A win against Marconi would have pretty well have consolidated our place in the top six. We would be without Dodd as his one game suspension was not served at the abandoned match last weekend (though I gather the red card still stands - odd that) and it also seems that the well justified clear leader in our Player of the Season poll as printed in the Free Kick may be out for good if the reports that he defied the club's wishes and took himself off to FC National for talks during his ban are correct and the club may punish him by refusing to play him again. All rumour and speculation at present, but what a loss it will be if so.
I wondered if I had the kick off time (or even the day) was correct when arriving only forty-five minutes before start time and the there were more people manning the various food outlets than punters visible. It was so hot and sunny at four o'clock that in the short time I handed out the Free Kick I reckon I lost a couple of kilos and almost suffered significant sunburn. I guess the lack of a youth game before the main one contributed as well as the heat, and it may be that there are more strict Christians amongst our supporters than I would have anticipated. I guess there were a couple of sporty things on the telly too. In any case the UFTS stand was sparsely populated and only a diehard would have chosen to sit there and bake and gaze into the western sun in my view. The crowd was announced eventually at 2200 odd I think - at least a third down on recent ones and an inditement of the time and day of the match.
It was good to meet up with Forzi Snr and Jnr and Willie again and even more enjoyable to see them moved on from behind the goal for infringing the silly licensing regulations to a chant of "Hooligans" as they left.
I have tried to avoid mentioning the game, but I guess I can't. In a word I thought we were diabolical. Marconi seemed to care and we did not. They outmuscled us, outpaced us, outskilled us and we seemed to drift into a kind of heat induced trance state and only emerged when the game was lost with about three minutes to go and then were unable to put away a couple fairly easy chances. When we got the ball we either turned it back or simply gave it away. It was a bad day and not what we have seen most of the season.
At half time at 0-0 I thought we had been shaded , but Marconi hadn't created too many chances either. I was worried, but optimistic that we would be playing down hill and would produce our customary Southern end lift. Not so. Marconi continued to close us down, be first to the ball and pass with greater precision. I was not really surprised when they scored and then again to snuff us out completely.
0-2 was about right and it will be a very bitter pill to swallow if we perform like this and lose the replay on Wednesday.
Sorry not to have seen you after the game Forza et al - I was just too cheesed off to be arsed.