MOM : Winners

With half the squad deciding they couldn’t play because it was Christmas, the Wombles faced an uphill struggle with no players, no keeper and no ref!

A mini mutiny before the match was also very unhelpful, the game needed to be played as we had enough players to put the match on and it wasn’t going to be fun in freezing conditions but eventually the match was on after a 30 min delay waiting for someone to ref.

The Wombles started badly and things didn’t get much better. The opposition were looking for revenge after we took points off them earlier in the season and they got it, scoring 7 with no reply forthcoming.

Fair play to Jase for going in goal, he made some great saves and really took one for the team. Winners also did well and Flaser’s “Huigita” style goal line clearances are going to become stuff of legend. Not once but three times he cleared it off the line with his spaghetti legs up and over his head. Excellent stuff.

A terrible day for football was followed by a 0 - 0 draw for the Cobblers in freezing conditions. Merry bloody Christmas!

Scorer : Rob

MOM : Truss

Christmas came early for Maggies youth as the Northampton Utd reserves back line played santa to gift goals galore at Dally Park. The day had started badly for the Wombles with talismanic striker Scott Eason not turning up for the game due to being involved in a lock in at Auntie Ruths, and a lock in at his house while he explained to his misses where he had been til 6am! The game was then delayed while a shovel was found so Nasal could get some dog sh;t off the pitch!

Utd didn’t start too badly but shipped some terrible goals with first Fraser losing his man from a free kick for a free header and then Jase deciding he was the wizard of dribble only to be dispossessed on the touchline providing Maggies with the opening to put them 2 goals ahead. Another goal followed with man of the moment Robinho replying for the Wombles after pressurising the keeper. He should also have had a penalty if he had gone down when fouled but the referee who wanted to be the star of the show decided contact wasn’t justification enough for one!

Second half came and 5 minutes of madness saw the Wombles concede another 3 as Jase gave away his customary Dally Park penalty after the ref decided that now contact wasn’t needed for a decision - just intent! Jase then decided that Kris was a quick and agile keeper and after a number of under hit back passes put us in trouble, Maggies finally scored from one as the orange keeper jogged out of his goal and was beaten by the striker to make it 5 - 1.

The more experienced players in the side sensed it was time to put a foot on the ball and keep possession to regain some composure. From kick off the ball was played back to Nasal whose attempted pass to Flaser bounced off his shin directly to the Maggies striker who made no mistake. A joke goal to end a joke day.

Most of the lads still had enough energy to make it to the Xmas meal with more energy going into getting into the que for the carvery than had been displayed by most players on the pitch. The Gaffa lewy did well to keep himself seperate from the players as he decided to go for a walk in the woods instead of attending the lads get together.

SUBS
12. Jellyleggs Winners - Came on as centre half just behind Eason. As he sobered up he dominated proceedings and wound up the opposition by telling them to calm down and touching them!
13. Puss - Stood an undeserved barrage of abuse on the sideline and a deserved barrage of abuse in the pub. The utility man almost scored when he came on.

Guest Match Report from Slinky

Things started badly for the Womble as Real Dogsh;t went into a quick two goal lead after only 10 minutes through half of the team being para and the other half thinking about coffee club.

The Wombles were playing it around nicely, with Ali Mac and Lewy (in a pigs eye) in particular spraying the ball around with great aplomb. A goal was pulled back after great pace from Eason saw him unleash a shot which rebounded out to Rob Noel who tucked it away to notch up his first goal for the club.

Second half saw a completely different Wombles performance, with passing and movement causing ‘Real’ problems for the opposition. The equaliser came from our latest secret weapon - Rorys long throw. A flick on from the towering schoolteacher Trussler saw Rob ghost in at the far post to volley home. Moments later Eason wriggled from of two challenges to finish with the most delicate of strikes with the outside of his right boot.

This caused Real to really start fouling us (like they hadn’t already) but this seemed to free up more room for the Wombles new counter attacking game. The mighty Simon Trussler rose unmarked to head in our fourth and Eason finished things off with a neat far post strike.

There was also just enough time for their centre forward to get sent off and then spit in the referees face, the worst thing I’ve seen on a football pitch in 22 years of playing at the top level.

An excellent fightback with great performances across the park, Rob in particular stood out for his non stop work rate and 2 great goals.

UP THE WOMBLES!!

