Orangemen Victorious on Aggregate

Bob Ashpole Retires as Manager

On a day when most people are making sure their mortgage is paid on time, on this 15th day of the month, the Orangemen were trying to reverse the losing trend that has been growing over the past two games.  In addition, on this beautiful Fall evening, the Orangemen hosted their first “Family Night” of the modern football era and paid tribute to two Orangemen icons.

“Family Night” will hopefully be  the first in a long line of traditions the Orangemen Soccer Club will initiate in an effort to revitalize the team as well as the league which has been suffering in recent years.  Orangemen numbers were dwindling throughout the summer with a turnouts that required stand-in players. It is not only the Orangemen who are suffering a dwindling attendance.  Almost every week there is a threat of a team canx due to low attendance.  And on this night, against the Turtles, this threat almost was realized.  On Thursday the Turtles only had about 5 players signed up to play.  They were seriously thinking about a cancellation.  But when Mooch informed Jeff, the Turtles manager, that the Orangemen would field large numbers, they shouldn’t canx because we had the field, the ref, the money, and almost enough substitutes to field two teams.  The Turtles agreed to play so “Family Night” was a go.

Turnout from the families was exceptional...There were even several trays of food and deserts on top.  But the real reason for the celebration was to present the first annual “Orangemen Sportsmanship Award”, as well as to officially retire Bob as the Orangemen Manager.  Before kickoff, Jim Landoll was award the Orangemen Sportsmanship award which took him completely by surprise.  All credit goes to Bob for conceiving of the prize and then following through on it until it was presented to Jim.  The second presentation was to honor Bob as the Orangemen manager for the previous 14 years.  He was presented a trophy and a book printed by Shutterfly with a number of photos from the years he was in charge.  At half-time Bob was presented a Pentagon Soccer Coin by Tedd effectively inducting Bob onto the Pentagon squad.

Then it was time to play.  The Turtles turned up short handed so the Orangemen provided them with four players, B, Dave N, Mike G, and Mike G...we will call the first Mike G “Gooch” and the second Mike G, Floppy to distinguish.  Even with these players going over to support the Turtles, the Orangemen still have no less than 8 substitutes.  All told a least 23 Orangemen showed up to play...this might be a record setting attendance.

When the game began it was fairly early on when the Turtles drew first blood. It came on a massive throwin from Pete deep in Orangemen territory.  B, playing striker for the Turtles, and the shortest player on the field, connected with the throwing on the fly and buried it in the Orangmen’s net.  Perhaps Mooch had made a mistake by giving the Turtles an Orangemen striker who was reaching his season peak.  Luckily, the Orangmen were quick to answer and tied the score when Jan kicked a wonderful off angle volley that miraculously was driven high and into the far side netting. 

An opportunity to score presented shortly after where one of the Turtles brought down and Orangemen player in the box.  The ref immediately pointed to the spot but it took awhile for the Turtles to realized a penalty kick was materializing.  Ben stepped up with confidence to take the shot.  Jeff, the Turtles keeper, thwarted Ben’s effort with a confident block.  Ben, no stranger to blocked PK’s ran forward to chase his failed effort but was unable to turn the ball back on goal for a second try.  That would not be the only free kick Jeff would save for the Turtles on that evening. 

The next two goals came in the second half.  The Turtles possess a young striker with phenomenal ability.  He is extremely fast and prides himself on playing the ball around a defender and then taking the long way around the defender to collect his own pass.  He has wonderful skill and scored two unanswered goals almost single handedly.  Peter would claim an assist on one of those goals...but we will have to have the Ref’s make a judgement call...some would claim the assist goes to the striker who clearly passed the ball to himself.  Peter can claim and be awarded an assist on the Turtles fourth goal...Peter crossed the ball in from the right and somehow B ran to the center of the goal and volleyed it straight into the top netting.

The Orangemen were dumbstruck that they had been outdone so handily by their own teammate playing for the Turtles...but they were not finished.  The Orange Crush continued to pressure and had a few more opportunities go wanting.  Luke rushed into the box and jumped for a header with on of the Turtle defenders.  Unfortunately the defender’s nose collided with Luke’s hard cranium ending in a very bloody nose.  The game was halted for first aid to be rendered.  The Orangemen hope the player down is doing OK.

But as the game resumed Phil came forward sprinting onto a cleared ball that was only lobbed clear.  When he connected he popped it up high and it looked as if it was going to rise up and over the cross bar...but as reached the top of it’s trajectory and fell back to the field it was angling to the top corner of the net.  The Turtles keeper kept his eye on it and rushed to the corner of the goal to make sure it went high.  As he jumped for it the ball fell just below the back of his hand and the goal.  Phil had scored on a shot that couldn’t get any closer to the top right corner of the goal.  The Orangemen had closed the gap to within two.

With time running out Andreas played a clever through ball that split the defense wide open.  It was perfectly weighted and had enough speed to clear the defense but was not fast enough to roll to the keeper before Scott B pounced on it.  As he ran forward Scott moved left of the ball with a marvelous opportunity to strike the ball with his right foot across the goal into an open net.  Unfortunately his touch let him down and the ball went wide.  On any other night it was a certain goal.

So at the final whistle on this night the Turtles defeated the Orangemen 4 to 2.  However, of the 6 shots that stretched the net on this evening, Orangemen players can claim 4 and victory for just having been on the pitch on such a wonder night celebrating a wonderful occasion with friends and family.