Sunday 3rd February 2008
After the excitement of the previous weekend’s outing the merry MIB welcomed a somewhat unknown commodity in the guise of South Woodham Ferrers. SWF came sporting some fair results against our normal rivals and we looked forward to a test of our wares.
Playing on the top back pitch, for the second week running Chingford find themselves face on to a fairly stiff breeze and the wrong side of the incline. A fairly scrappy start would indicate how the game may pan out and true enough it was somewhat less than a spectacle. SWF had the best of it in the first half and but for some stout try line tackles may have found themselves defending a reasonable lead at the turn. Bleachy’s up for it, Fuller’s on the prowl but in general terms the forwards were found wanting. The scrummaging was fair but the loose play and rucking and mauling were of the U13 pat-a-cake variety. More like the Men In Pink. For goodness sake even the “Oh at least they’re trying their best” MIB matriarchs could see it. If you see the ball leave it alone, drive over it and let somebody else pick it up or alternatively pick it up, get knocked on your backside, turn the ball over and risk the wrath of a Gazey tongue lashing. Useless. The backs escape much criticism this week as the fat boys never got them the ball. Frustration sees the turn scoreless.
Bolstered by the wind and the fact that they hadn’t conceded in the first half see the boys establish good momentum from the kick. It has to be pointed out that the wind was not used to any particular advantage something that will be addressed one would presume. Ten minutes in sees Dale hit the line and with a wiggle and waggle goes over. Good try my son. Mini Gaze just misses the two 5-0. A massive dose of arrogance, lethargy and sloppiness ensues in Heath Ledger proportions. Big Bill Bentley continues with his verdant fetish as he spends much of the second half in dialogue with the referee. Offside? He was positively goal hanging. Don’t feel lonely Will, the rest of the heavies were as much to blame in giving away needless penalties. Suffice to say the SWF full back bags a loose ball in the middle of the MIB and with comparative ease lopes through untouched from the twenty-two. It’s a good job the SWF kicker was striking the ball the way JJ drives in golf. 5-5. Despite this fairly bleak portrayal it actually was not a bad match to watch and in the end a fair result prevailed. 5-5.
Shane looked good on the burst, Fuller made some ground but back to his marauding best and who without the MIB would have lost this game Dan Bleach is the MIB MOM.
A couple of points of interest.
South Woodham Ferrers. Many street names within the south western part of the town, developed as part of the second wave of building in the 1980s, are taken from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, with names such as Gandalf's Ride, Gimli Watch, Rivendell Vale, Celeborn Street, Hobbiton Hill and Arwen Drive. My word. If they were hobbits can you imagine the size of their giants? Government concerns over the lack of fluorination of water should not concern the local water authority of south east Essex it’s the amount of Baby Bio they are adding.
Mark Fuller did not manage to get his car towed away.