Sunday 10th April v Evening Times at Glasgow Green 6-2 (3-1)
James McLaughlin, Colin Shepherd, Alistair Dorward, John Crosbie, Arthur McCue, Paul Joyce, Logan Taylor (Brian Dorran), Barry Cook (c), Alan Main, John Kirkland and Brian McGowan
After the agony and ecstasy of the Coasters game it was back to a "normal" game against the Evening Times.
Fergal was obviously missing as was Raymie who had injured his back at work. Uncle Owen was working and Roddy had gone missing in action.
Shep, making his 100th appearance fourteen years after his debut, and Big John replaced Roddy and Fergal in the starting line up whilst Brian Dorran made his debut on the bench (henceforth known as Old Brian).
It was cold, it was windy and it was the Evening Times who were out for revenge after we gave them a doing earlier in the season.
That never looked on the cards as we went three goals ahead within the first twenty minutes.
In the opening minutes Big John had a shot turned round the post for a corner. From Arthur's resultant kick JOHN shot home from two feet after the ball had been deflected to him off Young Al's back.
Soon it was two as a defender made a hash of a clearance and it fell to BIG JOHN who shot into the net from thirty yards with the keeper stranded off his line.
Our third came from YOUNG BRIAN who made a chance for himself by playing the ball over a defender and getting there first to shoot home, the fact that the defender got his calipers in a fankle is neither here nor there.
We were in charge of the game but were missing chances with Brian (chocolate variety) the worst offender.
Eventually the Times came into the game and they scored an unmemorable goal before half time to make the score closer than it deserved at the interval.
The opposition went down to ten men at the break so we kindly loaned them Logie, an alleged Times reporter, with old Brian coming on in attack as we went to three up front.
The pattern of the game remained the same with the possession coming our way but our passing wasn't up to much and any chances we had were being squandered.
The next goal was going to be vital and thankfully it came our way as PAUL got the ball in the area, sidestepped a defender and shot into the corner for our fourth.
However, we again went to sleep as the Times pulled another goal back when a strong run and cross down their right was finished off with a bullet header from close in.
We were still getting opportunities but doing very little with them and in one attack both full backs were even seen in the opposition area. The look on The Boss's face on the sidelines was priceless as he went berky shouting at them to get back ! No total football in this team, then !
It took a forward to get our fifth as YOUNG BRIAN was set up by another defender's mistake and this time he made no mistake as he shot past the keeper.
With only a couple of minutes remaining we got our sixth as Old Brian was battered to the ground in the area and we were awarded a penalty.
Yet again there was confusion over who would take it as Young Brian and Big John both wanted it to get their hat trick (the reward for a hat trick is the use of Mr C's clown's car for a week) but BARRY stepped up to take the ball and score in the corner.
A good win for us and the first game of the year not settled by a single goal.
Player of the Day: John Crosbie
Donkey of the Day: Logan Taylor, for spitting the dummy once again and getting rewarded with a place in the losing team !