Philosophy are pure dynamite

PFFC 3 TNT 1

Kieran, 22 December 2003

 

With the melodic tones of Cornwall’s answer to Elvis fading away and the revelry from the Thinkerers’ Christmas party consigned to memory, all minds turned to performances of a different kind for the for the final game of 2003. What started as a chilling season on Hackney Marshes closed for the Christmas break on a very different icy note.

With the Willesden pitch resembling an ice rink and temperatures sinking low enough to make Ally and Little Bryan feel right at home, a strong Philosophy team set about the business of maintaining their 100 per cent record in the LondonersFC League.

News before the game that Little Bryan would be leaving to head for the warmer climes of New Zealand added to the team’s desire to win and give Philosophy’s silky-skilled centre back a decent send-off. And how fitting it was that his Antipodean adventure should start right there against a team fielding a number of representatives from his soon-to-be adopted home.

Despite a rich run of form that meant Philosophy went into the game unbeaten in league competition, it was soon clear that another epic comeback would be required to keep that 100 per cent record alive.

After a little over five minutes, with most players still finding their feet in the slippery conditions, TNT’s speedy striker latched on to a long ball over the defence and opened the scoring with a deft chip that left Adrian with little hope and put the Thinkerers behind for the second week running. The Houdinis of midweek football where once again shackled to a deficit.

In the absence of Edgar and with Eric recovering from flu on the sidelines, the Gaffer had opted for an unfamiliar strike partnership: Dan and Mauro. Both put in plenty of running but, following the opening goal, the battle was largely fought in the middle of the park with both sides struggling to break down the opposition defences.

With Little Bryan exerting his usual running influence from centre back and solid performances from Vipul, Bruce and Big Brian, a second TNT goal never looked likely, but Philosophy were having a similarly tough time getting on level terms and went into the break a goal down.

Eric’s entrance in the second half seemed to shake the Philosophers up a little and gradually they began to find cracks in the TNT defence. Then, on the hour mark, it looked like the Thinkerers had levelled things when Dan squared a ball across the box to Eric who slotted home, only to have the goal controversially ruled out for offside. It was looking like it might not be Philosophy’s night.

Philosophy continued to press and always looked the more likely of the two teams to score. Then, finally, with a little over twenty minutes to go Dan struck to make it 1-1.

Instilled with renewed belief, Philosophy then went in search of a second and it wasn’t long before they had one. Once again it was Dan who rippled the net, this time with a little help from the Willesden woodwork.

Another brilliant comeback was capped off when Big Brian capped off his impressive return to the side by converting Ally’s corner with a typical centre-half header that put the game beyond a flagging TNT side.

PFFC (4-4-2): Adrian; Bruce, Little Bryan, Big Brian, Vipul; Ronan, Kieran, Ally, Richard; Mauro, Dan.

Subs: Eric, Lele, Filippo