So this week finally saw me and Gary play our first leg of the captains cup game due to Gary well and truly following the concussion protocol and me being a bone idle bastard.

Anyway onto the game were I was given first choice and opted for first pick meaning I would have a player less! I chose this week to go for Bren in goal due to his recent superb form and also because selfishly I didn't want to go in goal!

The teams were selected and although a man down I looked around and was fairly confident of the team we had. I chose a 2-3-1 formation and encouraged by Neil's pre match pep talk of "shoot from anywhere our Gary is shit in goal!" decided we'd try and put it on the yellows straight from the kick.  Well to say the game didn't go to plan from kick was an understatement, my team started slow and the yellows were clearly up for the game pressing high and causing us issues playing out from the back which was soon our undoing conceding a sloppy goal to James due a defensive mix up.

With Richie now abandoning all instruction to play on the right wing and now deciding he was going to play as a "static" target man we were getting totally over run in midfield, and the yellows deservedly got themselves a goal on the break through Jamie H!  This at last seemed to stir my team up with Neil and Richie having a slanging match of who's the shitest and lots of finger pointing. I decided to switch Nick to right midfield now and allow Richie to be a rule to himself up top and we started to get a bit more success as our midfield started to dictate play more and Blake was given license to roam from defence to midfield like a Prime Lothar Matthaus. 

We eventually unlocked the stubborn back 3 line of the yellows with an outstanding goal an excellent through ball by Gary Wong was finished first time by the now slightly mobile Richie as he warmed into the game. With the Whites now finding their stride I feel the team talk between the yellows was "take Stewy out!" As I found myself on the end a few mishaps with Hackett toe poking the ball at my swede from 5 yards which had me seeing stars, Gary and Cush deciding to make a Stewy sandwich between them and best but not least my shadow for the night Harvey delving into his inner Mr Miyagi and karate chopping me in the throat making me throw up :D

This didn't deter us however and we pushed for the deserved equaliser but where once again hit on the break and the yellows found themselves 3-1 up another accomplished finish by James! With the yellows with their backs against the wall and a few of the back 3 starting to feel the pace after valiantly keeping us at bay all night the outstanding Brian went in goal and Gary had come out to try and steady the ship. This seem to have an adverse affect as the whites seen this an opportunity to shoot on site at Fabian Barthez in goal. We pulled one back rapidly a big throw into the box by Richie was fumbled by Fabian and the ball fell to Gary Wong to poke in from a yard. 10 min left and game on! The pressure was relentless now and with Jamie H unfortunately feeling a pull (hope you're ok mate) the teams were now even. Somehow the yellows kept us at bay and also looked dangerous through James and Cush on the break. 

The first leg finished 3-2 to Gary a good game overall I thought well balanced and competitive throughout. A few contenders for MOM for me for the whites I thought Blake was great once we warmed up and for the yellows 2 of the old guard stood out in Harvey for man marking job on me and Brian at the back was solid always finding feet with his long balls and defensively assured with his cruyff turn in his own box the highlight of the night so for me he was tonight's MOM