Fisherrow was in peculiarly good nick after some promising weather, but some particularly inclement weather was forecast for during the game, including wintery showers. It was really good to see pitch 1 back in action too with an earlier kick off fully underway upon my arrival to Fisherrow, the true home for any Musselburgh based team.

After our truly dreadful result against The God Squad the decision had been made to ring in the changes. A few new faces were brought in to assess if they were going to be able to fill in gaps in the squad and do us a job. With Mike Kinsella ruled out due to work commitments we brought in the first of two new Polish signings Jacob, a goalkeeper of particularly good repute who played despite an injury, albeit completely off his nut on painkillers. The other of these was a tall physical central defender called Andy, like Jacob Andy is one of Marcin’s mates that had been drafted in to fill in for unavailable players. With all of our centre-halves ruled out due to injury and sickness Owen called upon the first of two brother to make their debuts against the Witchery. An experienced player at under-21 level Joey was willing to slot in at centre half and we were fully confident he would be a suitable player to fill the shoes of Plockton’s favourite son Gordon Mackenzie. Joey’s brother Yorkie was drafted in at left-mid with promise of industry, creative play, and the ability to track back.

Sticking to what we know we went again with the flat 4-4-2 that looked set to reap success due to a far stronger midfield contingent. In goal as I have already mentioned was Jacob, in defence (from left to right) J. Dick (captain), Joey, Marcin, D. Kinsella, in midfield (l-r); Yorkie, Clarky, R. Mckenna, O. Kinsella, and finally starting up front were Val and Tulloch. Starting on the bench were; Calum Day, Ken Dick, and Andy. With our new Polish contingent came a small following consisting mainly of Marcin’s sisters, and Damo Scott and Dougie Todman, good chums of mine from St Daves had made the epic journey from Morningside and Loanhead respectively to watch the game. Big Gordon also managed to fire down, but purely as a spectator (or did he…).

The game soon got underway with man in the middle Chris Muir conducting the pleasantries. 1811 Witchery kicked off the match but posession was soon regained by VAFC. From this point we got straight into a positive start making some brilliant flowing play in the middle of park inevitably leading to some smart through balls and a couple threatening attempts. With some clever early pressure it didn’t take long for Staggs to open the account for the evening with an attack that began as many did with Tulloch winning the ball in the middle of the park from a goal kick. Some deft movement in midfield eventually lead to Ryan “Georgey Best” Mckenna jinking his way past a couple of blue shirts and eventually playing a superb through ball to Yorkie that was chased into the box and put away into the back of the net to give Staggs the psychologically crucial lead. Play resumed again much as it had started with a couple good attacks from Staggs but it was soon time for the Witchery to turn up the heat with some intelligent play leading to a shot from within the 18 yard box that saw a truly dreadful scuffed clearance from me that was stabbed home from 6 yards to regain parity. By this point the match was shaping up to be a far more competitive affair than at St David’s and it became evident the tie would be hard to settle. With my confidence at a massive low after being responsible for us conceding our lead I had to keep my head down and power through and make up for such a dire performance. It didn’t take long for me to pick myself up. Within 10 minutes of conceding in such embarrassing fashion I was presented with an option for redemption. Picking up the ball within our half after a Witchery attack I spotted Owen in space on the wing near their 18 yard box. My well timed overhead through ball found Owen in good space and with one touch to control the ball and one touch to take it within range Kinsella sent us back into the lead with a driving shot from tight angle and 20 yards that nestled in the bottom left corner perfectly. If we were able to control the match and go in at half time with the lead in the bag it would have been a perfect start to the game but however it was not to be. Not a bunch to be downhearted the Witchery kept up some good pressure and with an attack down the centre they took the lead again. Joey was unfortunate not to win the ball off the attacking blue shirt with a well timed challenge but the ball broke through and clean through on goal the Witchery converted despite my best attempts to put off the attacker with a blood curdling scream in the earhole.

Half time soon arrived and we were more than happy to in at half time equal after a hard fought half. There was a general feeling that we could have been sitting on a lead but there was no sense of discontent. Despite the battle the first half proved to be most of the lads were in fine fettle, and only Marcin volunteered himself to be substituted for his mate Andy. The message was clear, good first half and just go back out there and continue to play our own brand of football.

