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Hachioji Park, Saturday 3rd November,
The two top of the table clashes that really mattered in football last weekend both ended in slightly controversial draws, though Arsenal and Man Utd probably had a marginally bigger crowd and Sala are probably only second until the rest of the league catches up on games played…Anyway, top of the table clash it was, but there wasn’t much quality on show to confirm it.
Asides from last season’s late 4v1 humping, Sala v BFC games tend to be ridiculously close and I can’t think of another game in living memory which has been decided by more than a single goal. This one was little different. Sala had the better of the first half, but BFC dominated the second with Sala retaining possession of the ball about as well as Britain did her empire.
At the end of the day, Sala were winning with about fifteen minutes to go and as any team would in that position, felt a little let down by the draw. BFC on the other hand probably felt robbed of a win, as they piled on the pressure after the equalizer and had a ‘Did it cross the line or didn’t it?’ moment after a tremendous free kick from Carlos Aranda.
Sala certainly started well, looking dangerous on the flanks and pumping the ageing BFC fullbacks for all they were worth.
The first real chance of the game fell to Dhugal, who hit the bar from the edge of the box after some suicidal play in the BFC defence. From then on, Sala sensed a goal in the offing and applied more pressure to the BFC backline who eventually cracked. They failed to clear a cross effectively and it went right through to Masa at the far post, whose cutback was boisterously rammed home by ginger minger Scotty Thomson.
Scott was being even more boisterously cheered on by his drunken countryman on the touchline who for some reason chose to target Jon, Al and most of all Jorge for a bit of abuse throughout the game. It was just like having Dougie Draper back running the line! And for anyone interested on a progress report, I can confirm that he made it right through until six-thirty am in Roppongi. Credit to the nation, that boy.
The second half was a quagmire of freekicks and potential litigation.
Shosuke was repeatedly clattered. Sala (rather boringly) complained. BFC complained back. Sala complained about the complaints. BFC complained that complaining about the complaints was uncalled for. Sala complained that complaining about the complaints was not uncalled for. Jorge lost the rag. BFC were awarded about 300 free kicks in a row on the edge of the Sala box, for as farfetched reasons as Clarkey heading the ball. Brookey was banished from the touchline. Ronald was used as a whore by several BFC players in the space of thirty seconds. Handball! was shouted forty-eight times.
Eventually BFC got a fairly deserved equalizer, Carlos slamming home from close range after breezy flap at a corner by Sid who was subsequently crippled by a Sala defender.
Carlos then unleashed a beastly strike from range that was wonderfully tipped onto the underside of the bar by Sid (or the stanchion depending on who you asked), but bounced on the right side of the line as far as Sala were concerned.
BFC piled on the pressure, but Sala relaxed a little toward the end and ended the match with a little pressure of their own.
Decent performance from Sala, let down by a strangely deflated second half effort, though credit must go to BFC for shaking off their weary crime fighting legs and getting right back into it.
There’s no denying that they are a top team with some excellent players (yes him!), and their record this season backs that up, but like any team they can be pressed and harried and cajoled into making mistakes.
It’s going to be tough at the top, me thinks.
For those interested, I tried the experiment mentioned in the BFC match report. Unfortunately, as I approached the car at speed I was strangely thrown from my bike well before contact. I recovered with a parachute tumble and a couple of rolls. I eventually got up and demanded of a passerby that the car be shown a yellow card.
He didn’t look impressed..
Report by Lethargio
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