Hat-trick against Hatfield
PFFC 3 Boodle Hatfield 1
In conditions more suited to water polo, Philosophy Football waded on to the pitch at Willesden Sports Centre to take on the eccentrically named Boodle Hatfield. Spirits were high following last week’s dramatic victory over Air France, but minds were quickly focused on the job in hand as the first half kicked off without skipper Ally, who was still en route. The half started brightly for Boodle, who were full of running but lacked the incisive final ball. Ally duly arrived but, just as the men in red were starting to find their feet, they found themselves a goal down when a corner was lofted over to the far post and Vipol was unlucky to be marking a much taller opponent who bundled him out of the way and nodded down and into the net.
Despite this setback, Philosophy were starting to create opportunities: first Ronan had a shot from distance that the keeper gathered at the second attempt, and Edgar had a mazy run into the heart of the box stopped only by a well timed challenge. Half-time arrived with the score at 0-1 but the Gaffer was upbeat in his team talk and sent the boys out in positive mood. Philosophy immediately started to turn the screw and forced a series of corners and free kicks around the opposition’s box. Ally saw a free kick turned round the post, before the equaliser came from another set piece: Edgar met a deep corner at the far post and, in a near mirror image of the game’s opener, found the net despite a crowded goalmouth.
Philosophy started to move through the gears, creating chance after chance and restricting Boodle to long-ball counter-attacks. The Cat was having a relatively easy game in goal with the elements causing him more concern than the wayward shooting of the opposition. However, when called upon he managed to get the defence out of trouble with a couple of fine one-on-one saves.
Philosophy’s second arrived from yet another dead-ball situation (obviously straight from the training ground), our Scottish captain adding to his assist for the equaliser with a wicked free kick that skidded off the greasy surface and into the net with the slightest of deflections off an un-named foot/knee/arse.
Boodle Hatfield looked a beaten team at this point with frustration bubbling to the surface, so much so in fact that the restart was petulantly booted back by the striker and into touch to further heap the pressure on their side. The third goal was added by Edgar who raced onto a through ball to lob over the oncoming keeper, a fine illustration of the second-half dominance exerted by Philosophy. The midfield were excellent, finding space and angles to release Ronan on the left and Gibbo on the right, the latter unlucky not to follow up his wonder goal from last week when the ball eluded his second half strike; Kieran hit the bar and Ally had (another) shot tipped over before the ref blew up and confirmed a second league win in succession.
PFFC (4-4-2): Rob; Lele, Vipol, Bruce, Danny; Ronan, Kieran, Ally, Gibbo; Edgar, Eric
Attendance: 00,005