Classics v Aldergrove
James Hill
15th. Oct. 2017

Conditions: Sunny and warm

Players on duty: Jason Clegg, Jimmy Butler, Alan Massender, Larry Thorlakson, Gordie Macklin, David Breen, Gene Crowley, Daryl Lawrie, Chuck McGill, Jody Nelson, Chris Arcari, Lorenzo Arcari, Jim Eden, Warren Crowley, Pat O'Krane, Willie Dixon.
Coaches on duty: Brian Griffiths & Daryl Lawrie

Classics stroll to victory........
The first real attack from the Classics came in the third minute when Gene Crowley centred for Pat O'Krane but his header was power puff. Jody Nelson started off a good move in the eighth minute which resulted in a pass to Willie Dixon on the left. His centre was pounced on by Jimmy Butler who confidently stroked the ball home with the side of his foot. Two minutes later another attack from the left ended with a great cross from Gordie Macklin - again it was O'Krane on the receiving end but this time his header was too high. Butler had the ball in the net again a minute later but it was ruled out for offside. Nelson had a great chance to get in on the goalscoring after he was put through by Butler but his attempt was too tame. On the quarter hour Butler was in the action again after he chased an awkwardly bouncing ball and his attempted chip went straight into the keeper's arms. The 26th minute saw Macklin cut in from the left and shoot but the ball went across the face of the goal for a dead ball.

Lorenzo Arcari had two attempts on goal in quick succession; his first was a shot over the bar but his second was goalworthy and brought a good punching save from the visiting keeper. A bit of magic from Macklin put the Classics further ahead after he beat two defenders on the right and chipped a perfectly positioned shot from his left foot into the far top corner of the goal; it was an emphatic finish. With 10 minutes of the half remaining Dixon picked up a rebound from O'Krane and should have made it 3-0 but his effort was played directly into the keeper's hands. Chuck McGill won the ball in the 38th minute and threaded it through for Nelson who dispatched the ball home on his one-on-one with the keeper; Nelson recorded his first goal for the club. O'Krane sliced another shot wide with five minutes of the half remaining. It was constant attacking pressure from the Classics now and the woodwork was taking a pasting. Aldergrove needed to thank their goalie for keeping the score down.

The Classics continued the second half as they finished the first. Within two minutes of the restart it was 4-0. The initial shot came from O'Krane and it was equalled by the save as the keeper pushed the shot away. The rebound fell to Warren Crowley who pounced on it and unleashed a high shot into the nearside net while the hapless keeper was stranded on the floor, trying to regain his feet after his initial save. The referee gave a strange decision after 70 minutes when Butler went poaching down the right wing. He cut the ball back for Nelson to fire home and as he did so the referee blew for offside - it was a travesty of justice as well as an unexplainable decision. Jim Eden was next to show some pace as he sped into the box at a ferocious pace. He did all the right things until it came to his shot. As we all know, Jimmy has a left foot and the other is just known as his swinger! However, in this instance his leftie let him down terribly and after his botched attempt he was left on his knees with his head in his hands and touching the ground. His colleagues couldn't decide whether he was praying to God or Allah but we finally worked out that it was just a case of extreme embarrassment!

McGill was put through by Nelson for another one-on-one with the overworked keeper but his effort was as weak as water; he was probably blinded as he was wearing new bright yellow boots and the sun was out - that was his excuse for missing the sitter anyway! The management can't understand why their players keep buying pansy boots! Minutes later an Alan Massender shot was again pushed back into play by the keepers alertness and this time it was Butler who was on the spot to blast home. With just five minutes remaining, Larry Thorlakson got in on the act as he pick-pocketed his way into the box, only to be pushed over. The referee pointed to the spot and the Icelander was elected to take the kick. The crowd were singing the Viking war chant as he strode up to take the penalty and even that didn't put Thorlakson off and he stroked home confidently to finish the scoring for the day. David Breen should have made it seven when it was his turn to put through but he just tapped the ball into the keepers arms - he was unaccustomed to the attacking role and thought he was still defending so he made a back-pass.

Final Score: Classics 6 Aldergrove 0 (3-0)

Stats
MWG: Jimmy Butler
Crap Award: Chuck McGill