September 21, 2025 • Chris Hudson • 7 min read
We will remember, the 21st of September…
Starting the season with two home games1 the Rusty Plough went on the road to Lafayette to face Juventus (an Italian team in a French city in suburban California). As the sun rose over the field, the Rusties donned their away blacks with Trumer Pils in bright yellow across their chests. Per manager Welch’s instructions, at least one player (the German) arrived at least 30 minutes before game time. MOST of the other rostered players arrived before the game actually started.
Chief data analyst Herrate III had dug deep into the analytics and determined that Juventus was almost as old as the Plough with an average age of 50 as opposed the more experienced Plough (51). The Rusties recent youth movement helped skew their age with 22 years between their greenest and most seasoned player. The analysis gave the Rusties hope.
Manager Welch decided that the Rusties needed a second striker to improve on their one goal per game average. He instituted a 3-2-3-2 (Moriconi would have been proud).
The game started slowly as the two teams mostly moved the ball around the midfield. Juventus showed that they had a crafty and talented midfielder as well as two speedy strikers. The Plough countered with their own solid midfield and, now, two strikers. The dual striker team of Josh and Dale soon paid off as Dale got on the receiving end of a cross from Michael(?). He probably meant to head it, but got that wrong and instead bounded the ball into the net off his chest. For the third straight game, the Rusties scored first.
Unfortunately, as in the first two games, they could not maintain the lead. The Juventus midfielder (#76) showed his skill by hitting a ball from about 25 yards out. Everyone in the stadium could hear PJ exclaim “woahhhwooaahhhoaaah” as the ball soared above his head and nestled into the upper corner of the goal. The match was tied.
Not long after, Hudson stepped up to field a long kick from the Juventus goalie. He tried to trap it and make a play, but instead flubbed his first touch. He then compounded his error by dawdling as he tried to make a play. Juventus’s stout, but surprisingly fast, striker, took full advantage of the mistake and picked the ball off the hapless defender’s foot. Hudson tried in vain to catch the striker. PJ came out to close him down, but the striker cut it back, got past the keeper and then calmly slid the ball past a slightly irritated Hudson (who had finally gotten back, but continued to prove useless). Juventus was up 2-1.
But the Rusties responded positively noting that Hudson was one of the guys that skews the average age towards the top. And soon thereafter, they were pressuring Juventus again. There was some great passing and movement and a sublime pass was slid through to a clearly onsides Stef. He took one touch past the defenders and slotted the ball past the Juve keeper. But wait! The ref determined that Stef was offsides. It was not to be his worst decision.
But this bad reffing just irritated Nik. After Juventus put the ball back into play, Nik attacked their weakest defender. This caused a bad pass which Peter jumped on. Much to everyone’s surprise, he didn’t dance, he didn’t pass, he instead hit the ball first time and tied up the match.
The ref was clearly annoyed that he was no longer the center of attention and he vowed to rectify the situation. Shortly before halftime, the fast Juve striker found himself five yards behind the Rusty defense. His team passed him the ball and he ran towards the ball. But then, realizing he was offsides, he did not touch the ball. Everyone on both teams stopped waiting for the ref’s whistle. But the whistle never came, so the striker started dribbling the ball. Slowly at first, awaiting the whistle, but then he picked up his pace and started dribbling across the box. Still, no one else moved. Then, PJ got pissed and decided to get the ball and stop all of this tomfoolery. But stout striker refused to yield and the ref refused to blow. PJ tried to grab the ball and, when he couldn’t, he grabbed the player. Finally, the ref blew his whistle! Penalty on PJ! WTF? The Rusty pleas were to no avail and the striker absolutely hammered the ball into the roof of the net. 3-2 Juventus at halftime.
The imbalanced reffing clearly annoyed the Plough. Stef was heard to say that “when he explains his stupid calls it just makes me more mad!” Welch calmed his players down and reminded us there was a second half to play. He sent us out in our pre-assigned positions and told us to get to work. The Rusties responded.
Jeremy, playing his first match after nursing his noggin for a few weeks, added his trademark calm to the midfield. Roberto took over center back and shut down the Juve attack. Adam and Stef patrolled as defending mids and kept #76 in check. After a while Jeremy found a speedy Fitzgerald (greenest player) streaking down the left wing. He took the pass in stride, beat his defender and unleashed an absolute screamer that was in the back of the net before the Juve keeper could even move. Clearly, he used his one week off to work on his shooting. The match was tied.
Not long after, the Plough won a corner kick. After watching Josh put some amazing corners into the box (with, unfortunately, nothing to show for it), Peter came back on the pitch. He decided that this was a good time not to send his corner kick low, or short, or wide, but instead perfectly blasted to the penalty spot. Dale was the right man in the right place. He jumped, cranked his neck, and slammed the ball past the keeper. It looked intentional! And amazing. The Plough was up 3-4.
But the Rusties were not done. After stopping yet another Juventus attack, keeper PJ found the ball in his hands. He played a long ball out to Stef who controlled it expertly, he turned and saw Nik one on one with a Juve defender. He slotted the ball past the defender and Nik (most seasoned) started his run. The defender, clearly beat, was all over Nik’s back. Nik didn’t care, he continued his run and ignored the pesky defender. The Juve keeper started to come out, Nik saw this and perfectly fired the ball. It rose over the keeper’s outstretched hands and dipped down below the bar. 3-5!
Juventus by now was losing steam, but the Rusties remained fresh. Jak was everywhere in the midfield causing havoc and creating opportunities. Jeff both contained Juve on the right flank and helped keep the pressure on their defenders. When he was off the pitch, Jose did the same with his confident control and excellent passing. Logan continued his return from a knee injury with solid defending and passing.
Peter was back on the pitch and playing central mid. He intercepted a Juve pass in the Juve half and started dribbling towards goal. Juve gave him plenty of space as they backed off. Peter wanted to dance. Peter desperately wanted to pass, but Josh shouted from the sidelines “shoot!!” So, Peter did. His third goal of the season was a curling beauty that gave the keeper no chance.
With a three-goal cushion, the Plough felt comfortable, but Juve almost ate into the lead. #76 crafted a beautiful chip from the right side that glanced off the cross bar. Stout striker also slammed a shot against the post. But Juve could not get a fourth.
As the game was winding down, Josh drove down the middle with the ball. When the defender engaged, he pushed it to his left to Adam. Adam decided it was a good time to open his account and hammered it first time with his right instep and sealed the Rusties 3-7 victory. The win moved the Plough into third place.
Somehow Wilder was our home game. Unclear why. ↩︎