Division 2 League Match
Garratt Park 2pm KO

FT: 0-0
Subs: Fintan McGrath, Alex Lee

We were finally back into the league after two weeks of cups games. Within that two week period we had gone from top to fourth due to one of the teams dropping out the league, causing all points won against them to be void. Not ideal, but we fight on.

Our opposition today were London Gorillas, who we had dominated 4-0 in the previous tie. Having to change kits, we looked like saints from the sky’s of Earlsfield who had come down in white to show the area a game of beauty. However, a few of these ‘saints’ were still heavily sauced up from their Christmas party the night before.

The game started and we were back to 4-5-1 after two weeks of the 4-4-2. We looked the better team from the blocks. Pinging the ball around delightfully and providing crunching tackles when needed. We didn’t have much to show though, except for a bit of calf cramp from the Grandad Rafa Portezan who had to leave the field early. This did mean that Fintan McGrath made his return to the field after his time off due to injury. Whilst about as fit as a tree trunk, he was looking very silky on the ball, combining with the other two midfielders nicely.

The rest of the half didn’t see much action and we took the 0-0 going into the second. It was at this time that Gorillas stepped up a gear and finally started producing something. With some new additions into their squad since the last game, they were looking more deadly on the attack and they managed to have good build up play in the second half, hitting the Crowns defence with one-two plays. Yet again though, the Crowns repelled the attack, using all means possible. By all means, I even heard a cheeky finger went somewhere, when a gorillas player had heard that Garratt Park also hosts Smackdown in the evenings, he tried to choke slam Swinger and then plead to the ref that he’d been fingered in the bum. I think someone’s a bit insecure….

Anyways, the game fizzled out and the Crowns take a point as they end the calendar year. It wasn’t enough to reclaim top spot, but they are well and truly still in the mixer as the race for promotion heats up in January!