Another excellent turnout this week with a full complement of players and 4 standing down. Once Neil was done cursing Ross for not bringing the new picking board, Jonny and I got the picking underway.

We got out on the pitch and I was more than happy with the team in front of me. A solid back three of Harvey, Nick S and John. Harry as the CDM. Pace and creativity on the flanks with Nick E and Nathan. Tom up top and Dave in support.

The whites set up with Jay up top and everyone else in defence.

The whites kicked it off and were the first team to have a go at goal, a cross come shot from Paul S, which looped over my head David Seaman-esque but luckily hit the corner of the cross bar and bounced away. Another opportunity from the whites followed, with Paul S again but this time I was able to catch it (thanks to Neil for the choice in extra grippy goalkeeper gloves!)

That was the extent of the whites’ best opportunities and for the rest of the game it was mostly all yellows. With Jay up top on his own for the whites, we had the luxury of playing out from the back and building our attacks, which we did very well. A neat one-two between Nathan and Tom, put Nathan on a run towards goal only for his effort to be stopped by a superb block from Bren and out for a corner. Another chance came to John down the right, he thundered a shot which took a few minor deflections, brushed Bren’s fingertips, rattled the bar and out. 

The chances for the yellows kept coming, Tom, Dave and Nathan popping off shots left, right and center, but the hard battling whites were hanging on. Jonny playing the goalkeeper card early in the picking was coming back to bite me, everything we were sending goalwards Bren was getting something to.

As we entered the final quarter of the game the sustained pressure continued and we finally found our breakthrough with Nathan setting up Tom for a well worked goal. 1-0.

Our attacks continued. Dave had missed an earlier chance quite dramatically, pinging the top end of the very tall light behind the big fence, so it surely meant his next one was due to go in, and so it did, Nathan again the architect and Dave placed it into Bren’s nets.

With 5 minutes left to go and little to lose Jonny decided to throw caution to the wind and went all out attack, throwing his defenders up front. Though their attempts to get the ball forward were fruitless. Brian's lumped ball forward in particular ending up on the far side of the neighbouring pitch, leading to Jay's exasperated cry "WE DO NOT NEED THAT!"

After another shot from the whites going over the big fence (the 4th of the night), Nick S played a pinpoint ball over the top of the midfield for me to run onto, I switched it across to Nathan who guided it into the back of the net with a volley.

Final score 3-0.

The whites battled hard under the relentless pressure but I think 3-0 was a fair reflection of the game, and apart from the limpest throw-in you've ever seen from John, we were strong throughout.

MOM - Harry, for his tidy and intelligent work in midfield. Protected the back 3 when required and kept a cool head in the middle, enabling the rest of the team to take their opportunities going forward.

Lastly, congratulations again to Tom, who has finally received the league trophy and now begins his parade of the Wirral.