MOM - Rob Noel

The winner will get to sit next to Joe at the Christmas meal next week and get a photo opportunity with the great manchild.

The editorial staff have put their 2 brain cells together and have come up with Scattergun due to never knowing how wide his shots will go or Tattoo Joe.

There must be something better out there?!

So sick!

MOM - Metronome - Excellent performance on the pitch with a goal to silence his critics and and an assist for goal of the century. This performance was dwarfed though by his comedy performance in the pub. Ugh don’t get him started!!!!!

Goals - Nath, Truss, Berba (3), Nase

The Wombles made the trip to Southfields with a drunken Slinky in tow, but a meeting at MaccyD’s usually sets the tempo for a day of firsts (goalkeepers scoring anyone?) and the coffee club were not to be disappointed on this strange but wonderful day.

Arriving at the Gallery pub to find a pitch but no changing rooms, Slinky made light of that by spending the pre match warm up getting off with the oppositions manager / referee. This worked out nicely as the game was played in a crazily good spirit on what was a cold morning.

The match started with Lynhurst having the slight better of things going forward, but the Wombles as has become their style, were looking good on the break with (I hate to say it) Berba holding the ball up well and using it to good affect.

The Wombles managed to take the lead when Nasal chipped the ball to Eason who played in Nath, who took an age before pea rolling the ball past the goaly and into the far left corner. Nice to see he can score with his boots as well as his head!

The second half saw another fairly even encounter with Joe and Truss bothering the corner flag with shots. The latter being told that he should give up now as he would never score. 5 minutes, and a Slinky long throw later Truss had broke his duck and the Wombles had taken a comfortable lead.

This seemed to do for Lynhurst as the Wombles went on to play some excellent attacking football (once Ali was replaced by super sub Drapes - a coincidence I’m sure!).  Eason went on to do what he does best, score without moving. First some neat interplay between Paddy and Drapes led to an opening for Berba who played a one two with the post before finishing calmly, the great man himself commented “I could see the angle was not on to score so had no choice but to hit it off the post to give me the chance to tap into empty net”.

He scored a second shortly after, starting the move himself with a ball out wide to “tricky” wingman Lewy, a low cross went in and after a little confusion in the box the ball fell to the Sloth about 15 yards out who  smashed it into the roof of the net!! His hat-trick was completed after a long cross by Lewy was thundered in via Eason’s great big head at the back post.

The game was  rounded off in style by something never seen before or likely to be seen again. A throw by the excellent Truss went inside to Nase who took it on the half volley and it flew into the top left hand corner, a goal that was measured at around 35 yards from contact to goal, but on appeal in the pub was decided to be closer to 60.

Lynhurst managed to get a goal back with around 10 mins left but all in all it was a great day out for the Wombles - an excellent performance and a good laugh, what Sunday football should be about. Both teams played in an excellent spirit, and the day was rounded off with Utd winning, Chelsea losing, a roast dinner and me having some bloody good beers.

MOM Truss?

Goal - Berba

Who’d have thought after our start to the season that we would be having a table topping clash in mid November? The Wombles were missing several players again and the captain was the second most drunk man ever near a football pitch (behind Nase who once had an own goal dissallowed the night after wetting the babies head!). With the skipper so drunk he was sick more than once walking to the pitch, Higgsy and Winners were called into the starting line up.

The Wombles were up against a side who had averaged 4 goals a game and whose oldest player was 25, so with a weakened team in terms of numbers but a strong side in terms of quality and spirit, they kicked off in terrible conditions at the Racecourse.

It was actually the Wombles who had the better of the first half with Robinho having his best game for the club, doing Berba’s running and nearly scoring on a number of occasions (hit it hard mate!!!). Unfortunately Higgsy was to last about as long as one of Lewys mmmmmmmmsss (8 minutes) and was replaced by the Skipper who after much debate was slotted in at centre half with Winners pushed out wide.

Heathfield were using their pace well but the Wombles defence marshalled well by Flaser and midfield held firm and Linesy was excellent as usual. It was the Wombles who looked the more dangerous on the counter attack took the lead when a neat low Nasal free kick from the right was half met by Nath, and after a bit of pin ball in the area fell to where Eason had been standing all game and true to form he made no mistake.

