7th November 2010 At Overseas School

Match report by Robert W.Meek
Team: Goalkeeper: Shehantha; Defence: Rob M, Knut, Sylvain, John, Craig; Midfield: James, Steve F, Laurent, Marlon, Rob C; Forward: Furrukh, Liam

Keep your head down (and eye on the ball) when going for, going for, Goal!

The Lions made their second trip of the season to the Overseas School to take on a young and inexperienced team who were keen for revenge following their heavy defeat in the last encounter.

The Lions warm up was disrupted after Rob M, high on immodium after a morning trip to the gastric department at Lanka Hospital. connected with a volley so sweetly that it ended up flying into a neighbouring garden never to be seen again.

So the Lions players just stood around enviously watching the opposition warm up with the only other practice ball and waited for the first half to get underway.
The first ten minutes were fairly even with the ball pinging around the postage stamp of a pitch. The Lions defence looked assured, the attackers a bit dodgy.
The mighty Lions didn't have to wait long for the first goal when a handball 20 yards out resulted in James lining up a free kick before clinically finishing into the bottom right hand corner. 1-0.

Captai/manager Furrukh then made an early substitution, bringing on Rob C for Marlon on the right. It was an inspired change as Rob C scored with his first touch. Liam hooked a ball from the left hand side of the box, which Rob slammed into the back of the net. 2-0.
It was at this point that captain Furrukh had the first of his hatrick of air shots, missing the ball by a mile as it rolled across goal three yards out. An undoubted contender for miss of the season, but the skipper did well to stay on his feet.

The opposition were holding their own and playing better football than in the last encounter, but the Lions defence was as watertight as swomething really, really watertight (can't think of anything that watertight), and the midfielders, Laurent and Steve F, were putting in the hard hards.

James was dictating play with some neat tricks and got his second and the Lions third when someone played a ball out to him on the left and he finished calmly. 3-0.
Next game the goal of the match and arguably the season as Sylvain spotted Rob M's fantastic run into the box, beating the offside trap with ease. The left back played a delicious swerving ball into the area which Rob M rose to head, like a salmon chasing a prawn, to head in at the near post. No keeper in the world would have stopped it. A memorable debut goal and a contender for goal of the season. 4-0 at half time.

Captain Furrukh was so plaesed with the Lions roaring performance that he didn't even give a team talk at half time. A first.

The game got underway again - James played a slide rule pass for Liam to run on to but he could only toe poke it towards the keeper. As the ball rebounded back he turned and chipped it over the stranded keeper into the goal. A nice lob.5-0.

Liam was involved again in the sixth as he played a through ball which Furrukh ran on to and hit low past the keeper. A goal for Furrukh with his first touch, after so many airshots in the first half!

Furrukh was keen for more and tackled Steve O who had run the lenth of the pitch and was just about to pull the trigger. Steve O threw his toys out of the pram as Furrukh hit the ball over triggering ' Keep your head down when shooting" quips from the excellent back four.

The seventh was the icing on a very tasty cake.Rob C played a pass inside to Furrukh from the left and as he collected it Steve arrived in the box screaming for a square ball which Furrukh laid into his path and smacked it home from the edge.

What a goal! 7-0.

Rob M (me) was deservedly named MOM, but I have to say I couldn't have done it without my trusty right back John, who hasn't had a mention yet, but put in yet another solid performance for the Lions.
Grrrrrrrr!

Stats:
Goals: James (2),Rob C (1), Rob M (1), Liam (1), Furrukh (1), Steve F (1)

Assists: Liam (2), James (1), Sylvain (1), Furrukh (1) Unknown so far (1)

MOM: Rob M
Goal of the Season: Rob M
Miss of the Season: Furrukh
Quote of the Day: Any suggestions?
Kit Washing: Rob M

Next game will hopefully be next Sunday at Baddegana, please all check your e mails midweek and reply.