First goal since 1998

Five years ago on 11.4.21 I filled in for Marcus's soccer team, Taroona. It seems I never blogged it, but it was a red letter day. I have post-dated this to drop into the blog in the right spot but I am writing in 2026. My eldest son scored a hat trick. I played in defence but I also got on the scoresheet with the last goal.

We played University Wanderers at their windswept ground on Mt Nelson. They scored first, but we equalised quickly. Then we scored again and again and again, and by half time it was 6-1 and Marcus had netted three. 

The 2nd half was a goal-less slog. Late on we had a corner on the left. I didn't go up into the box, but hung around out on the right in case the kick went long, over everyone. Indeed it did, so I controlled it and put a cross back into the mixer where Marcus and the other forwards were. It was repelled and came rolling in my direction – by now I had come infield, still on the right. 

I had a look around, decided I was closest, and so I committed to getting there first. I swung my left (2nd best) boot at it first time and got enough power to blast through the small crowd of defenders still clogging the area after the corner. I has scored the crucial* seventh goal in a 7-1 pasting. There were high fives and high tens and a bit of hubbub – the slow grey-haired dad had put it away! 

To the best of my recollection that was my first proper outdoor 11-a-side goal since 1998. I texted the news to Joe the next day and he responded;

I assume that text was sent from a bed in the RHH, complete with a variety of wheels, cables, ratchets and doodads holding what is left of your body in a vaguely human shape.

*I joke