All for Charity

25th January 2007

Woke up today a little later than usual so had a rush around getting ready for work but still had time to get my football gear together ready for the staff v student charity football match I had been asked to play in yesterday. Couldn't find my shinpads so hoped it wasn't a rough match, if it was I would just goal hang!

A normal Thursday morning ensued, not a lot happening before I went to get changed at 12pm. It turned out most of the staff had dropped out as it was very cold outside so we only had 6 staff against about 13 students! We managed to borrow a student to go in our goal but it still looked as though we were in for a drubbing as we were coming up against a Sport's class but the few staff that was there was well up for it.

Straight from kick off I made a run down the left wing after receiving a ball from Cat Lawson, who plays for Forest ladies and has represented England ladies! I could've passed early inside but chose to run at the full back, cutting outside and back in before crossing a sweet ball for Richard Buckingham - Sport tutor - to nod home for 1-0. Soon after Gordon Faye made a run down the same left wing, using me as a decoy to pull the defenders apart before he tucked the ball home for 2-0. This was pretty much how the first half went, staff dominating and scoring with most chances. The one chance that was missed was one of the easiest of the day. I burst through the centre of midfield beating 2 or 3 players and found myself being forced wide but baring down on the keeper. I could've slotted it in but cut the ball accorss the goal where James Winning, another sports tutor controlled it and backheeled it from 4 yards out with an empty net but somehow managed to hit the post.

At half time we were leading about 4-0 and I was knackered! In the second half I decided to take a more forward role as I couldn't be doing with any more running, I'm so unfit!! Another couple of students from a different group had got changed and asked to play, we had no problem with that but what I couldn't understand was although we had 7 v 13 so were in fact 6 men down, we were 4-0 up and looking very comfortable so why they joined our team was a mystery. One of them was a real ballgreedy twat as well, which wasn't good as James Winning was the same. Therefore I saw very little of the ball in the second half. I made some great runs and would've easily had 4 or 5 had I just been played through but they kept shooting from distance. I did manage to get one as I was played through by Gordon at the edge of the box, back to goal, I truned and ran, drawing the keeper out before knocking it past him.

That was my only shot of the second half which was very frustrating. In the end we won 9-0 and it was a good game and a good laugh, and also showed me just how unfit I was! I hated the end as all the talk was about Winning's 25 yard goal that arrowed into the top corner. It was a good goal and had it been the only attempt on goal he'd had it would've been something special but he'd tried it about 10 times during the match so he was always gonna pull it off once. I was tempted to join the students for the last 5 minutes, mission being to take the greedy sod out!

All in all, it was for charity and it was a good laugh, we'll deffo have to do it again soon!