The second half was soon underway with fire in our bellies to nick a winner or even open up a lead. The half opened with a blazing shot from Val on the half way line that fell short of goal, but certainly proved useful in getting our players up the park to apply some pressure. We remained consistent and did well to fight off a batch of Witchery attacks, many of which coming from corner kicks that were well defended which was a refreshing thing to see. The play in the middle of the park continued to be creative and the through balls were raining in and Ryan Mckenna was unfortunate to be deemed offside by Chris Muir when played through on goal. There were further chances for each team with the corners continuing to rain in from the Witchery but to no avail. In the last 15 minutes a couple tactical substitutions were made with Val going off for Calum Day, and Yorkie coming off for veteran winger Ken Dick. Both substitutes got involved straight away with Ken making some promising runs about the park and communicating well with the team. Calum also got straight into it winning the ball in the middle of the park a couple of times and playing some intelligent passes. Gordon Mackenzie eventually caved in to the desire for football and got changed out of his civvies into a pair of shorts to come on for the last 10 minutes for Val. Presumably a bad decision for someone that has ruined the cartilege in their knees from being a sporting machine, but nonetheless proving that playing for VAFC is all about the love of football. The pressure was heaped on by both teams looking to steal the proverbial three points but the whistle was soon blown to end a highly entertaining encounter that really could have gone either way.

It was great to pull off a result like this, particularly against a team that only a month ago rifled us 8-0. Lots of positives to be taken, mainly the fresh faces in the side proved very useful additions to the squad and will be called upon in future. One particular negative was the flashpoint that erupted between Declan Kinsella and the boy he was marking. A heated exchange resulted and it was only resolved when I took Declan by the scruff of the neck and told him to drop it, and Chris Muir got involved to discipline the blue shirt involved. Another potential scuffle ensued between Owen Kinsella and his marker after a pretty harsh challenge, but thankfully no cards were shown. There is evidently work to be done regarding discipline but the football that was on display was so promising that it negated all the jiggery pokery that went on during the game.

When it comes to picking a man of the match I am once again totally spoilt for choice due to the marked improvement in play. Jacob was totally solid in goals and despite injury put in an excellent performance. In defence Joey and Declan were well solid and were involved in some great link up play with the midfield. I thoroughly enjoyed my assist to Owens goal as it is the highlight of my career to date, but my name is not in the ring due to my horrific error early in the game. All the midfield can be proud of themselves with great play between Clarky and Ryan Mckenna in the middle. Clarky once again putting in some brilliant crosses, particularly from corners, and Ryan Mckenna maintaining a cool head to display some effective close control that saw me dub him as a dead likeness for George Best. Both wingers proved themselves of immense value, mainly due to them netting a goal each, but also due to some good tracking back and creative through balls. However, scooping the man of the match award for our best team performance yet is Matthew Tulloch. His intensnely industrious play was vital to the success of the team. Happy to come back to the middle of the park to win the ball numerous times from goal kicks but driving forward constantly contributing pricelessly to keep up the pressure required to grab a result

I think it would be reasonable to say the Mulscrew family have been silenced.

Keep the faith,

JD

With Owen having a mild score to settle with The God Squad he had pressed on with team selection and pulled a few strings to pick up some excellent new players. With stalwart Gordon Mackenzie out due to a knee injury (scans still pending) Owen called on an old pal from Luca’s, Gordon Devine to fill the epic chasm left by Musselburgh’s favourite Plocktonian. A very big lad who at times can be spotted chasing an egg arrived with promise to mop up any balls in the air and provide an ample amount of sliding tackles. With Gordon came his mate Adam with a reputation as a good goalkeeper, but willing to do a job at centre half also. The match also provided opportunity to feed in some players for their first appearance after pledging their pub football career to VAFC. Ryan Mckenna was available selection for this match and is part of one of Musselburgh’s famous football families with his father Tony a leading presence at Musselburgh Windsor, and younger brother Michael who served an apprenticeship at Dunfermline. Another promising player that had pledged his future was Mark ‘Perfect Diluting Juice’ Valentine, a technically gifted striker looking to restart his career after a brief hiatus. In order to provide ourselves with a few defensive options Owen called upon the services of Paul, his sister Siobhan’s mate’s Fiancee. Last, but not least is Matthew Tulloch, an experienced, fit, and creative player, happy to do a job almost anywhere on the park. Precisely what we have been looking for.

