Are you able to read this? Good 🙂 Expect some more upheaval on the SW19 front for a little while yet, hopefully not long to go now. If you want to know the problem, basically it’s something to do with permissions and web domain transfers not doing like what they should. Please be patient.
And speaking of being patient, looks like those three non-victories last year was sufficient motivation to make it Stuart Hall 4 Southall 2. Let’s face it, on the performance of the first 20 minutes, it should have been at least 10-0. Indeed, as the bloke near me said, win 17-0 and we would have been top (as it turns out, we are top), though he did also say he would have been POed with a 16-0 victory. Quite. Needless to say, we were 3-0 up after 20 minutes – Sheerin and Cooper (with penalty) supplying the honours. After that, and presumably with Willdive 2K at a stupid time on Monday on everyone’s mind, we eased off. Enough to let Southall come back in with a bicycle kick.
Second half petered out into tedium, though Ryan Gray’s flukey as fuck skillfull cross-cum-shot made it 4-1. Then came Sucidal Defending : the sequel. Utterly shite backpass and it was 4-2. Bit flattering, and really we should not only be doing these teams, but we should be bending them over, dropping our trousers and giving them a good nailing from behind to boot. Never mind, at least we’re top.
Onto….
Plus points: Win. Against a bogey team. Attack looks sharp. First 20 minutes were sublime. KC coming back makes all the difference.
Minus points: Sorry, but even the UN building in Baghdad has better defensive qualities.
The referee’s a …….. : During the game, I made a challenge to describe the referee in such a way that he has never been described before. The best – scrap that, the only – response is “good”. And that’s how it was. He was described as being dirtier than what Southall were the previous times we met them, and that’s best left at that.
Them: Having spent half the MoD’s budget on protecting ourselves against them, they were relatively serene today. Couple of nasty challenges, including one elbow, but that’s probably no different to most CCL games. Could have threatened to kick off, which just shows that there is still a “competitive” nature to them…. Oh, and their goalkeeper couldn’t handle the ball.
Weather with you: Yoikes, was it humid or what? Everyone felt a bit sticky, and nope, I’m not referring to the aftermath of the mass orgy that happened on Weds (see below)
Chants would be a fine thing: Some good ones from the West Bank for once : “Same old Southall, always cheating” shows we finally have a rivalry or two brewing. “Can we play you every week” was another, and then some legitmate funnies. “Keeper, give us a wave” followed by a “Just because you’re losing” after said keeper refused to play along. “Does your mother know your dad?” was another. CS, anti-Chelski made up the rest of the playlist.
Point to ponder: I’m sure our attendances are dropping. I got there in the SW19mobile at 2pm and got a near-as-dammit car parking space on the field. 2510 at KM is OK but still not totally wonderful. Then again, it is holiday time still for some people (there were spaces in the Main Stand which is supposedly full up with STs) so I suppose that the obituaries for our crowd support will have to wait until September.
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) Playing Southall and having less than 11 casualties. (2) The Southall keeper with the big “BHS” on the front of his shirt. Was the only Southall player with such a logo as well, which meant he probably got it in the recent massive sale they were having. (3) How embarrased do you think that missing kid was today? You know, the one that was over the PA asking for his mum. OK, the poor kid was probably a bit scared, but to quote, “he’s probably in the bar”.
Franchise watch: 6k there today, of which 5700 must have been Palace fans. Although his style of play maybe wasn’t entirely suited to us, and he wasn’t my favourite, it was rather pleasing to see Michael Hughes score the winner.
Anything else? Yeah, aren’t Leon White and John Gayle separated at birth? Difference being that at least Leon White never pretended to be a professional footballer
So, was it worth it? First 20 minutes were worth it on its own
In a nutshell: W2K, you’re next…..