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Hachioji Park, Monday 14th January,
BFC launched the kitchen sink, the toaster, even the contents of the hoover bag at Saitama JETs on Monday yet somehow still failed to blow the door off its hinges. On another day this could have ended 8-0.
No disrespect. On the plus side, BFC played their socks off on Monday, producing one of their best performances of the season. If only the finishing had matched it.
BFC began with a few long-range 'heat checks' from Carlos Aranda and Gazza Robertson and it was quickly a case of one-way traffic, the JETs forced onto the back foot as the champions began to spray the ball around with some aplomb.
Taka was a revelation on the left, pinging in some teasing crosses, a welcome development that proved contagious as Shosuke Yamagishi followed suit.
One fizzing cross from Taka picked out Alastair Himmer, whose header flashed wide. A decent chance and it would have been a very pretty goal. It could also have opened the floodgates.
A carbon-copy move 10 minutes later should have resulted in a penalty kick as Himmer's heels were clipped. Had he gone to ground it might have been given but he stayed on his gold-shod feet and failed to make proper contact with his shot.
Referee Jorge was in a miserly mood, at least as far as BFC were concerned, and seemed more anxious to keep up a running dialogue with Carlos, producing a ludicrous yellow after Carlos had protested an equally nonsensical decision.
Profligate finishing, not bad officiating, was to blame for BFC dropping two more points but is there another referee in the TML who brings his ego, Graham Poll-like, onto the field? Jorge wants to be the star, even as referee. Which is annoying.
BFC skipper Day also went close after a spiffing flick-on from Shawn Kee, while Taka also tried his luck from range.
To be fair to BFC, there was very little room for them to operate, with the JETs sitting so deep. There was no space for Aranda to send Yamagishi scurrying free or Robertson to dink balls over the defence. The JETs decided to 'park the bus in front of the goal' and BFC failed even to smash a window, if truth be told.
The only way through was via the flanks and BFC peppered the penalty box, Day ghosting in at the back post to glance a header wide as the opener refused to come. Day also came close with a curling effort after a neat exchange with Evans but frustration was beginning to set in.
Defender Phil Lowes and James Morson, who had an absolute belter of a game, thought 'sod this for a game of doctors and nurses' and were spotted deep in enemy territory, Lowes at one point playing left wing (and giving the rest of the BFC squad kittens).
There was little to do for stand-in goalkeeper Orlando, although he got away with picking up a backpass, which could have been dangerous.
Brian 'The Engine' Doyle fired wide, Aranda smashed another long-range effort over and Robertson also blasted over the bar as BFC pushed for the breakthrough. Day then fired over from the edge of the box and Evans headed wide. You couldn't make this script up.
Late on, Himmer, deciding to play left-back for a change, launched a 50-yard ball into path of Yamagishi, who was bundled over as he prepared to pull the trigger, summing up the game for BFC really.
Fair play to the JETs, one of the nicest bunch of players in the TML, who battled hard and fairly for the point. How they find themselves so low in the table is a mystery as they have the quality to not only survive, but prosper.
This year's title appears to be the Hibs' to lose now. But you never know.
Report by Knackered Converse
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