With a brief window in the weather the match drew a massive crowd of 20 (which includes subs for both teams) on a clear and fresh Fisherrow night. It was good to get a return to action on home turf and it was clear the boys were all up for it. We stuck with the good old flat 4-4-2 with Ciaran Mulgrew hitting the sticks, (from right to left) Declan Kinsella, Adam, Gordon Devine, and myself Joe Dick (captain) making up a physically solid back four with plenty of height. In midfield were Kaz, Derek, Clarky, Owen Kinsella, and up front were Tulloch and Val. With a pretty large subs bench we had depth in the squad consisting of; Paddy Gauson, Calum Day, Paul and Ryan Mckenna. For once we were able to line up with 11 men at kick off without having to wait on anybody and the match got underway with the God Squad winning the toss and choosing to give us centre. The match started well with some tremendous early pressure from us focused mainly down the right wing Kinsella partnership. The through balls were flowing and we had a couple good chances. However it didn’t take long before we were caught napping at the back and The God Squad took the lead through a curling effort from the right flank that eventually nestled in the top left corner. It was crucial for us to keep the heads up and we resumed the game just as we had started it but again got caught out after a long spell of pressure that saw a sparkling white shirt skip past big Gordon and slot home to extend the lead to 2-0. Psychologically we were in a truly fragile position, continue the push and risk conceding could prove fatal, however sitting back and accepting a 2-0 loss would be utterly useless. At such an early stage we continued the pressure seeing the ball switch from wing to wing and a couple brilliant runs that should have lead to goals for the Volleys. The God Squad made a quick break that lead to a real goalmouth scramble, I thought I had it truly dealt with but my clearance was totally dreadful and The God Squad rifled home from a yard. Probably the worst moment of my career so far and somemthing that I really have to work on. At 3-0 down after 25 minutes or so it was time to push the gung-ho button and try and pull at least a couple goals back before the break. With some deliciously delicate play between Declan, Clarky, and Owen, the ball was sent through on the right wing where Owen picked it up, carried a few yards, dropping a shoulder to beat 2 players and then belting it home from a tight angle and 25 yards. A truly excellent team goal with a superb finish from Kinsella. This goal had a massively galvanising effect on the team and we retrieved posession shortly after kick off. A brilliant move up the left wing with some delicate passing saw the God Squad put the ball out for a corner. A great inswinging ball from Clarky was cleared out for another corner, and he followed it up with a carbon copy ball that lead to an epic goalmouth scramble. With a couple of gilt-edge chances we should have nicked a goal, but the biggest disappointment from this move came when a crystal clear handball was not given. To pick up a penalty to make it 3-2 just before half time would have completely changed the face of the game and I feel this was a really significant moment in the game and it blighted an otherwise spotless record for our whistler Mr Cochrane. Before the break we saw a couple of pretty dreadful defensive errors that allowed The God Squad to extend their lead by another 2 goals to make it 5-1 at half time. It was glaringly evident that something had to be done at half time.

Learning from previous tactical errors I made certain we didn’t change the formation as it was only necessary for a change of personnel. With Ciaran Mulgrew blatantly refusing to play another second in goals we were forced to put Adam in goals, I had to fill in at centre back and Paddy Gauson deputised again at left back. With Declan Kinsella picking up a knock to his back in the first half he had to come off in exchange for Paul. Suffering from below match fitness Mark Valentine was substituted for Calum Day. Clarky, another casualty of fitness was swapped for debutante Mckenna and we were able to retain our shape for the second half. Adam in Goals, in defence (r-l) Paul, Gordon, Joe Dick (captain), Paddy Gauson, in midfield (r-l) Owen Kinsella, Derek, Ryan Mckenna, Kaz, Forwards, Calum and Tulloch.

