This was the one I'd worked so hard to earn and the one I took greatest pride in being given and, if I'm honest, I've let myself down a little by my usual standards.
This game was between last Sunday's away team and last Tuesday's home team. Sunday's team were last season's league champions and are presently occupying top spot in the Premier Division with one game to play. Tuesday's team have missed out on promotion to the Premier Division because of a penalty imposed for an administrative error regarding player registration at the start of the season.
The game started at a good tempo and Andy had everything under control. The Sunday team scored a goal and the protests surrounded a claim that the ball had been played over the goal line before being cut back and shot into the goal. I didn't see it that way but Fat Lad tells me from the touchline it looked obvious (oh b*gg*r!). I didn't let this affect my concentration and even when the calls came for offside on their second goal, as far as I was concerned the ball had been played backwards to the goal scorer.
So half time and 2-0. I explained to Andy what I had seen and he admitted that if he had been on his own, he would have given the goal kick. I was still in full focus mode and the tension was only broken when one of the players stopped an upfield run to pick up a hedgehog which had strolled on to the player area. It had made it's first appearance during Andy's pre-match but we had been assured he wouldn't be back!
The game continued and Andy controlled it without even trying. The Sunday side added 3 more goals before the end. We had a double substitution near the end and I let myself down. I thought that one player had already left the field of play and let the first substitute join the game. I had concerns about some missing studs, but I didn't want to be seen to be "busy", although if I had been on my own, I wouldn't have let him play. I think this broke my concentration. The second substitution was ok.
The game ended soon afterwards and the match officials, losing side and winning side all received their mementos. At this point I was struggling not to be overcome by emotion as I wished my dad had been there to see the game and my involvement. A few of the lads kept telling me to smile but I was struggling not to break down. I'm still unsettled even now, 2 hours after the game finished. I told Andy, James and Fat Lad what my problem had been. Calories 1252 average 79% max 96%.
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