Camden FC 0 - 2 Riverside
10 September 2006 - Report by Paul O'Brien
ROBINSON UP TO THE TASK
Starting Lineup: Goalie Paul, Ashley, Macca, Catty, Ginge, Paul, Kaan, Lee Burge, Sam, Benneth, Little Chris Subs: Loul, Dorm, Lee Searle, Little Kev, Kirk, Mike Harvey, Dave Lee
“What’s this title about?” I hear you all cry upon reading the first line and the scoreline. We lost and somehow someone stands out and is up to the task? No. It was a pre-agreed title based on a comment I made on a save by Paul Robinson from Louis Saha the previous day, and ginge told me it was to be the title citing “it’s the best last name ever”. So that explains that.
Oh yeah, and there was a game I’m supposed to be reporting on aswell. There was quite the crowd early on in the car park which caused a worry with numbers as it seemed a few people wouldn’t be getting changed and shunted into the stands to watch, and some of the subs wouldn’t be used as well. One of the casualties turned out to be normal first-team regular Dan ‘greased lightning’ Ahern, who made way at full back to debutant Ashley who has been impressive in training but was always thought to be a centre back or defensive centre midfielder. On a personal level I was quite relieved by this as it meant I had a solid defender behind me while I attacked the wing with him in support (not that Dan isn’t solid, but I thought the replacement would be someone who wasn’t). He didn’t disappoint and had a superb game, getting the non-existent “Camden Man of the Match” award, one which has no trophy to take home and no prize money.
As we were all there early and out on the pitch, we did the usual stretching laid on for us by the returning Danny Marchant, but then we had a surprise in that cones had been laid out for us to have a few drills as well! Very lah-de-dah.
Our initial drills and training paid off as from the first minute we looked very potent in attack, with the Riverside full backs on both sides being beaten by electric Camden wing play from Sam and myself, fresh from going home early on a night out, resisting calls from a greek and a Ronald McDonald to get drunk with them so as to not have to play with a hangover and run off to be sick like has happened in the past. Pat on the back from everyone goes to me and my commitment and professional outlook for the team rather than myself.
However, the chances couldn’t be turned into goals unfortunately and the game remained at 0-0. The first 20-25 minutes were all Camden as we opened up a can of whoop-ass on their defence and dominated. However, it petered out as players started to wear themselves out and one of the more effective players got blisters on both feet, hampering running at full backs, and had to be taken off at half time with the score still at 0-0, to be replaced by Kirk while Lee Burge was moved to the wing. Midway through the first half Benneth was also taken off and replaced by little Kev up front as Benneth had turned his ankle.
Kirk’s inclusion in the second half line-up brought some shooting from distance, the calibre of which I hadn’t seen from him since I joined the club. A few outstanding shots which all made the keeper work and brought corners to the Camden’s game.
The ref wasn’t up to much really, missed decisions both ways. There was one that struck my hand but wasn’t given (well played to the whistle though paulinho) and a couple of shoves on littles chris kev and sam from their centre back who could only be described as beefy, none given.
There was also an injury on their side so we put the ball out for them, and on the drop ball the bloke had a long range effort on goal much to all parties disappointment, especially goalie Paul judging from the profanities coming from his mouth as he scrambled to tip it wide for a corner, which their captain sportingly took as a straightforward pass back to our keeper. Claps all round.
But then, disaster! A cross was whipped in which catty guided into our net safe in the mind that the oggie wouldn’t count as he was in the “exclusion zone”. But the ref gave it! Apparently the exclusion zone has now been removed, creating some kind of “oggies from anywhere” scenario. Catty obviously feels cheated by this, but in the pub on Sunday evening he tried to claim that he is now this season’s Camden top league goalscorer because he has put the ball in the nt, but surely it means he is the bottom scorer on –1 while everyone else is on 0? Anyways, this made it 1-0 Riverside
Shortly after that, their left flank produced a cross on the head of a Riverside player with a free header (whoever was supposed to be marking him, you know who you are!) and he ran off jubilant, taking his shirt off and whirling it around before the ref gave him a talking to and showed him the yellow card which will now have to be reported to the FA and a fine
paid for his shirt removal. Quite right too, the sooner we stamp out this disgusting behaviour the better…
A few quick words of thanks are due to the stand-in goalkeeper Paul. A very accomplished performance, well worth using the emergency sign-on card for. Well played ‘keeper.