Game 12: Mount Pearl 3 CBS 0

August 10,2005 at 8:30pm

Wishingwell Field
Weather Conditions: 19c with south westerly winds 18km/h gusting to 39 km/hr
(Photo at right "Stretchin' to the Oldies")

Mount Pearl took to the field with a squad numbering 18 strong in pale comparison to CBS's squad of 14, including newcomer Bernie Hicks. Mount Pearl with the strong westerly wind to their backs came out strong & pressed throughout the full 1st half. Most of their chances were from outside the 18 yard box & the few in close chances were handled by Claude (Le Chat), including a nice diving save and thwarting Patty Brake on a breakaway. CBS had a couple of dandy chances with Steve Major's break-a-way. During the same play Steve was pining the keeper and tripping a defender, Neffi Dwyer collected the errant ball and launch a blast from the 6 yard line that NASA scientists are still tracking via satellite. (Update: the ball is expected to land at the Space Center in Florida this afternoon). Neff explained that although he missed we were awarded a corner kick on the play and as Uncle Cal would say, "another scoring opportunity". The first half ended in a Nil-Nil deadlock and morale was high on the bench as we prepared to go back out for the 2nd half & play with the wind in our sails. Team CBS had completed a classic text book example of defending.

The second half started with the referee's whistle. CBS gathered it's forces and marched into position, only to discovered we were short a full back. Jeff Haines took up the left outside defenders position as he was credited with the error. Play resumed and expectations swirled high in the windy August night, starting to sound a bit like Sleepy Hollow again. No one could
have predicted the series of unfortunate events which would unravel before us. CBS was still defensive minded but was slowly shaking off our rope-a-dope tactics. Then with 52 minutes gone, a seemingly harmless lob ball to the keeper turned our fortunes. Le Chat roared "YES YES", but Dennis thought he heard "NO NO" and headed the waist high ball over Le Chat's shoulder and into the corner of the net, 1 - 0 Mount Pearl Waterworks. Waterworks flowed more easy after the score which was recorded own goal, but to Denis' credited we did score it.

Waterworks continued the pressure and was rewarded 15 minutes later with a strike off the boot of Billy Reid to up the score 2 - 0. CBS finally came out off its defensive shell and pressed hard to get on the board. We were finally rewarded, Dr. Steve collected the ball in a wide open space inside the six and stroked our come back goal, but wait the scream which came from the goal line could not be mistaken. Ken Porter came out of no where, arms fraying and fists pumping and the ball ricocheted of his chest and cleared the goal post, no goal. Lady luck had once again turned a blind eye to us, (Gerard said Roz always looks at him that way). Denis Dober almost made up for his earlier "own goal" when he hit a beautiful volley from 38 yards that just sailed over the bar by a whisker. The final Mount Pearl marker came in the dieing moments of the match when Pat Brake was awarded a penalty kick after Gerard "Handball Kenny" was called inside the CBS penalty area. Claude "Le Chat" stopped the initial shot from Brake, but could not hold the rebound and nobody went to help clear the rebound. Gerard explained to Claude not to worry, nobody came to help him last game either. The whistle blew shortly later and CBS retreated to the dressing room dreaming of better fortunes to come.

All the same, it was a good game and the dressing room was alive with chatter, insults and good laughs. Again the field attendant had to ask us to close her down and kicked the stragglers out of the dressing room at 11:30pm, so it was not all bad.

Man of the Match went to the Doctor who ran miles while covering off both a striker position & a midfielder position at the same time. Kudos also should go to Bernie Hicks who played admirably in his first organized footballmatch of both this & last century.

To sum it up we ran out of legs in the second half & were beaten by a bigger bench.

Players who played included: Claude Fauvre, Gerard Kenny, Denis Dober, Steve Major, Jeff Haines, Shawn Tilley, Ken Porter, Todd Ryan, Shawn Paul, NeffiDwyer, Bernie Hicks, Craig Baker, Rick Squires.

Yellow cards: Brian Gosse