Can we kick it?

The barren lineless wastelands of Hatherop provided the setting for the Colts big game against free scoring and free conceding Reading City.
With two games left we knew that one win would bring promotion and two would see the mighty Colts crowned Champions.

Reading had been registering basketball scores in recent weeks. And last time out were edged out by the current leaders by a single goal, 4-3.

Our anticipation of a tight encounter looked slightly skewed as we went two goals up inside five minutes.

However, the rest of the half was a lot tighter. We went in at the break 3-2 up and making life unnecessarily hard for ourselves with some very scrappy football.

A Reading equaliser and then a fourth early in the second half was not what we expected or needed. Heavens! At 4-3 down and with a draw or defeat set to remove any chance of the title the two Gaffers were pacing up and down with increasingly furrowed brows.

There then followed what was possibly the goal of the season, which is quite an accolade when there are 81 other contenders to choose from. John Boy picked the ball up outside the box and came over all Ricky Villa, with a smattering of Pele in Escape to Victory. He danced around 7 players to get to the bye line and then towards goal from the angle. It was quite outstanding and was not matched by anything on Match of the Day last night or for as long as I can remember.

All that was missing was him taking his boot off George Best style before the dribble.

This superb goal sparked the rest of the boys to life and others started running at the mesmerised Reading defenders, inducing mild panic.
The game finished up 7-4 and promotion in the bag. Next week for the title which would be just reward for a quite excellent group of boys.

W 7-4

Adam 3, John Boy 2, Aryan 1, Jacob 1

Weather: Windy