Breezy

The world gets hurricane Ophelia.

Britain, feeling snubbed perhaps, manages expectation by attempting to coexist with those truly effected by the weather. How so Gaffer? By strangely concocting their own “ex-hurricane”. A bright spark has named it Brian”?

Easy but oh so very hard it seems.

First a flurry of sandbag sales in Kerry, Ireland. Next, water is found spilling down the walls of a dam at the “Wet Sleddale Reservoir”? Next you see a commotion in the local supermarket, a throng crane over newspaper stands faffing over which narrative they choose to align themselves with. There being but two options, meaningfully thought and well written “miss-truths” or good old fashioned “blatant lies” in brief paragraphs beneath vivid pictures.

For me I turn my other cheek and continue to maraud the shopping isles much as I prowl the touchline. All the gusto of an Ophelia but with the budget of a Brian. In fact replace a serving platter with a magnetic football board and suddenly Manuel from Fawlty Towers springs to mind.
If you have a luxuriant sort of life, get yourself up to the North West and visit the village of Shap and witness Sleddale. There is water and everything!

So Pessimism is palpable! Melodrama at fever pitch and the flatulence of breezy Brian never truly ignited! It doesn’t stop me from repeatedly pressing send and receive on my lap top or checking my mobile phone for the dreaded notification (match abandoned) “St Johns Ambulance have run out of sand” or “small heap of leaves descended on penalty spot unplayable – sorry mate”!

Away to Mayford Athletic FC in the league and an awkward case of transmogrification transpires. Yes we have the usual shaped pitch, and Mayford’s facilities were pleasant indeed. Shiny new goals; competent referee and a linesman who by enlarge didn’t want to completely ruin an U13’s football match.

The Knights, seizing upon an apparent lack of confidence, immediately displayed all their colours in the rainbow. Tricks that would make Messi look messy and a vanity that would make Ronaldo blush in comparison. Peacock feathers on display we enchanted support with nice possession. Enchantment quickly transformed into antagonism as Mayford, encouraged by home support, galvanised whilst our refusal to simply cross the match ball over the goal line frustrated all and sundry.

Think of the triathlete Brownlee brothers – one needs the other to cross the line and so it took a defender (Bertie) to remind the team how things work to open our account far too deep into the 1st half. What ensued was a capable team occasionally showing their metal before dropping their game to a lower level.

The match ended Mayford Athletic 1 Hampton & Richmond Youth Knights 5

Bertie (1) Max (2) Leo (1) Seb (1)

MOTM: Sam Musgrave – once again! Hard to ignore his work ethic or commitment!

Song: Talking Heads – 1983’s “This must be the Place” – madness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVrVY540xdc