Sunday 21 January 2007

Champions Elect

21st January 2007

Starting the day 3 points behind the leaders Ladywood in the Kickstart Sunday League with 3 games to go, we knew we'd have to keep the pressure on the top 2 by beating FC Phoenix today. Shouldn't be too much of a problem, there not scoring goals, they occupy 7th in the table and we beat them 3-0 last time. Our lads do have a reputation for throwing away these sorts of opportunites though. Got to the ground at 1pm for the 1:30 kick off and was greeted with great news that 2nd place Ripley Town, 2 points ahead of us, had lost to Ilkeston Tigers (6th) for their first taste of defeat of the season. Today we could make progress for sure with a win. The 12:30 kick off was Ladywood (1st) v Quarrydale Green (8th) so we managed to catch the last 15 minutes of that. Surprisingly, it was 1-1 when we went to watch it and 5 minutes from time Greens scored what was certainly one of the most celebrated goals of the season, with all our parents around the pitch too! We now lay 3 points off the top, level goal difference with a game in hand. We had to take advantage!!

A strong team was name and we went 1-0 up in 5 minutes when Jordan Hill put the finish on a good move. Phoenix didn't look strong at all and offered very little in terms of attacking play but we didn't test them enough and went in at half time only 1 up. The focus was to push for more goals to put the goal difference in our favour but with an eye on defence. A similar half saw Jordan score one more in a more than comfortable 2-0 win. The table is now as follows, with 2 games to go:

1. Welbeck Pl 16 Pt 37 (Top by 2 goals)
2. Ladywood Pl 16 Pt 37
3. Ripley Pl 16 Pt 36

Its gonna be a very close and tense finish, but we have to be favourites as Ladywood and Ripley play in the final game of the season! We need all 6 points from the last two against Ilkeston (6th) and Huthwaite (4th).

After the match we celebrated with a drink in the pub across from the ground with the parents. Then I went to pick Emma up from her mum's. I normally have dinner straight from getting in from football but I'd had a burger before the game so wasn't too hungry. Got home to see Man United were beating Arsenal 1-0. Damn :( Then I forgot about that match and watched a bit of TV before remembering about it again and checking it to see Arsenal had equalised late on. I thought it was full time with it being almost 6pm but then the screen refreshed and Arsenal had scored an injury time winner! Get in! Now Liverpool are 11 off the top when just before christmas we were 16! If we keep this up we'll be there or there abouts come May! What a weekend!

Last night I'd got a text off James to see if I wanted to go for a drink for his birthday. I said I may come out for 1 or 2, borrowed a tenner off Emma and said I'd be back about 9pm. Arranged to meet James and Stu at the Wheatsheaf in town at 7pm, so had a shower and had some dinner first. I got to the Sheaf about 5 to 7 but couldn't see anyone so didn't fancy going in alone! Just as I was about to text James, he text me saying he would be late. Hope he wouldn't be too late. Mansfield town centre is not the sort of place I wanna be standing around in alone! He wasn't that much later and just as we went in the pub, Stu arrived. Had a drink and some banter at the Mancs and Chavs inside before heading off up the road to the Chicago Rock. Was a bit dead inside but thats ideal cos I hate it getting too full. Was ID'd for the second time of the night as I got the drinks in. I used to be annoyed by being asked but now it's cool! I look young still! Long may it continue!

Between the 3 of us, we spent about £20 and got nothing in return on the Video Games machine before making our way back into town again. Had a quick drink in the Widow Frost where we bumped into a load of students from college. They were surprised to see us in a pub, like we should be perma-attached to our PC's or something! Jeez I hate my job at times. A drink in Martha's vineyard and then Bar 19 was then followed by a bizzarre end to the evening.

I didn't get home till 1:45am. Emma wasn't impressed and her mum was there as well. Shit! Also, my mum was phoning round the hospitals looking to see if I'd been checked in. She knew I was driving but I wasn't drinking so I was safe. Also I broke my phone in the process of the night but I managed to rescue my sim card before realising all my numbers were on my phone. Oh no! Worse still, work starts in less than 7 hours :(

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