Friday 10 November 2017, 8:30 p.m. KO at HKFC
Squad: Mark McGleenon/ Dirk, Steve, Matija, Neil/ Kieran C, Pat, Dejan, Martin/ Moti, Oisin. Subs: Dutch Ed, Chris O’B (late arrival), Fouad (a late sign-up after his Gazelles game).
Even though we were well beaten, this was an enjoyable first run-out for the newly established DBFC Over 45s team against a strong team that obviously did not read the “We are coming with a bunch of real Vets” email. Pre-match preparations were predictably chaotic, with all efforts on getting 11 players into a team photo by 8.29 to mark the historic occasion.
We started slowly and had barely touched the ball when Dynamics scored their first with a shot from outside the area. This was to form a pattern of play with 4 of their 6 goals involving shots from distance. Midfield not protecting Back 4, Back 4 not closing down or Mark in goal without his night-time vision glasses? We settled a bit and had a reasonable 20 minutes, the highlight being Matija giving their striker a “Croatian handshake” after a bad challenge by their guy. We made our first changes with Chris O’B, Fouad and Dutch Ed coming on for Oisin, Pat and Martin. We started to get some good possession in front of the Back 4 but, with Oisin benched, no one could work out who was playing up front, with Fouad playing a complex combination of centre-forward, centre-midfield and right wing. We went into the break 0-3 and re-grouped. First 20 of the 2nd half was probably our best passage of play – with Oisin back up top and Fouad and Moti either side of him. We had our best chance to score early 2nd half with a ball across the six-yard box being met by Moti at the far post with a low shot that somehow their (extremely young) keeper saved. Moti followed up soon after with a cracking shot from distance that rattled the cross-bar. However Dynamics put the game to bed with us losing possession on the right wing and Dynamics breaking at speed with a ball into the right hand channel and a good finish by them. The goal of the game soon followed as one of their guys hit a half volley from a good 30 yards. At that point the scorer must have gone home because the score-board showed 5-0 at the end. We made our final changes with 20 to go, with Steve, Dejan and Fouad coming off. Dynamics scored one final goal, in off the cross-bar to make it 6. No complaints about the result although we should probably have done a bit better. We adjourned to the bar, where there was no shortage of DOD mentions: Dutch Ed (those beach shorts have to go), O’B (the future of MUFC is in good hands if all your lads turn up at the wrong ground), Matija (save the mixed Martial Arts and the flick-up and volley from 35 yards for the Vets Youth team games), and Moti (Harry Redknapp’s Mum could have scored that). No MOM discussions but my call goes to Dirk, the only over 45 who did the full shift and was up against a young lad for whom vets’ football is some way off.
Ever onwards and upwards, we look forward to our next game against Spartans and we will be checking their IDs this time.
