Damp Squib!

We won the St. James trophy, our first trophy in yonks, but we didn't win it with style. People might say I'm never satisfied, but yesterday against amateur league opposition, we were sluggish to say the least. We played better on the Saturday against Port Talbot and we were content to let them set the pace and try to hit them on the break. We were one up in the first half by a wonder goal as Cush unleashed a thunderous shot from 25 yards which left the Port Talbot keeper clutching at air. Thereafter we were content to soak up pressure and for the most part this worked. The referee had a stinker, I reckon he booked 8 of our boys throughout the match, but the real clanger came just about halftime. Elvis, who was having a good game, beat his marker and was thrown to the ground in a rugby tackle, a stonewall penalty but the referee ignored these claims and waved play on.

The St. James team share their ground with a rugby team and we drove up and down by it about 3 times before asking directions to the ground only to be told we were there. We foolishly were looking for a sign that said either Iveagh Grounds or St. James Gate football club, not rugby club, we were so glad we done a dry run for on the evening of the match (18-45 on Saturday), there was no-one on the gate to ask, but we got there in the end.

2nd half
I was making excuses for the referee saying he probably thought it was rugby match and Elvis had been floored by a typical legitimate tackle. Five minutes into the second half I realised he was blind as well as incompetent. Dwayne had picked up an injury and Stuart Addis had come on as a sub. Port Talbot got a free-kick I think and Stuarty caught this cleanly and he was body-charged by an opposition player. Obviously injured he threw the ball over the by-line and to the amazement of everybody there the referee gave a corner. He was able to continue after treatment, but was clearly limping and not 100% fit, but we had already our subbed our keeper and anyway we didn't have another one in the panel. Port Talbot proved that a sporting gesture was not in their remit by taking the corner instead of giving the ball back to the opposition, as usually happens on these occasions when a player is injured.

Spike made a lot of subs trying to give everybody a game and we had chances to wrap up the match but we frittered away those chances. Ally, who had come on as a sub should have done better with a pass by Elvis but he only could find the side-netting. We were hanging on for dear life and then the inevitable happened we conceded a goal, a scrappy affair that should have been cleared and then had to endure 7 minutes of added time. The final whistle came and it was to be penalties and first man to take one, Ally. He took it brilliantly and we off and running, Talbot made it 1-1, Tony Kane made it 2-1, Talbot scored again,2-2, but Stuarty almost got to it. Jamie D made it 3-2 and Talbot made it 3-3, Gavin made it 4-3 and Stuarty saved Talbot's next penalty and the stage was set for Captain Jenks and he didn't disappoint slamming the ball into the net for an unassailable 5-3 lead.

United had won, we were in the final and an unlikely hero was the limping Stuart Addis who may be out for quite a while and this left us with a goalkeeping crisis for the final. It was good result for the travelling fans about 50 or so I think, no doubt I'll be corrected if I got that wrong. Of the trialists, I thought Cush had a fair game, but Thompson showed few touches but a few people seemed to be of the opinion he was playing out of position. So he's no right midfielder and we got find a position for him or not sign him, I think. He'll have a tough task getting in to the centre midfield where Gavin and Jenks rule and we haven't found a reliable corner-kick taker yet, more work on the training ground needed.