SHWFC has long enjoyed the uncanny ability to dodge the worse of the weather for it’s Monday morning sessions This week’s first games were played in mild conditions for the most part with intermittent drizzle freshening up proceedings After Friday night’s Annual Quiz Night there was plenty of banter as members gathered to pay up, look pleasant then warm up and attract the team selectors eye
Thirty Eight lined up in the usual melee of a single line, as pictured below There was a distinct shortage of Referees however, with only Jeff Betty Birchall available to officiate
The eventual team selections were as follows;
Black - Ashy, Les Meldrew, Lord Rainford, Willo, Les H and Citeh Geoff
Purple - Little John, on debut Tony Whitehead, Colin the Late, Tom Derby, Chopper and Steve Jones
Sky - Steve Honeyman, Margaret, Donal, Wickie, Phil the Power, Spiro and Haggis
Pink - Brian, Kirsty, Eamon, Cockney Rebel, Gaz, Enoch and Michelle Monday
Yellow - Glenn, Jim, Mika, Tom Stretch, Phil the Cat and Jenko
Orange - Robin, Snakehips, Sheila, Barry Wizz, Andy Man, Amazon and McSpeed
El Presidente appeared to deliver Club clothing to er no one, his misery compounded by his continuing sinusitis and the persistent drizzle He elected to stroll around the PSD Group Stadium (Ruskin arena new sponsor partner) to view the three games in progress
Yellow faced Purple in one of the opening matches Yellow settling better but without really troubling the debutant keeper Tony As the game progressed Tom Derby spurned a decent chance to fire Purple ahead only to atone minutes later with a well placed drive into the bottom corner 1-0 to Purple Our debutant then produced a couple of spectacular saves to keep his side ahead
Phil the Power put boot to ball in fine style firing an unstoppable drive past Lord Rainford in the Black nets Spiro was penalised for an extra touch in the act of crashing a shot goal-bound At the other end Willo, who had led the Black line throughout did manage to drag his side level before Spiro, remembering a. Not to Run b. Just 3 Touches, hit back as Sky prevailed 2-1 in a close game
Glenn was on target for Yellow who faced Black on the other pitch Goals were generally in short supply Purple pipping Black Tom Derby with the all important goal Elsewhere Yellow and Sky served up an entertaining 1-1 draw Jenko with a long distance drive for Yellow Margaret hitting back for Sky
In the morning’s self-regulated encounter (Eamon did have a whistle apparently) Orange faced Pink The game was littered with a lot of poor passing at times Some excellent approach work wasted by easily defended passes Pink over elaborating when in good positions Much of the game therefore was reliant on breakaway attacks McSpeed an ever-willing worker but having to live off scraps of possession Michelle Monday crashed a fine shot into the roof of the net Pink ahead 1-0
At this point El Presidente left the gathering to seek refuge with a hot toddy, blanket and sick note signed by his Mum I’m assured that the morning ended with particularly close games, the odd goal and lots of good sportsmanship
Midweek Walking Football’s spiritual home is of course the Sutton SoccerDome Early on Wednesday the venue’s Sports Hall was given over to an event driven by local health and welfare providers During the day, 8:00 start through until 4pm, the Club Chairman and Secretary spoke to a variety of specialist healthcare professionals and patients to extoll the huge benefits our game can offer to fitness, rehabilitation and social well being The response was very encouraging and we are optimistic that further new members could join our ranks following these discussions A reminder that we are determined to pursue our aim of spreading the Walking Football mantra to the widest audience, targeting those who might get the odd benefit from joining sessions
Wednesday night continues to showcase our traditional midweek games As we are technically now in winter mode games were split between the Sports Hall, scene of another bin interlude and the AstroTurf acres outside
Indoors there was an 4 a side game with not one but two bins employed as goals Due to a personnel miscalculation El Presidente and Ellen were included in playing numbers though in fact they had a separate coaching session This meant that rather than 5 a side contest a less satisfactory 4 a side game was convened The object to hit the bin to register a goal proved as difficult as ever No goal scoring information was available (speaks volumes) but I’m assured it was a decent contest
The indoor posse included;
Grav, Phil the Cat, Deggs, Les H, Triallist, Steve Carine , Joe the Ghost and AN Other
The mathematical conundrum meant that a 10 a side game was hastily arranged, rather than turfing another Club off our other pitch Ten a side in a confined area is far from ideal but in the rush to satisfy some of our impatient brethren the free night was given
The teams were;
Orange - Jim, Haggis, Lord Rainford, Ian H, Martin Mc, Roger, Subbuteo’s DaveBenno, Eamon and Graham
Yellow - Gonzalo, Tom Stretch, Cockney Rebel, Eileen, Gaz, Midweek Michelle, Jason, Simon, Chris 4G and Peter T
Some adjustment of those selections was made at the start of proceedings, Peter T and Haggis swapping bibs and best wishes Yellow romped into a commanding lead with Gonzalo in good form By half time with Yellow 4-1 to the good a further personnel adjustment was delivered with Messrs Moore and Stretch switching sides for the remainder of the game Herr Jeff Betty, Düsseldorf’s finest Refereeing export reported the game was lively and far from as one sided as the score line implied
At the end Yellow recorded a 7-1 win Gonzalo 4 Haggis 2 plus Jason 1 scored by Peter T for Orange The usual post match analysis in the Boot Room was interrupted by an inconsequential game from the energy drink Cup
Actions Shots courtesy of Nigel Smith
So it was decreed that the night’s games were played in good spirit and high endeavour and that we should all do it again next week
Damp Chill Of Life* - None (a 2017 atmospheric, depressive black metal band from Portland Oregon whose music threatens to pierce your soul like an icy dagger)
Can we have a nice session next week I feel a bubblegum track coming on!
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