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With not so much as a sniff of a match report from this far down the Carshalton team list in a few months, I’ve taken it upon myself to pick up where the right honourable Mr Parker left off, God rest his soul, and God damn his employers. The Christmas period saw a mix of results.  Life in the 7s is never easy, with the low point being a sour defeat against the 8s.

The new year’s had a slow start, going out in the cup when a bunch of stand-ins failed to beat Civil Service, and then losing 3-0 when the full team re-grouped at Old Actonians

As for this week, after a trek and a half round the M25 to the reaches of deepest darkest north London, we started in the match in good spirits, savouring the long-awaited full-debut return for the mighty Salmon.  However, an early battering from the Old F’s forward play saw us slip 1-0 down, before a decisive little ball from Dylan May was deftly finished by Mr Peter Wetheridge from the edge of the box.  Hopes of turning the game round were short lived after conceding another to the Old’s going into half time 2-1 down, which could’ve been 3 had the referee not disallowed a goal calling instead a dubious off-side.

Spirited words from our fearless leader saw Cars pull another back early in the second half, through a right-foot pile driver from Wetheridge, which, if I do say so myself, was an awesome effort and left every man on that pitch in awe!  Not being a team that builds on increased possession, we again found ourselves a goal behind and once again chasing the game.

Feeling need to make-up for his earlier controversial decision, the referee saw fit to disallow Colin Banham's 30 yard direct free-kick for offside, answers on a post card please…. The continued fight back was finally rewarded with the completion of a superb hat-trick by Wetheridge.  However, never wanting to make life easy for ourselves we conceded another soon after and spent the rest of the match chasing a draw but to no avail.

Points of interest for the day,

1. John Hicks, although being absent from the team, was at fault for the first three Old Finchleians goals.
2. George Clark, after a year in absence from the game, is just as fit as the rest of us who’ve been playing week in, week out all year (this actually says less about George and more about the rest of the team).
3. Alan Thake shows as much speed on the pitch as he does on the M25 (you’d best have used that bloody map-book!).

Well, that’s it for my first attempt at a match report.  Might be a bit long-winded but at least I don’t get dressed up in my best togs and have professional photo’s taken with the missus and my pet cats.  You know who you are….

Peter Wetheridge