| Leopards Vs Fowlers Mile End Crimidome 15th March 2001 Having cobbled together a team including three debutants, by the end of this match we looked more like Lepers than Leopards, with three significant injuries that took us down to 10 men for the last half hour. Everything had gone as normal before the jinx: the ref had �a word� with Ricky B in the first five minutes, and the defence was knocking the ball around beautifully before hoofing it upfield. Cultured Dutchman Lennaert had to look twice to check that he wasn�t actually playing with Cruyff, Nieskens and the Total Football team of �74. The dream could not last. Ricky B soon left the field to embark on an advanced aerobics course on the touchline. It was no wonder that he pulled a hamstring and had to go off permanently (for once not under the orders of an official). A corner soon afterwards for Fowlers highlighted once again our vulnerability to cross-cum-shots. Ben C, JC (in goal) and Orlando appeared to be celebrating John�s birthday a week early with a game of the party classic �Sleeping Lions� as the ball sailed straight through them into the goal. Not long afterwards, Paddy astonished everyone by developing a completely new injury, and was only able to return to the pitch as keeper. Only one down at half-time after a difficult 45 minutes, we began to play our usual flowing game after the restart, without making many clearcut chances. Newboy James then went off with a bad looking concussion, although an on-hand doctor informed us that there was �no serious neurological damage�. Unfortunately, this was Dr Mark Larkin, PhD in cognitive psychology. Strangely, only when we were down to ten men did we create decent opportunities, which we missed. Frustrated by the poor finishing at the other end, Mark decided to plant what can only be described as a �bullet header� into his own net. Ten minutes later, after Ben C had twice collapsed in the Fowler�s penalty box when shocked by the prospect of a two-goal season, Fowlers scored their third. Hardly a powershot, Paddy could have gone off, got some crutches, had a drink, come back, and limped over to collect the ball before it trickled in. Instead, he fell over. Ominously, Ricky B left before the end. Without saying a word. |