WALKING FOOTBALL MATCH REPORT

 

Blacks 4

Shaun Palfrey, Ben Chick, Russell Young, Paul Randall, Keith Hooper (4), Chris King, Robin Boyd, Paul Rodgers, Dave Pople, Danny Ward

 

Blues 0

Tim Richens, Colin Batt, Clive Vaughan, Steve Henderson, Tim Horwood, Kev Attwood, Stuart Haskins, Andy Wright, Ben Attwood, Tim Youngberg

 

Ref: Rob Sheldon (Cheddar) 9.5/10

 

Yellows never turned up last night at walking football, and the Oranges were too smelly to join in so last nights games was the new teams blacks v blues! 

Although the Oranges were represented by referee Rob Sheldon, who was originally in his black club tracksuit top, but after half a dozen passes to him by the black team they insisted the “young Jack Taylor” put a bib on to avoid confusion! 

 

For the neutrals, (or Higgy, as we know him!) watching from the massive crowd, this was yet another cracking display of walking football, but unfortunately only from the black team, not the blues! 

 

It really was a night of triumph for "super” Keith Hooper as he scored all four goals, as well as having a stint in goal for his team and keeping a clean sheet!

 

Early on, no one could have predicted that this would be the outcome, as both teams attacked with gusto and neither team looked vulnerable defensively .

The blues, playing up the hill were playing very expansive football with Kev Attwood very much at the forefront of everything that was good, and Chris Underhill was rolling back the years to give a solid display at the back.

There were a few chances for the blue team but unfortunately, Steve Henderson had forgotten his shooting boots, which are normally so reliable! 

Also, in defence for the blues Tim Richens was having yet another solid game, with Colin Batt, in goal, very tough to beat.

 

However the black team, coming down the hill, were always a constant threat, with their line being led by Paul Randall, whose presence was enough to disturb the defence of the blue team, but also to create space for strike partner "super Hooper".

It was Hooper that opened the scoring with a hard hit shot past Batt into the net, giving him no chance but allowing him to berate his defenders for their laziness!

And Shaun Palfrey and Paul Rodgers were, once again superb in the Blacks midfield, driving their team forward to provide the ammunition for Randall and Hooper to fire, with great success!

 

Soon after it was the same combination of scorer and goalkeeper, this time the keeper having no excuse as he fumbled a soft Hooper shot into his own net, to everyone's amusement!

Both teams continued to attack, until the break, but defences were beating attacks on the day and no goals were added, despite chances  that had been created by the players on show!

 

In the second half the blues, now playing down the hill, had a new lease of life and were creating several more chances, especially through Tim Horwood, Kev Attwood and Stuart Haskins, who all set up a number of good opportunities, but they met resistance from a superb goalkeeping performance (what a surprise!) from Keith Hooper.

 

At this point Hooper decided to give the opposition forwards a chance, and come back outfield and soon after it became three nil, as his tame effort sneaked under the foot of the new goalkeeper (Andy Wright) and the right into the net, not to everyone's amusement this time but to everyone's amazement!

 

Despite a number of players coming into the game later on, the pattern did not change with the blue team looking effective and dangerous in attack, but meeting a fiercely resistant defence and solid keeper in Dave Pople.

At the same time the blacks relied very much on the counterattack, doing this very effectively, with Paul Randall to the fore, and it was inevitable that they would finished score yet more goals, but they only got only one, once again through Hooper, to make the final score 4-0, which was, in all honesty, somewhat flattering to the winners but, showed the difference between being ruthless and “over playing” (which the blues were sometimes guilty of on many occasions!)

 

At the end, the lights went out, and all the players acknowledged each other, in a sensible, but socially, and Covid 19 aware, way and then several of the players retired to the home of the sponsors, The Cider Barn, to enjoy a reminisce on the evenings events, and Bristol football “back in the day”, as well as generally “putting the world to right".

 

It was great to see more new faces and the group is still happy for additional people to join in and have fun and play football.

And the group would like to issue a reminder that every session is at 7:30 pm on a Tuesday night at Kings Leisure Centre on the Astro surface.

And for all new players the first two sessions are completely free of charge.

We hope to see you, if you are reading this report, you will be there very soon.