Utd held tight till the half and knew the second half defending the hill would be a tough ask with their traditional second half fitness causing a slight concern. The second half was a real case of backs to the wall defending with the three defensive midfielders of JJ, Truss and Winners providing a good shield whilst still looking dangerous on the break through Nath, Rob and Berba.

Unfortunately the Wombles couldn’t hold out til the end when with 10 minutes left Nasal blocked a shot but it took a wicked deflection up and over Linesy to see the Wombles deflated. A lesser team could have folded but the Wombles spirit and the promise of chicken stuff and popadoms down barrats for the 4th week running saw the tired legs play through to the final whistle to grab a point.

All in all an excellent performance, probably the best of the season considering the number of players missing, and gave the club a great confidence boost knowing they could match any team in the league.

(Sorry it’s late. Good job my memory isn’t too addled!)

Match report 2 weeks late - Apologies but I’m currently working like Scott Eason at a 16 year olds bday part at an all you can eat restaurant.

Match Report

The ressies travelled to bottom markers Westone missing a number of players, with a tough week seeing the side fluctuate from 7 to 14 players and finally ending on 12. The Wombles had been on a fine run of form but missing striking talisman Berbaslob, who would step up to the plate and score the goals?

The game was a fairly even encounter with Jason White making his debut adding a touch of experience to the centre of midfield, leaving Joe to get on with … er, not a lot! The Wombles looked the most likely to score and indeed they did when Dr Peath broke the deadlock with a calm right footed finish (I Knew he’d score after the comments in the last match report).

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with few chances being created, and even saw a cameo up top for Nasal Cascarino! Nathan gave away his customary penalty which Kris Lines did well to save with the glow of his sun tan!

The match ended in farse as the referee (their secretary) had a fight with their own full back - whatever next? I’ll tell you what, top of the league Heathfield!

MOM - Nath: Can’t remember  - it was a while back!

MOM : Joe Johnson

The Ressies took on former Sunday National Champions Duke of York in blustery conditions at Kingsthorpe Rec missing a number of first team regulars for reasons varying from holiday, injury, illness to being absolutely pira! Johno once again took the gloves in goal and let nobody down with a top drawer performance.

The Wombles started off slowly and never really got out of first gear, the closest the opposition keeper came to making a save was from one of their back passes. The Wombles rode their luck for the first 20 mins but the deadlock was finally broken and a second was added soon afterwards with Nasal’s lack of pace (and interest?) being exposed.

Second half came with a slight improvement but a decidely dodgy offside goal was given (learn the rules Robbie!) and the Wombles crumbled letting in a further 3 as the ref had a stinker (for both sides). Joey Jo Jo was the pick of the side, even saving a penalty (harshly given against Nase) and stand in Skipper Flaser and stand in captain of vice truss were the pick of the rest.

The club can look back on the cup run with glee due to the large investment into the fines pot from the Slinkdog! Roll on next week and a return to the league and teams of our standard!

Scorers : Warner, Eason, Maloney, Johnson (2)

MOM : Jason Owen - back to his brilliant best thanks to the purchase of a new colour co-ordinated captains armband.

Full match report from Slinky (edited by Nasal)

The Wombles started the game looking to continue their recent runof form with another win, when right on cue Nathan Warner turned in an early near post header from a glorious Nasal cross.

This early goal should have led to a tightening of the game, but the teams work rate appeared to diminish as an air of over confidence engulfed the team. Margaret’s Youth clawed their way back into the game before then taking the lead, and but for some good defending from the skipper Jason Owen and that orange bloke, the Wombles could have been in the sh;t by half time.

With the score at 2-1 the gaffer took the gamble of taking off Ben Taylor, one of the few Wombles flair players, and introduced the workman like Phil Littlewood. Many saw this as a master stoke, though the fact THEY took off a 21 year old centre mid and replaced him with a 50 year is what really swung the balance!

This tactical blunder freed up more space in the centre for Simon Trussler and Joe Johnson, with Johnson using it to great aplomb by rifling in two 35 yard screamers. In between these glorious strikes we saw veteran left back David Maloney squeeze his way through from a narrow angle, whilst proceedings were finished when Eason tapped in from close range after some good work (at last) from Neil Lewis.

An excellent second half display, the best we’ve played all season and a mark of how the team is starting to take shape. Yes, we’ll lose a few games this season, but we won’t lose any for want of trying.

Honesty prevails.