Middle Park Football Club

Middle Park 3rds versus Leros 

After a good week of training, the 3rds gathered for the match with a tangible sense of purpose and a heightened level of will-to-win. The weather was perfect – sunny with a slight breeze, but the pitch was horrific. Not quite as bad as Cox-McKenzie, but not far off. How would the 3rds passing game hold up on this surface?

The game began with, we all agreed, the strongest 3rds lineup in memory. Concerns about the surface were soon put rest as the boys played some effective passing moves from back-to-front. Leros brought us back into focus with an early warning shot across our bows when their striker (the chubby one) finished strongly from the edge of the box. Thankfully the referee deferred to the linesman for once and blew for offside.

Unfortunately the warning was not heeded and Leros took the lead soon after from a similar move and finish by the same striker (the chubby one). He can move for a big fella – we’ll know for next time.

Midway through the first half, Leros had another goal disallowed. A free kick on the edge of the box was called as indirect by the ref, and their player fired the ball into the net without anyone else touching the ball. We were all grateful that Amrit recognised what was going on and deliberately dived over the ball and made sure he got nowhere near it!

Again the parkers didn’t learn from this reprieve. A free kick (indirect again) was conceded in almost the same position. This time Leros crossed the ball and scored with a header.

So, 2 nil down and playing reasonably well, the 3rds kept calm and knew we could come back. Robbo had a couple of good half-chances towards the end of the half. Mickey Sproston had a good chance at the far post after a good run, but was defeated by a combination of the pitch and their goaley.

Into the second half and the game was still fairly even. There was an early change with Gordon coming on at left back for Nik. Aware that this same substitution in our last game had heralded an already legendary comeback, the parkers took heart. It wouldn’t be a proper match if Sugar avoided injury and sure enough, his back gave out on him after some good tracking back into defence. It looked like a stretcher would be needed, but a wee spray of water and a couple of shoulders to lean on were all that was required. Mark Stone came on to make his 3rds debut for the season in the middle of the park.

Another player with a 1sts pedigree, Dave McDowell came on for Matt Wicken, pushing Robin into the midfield with D-Mac slotting into defence beside the sprightly Reuben. Sadly, a third goal arrived for Leros soon after. The defence played some nice passes around the back line but the ball somehow ended up at the feet of a Leros player who finished calmly.

3 nil down and not playing badly, the parkers regrouped again. It was time to bring out The Weapon. Andy slotted into midfield in place of Robin and added some good movement and composure. It was starting to become one of those days. Shortly after we’d used up our last substitute, Colin took an accidental Glasgow Kiss from the Leros winger full on the chin. With buckets of claret flowing, Colin had to leave the field for treatment. Ten men and three at the back it was then.

In the closing stages of the game there was perhaps the greatest moment of controversy when Leros had a man sent off. The Hulk went in for a challenge with the offender and caught him with an elbow (only the one elbow, mind). The Leros player proceeded to launch a barrage of Anti-Irish abuse at Middle Park’s favourite Dane. You handled yourself well Kevin – I’d have taken his heid off.

Colin added to his burgeoning reputation with a return to the field for the last 5 minutes with a bandage on his chin and a steely glint in his eye. But, it wasn’t to be this time and the game finished as a 3-0 defeat.

Performance of the day was saved until after the game with Andy’s Carlton Draught fuelled individually tailored bollockings. Great stuff – should be a feature of every post match discussion.