Where do I start?
On this occasion it's only appropriate that we start at the end, not the beginning....because every club member is on the What's App check-in and will already have seen the bizarre unfolding of events on Wednesday night....

Whilst updating the website Gary noticed a potential error, so he flagged it in a message on the group..."Did we play 10 v 8 tonight?....Looks of panic and confusion went around the Chimneys. People were checking their phones and looking up at different times as the question came through from Gary. As far as I was concerned, I won the toss and selected first. It was a 9 v 9 match. We alternated our choices and the teams were even and the board said so, so I dismissed it straight off....But the penny dropped....Andy asked for hush whist we all listened around the table as he recited each man that played on his squad.....and there it was, he called out 10 names...10 men dressed in white to my 8!

My team was in yellow and It was a very closely fought match. We got off to a quick lead with a goal from Gary. The 1...2... football between Jay and Gary was great to watch from the goalkeeping position I elected for. That did seem like a poor decision at first when the whites pulled one back to make it 1-1 within 2 minutes of our goal!! Their first real shot on target and Dave O smashed it passed me via the near post from a very acute angle. I should have done better..... but yellows still had the run of the game though...and bearing in mind at no stage were we aware we had 2 men less! The team on the field just dug in deep and got on with it:

Mike (House) was owning the edge of the box and Sylvan and Dave struggled to get through..specially during the first half. Andy Nutter (50p) won every aerial battle...anywhere is good enough for me when Sylvan, Richie, Dave and Phil were all on the offensive. Laurie was Mr consistent at the back, turning everyone inside out, cool as ever. Normal substance and style from all the defenders! The midfield were heroes....they were run ragged. Unbeknown to them they were 2 men down (have I mentioned that?), Blake and Mark were outstanding and broke the play up brilliantly, Gary (who runs up mountains for fun) was visibly choked for a change (which I thought was odd at the time but I dismissed it). Jay was fantastic- up front, on the wing, getting back, you name it he was adding value.

Gary knocked another one in to make it 2-1. He was on good form and I was hoping he would get a Hat-trick, but it was not meant to be... But Mark stepped up to the plate...an unexpected long range effort from him made it 3-1 and we seemed to be cruising now. Whites were becoming a little bit defeated...There was a bit of bickering and banter about not passing to each other etc....they were getting frustrated. To make matters worse for them Blake slotted a neat goal in following some great passing and movement to make it 4-1!!

With about 15 minutes to go I need to hand it to the Whites for what would have been a true captains come back. A few tactical changes were made pushing Phil further up the field. It seemed to work as it got them back into the game. A close range effort from Phil...a near post shot, skimmed in past the keeper to make it 4-2! It really was twitchy bum time now, with 5 minutes to hold out, we were knackard and under the cosh, Yellows won a corner...Andy smashed a thunderous header in. Best headed goal I have seen for the plus 30's in a long time. (No doubt we will hear about this at next years end of season do!) 

The game ended 4-3. It had everything: a dubious back pass claim, hand ball in the box, arguments, goals and a post match controversy.

How did it all go wrong? I don't know...but I'm sure I speak for Andy when I say that as Captains on the night we both take responsibility for not ensuring the teams were even. Picking is difficult..... you are in the eye of a storm......considering different players, positions then chopping and changing your mind throughout the picking process. You shout out the board and then get on the pitch fr a warm up. I gathered all the yellows together and set them up. I imagine Andy did the same when setting his whites up. Ross should have worn a white shirt, but I cannot blame Ross. There must have been a miscommunication or misunderstanding, but nobody wants to play uneven sides. 

If we had lost the game, we would have had good grounds for a re-match, but as the yellows fielded an ineligible player and still lost, I believe the result still stands.

It's too difficult to name one man of the match as every player on my team played out of their socks!