The second half started dreadfully. From kick off their number 8 Eebzy (unsure about the spelling) planed straight through the centre and once again slotted home from close range into the bottom left corner that Adam would have been lucky to get to. It was pretty clear at this stage we  had to go at this match all guns blazing in a brave attempt to try and restore any pride. The push continued and we conceded 2 further pretty sloppy goals from close range. At 7-1 down things couldn’t seem to get much worse, until big Gordon injured himself and had to go off. I was forced to pull Derek back from centre-mid and brought Mulgrew on for Gordon. This decision did actually prove fruitful as Mulgrew keen to impress finished off a brilliant move in similar fashion to Owen’s earlier goal. A definite morale boost and signs of promise for the future. For some reason this goal didn’t have the effect it should have and the team became pretty unstable, with people making their own substitutions the formation soon went to the dogs and at times we were left with only 3 at the back. I eventually found myself at right back due to the injured Gordon deciding he was sound and Paul subbing himself for Gordon. With such drastic instability it should come as no surprise that we went on to concede an astonishing 5 further goals, most of which again were from close range and the sense of relief at the final whistle was pretty evident. 12-2, a 10 goal defeat, definitely something hard to take inspiration or positives from, but surprisingly there were.

The biggest positive I’m taking from this is the expansion of the squad and rooting out some talent. We managed to discover Adam, a fairly poor centre half, but a pretty good goalkeeper with the height and bravery to go with it. Gordon Devine proved a useful addition with his height and fearless challenges, his only downside being occasional lapses of concentration. Tulloch also proved his worth with excellent technical ability and the fitness to prove himself a consistent nuisance for defenders for the entire 90 minutes. Ryan Mckenna put in a good shift in the middle of the park, winning balls in the air despite his height, and playing some excellent balls from the centre midfield. As expected Val caused problems for the God Squad defence with a good performance laced with trickery and a physical presence. Last but not least is Paul, an extremely handy option at full back that will be called upon in future.

Another positive is the networking due to this game. Picking up a contact for Stevie Cochrane the referee who put in a pretty good performance and stamped his authority on the game and didnt stand for any nonsense from players. The other handy contact established is Paul Harkins the gaffer of Musselburgh Baptist FC and we will definitely be calling on them again for a friendly when they aren’t on league business.

As far as picking a man of the match I would probably nominate Eebzy for his pacey, technical performance that saw him constantly skipping past defenders and causing some real problems. Staggs most valuable player is once again a difficult choice to make, firstly because of the result of the match, but secondly and most importantly because of the variety of good performances out there. Gordon Devine did put in a pretty excellent performance for his debut but due to some lapses in concentration loses out on the award. Paddy Gauson is another contender with some brilliant runs from left back and mopping up many attacks, but also working well with myself to provide cover for each other. I could easily pick out any body from the midfield as there was some tremendous play amongst them and they all serviced the forwards well with some excellent through balls. Tulloch made a brilliant debut notable for his selfless play and was unfortunate not to score when he hit both posts with a brilliant effort. Mulgrew’s contribution is also duly noted for finishing off a well worked move with a curling right foot strike from the edge of the box that found its way into the top right corner. Declan Kinsella must also be noted for his quality workmanship and creation of an almost flawless partnership with his brother, but it is Owen who swipes the award for a brilliant shift over 90 minutes and a remarkable 25 yard strike to go with the partnership with Declan.

With the benefit of hindsight I can say that we were pretty unfortunate to lose by such a huge margin as they finished most of their goals within 10 yards, and we also heaped on the pressure from start to finish and if it wasn’t for a few unfortunate errors at the back and the penalty decision it could have been a very different story. However we have to continue to march onwards and upwards, at this stage im just happy to get games in and have them go ahead, and its pretty clear we are building towards a bright future with a good squad and a fair passion for the club building up.

