Orangemen vs Internationalze 12 April 2014

On a very warm night in April with the first game and day of the year with the temperature soaring into the mid  70’s we finally field a team...16 players showed up.  Was it the weather, was it the away game status (no fee).  Was it simply sound management (I doubt that).  Anyhow with the number and the players amassed, coupled with a great aggressive attitude, against a very competitive Internationalze, the Orangemen emerged victorious at the end by a score of 3 to 1.  Fantastic Orangemen, we demonstrated we can do everything right.

One big change, that we never bargained for, was Jan volunteering to play keeper.  With Gene oveseas, it looked like we were gonna have to split time with two other players would volunteered by we a little hesitant.  Jan was fully committed, and he even brought the gloves.  He played his never changing fearless game, surging out of the box to collect the ball in the fact of certain punishment.

At the other end of the field Ben’s friend Rahbi scored two goals for us.  The first one during the first half where he neatly sidesteps the keeper and finishes into the open net.  And our third goal midway through the second half on a free kick from the top of the boxes that passes a hair beneath the cross bar and literally swishes around the back of the net.

Jermaine scored our second goal on a break away.  The keeper comes out and jermaine gets the last touch on a bouncing ball to lift it into the net just ahead of the collision.  Their keeper got the worst of it but the goal stood as the ball was away and the keeper caused the collision.

For the line up, Jan was in goal
Karl and Greg start as full backs
Johnny H played sweeper with Goerge in fron of him stopping.
Ben and Rabhi played in themidfield
Jose and Mooch started up top
Alfredo, Dave N, Kendall and Jermaine rounded out the side until
Steve Harris Maurico, who started the game in red (blue) for Internationalze were returned to us.

Sadly it was another game with bad news for Mooch  as he was injured, again.  That’s becoming more and more common and this blog seems to be about describing more and more of his injuries.  Marcello took Mooch down at midfield.  Mooch earned the foul but could reconcile the force that he was taken down with, and simply a foul, no card, etc.

We’ve switched to using a different ref assignor this year...my opinion is that this ref kept the whistle in his pocket a bit more than he should have, a few more early whistles and a card or two prevents take-downs like Mooch experienced.  Seven days later and Mooch still can’t put weight on his left leg...it was a hard tackle...in a game with no sliding tackles...so I guess we need instant reply, because something was missed on the field.

A bit later, Mauricio had a nice stiff arm to the face of Marcello who was getting too close and arguably would have taken him down the same way I  had been taken down, had he not chosen to defend himself. Whereas I can’t condone stiff arms to the face, in a game where the ref will not defend the players, players will take to defending themselves.  I owe Mauricio a beer for that one.

After the game we went to Mellow Mushroom...we are exploring other options because the Mushroom is an expensive place for a beer despite the ambiance that reminds me of Terminus, for all of you Walking Dead fans.