Interport, March 14
Over 35s 2 v KRAC 1
As was the case before last year’s match against the KRAC, when the Machine malfunctioned horribly on the gravel pitch in Kobe, there was pressure on the Over 35s going into this clash against the old enemy.
YC&AC had won the darts on the Friday night, and though we then lost in the badminton and drew in the hockey early on the Saturday, we pushed ahead in the afternoon’s football, with big wins secured by both Firsts and Seconds.
The score was thus W3-D1-L1 as the Silver Machine revved up at the Paul Blamire Shed End. With the rugby having been cancelled, we knew that a draw would be enough to secure for the Club the Interport, that a win would complete a hat trick of YC&AC football victories, but that a defeat would heap huge pressure on the YC&AC snooker team in the final match of the tournament. The rules of the Interport state that the competition holders (KRAC) retain their title if honours are even at the close of play.
We rolled up our sleeves…
Peeeep!
… and made no mistake this time.
Thunk! The famous old Over 35s Interport Champions Challice is reintroduced to its natural environment.
It was the niggliest of niggly games this one, the Over 35s not without guilt in contributing to the sometimes “professional” nature of the contest. And that’s all I’m going to say about that aspect of the match. I’m going to restrict myself here to an account of the goals so as not to land myself in trouble with the authorities. And besides, we’re all friends again now, aren’t we. Eh?
The first of our goals came from me in the second quarter—a side-footed effort hit back across the keeper at the PBSE from about six yards as the ball span across from a corner. Well placed I thought, but without much power, and though the ball clearly crossed the line, that didn’t stop a certain KRAC individual from loudly protesting otherwise, a cynical act which made me very angry indeed.
Our second is surely a shoo-in for goal of the season. Third quarter (?), and a clearance from defense by the KRAC dropped from a great height in the vicinity of Gordon Deas about thirty yards out, central, at the Swimming Pool End. Gordon waited coolly for the ball to drop before shaping to unleash an audibly superb volley that arced like a cannonball over the outrushing defenders, over the outstretched fingers of the excellent KRAC keeper and just under the crossbar. BOOM! 2-0.
The KRAC pulled a goal back in the fourth quarter when Trevor Burton-Towell in goal mis-palmed a wicked cut-back cross from the right into our own net. 2-1. Squeaky bum time.
The tension which had slowly built throughout the match was reaching a nadir in the closing stages when the Unutterable, an excellent player when he stopped talking, collected the ball at the SPE about twenty yards out and embarked on a jinking run into a dead end on the edge of the six-yard box. Simon Warburton trotted across calmly to cover and DOWN went the KRAC man like a sack of coconuts.
No… NO!
THE REF’S ONLY GONE AND GIVEN IT!
There must have been a minute left on the clock when the Unutterable shuffled up to take the PK. Weighed down by a guilty conscience perhaps, his effort was a laughably poor one, and diving to his right Big Trevor comfortably turned away the shot, thereby securing for the Over 35s a richly deserved victory, our first against the KRAC at this level since 2001.
1988 Kobe DRAW 1-1
1991 Yokohama YCAC 3-1
1992 Kobe KRAC 2-1
1993 Yokohama YCAC 6-0
1994 Kobe KRAC 4-2
1995 Yokohama KRAC 7-2
1996 Kobe DRAW 0-0
1997 Yokohama KRAC 3-2
1998 Kobe KRAC 3-1
1999 Yokohama YCAC 2-1
2000 Kobe YCAC 4-0
2001 Yokohama YCAC 2-1
2002 Kobe KRAC 6-2
2003 Yokohama KRAC 1-3
2004 Kobe DRAW 2-2
2005 Yokohama DRAW 1-1
2006 Kobe KRAC 3-0
2007 Yokohama KRAC 3-0
2008 Kobe KRAC 5-2
2009 Yokohama YCAC 2-1
It must go on record that it is highly unlikely the Interport would have been held this year had it not been for our new pitch. There were great pools of standing water on the grass that still surrounds the artificial turf even when we turned out, in warm spring sunshine, in the middle of the afternoon.
Let us pause for a moment to reflect upon watery pitches past.
Big thanks are owed to our opposition as well for helping to make sure this relatively new fixture in the Interport schedule went ahead once again. The KRAC is struggling for members at the present time, and great credit is due to the likes of the aforementioned Unutterable who played two or more field sports for their Club on the day.
After the match a good number of the Over 35s headed up to the Snooker Room to watch the YC&AC secure yet another victory and complete a 5-1-1 thrashing of Kobe overall.
We then headed downstairs for a good buffet dinner and the presentation of the prizes.
A superb local taiko band entertained the diners. One of the best I’ve seen in twenty years. Catch them next time if you can.
Post-prandial posturing: From left, Gordon Deas, Donkey, Supreme Administrator Alan Plater, Alex Hendy, Captain Sada, One Kevin Carden, Russell Brown
By Alex Hendy
Goals: Alex Hendy, Gordon Deas
Man of the Match: Trevor Burton-Towell
Referees: Out of their depth
Cards: Several
Attendance: Steve Taw, Anthony Savage, Steve McKie… Numerous other good men of the YC&AC football fraternity and friends.