Keep the faith,

JD

An issue i hope to be resolved by then is the knee injury of Gordon Mackenzie, something I forgot to mention in a previous update. Gordon has injured his knee (presumably doing something machine-like such as dragging fat tourists across town in his rickshaw non stop for a week). However at the time the club’s physio ruled Gordon out of first team action for a week, and since it’s been just over a week now I remain hopeful that Gordon will be 100% fit and ready to rejoin first team training within the next couple of days.

All things considered, if the God Squad fixture goes ahead as plans it promises to be a spicy affair, hopefully riddled with goals from The Volley boys. Perhaps a couple Socrates style 30 yard belters, a George Bestesque mazy run, and God willing me opening my goalscoring account (it’s gonna take a few visits to Father Joe down at Loretto for that one to come off).

Keep the faith,

JD

With this encounter changing from a training match against our second 11 to a proper match at short notice the squad was subject to a bit of re-jigging. Due to personal problems Clarky was given permission by the club to travel to Stoneybank and sort things out with his Mrs. Alwyn Flaws was unavailable for selection due to some kind of availability issue that I didn’t pick up the details of. Calum Day was unavailable due to a band practice that he had already postponed twice and couldn’t afford to miss. Ken ‘Last 10′ Dick was once again unavailable due to work commitments, but once again turned up for the best part of the second half to make up a quarter of our 12th man.

These issues saw us call upon the services of another one of Gordon’s mates, Granty, who apparently had played Highland League football a few years back and was raring for a run out. Paddy Gauson saw his first start for the team, being absolutely delighted not having to stand on the sidelines in the utterly Arctic weather at Fisherrow. Once again there were timing issues and we found ourselves standing there at 7pm with 10 men, and no idea where each one was playing. Espie running late due to a career threatening toilet break as he left the house, did manage to show up within a few minutes and we eventually had 11 men for kick off. Due to the dropouts and availability issues I was forced to tinker with things a little bit, without Calum Day utility man Espie was put up front, leaving a gap in the middle of defence that I was happy to fill. With myself and Declan Kinsella supposed to be switching wings for this game Paddy Gauson had to deputise as a Left Back, a position he has literally never ever played. With Owen looking for a more creative role than striker I opted to stick him on the Left Wing, and gifted Supitha Dematagoda with his first start at Right Wing. With Jamie and debutante Granty in Centre Mid we were guaranteed to be playing some creative football in the middle of the park servicing Ciaran Mulgrew and Espie up front with some slick through balls. Of course, manager and height defying keeper Mike Kinsella was guaranteed a start with a welcomed break from the night shift.

Teuchters looked a strong side with Richie calling upon a couple boys from Highlanders FC, a reputable side from the Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur FA. However this was one of the strongest VAFC sides available and I was more than happy with the set up. Sticking with the 4-4-2 system that has served us so well of late we were ready for Mr Community to get the match underway. It was clear from the outset that we were dealing with a pacy team and tight man marking would be utterly essential. Paddy took around 20 minutes to fully settle into his alien role, and this proved costly with an array of attacks coming down his flank it wasn’t long before we conceded, despite Mike’s best efforts. This wasn’t the start we were looking for, but it proved the boot to the proverbial that was required to kick start our performance. With some slick build up play from the very back through the wings and the centre of the midfield a Teuchters clearance fell to Jamie Stevenson who fired a looping shot from near enough 30 yards that dipped at the perfect moment to beat Richie and elevate the boys spirits giving us the impetus to try and steal the lead. Unfortunately it didn’t take long for Teuchters to pull one back with a long ball going an inch over my head and being found by the spritely number 10 who cooly finished off the move. Another goal was conceded before the break and we ended the first half 3-1 down. With a firey and inspirational team talk from Mike that focused on returning to the kind of movement that lead to our first goal, and also giving a couple of the lads a cuffing for a bit of back chat with the ref. With fresh spirit and fire in our bellies we got the second half underway with intense pace and a desire to control the pace of the game. After a high tempo attack rife with slick passing and picture perfect movement off the ball seeing the ball moved from wing to wing with the kind of ease displayed by 70s era Brazil Richie was teased far to the edge of his box the square ball was played and a dazzling save was pulled off…..by one of Teuchters centre backs. Owen slotted it away straight down the middle, with Richie opting to gamble and diving to the left. With the score now at 4-2 and 20 minutes remaining we knew we could pull this one back for a draw at least. Keeping the rhythm up we pushed for our third which eventually came after a brilliant move that saw Granty break and fire one home to open his account on his debut. 4-3! 10 Minutes to go. A true battle of attrition ensued, with Teuchter looking to put the match to bed with a fifth goal and us pushing the other way to tie the game. With a couple interceptions in the middle of the park I managed to play 2 good balls through to Mulgrew that lead to some tense goalmouth moments. With this constant pressure at both ends somebody had to crack and the break eventually went Teuchters way with a stunning finish that even at full stretch Mike couldn’t stop flying in to the Top Right corner. On the stroke of full time, such a terrible time to concede in such a battle for an equaliser.

