For the first time this year, a non-pictorial and non-disused-train-station blog post.
I am still on a high after our win this evening. I have never before won a game in any sport where I was so expecting to cop a hiding. Before the game I actually said to Marcus "this could get ugly". We had never played Mexican Avalanches but it seemed to be a dream team of various quick, strong and generally deadly players who had taken us to the cleaners in previous seasons. The had won 5 from 8, and we had lost 7 (in a row) and won just one, a big win last week. Handy form, but I didn't expect it to count for much.
Well, it was 7-7 at half time and we we were playing out of our skins. I felt like I would be delighted if we could stay with them and notch a narrow loss or even (gasp) a draw. I had scored one goal I was very happy with - a spiral dribble followed by a left foot toey into the corner. Ask me and I'll demonstrate anytime.
We scored on the stroke of half time. I pounded the ball goalwards, one of the Avalanches stopped it with his tummy and fell, knocking over a teammate, and Jason collected the rebound magnificently, first-timing it into the net over the flailing keeper. This was Marcus's favourite moment - we walked off for the break, celebrating the goal with three of them sprawled on the floor.
The 2nd half was tighter, and there was no score for the first 3 minutes. Then I was a bit slack, let my man get away and he scored, 7-8. I subbed off feeling like I had just loosened our grip on it. While I was off Jason scored again - he finished with 5 for the night. 8-8.
Their flamboyant keeper (he once played against us wearing a cape) was making mistakes and keeping us in it, Bruce Grobelaar-style. I got another, they got it back, 9-9. Then one of their stronger players got the ball and held it up. I was keeping him in check and sucking in air. All the while I was thinking "I am getting my breath back, we are not getting hurt on the scoreboard, time is running out, this suits me fine". He ended up losing the ball and Paul slotted a goal. 10-9 to us.
Moments later Paul put me through down the left wing and I slashed the ball across the keeper and into the far corner, 11-9 with only 40 seconds left. I don't celebrate goals very often but I did a smallish double fist-pump for that one. There was no way they could catch us, and they didn't.
I think considering how we've been struggling, this counts as one of our very best wins.
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