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Hachioji Park, Saturday 21st April, Something like 20 shots at goal and only one hit the back of the net. It was nail-biting stuff. Horribly, horribly nerve-wracking but Pink Neil's winner, which came with barely 10 minutes left, was worth the wait.
Paraguayan Tank Carlos belted a shot from fully 30 metres which smashed against the bar, the rebounding almost knocking Neil over. Fortunately the Little Pink One managed to get the ball under control and then curled an outrageous right-foot shot into the top corner.
Never mind relieving the pressure. We were almost at panic stations. Three points were absolutely crucial against Jetro, who failed to register a shot on goal but certainly played better than a team languishing at the bottom of TML One.
One point from the remaining games against Sala and the Kanto Celts will do it but there was a distinct lack of celebration following game. The Swiss Kickers still have a mathematical chance and have shattered BFC's title hopes on the last day of the season in the past.
Chicken remains a banned dish although I thought I heard distant clucking as I left Hachioji Park.
How BFC failed to score five or six will remain a mystery. Shosuke, driving home afterwards almost wrapped his car around a lamp-post apologising for the quality of his final ball.
One a different note, the poor boy received no protection from the referee yet again but thankfully survived any serious bruising or swelling and should be fit for Sala, who also like to kick him around like a beachball.
When BFC did break through in the first half, Alastair Himmer blasted high while captain Jon Day curled a right-foot shot against the post. Another pile-driver from Carlos was somehow kept out and Pink Neil's reverse cross was just too high for the strikers lining up for an point-blank header.
The less said about the final pass the better. Suffice to say BFC were making life difficult for themselves.
Morson's return from maternity leave was a huge boost while Leigh Manson had arguably his best game of the season in a solid defensive display from BFC, albeit against a side with as much ambition as guppy fish on valium.
Quite why Jetro were continually time-wasting at 0-0 when they are going down to TML Two was beyond the realms of surreal.
Ivo, meanwhile, had a solid debut in midfield for BFC while Vags pair Maz and Alex brought the energy that was so lacking in last week's cup defeat by Geckoes. Newly wedded and tattooed-up, Day was all motion in the second half while Neil was already threatening before scoring the winner.
Injuries to key players and suspensions will mean BFC are not at full strength for their remaining games but if the likes of Ivo and Maz can step up, BFC should be able to secure the point they need to wrap up the title.
Having read with amusement the Mourinho (read: Frank Spencer) mind games in rivals' match reports in recent weeks, the bottom line remains the same. We're not as daft as we might look and we know it ain't over until it's over!
The Swiss have an annoying habit of late, late comebacks so we move on to the next game in the same determined frame of mind. Bring on Sala.
Report by Al Himmer
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