Posted Aug 20th 2007, 3:15pm by Gareth Davies

New Boots, New Goals, New Pitch.

New Boots, New Pitch, New Goals

As purchases go, my new boots were, by a long chalk, the most flamboyant procurement in my footballing career. I'd done white...they were so 1999...but Garybaldy seemed to think he was still 'in' when he strolled up at Tuesday practices...no one told him to his face that they looked a bit like and updated pair of Green Flash, but they did.

Emboldened by Sutty's skill sessions over the last couple of weeks, I decided to head 'up west' and splash some cash on a new pair of boots. So it was I ended up leaving Nike Town with a smile and a very bright Yellow pair of boots. Meanwhile I had been informed Rusti was scouring the south London sport shops, looking for a pair of ex-Eastern block made hob-nails, made from the skins of poor people and the tyres from Aeroflot jumbo's. Ha...my light as a feather coco the clown shoes would be the envy of all.....or was the ridicule.

Then it happened..A certain Mr. Rooney stepped onto the field of some northern football club...(can't remember..something about "Untied") and promptly was put out for weeks due to someone tiptoeing over his bright yellow boots (the same aforementioned ones...) and causing a well known foot injury.

I began to have my doubts as to whether these little babies had the protection I needed (being that I always ended up in the back 4 and often had to mercilessly hack down the oppo..)

Anyway apparently Rusty had snapped up the last pair of DyouVantaChopaLegov PRO™ so I had to live with my foolhardy decision.

New goals. New Pitch

The nets took ages to put up...Nick DiBaggio and I doing the basics ably assisted by Sutty and a few other sauntering along early to help out. But with practice we reckon we can get it down to 5 minutes with the help of Sutty and his Army skills. Next year we're entering the Horse of the year show. Instead of running a gun carriage across a course we'll do a set of goals....

Pitch is great, if on a slight incline, nice and lush...not sure how that will last with a bunch of Rugger boys on it every week...anyhow we are lucky
its in such good nick to start.

As we were sorting out one end of a goal from another the rain started lashing down, and it continued off and on for the rest of the day. The match kicked off with a few miserable faces, belying their thoughts...."What the F*!k am I doing this for again..?"
As Willi's last match for IVFC he was made captain and immediately brought to bear his good fortune..by winning the choice of ends. We started uphill with the wind and the rain on our backs. The oppo although younger by some distance, were slightly more portly in some areas of the pitch which allowed IVFC to play some great football.
The skill sessions had I think paid off for some of those that had turned up. It was good football...no really it was. Considering a team of Misfits, wannabe's, old hands and energetic whippersnappers had been ably brought together by Dougarri and Dinescu..it worked. The Back 4 played well, the midfield probed and ran and ran and ran and upfront questions were being asked of the hefty oppo.

Having blazed past a few defenders in my time, I relished the prospect of doing so in my new winged boots...It wasn't long before I had the chance to
try my hand a t a bit of 'Defender Worrying'. I took the ball in my own half and ran at the twenty something defender (who admittedly was carrying a bit more timber than should have been) as he drew near to clatter me a slight change of shoulder (a la Sutty's Skills) and he bought it, I played the ball through his legs and was away..."run Forrest Run".... a neat square ball to Sutty on the edge of the box, but the surface just took it away from a peachy strike on goal.
The signs were there. Magic boots do you stuff.....I then got subbed....in order to give those more elderly a little time in the sunshine.(well the glare off the boots is pretty strong)

With Schmidt and Koch’s now on we retained our shape and carried on the neat football. Even With a few playmakers in the oppo we managed to contain most attacks, which were few. Unfortunately they converted one of these and we all felt a bit cheated.

The half time came and there were a great deal of positive words flying around....I think the rain must have dulled my senses but I am sure I didn't hear anything derogatory....

The second half continued in the same fashion..nice football..neat triangles...even give and go’s.

With a few more personnel changes, i ended up at left back replacing a Hamstrung Hotel...such was the enjoyment I don't think even he wanted to leave the pitch despite the pain.

With more and more space opening up (the oppo later turned out to be a pub side...a few of whom had reinforced their status the previous night by having a few too many) as they began to tire,
Kochs had many forays down the right side, Schmidt and I down the left it was only a matter of time.
Dougarri replaced Schmidt with Rongun and Neutoni in the centre...Dougarri felt a bit out of place....hey join the gang..But all in all most put in a credible performance..... until…

As the game drew to a close the oppo keeper hoisted a speculative ball in the atmosphere. I like to say here in a Bill McLaren-esqu manner "it came dooon with Snoow on it" ….it bounced a couple of yards from me and with ever closing attackers I hesitated for a mo and instead of lamping it out or heading it back to the keeper i gently cushioned it down towards him and as the No.14 raced through onto the panic stricken Moreleni and scramble ensued the oppo squared it to two waiting compadrés who calmly slotted it home. Sorry Lads I think the glare from the boots blinded him…!

A 2-0 win defeat was not a true reflection of the game, all we need to add to our silky skills, is to finish the pie.

With our new posts unworried by an IVFC strike....a few good men helped take the nets ) and Flags down ( that Nick Di Baggio,Sutty and I put up). Some skivers...snuck off without even offering.
These things are bloody heavy, despite their wheels. So if you don't help to put them up, because you are late, lost or suffering from 'can't get out of bed in time' syndrome.... PLEASE make sure you help by taking them down.

Team : Moreleoni, Hotel, Sweeney,de Wilders, GaryBaldi, Schmidt,Pricey,Steve,Sutty, wippett, Neutoni, dougarri,Kochs,Wright'un,

Man of the match :Morleoni
.For a couple of cracking saves