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Matches against the Wanderers are always tight and competitive affairs and this one was no different. Our defence was bolstered by the return of Rob at centre back and Gareth as right back but again the Vets only had the bare eleven. On a very wet pitch that was further threatened by a river bursting its bank during the game, Carshalton played the better football. Unfortunately, the rain hadn’t quite woken us up yet at the start of the game as we fell behind to a soft goal within the first five minutes. Heads did not drop and we pulled ourselves back into the game with a fine break away goal by Chris who lobbed their goalkeeper while under pressure from a defender.

Blackheath scored again before halftime following an uncharacteristic lapse in our otherwise generally tight marking. Early in the second half Derek Cadman went on a mazy run into their box and was fouled for a clear penalty which Shaggy put away with aplomb. Again Carshalton went behind and again we kept working hard, playing passing football and again we scored when the Dutchman (obviously inspired by the mauling of the Scots by his fellow countrymen) put Chris through for the equaliser. A fine individual goal by Blackheath’s best player put them ahead once again but Pete Culham took out his frustration with numerous dubious refereeing decisions, in the best way he knows, by scoring a deserved equaliser for Carshalton from a defence splitting pass by Del-Boy.

No swapping of underpants this time but swapping of identities as the Dutchman was inexplicably mistaken for Gary Wing by a very aggressive Blackheath player. This severe injustice understandably annoyed him and handbags at three paces springs to mind when considering what followed. There was just enough time to avoid a water polo re-match in the Olympic size pool that had developed on the edge of the pitch and we all went to have a well deserved beer with the opposition following a spirited performance. 

 Tony van Emst