A very good encounter again that proved us as a competitive side, and were it not for a couple missed open goals, and an unfortunate incident that saw the ball slip from Mike’s safe grasp the score could have very easily gone the other way. A couple issues were raised by the match, primarily the need for stability in the line up. However it was evident that many of the boys were now communicating well, particularly at the back with a dynamic set up that saw excellent cover, if anyone was ever out of position. With the team starting to pick up momentum stability will come, as will the goals. Personally I was delighted by the performance, and was particularly happy with debutante Granty, and also surprisngly happy with Paddy Gauson who eventually slotted into his role well.

A great game was had by all, and once again my thanks go out to Richie for his brilliant job in getting a team together at such incredibly short notice. A good head of steam is now building up on the VAFC machine and its only a matter of time until the results star pouring in. With another performance of incredible graft and fitness Gordon Mackenzie remained ever solid at the back. Another name that impressed was Mike Kinsella, who puts Andy Mcneill to shame, being of roughly the same build yet Mike can actually reach the top corner. However, man of the match has to go to Jamie Stevenson, mainly for his intense grafting in the middle of the park, but the real icing on his performance cake was his goal that is a surefire contender for goal of the season.

Cheers, JD

Early on I could sense things weren’t right. Due to some horrific planning I arrived in Dalkeith at 5.30, it would take until 6.40 before any of the VAFC boys would show, and even then it was only 2 of them. At 6.50 it was looking like a pretty expensive 2 on 2 game, presumably the first one ever to be refereed by a recognised SFA official. In a particularly rude display the 1811 squad rocked up at precisely 7pm, otherwise known as kick off time. If it wasnt for the full VAFC squad turning up at 7.15 I would be able to properly lambast the Witchery for their tardiness, however it is still pretty outrageous to show up at such an hour.

After this false start we finally got kicked off a good half hour late, thanks to the generosity on display from the staff at the campus. From the very kick off I managed to make a bit of a joke of myself, with Chris ‘Community’ Muir the man in the middle reminding me to tuck my socks into my shinpads, Owens quick pass to me from kick off went straight out as I was still arsing around with socks. The Witchery put us under some pretty intense pressure early on. A decisive flashpoint in the match was seen with an attack coming down my wing I tried to dupe the attacker by dummying the ball and let it go through my legs in order to turn and clear. As i went to send the ball into orbit the ball had already moved and I ended up near enough carrying out a double leg amputation on the boy. Thankfully no caution was merited, however from this free kick the ball was played to the other wing and a sloppy foul was conceded. From this 1811 capitalised on the stroke of half time with a well taken free kick that beat everybody in the box, including all the Witchery boys and it nestled into the back corner of the net. Definitely an unfortunate end to a half that saw both teams have fair chances and VAFC holding out against some pretty intense pressure.

An impromtu babble with some good points from Willie Mulgrew, spectator and father to midfielder/keeper Ciaran, pointed out that it was evident we had to start winning the midfield battle and 4-5-1 was deemed the best option, with Owen dropping back to become an attacking midfielder. The 2nd half started much the same as the 1st ended and on the hour mark after an insane goal mouth scramble that saw Mike Kinsella pull off some excellent reaction saves, an extremely dubious whistle went to declare a Witchery goal, karma coming back to haunt us as the ball hadn’t crossed the line when the whistle went. After this, all chaos ensued and the floodgates opened with the Witchery boys banging in a further 6 goals in an eventful second half. With a couple decent breaks VAFC came close but lacked a clinical touch and without a second striker it was a case of trying to bomb through the middle.

