Playing our second game against HK Dragons the young whippersnappers from DB along with a few older heads from mobsters revenge was on the cards from our previous outing with them coming off a 2-0 embarrassing lose.

 

 

The gaffer asked for a strong squad and boy did he get one with what could have been one of the strongest ever nite Spartans squads assembled. On the day there was a lot of chopping and changing with people coming in and people dropping out but finally we made it with 14 players in total.

 

 

 

We started with the following line up:

 

 

 

 GK: Leandro

 

D: Sanj, Jay, Pablo, Oli

 

M: Nathan, Rob, Jens, Stef

 

S: Rich and Randy.

 

 

 

From the get go both teams were up for it playing with parallel passion, they might have been a few years younger but they were getting in with the challenges and not holding back and neither did we. In the same fashion as last time their 2 centre backs, the ugly cockney little one and the tall Shrek like looking centre back whose game consisted of hoofing it up the pitch at every opportunity such was the skill of the man started to be a bit choppy but when they realised who they were playing against they soon started to become muted and didn’t say too much after that much to everyone’s pleasure. With the tall centre back deciding to take out the player rather than the ball on numerous occasions lead to some comical moments by Henry on the sidelines.

 

 

 

We were winning the battle in midfield which was the main thing with all of the midfields and in particular Rob and Jens getting stuck in and winning a lot with their power. The deadlock was finally broken when up from the back everyone’s favourite gentle Scotsman Pablo scored a nice volley which went through about 8 players past their keeper (who was funnily enough called Borat) and into the back of the net, a great goal for a stalwart of the team.

 

 

 

From here we started to take more control of the game with the defence looking solid and the midfield looking commanding, we just couldn’t get the ball up to the front two enough but Randy was battling well and using his strength so much though that he tackled a player got the ball, the ref blew the whistle against him as he said he felt sorry for the youngster then the 5,7 ginger kid who was probably about 15 ran at Randy and tried to have a go at him, Nathan offered to back him up as he was worried for his Laos holiday buddy, much to the amusement of both teams after spending so much bonding time together in Laos paying off corrupt officials and doing god knows what else.

 

 

 

And to half time came some changes.

 

 

 

Stef off for Willie, Sanj off for Paul Hoy, Pablo off for Henry.

 

 

 

Within about 3 mins of the restart Rob scored a blinder of a goal from outside the area which had the keeper diving the wrong way and their heads went down. From there we took real control of the game and half way through the half we got the other guys on the bench back on.

 

 

 

Rich for Stef, Sanj for Nathan, Pablo for Jay.

 

 

 

Willie came close and hit the bar, and then Jens went one better on his third attempt on shooting within about 5 seconds he scored from a tight angle to make it 3-0. In the end HK Dragons pulled one back to make it 3-1 and they battled valiantly but the power and strength of our older players especially on a smaller pitch was the telling story of the game.

 

 

 

 Everyone had a great game bar me who did nothing. The defence was solid with Jay and Pablo playing really well, Oli who looked very comfortable on the left with his calmness, Sanj on the right played well and as always did his part. Nathan provided some comical moments as always and played well, Stef on the left solid as he always is Jens and Rob the real game changes who were awesome, Randy up front was solid and got involved in everything. Leandro when he came out at the back and I watch with amusement as he smashed the little cockney twat a few times, funnily enough he wasn’t so cocky then was he? Henry and Paul played well and Willie was unlucky not to get a goal.

 

 

 

My man of the match goes to 2 players Rob and Jens who were both solid and played excellently. Well done guys, they were top of the table so a good win.