Normal service is resumed......
It was a welcome return to the Classics' former home at Denny Ross after their recent exile at Noel Booth due to field repairs at the Ross. The game marked the debuts of Judd Boxtart and David Breen; goalkeeper Boxtart was recruited to replace Dean Herbert who was forced to retire from the game after his horrific injury in the last game of last season. It was a successful return too as the Classics took an early lead. It came in the fourth minute in the first basic attack. The ball moved with rapid speed from Pat O'Krane to Pat Rohla to Larry Thorlakson, who pumped the ball over directly onto the head of Chris Arcari who competently obliged by nodding the ball past the keeper to open the seasons goal tally for the Classics. A minute later it was C. Arcari again with a long range effort which went well wide. A good centre from Rohla in the seventh minute was headed well over by Alan Massender. Massender made an impressive run down the left wing in the 10th. minute and he centred the ball to Gordie Macklin who was just beaten to the ball by a good sliding tackle from a United defender and the ball went for a corner.

A defensive error in the 12th. minute resulted in the ball being passed directly to Macklin who passed the ball to O'Krane who slammed the ball into the back of the net for goal number two. A mass line change occurred in the 20th. minute when the whole of the midfield was replaced. In the next major attack in ther 26th. minute Robbie Keam threaded the ball through to Daryl Lawrie who took the ball to the dead ball line before pulling back a perfect pass into the path of O'Krane who again beat the visiting keeper with a low strike to his left to put the Classics 3-0 to the good at the half.

In the second half Gene Crowley played for the opposition due to an injury to one of their players. Massender headed a delightful goal which was witnessed by all to put the Classics well in the driving seat. Dave Moore brought some hilarity to the procedings when he went wide on the right wing to receive a pass. He pushed the ball forward to Rohla who set off for the dead ball line but was stopped by the referee as the ball was out of play. Moore couldn't understand it he was only eight yards outside the field of play! The substitutes commented, "Would you have stopped when you hit the fence?" but Moore couldn't see the funny side of it. He did however receive the 'crap award' for his escapade, although it was totally unjustified. In the 56th. minute Danny Jensen threaded a neat ball through to Rohla who was lurking on the right wing. He swung a cross-cum-shot which totally eluded the keeper and dropped into the top far corner of the net. When asked in he meant it he replied, "Of course I did." In the 65th. minute Chuck McGill put O'Krane through for his hat-trick. With only the keeper to beat and just one yard off the line he messed about with the ball and ended up weakly passing it into the hands of the surprised keeper. Did someone remind him of the penalty for scoring a hat-trick or was he just rubbish?

The referee had obviously been watching a lot of telly over the summer break as he ordered a 'water break' in the 70th. minute. This has never occurred in a Classics game before. The only surprise was that no-one was wearing odd boots. If that would have occurred my money would have been on Rohla! Warren Crowley played for the opposition after the water break. When play resumed one of the United players was ordered to mark Pat. Confused he queried to one of the Classics players, "Which one is Pat?" to which the reply was given, "We have two Pats; one with hair and one with a Pat on the head!" Willie Dixon made a good run in the 77th. minute and centred for Macklin but he was tumbled over by W. Crowley but the referee refused to give the deserved penalty. With 10 minutes remaining an excellent corner from Jim Eden went over the whole defence and was returned into the danger area of the box. Massender hammered a goalworthy shot but it was scooped off the line by an impressive sliding save from G. Crowley. Thorlakson made another forage forward and put over a centre which Dixon just failed to connect with it as it went across the face of the goal.

David Breen was a competent debutant but new goalkeeper Judd Boxtart is still on trial. Poor Judd had one dead ball to kick out which he did competently but the remainder of his involvement was taking back passes and picking up rolling balls to distribute to defenders. He certainly looks the part and his trial will continue next week..... Special mention should be given to Alfie Deglan who made his 250th appearance for the club.

Stats
MWG: C. Arcari
250th. Appearance: A. Deglan
Crap Award: D. Moore