Ground Change 27 June 2009

We are still the late game but we are now playing at Ellis Park #1 not Brockville.

2nd May Early Game at Forrester

Northern 4th A v Grants Braes 12:45 p.m. Forrester park 2

Lets get some pride in our work guys and (sorry Grants) take it out on these poor buggers. As Conrad said to me today, we have been bloody unlucky, and as I always say, you need to create luck, so lets bloody create some luck.

See you at training thursday night, and meeting 11:45 at the clubrooms, we’ll have to put the nets up and of course ref part of a game each.

Badgers 1 v Dunedin Technical 2

Bugger, and double bugger.

Boy we were crap at times and for parts of the game, you guys showed what you could do.

In the wind and bouncy pitch at Bayfield, we just never got the control that we wanted and two goals against the run of play really condemned us to this loss. It was such a bloody shame considering how much of the game we dominated, but you can’t go to sleep for 60mins of a 90min game and expect to scrape through a draw.

Our goal on the 71st minute by Nick Roach (on a roll mate) was a well worked piece of football, there was no suggestion it was off side, and if nothing else it showed the power of passing the ball around, we looked bloody good.

But in the end we just couldn’t finish it, and although if the game went for another 5 mins we would have had it, there was just no getting through these guys.

Man of the match again was Kris Hiltrop for another stirling performance in the midfield, one guy who showed us how not to give up. Cheers mate a great effort, well deserved.

Badgers 2 v Rosslyn Waikari Black 0

Another beautiful day for football (enjoying this while it lasts), this time up at Forrester Park for the first time, and also the first time in Tangerine Dream change strip.

Our first game controlling the whistle, and the first game with all but 1 of the full squad, so there were 18 of us there, this is a nightmare. But the boys handled all of the subs changes a treat, even if Pierre was accidentally subbed off in the second half having been on the field for only 3 mins.

Rodney (why are we surprised) again got on the score sheet after only 10mins, and to tell the truth, that was the closest they came all day. There was a moment in the first half where Nick Roach disallowed a goal stating that it didn’t cross the line, we were furious but if Nick didn’t see it, he can’t call it and Rosslyn’s good luck. They had a pretty predictable attack, but we weren’t at our best, we have a long way to go yet, not that there weren’t opportunities this game, that is pleasing.

Nick Roach got a somewhat contentious second goal 76mins into the game. The ball looked like it was crawling over the line for a goal kick and their defender made a poor effort to shield it, Conrad did a stunning job stealing the ball off the line and passing it to an OPEN (like my team speech before the game) Nick Roach who only had to tap it forcefully in past the keeper. They were furious claiming the ball was out etc, but to tell the truth you would have to be thick to think it was out.

Leon who was previously a Badger was awesome in their defence, but it was very nice to have Darren back for us, gives the rest of the boys the confidence to play their games. Nice also to have Coxy back for us, I hope some of you get ski passes soon though, 18 on the scene again this week coming.

All in all a deserved good win, should have had more goals, but 3 points in the bag.

Badgers 3 – 4 Caversham Smegs

Argh,

first game of the season, and this really was our pre-season game. Considering we haven’t been training as a squad for more than 2 sessions, it was bloody pleasing to see how well we went.

Of the potential 22 guys to turn up, thankfully some were away and I have a nice round 14 guys there, very manageable.

The game got off to a hiss and a roar, with them scoring off more or less their first attack, after we had been on attack several times and controlling the game nicely.

Thankfully that didn’t seem to phase the boys and through the skill and doggedness of Conrad we were back on the board within 5 mins.

They are a pretty stable and classy outfit, but still play Cloughy direct football, did they use their wingers once? With our patched up but hard working defence having to turn and chase the high through balls all day, it was amazing that they didn’t break down in that heat.

Anyway Conrad equalised, then they scored, then Conrad equalised and incredibly within 30mins Conrad had his hat-trick!!! Some class and determination in the box meant he was troubling them all day.

Unfortunately a 3-2 lead at half time couldn’t be held and we let one in pretty early in the second half and again to go down 3-4.

All in all a good training run, shame we lost comp points, but with key players returning, the Badgers 2009 is going to be a team to be taken seriously this year.

No Training tonight – 9 April Grounds closed.

Also don’t forget no games this Easter.

See you next week.

New Season 2009

Hey All!!!

Despite the best efforts of people to flood us with new players, Ian has done a fantastic job at keeping the core of the team together with the addition of some fantastic new faces and guys who have been away for a couple of years.

Welcome back guys to another season of Football with the Mighty Badgers.

Game 1 vs Caversham Smegs, which as you guys know is always a tough and honest encounter.

Today’s game will be in Honour of the Club Patron Ron Little who passed away last week. Ron was a classic guy who made the effort to get to as many games as possible, the boys will all remember him in his gumboots in the mud and rain of forrester. Well miss you mate, it was always a pleasure to play in front of the club patron.

So after the minute’s silence game on. Enjoy it guys.

Match Report to follow.

Badgers 1- Green Island 1

Up at Forrester, against a very well organised and bloody uncompromising team in Green Island who are sitting second on the table the boys played possibly the best 90mins of football I’ve seen from a badger in a couple of years.

We took the lead mid way through the first half, on merit too it must be said. We went into the break 1-0 up and dominated that first half. Unfortunately they came back 1min into the second half to level the game. After that it was normal transmission resumed.

The back line was totally dominant, so it was a real shame that they managed to score in that nasty period at half time.

The midfield were competing, against, lets face it tough older buggers who don’t know how to pull out of a tackle, and the strikers were doing their part by playing defensively from their own half, that is putting pressure on their defenders. This gives the midfield time to get into position or come and help out, which of course draws them back. So they were setting up attacks from deep in their half instead of midfield every time.

Man of the Match was Darryl for his command of the defence, which to be fair to the boys was great. On the day I gave 1 point to everyone else, but in review, it’s only fair that Caleb got the 2nd point. You are having a very strong second half of the season, well done mate.

Everyone else a point, it was well worth it, and as I said possibly the best Bagders display in a couple of years.

Badgers 2 – Dunedin Tech 5

Ouch!!!

Our bogey team dealt to us big time. They took the lead, were 3-0 up before we scored. There was literally just 10 mins of madness where they scored 3 goals without us possibly even touching the ball.

If there was any consolation, the rest of the game was 2-2 and we did dominate the second half and should have scored a couple more.

Enough said, except to say that second half was a lot better.

Football Funnies…

One of the great football commentators has just hung up his international microphone. John Motson whom has been calling football for a very long time, and there are very few with his skill and personality. Crikey he’s even been working the trade the year I was born.

Here’s some of his classic quotes.

Assisting viewers without colour TVs

For those of you watching in black and white, Tottenham Hotspur are playing in yellow (1978).

On the excitement of the game

It’s like they [the Brazilians] are running around the pitch playing with themselves (1986).

After Wimbledon defeated Liverpool in the FA Cup Final

The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club! (1988).

On his attention to detail

None of the players are wearing earrings. Jakob Kjeldberg, with contact lenses, is the closest we can get (1994).

On Greece’s success in Euro 2004

This is the biggest thing that’s happened in Athens since Homer put down his pen (2004).

One classic though is this, where Moston seemingly doesn’t like the two strikers who were substituted and uses a rather rude word.

Classic

On classic football clips, I love this one “no wonder he’s in the fucking reserves”…