| Sunday 21 January � Kennington Leopards Vs Green Park Rangers Green Park Rangers (�r greek spanner rag�). Had the Leapords realised that their opposition�s name could be reduced to this suggestive anagram then they may have made more of this game than a spirited 1-1 drubbing. Furthermore, had the Kennington Leapords realised that hidden in their own noble name was a �Legend Pink on Snort�, then any result would have been possible. Stand-in captain, Alex Stevenson, did not have much time to settle in to his new role. His first challenge as was to remove 50 Mile End scally-wags from the pitch. What he threatened is between him and the 50 young hooligans in our way, but it did the job forcing the ringleader to tell us we were lucky he is understandable, quite. However, although the pitch was in good working order, the ragamuffins did counter-threat that they would be near 200 next week and we�d better not play at the same time and place, let us heed those wise words. The Rangers and the Leapords faced up respectful of each other as befits two teams whom were promoted from division II last year. (Though the Rangers have been crap this year too). The Leapords started the game like new cheetah at the zoo. Chasing, harrying, working hard, but getting nowhere. The midfield five were dynamic, the defence solid, and the attack spunktastic. It will come as no surprise then to learn that before long the brave Leapords were down 1-0 to a speculative cross of dubious intent. The �Gers left winger, Paolo, deftly bobbled the ball over a helpless and stunned Mike in goal. Disaster. But wait�. Never ones to lay down, to accept defeat� The noble felines redoubled their efforts, tirelessly pursuing every ball. JC came close, Ricky B looked determined, and Ben R was rampant. This all paid off with the half time score remaining at 1-0 to the �Gers. The second half mirrored the first, the defence was full of stealth, cunning and composure, cynically preventing even a hope of another freak bobble. By getting their passing game together and taking full advantage of a terrible referee the leopards began to pepper and probe the �Gers keeper, who looked to be having the game of his life. Until�. Success After JC being once more too tricky & nimble for the Green Park defence a free kick near the box was awarded. Ethan nonchalantly floated the ball into the area. BUT�. there was nothing nonchalant about what was to follow. Ben Crewe, darted to the back post more like a dart than a young man. Meeting the floating ball at full speed with mussels straining, Ben lashed the ball into the bottom corner. The rooted keeper was stumb drook. The crowd went wild. The manner of Ben�s strike made it difficult to believe that this was his first goal ever for the club. Even more difficult to believe is that this makes him a leading contender for the Golden Boot this year. The game proceeded along a knife-edge, Kennington attacking with both rapier pace and precise precision. A clearance there, a near miss here, a good save just nearby. At this point the �Gers resorted to kicking the luckless JC out of the game and scythed him down at every opportunity. So incensed and fearsome was Ben Rowland that even Ricky B, ignorant to the irony, bravely demanded he calm down. And on it went... for ten more agonising minutes, but then it was over, for all their ferocity the Leapords were just too merciful. And so it was, another hard fought game in which we dominated without victory. A draw can be seen two ways, was it two points dropped, or a half-full glass. Either way, the glass is infinitely more full than it was last week, on a percentage scale I bet not many teams got an infinite number of points last Sunday. Would Captain Alex sleep well that night? In the changing rooms post match he could not contain his rapture at a glimpse of Ricky B�s jock strap, much to the shock of his team-mates (even if it was quite a nice jockstrap). Despite Alex�s pleading eyes Richard wasn�t keen to grant him his wish to feel the strap. This player suspects that Alex had a torrid night. Leapords 1, Green Park 1. |