OVERCOMING, ADAPTING AND DELIVERING.

GOLDEN CODGERS 17- EHL 15

Unfortunately (or maybe not....), the blogger is now in Italy to find some new talents and keep up to date with the new improvements of fooball tactics, so it is with a little bit of sadness tha I leave the report of Friday's match to Ravi who -apart from being an excellent and talented player- is also a poet and a endless lover of good football. I think nobody could have done it better!!!! Long Life to the Codgers!

The Codgers still stinging from their first defeat of the season and missing their emotional vocal leader, Luca, as well as their recent MVP, Michael and their catlike keeper, Erdal, took the pitch on Friday with some trepidation against the ELH lads. And upon arrival it appeared their ranks were even thinner. Matthew was nowhere to be found and only four Codgers found themselves together – Ravi, Amin, Will and Ahmet. After ten minutes of wrangling, the Codgers also took Fady and another lanky member of the opposition so that the game could get going. From the start, the game moved at a crisper pace though initially appeared to have the makings of a defensive showdown. Back and forth the ball flew, being redirected and cleared only to meet with the same fate on the other end. Will “Dusty” Spates started in net and charged out undaunted by the swinging legs to jar loose the ball on a number of occasions.

But soon enough the scoring got started, with Ravi making a few defenders miss and slotting home two quick scores, one of which nutmegged the keeper. But undaunted, the student squad equalized, and then went on top by three, led primarily by a new addition built like a fireplug who began hammering it home from all trajectories. Will abdicated the net at this point and Ahmet took over and the Codgers slowly stabilized buoyed considerably by the presence of Matthew who arrived late but keen to make his entrance felt. With a substitute in hand, the Codgers began to look spry and spritely, Methuselahs transformed by the fountain of youth. Amin made some slashing runs up the side and pounded in a couple of goals. Dusty Spates tallied for the second game in a row. Fady, hard to miss in neon green, put home his first goal on a through ball from Ravi, then replaced Ahmet in net, proving his worth by stopping nearly every ball in the air. Matthew came in to provide some much needed help in the back and Ahmet in his Man U jersey channeled Gary Neville with his blazing runs down the flank, feeding Amin and Ravi who began to look again like a well-oiled machine, slotting home goals in a variety of ways: half-volleys, side footed, off crosses and on individual runs. Our other student player proved to be a skillful presence in the midfield, controlling and distributing the ball with loping strides.

After a while, the Codgers took a comfortable lead, up by four goals with about ten minutes left. But as has happened in the past, a certain complacency set in and the students stormed back, scoring first one, then two, then three, then finally four goals in a row to equalize the game at 15 to 15! A real barn burner and the Codgers were sweating at this point, fearing the distant wrath of their fearless leader, ensconced no doubt at some Venetian trattorie with a plate of moscardini and a fine chianti. But on a ball played back lazily, Ravi pounced and taking the orb tantalizingly close to the end line, he pivoted to rip the roof of the net at an improbable angle for the game winner. A mere moments later, Amin put in the insurance tally, so cleanly banging it home that the rear post clanged resoundingly like a church bell ringing for vespers. The Codgers, even missing a core of players, were once again victorious! Final score: 17 to 15. Goals scored by Ravi (9 goals), Amin (6), Will (1), Fady (1)