The real lowlight of the match, was not the utter drubbing the scoreline suggested, but was the result of an offside decision against number 17 for the Witchery. At least 4 yards offside he was instantly incensed, and for the umpteenth time in the match chose to unleash a torrent of abuse aimed directly at Chris ‘Fair-Play-Eagle-Eyes’ Muir. Foul language is generally tolerated at this level, but when directed at an official like that it should merit an instant sending off. A truly sad state of affair that speaks volumes about the state of the game in Scotland at community level, where a player in a game where his team is 5 or 6 goals ahead feels its fine to behave like that at getting caught yards offside.

Despite the fairly flattering scorline for 1811 Witchery the boys are very keen for a rematch to settle the score, and also because they were good lads, despite a few lapses in the fair play department. It was clear what the difference was, fitness. Without a weekly g ame and a bit of training VAFC were always going to have the lesser hand, however this situation will rectify itself once the games come thick and fast and I can already feel the effects myself.

It was a really tough game that was tough to take positives from, but there were a few good performances out there. Paddy Gauson, after coming on late in the match brought some stability to the midfield with a fairly deft touch, Gordon Mackenzie did as good a job as possible in centre half, but the player who walks away with the most glory would have to be youngster Declan Kinsella for dealing with almost every attack on his flank and making a few good runs. It gives me great pleasure to give man of the match to such a young lad, who is surely at the core of the future of this club.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to apologise to the team and the dedicated travelling support of 2 for my antics at the final whistle. In a fit of disgust at my inability to defend the goal that was scored on the stroke of full time (which by the way was not some kind of mercy rule as 1811 suggest). As the ball struck the net and the whistle was blown I threw the sacred VAFC captain’s armband to the ground. I’d like to say that being the first player in the clubs history to wear the armband means so much more to me than this action suggests, and I’d like to ensure you that these kind of shenanigans will not occur again.

After being completely unable to find opposition at such short notice we will be making use of our booking at Fisherrow (which hasnt been cancelled yet) for a training match and also a scouting opportunity. Putting out an invite to everyone we know who will play it will give the boys a chance to pick up some lost confidence and also a chance to run the rule over some potential new signings.

If you want to waste your time reading an utterly unobjective account of the game here’s 1811′s attempt at a match report.

Cheers, JD

Owen Kinsella 2 Appearances 3 goals

Alwyn Flaws 1 Appearance 2 Goals

Clarky 2 Appearances 1 Goal

Ken Dick 1 Appearance 1 Goal

Joseph Dick (Captain)  2 Appearances 0 Goals

Declan Kinsella 2 Appearances 0 Goals

Calum Day 2 Appearances 0 Goals

Ciaran Mulgrew 2 Appearances 0 Goals 0 Clean Sheets

Jamie Stevenson 2 Appearances 0 Goals

Gordon Mackenzie 1 Appearance 0 Goals 1 Man of the Match Award

Supitha Dematagoda 1 Appearance 0 Goals

Kaz 1 Appearance 0 Goals

Gordon 1 Appearance 0 Goals

Mike Kinsella 1 Appearance 0 Goals 0 Clean Sheets

Derek 1 Appearance 0 Goals

Marcin Mroz 1 Appearance 0 Goals

Peter Hoban 1 Appearance 0 Goals (Youth Player)

Eric 1 Appearance 0 Goals (Youth Player)

Andreas 1 Appearance 0 Goals (Youth Player)

Chris Hoban 0 Appearances

Ryan Mckenna 0 Appearances

Mark Valentine 0 Appearances

Hopefully we can manage to rope in some more Staggs punters at some point, and also get the committed lads on 0 appearances a game. However our current squad is very strong, and also flexible, boasting 2 goalkeepers and several utility men. With three youth players, we presumably boast a more impressive youth setup then any pub team in the entire world.