In the decade during which I have been playing for the Vets, Grammarians have always been a good side and we have had some good contests over those years, winning some, losing some (alright, for the pendants, drawing some too) but always having a good game. They have always had a strong nucleus of players and have played good, passing football. Now they appear to have lost a number of their good players……..and replaced them with better ones. I would have to say that Grammarians, on Saturday, were the best side I have played against in Vets football, and it was no disgrace to lose to them. But the result was a big disappointment for two reasons. First, we were actually in the game for most of it, and, second, 6-0 does not reflect the effort everyone put in.

The day started brightly, with Tinkerer Finn assembling 14 players as the inputs to his rotation system. The 14 included the returning Dean Parfitt, who was accompanied by his young son and had taken a vow not to b-------k any of his colleagues. Accordingly, it was pointed out to the Norm that the absence of verbal abuse aimed in his direction should under no circumstances be taken as an indication that he was playing well.

As we started the game, it was apparent that we were going to have to play well to get a good result, but we dug in and were holding our own (your own what? Ed) when a slightly freakish long shot sailed into the top corner of Dave’s goal.

And things promptly got worse when a deep cross was headed home for number 2. It looked like the wheels might fall off at this point, but everyone kept their head up and we got to half time with no further damage, the resilience helped by the entry of Dean from the bench as the Tinkerer sought a solution to our problems (which, as can be seen from the final score line, he did not find).

However, in the first 20-25 minutes of the second half the team put in a performance of which it could be proud, not only battling hard to withstand pressure from Grammarians, but carving out some good opportunities, with Peter Culham and Sam Karlsson going close. A goal at that point-or even two-would not have been undeserved and might have changed the outcome. But it was not to be and in the last twenty minutes Grammarians carved us apart on the break with some excellent football, and the legs were too tired to stay with them.

 The result was that we ended up conceding six, in a game that we were well in until the last 15-20 minutes. Credit must go to Grammarians for their display, but we should not be too disheartened by the result which did not do justice to our performance.

 Peter Culham (one of the old boys up front referred to in last week's report)