that the Juventus keeper could only watch sail by his extended finger tips. 2-0.
Peter followed his planned substitutions and brought on the fresh legs of Josh Reiten and Jeremy Giovannetti. The midfield continued its control of the game, and Juventus’s few forays in attack were easily turned aside by Adam, Roberto and PJ, who calmly knocked the ball around before playing wide to an advancing player on one or the other wing. Peter terrorized the right side of the Juventus team, and on one of the corners he won, Nik noticed that everyone was clogging up the back post and made a smart run to the near post to meet Peter’s perfectly delivered corner down into the ground and just inside the near post. 3-0.
Gerardo Delgadillo arrived shortly thereafter and was astonished when told that not only were the Plough not losing but instead had a three-goal lead and a clean sheet.
At halftime, Nik performed a technological feat and convinced the referee that Gaston was in fact on the roster. PJ was released from goalkeeping duties and ran like an eager English setter to the front line. Gerardo joined the midfield, and the second half began with the Plough hungry for more goals. Jeremy started shooting, PJ attacked repeatedly, Gerardo directed traffic and looked for his own shot at times, and Tyler appeared determined to get his hattrick (not to mention Andy and Peter harassing the opponents mercilessly). Eventually, the pressure produced results when Gerardo fired in a low, bullet of a shot to make the score 4-0. Not long after that, Gerardo again tested the keeper who was only able to misdirect the rebound to the feet of PJ who made no mistake by cooly slotting the ball home. 5-0.
At this point, the Plough could be forgiven for the inevitable defensive miscue. Juventus took advantage and were able to get one past Gaston. 5-1.
This dent in the armor only angered the Plough (and particularly Eric who picked up a yellow card arguing with the referee over a disputed throw-in). Once again, PJ took the ball down the right side and saw a chance to get Tyler his hattrick. A low, hard cross was heading directly towards him when, unfortunately, a Juventus defender intervened and directed the ball into his own net leaving Tyler swinging at air. 6-1.
It was a magnificent performance and a true team effort. This win places us above Juventus in the table with a match upcoming on Sunday against Africari Big Time who sit just above us with 4 points to our 3. Another win (combined with an Azzuri loss) would see the Plough move into 8th place, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Golden Boot
- Tyler – 4
- Dale – 2
- Freddie – 1
- Jeremy – 1
- Nik – 1
- Gerardo – 1
- PJ – 1
- Own Goal – 1