February 10 2007 @ TML 4 Div II @ YCAC

BEFC  1 - 0  KGFC

(goals: Masao) 

With the post Christmas mini-slump well and truly a thing of the past after last week’s comprehensive away win against YCAK 2nds… I mean 1sts, The British Embassy FC were well aware of the importance of victory over Kwangsei GFC, potentially their most serious challengers for the TML Division 2 title. KGFC were sitting 5 points behind with two games in hand before the match, with the highest goal difference tally in the league. Not only that; these young, healthy, sports-orientated, technically adept, non-smoking, non-shaving, boyish tricksters had whopped YCAK 2nds 4-0 the week before.

BEFC understandably a little apprehensive about the pivotal 80 minutes that lay ahead? No fucking chance. Why? Because we are the only team to remain undefeated this season, with the tightest defence in the league, most combative midfield and most potent strike force; having won 7, drawn 2, lost none, with a better goals-per-strikes ratio than any other team (err…statistics courtesy of Reuters) and that includes having to play YCAK and BFC Viagrabones with 50% of their team comprised of players from the 1st division. So this was clearly the kind of game that we thrive upon. The importance was not lost on our ever-imposing Captain Tim Letheren who ordered the Red Lions on not only our now ritual pre-match-psych-out-the- opposition jog around the pitch, but also through a series of warm-up exercises known in certain circles as ‘stretching’. Things are changing….

If BEFC’s claims about wanting to win the division are to be taken seriously, this is the type of crunch game that makes the difference, that separates the men from the girls……the shavers from the non-shavers.

And that, it did: all became clear within the opening 10 minutes as, at the merest whiff of hairy-arsed BEFC players closing them down on every loose ball, the KGFC youngsters proceeded to collapse quicker than a dodgy lung on 40 cig’s-a-day. Whilst BEFC adopted our characteristic policy of sitting deep, harrying and hustling all over the pitch, denying the opposition time and space on the ball, and hitting them with blistering pace down the flanks and centre on the attack, the ref did his utmost to accommodate the Ronaldo-like antics of KGFC by blowing on his wanger every 5 minutes. Think he enjoyed it too.

Thus, the match was a slightly fractious affair. KGFC naturally had a bit more of the ball that their individual technique on the day just about deserved, but what good is having balls without being able to successfully penetrate? Exactly. They could find no way through due to Argy-Bargy Ferdy and Kaiser Torsten providing their respective tenacity and muscle in the middle of the park and the back four, marshalled by the imperious Capt Letherhands and the equally outstanding make-shift centre-back Gary-I-want-the-mother-of-a-battle-every-game- Gaz, holding the line superbly. Not to mention our highly committed full backs: Other-nobody-gets-past-me-Tim and Irish-if-i-cant-make-the-tacke-i-will-foul-Ryan.

And with the amount of free kicks being awarded against BEFC in their own half, the KGFC playmaker delivered a serious of high quality balls into the box, all dealt with by the backline and ever-vocally-present Keith Crowley, who, little does he know it, is playing himself into serious contention to take over the goalkeepers spot on a permanent basis.

BEFC on the other hand were far more effective in the final third of the pitch as time and again our forward line, epitomised by the powerful running of Alex-The-Cockney harried their defence into panic-stricken hoofs up field. BEFC must have broken the KGFC back line a good 5 times in the first 30 minutes from a variety of thoughtful (but slightly overhit!) through balls from the creative Masao and Torsten, when finally the decisive ball came from the battling Alex, superbly playing in Crouchie down the inside left flank, who bent his run around the centre back to pounce on the pass at high speed. With everyone on the pitch perhaps thinking the ball was heading out of play, Crouchie had other ideas and used his pace to reach the byline and whip the ball back on the half volley into the six yard box where Masao showed incredible composure to squeeze in between the last defender and keeper and head the ball in the back of the net. 1:0 British Embassy. You could see the belief draining out of the KGFC players and likewise you could also see the belief and confidence grow amongst BEFC who continued the rest of the first half in the same committed fashion that is now expected of them.

This correspondent remembers the half time team talk as being of a particularly Churchillian (word) quality thanks to the presence, unrivalled experience and inspirational words of our battle-hardened Gary.

So and the 2nd half was a display full of character, pride and honest endeavour. Battles being won all over the park, from the back line to the front line and arguably the majority of chances falling BEFC’s way. Again, BEFC employed their counter attacking mentality which, to anyone watching looked the far more effective system.

KGFC huffed and bum-fluffed but simply could not penetrate Capt Tim’s rearguard. As scrappy as it was, the only team who looked like scoring was the Embassy with their power and pace up front unsettling KGFC’s back line. Great balls were being played into the box from Masao, Alex and Silva but we just weren’t getting the rub of the green or the bounce of the ball. Alex with a cross-cum-shot that went narrowly wide. Crouchie with a long shot off the keeper’s right-hand post. And then the ref decided to help us out a bit and made up for his inconsistency with yet more inconsistency by awarding a debatable penalty for a foul on Kaiser. Steve ‘Crouchie’ Lidbury stepped up with the confidence of a leading scorer, a golden boot holder, a man who had only ever missed one penalty for the Embassy…. And proceeded to fuck it up by twatting the ball against the bar. Not only that, he had to take the indignity of being laughed at by a cocky little boy on the other team.

But fear not, everyone continued to play like warriors, winning personal duals on all corners of the pitch, with KGFC pummelling an untold number of high (and quality) balls into the box, all dealt with by Keith-SafeHands-Crowley and co.

The last mention needs to go to Eddie the Eagle for his clever play in the dying minutes when BEFC had a free kick on the edge of KGFC’s box. Instead of going for the top corner to put the game out of reach, he tricked us all by hoofing the ball about 10 meters over the bar and into the bowling green near the clubhouse to waste the final 2 minutes of extra time. Magic. The Embassy at their most creative.

Mom:

Tim Letherhands for his indomitable display at the back. Whatever they threw his way just came straight back out. Though I think everyone deserves a mention for an all round committed display full of character. Everyone stood up to be counted and we now need to do that for the last 3 league games of the season.

Steve Lidbury