Blog of Bling #7- First British Goal

Those proficient in my writings know that I actually found a football (soccer) league before I actually found a flat in which to live. Well, it took 6 weeks, but I finally broke through and scored my first competitive goal on the isle. Luckily, (for you) the highlights of this particular league are put on youtube. Check it out:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezE11UlLblU



I play for a house team for 7-a-side league. We're the one's in blue getting scored on most of the time, except for the first goal on the clip. There are also a couple highlights of me involving a back heel and then a 1v1 in the second half that skimmed the top post. It's good exercise and I enjoy it, but I was missing the full field, full goal, 11-a-side games. So I answered a post on gumtree (UK's craigslist) for a wide player to fill in for a few weeks.



So this morning I took a 10 min train ride to the next neighborhood over to play with Kew Antigua FC's first team in a friendly against worcester park rangers, a third division team. I met the players and while most of them looked taller than I, I didn't see anything special that I wouldn't be able to handle.



But then the game started. So apparently I wasn't aware, but club football in Britain is a bit more physical than adult football in the states. In the states, you'd get the occasional shoulder charge, some old man that's lost a step reaching his foot in a half second late to clean somebody out, and then everyone gets upset and then play will (usually) resume. (Usually, because in the Greater Louisville Men's League one bench clearing fight will break out once a season). But this was ridiculous.



I was playing out wide on the right and I wasn't the most pleased person on the pitch to see that the left winger looked like the most athletic guy on their squad...turns out he was. Luckily the rest of his team wasn't very good and he ended up drifting into center midfield to pick up the ball more. This is when I pretended he wasn't my problem anymore.



So I held my own for the first half. I actually had two opportunities that were easier made than missed as they'd say over here. I beat the defender to a ball crossing the goal face and just needed a touch that I wasn't able to get thanks to a nice shove in the back... no foul.



Then later that half I got away from my mark and set the ball out for a crack at goal. The recovering defender lunged to block the shot and I just pushed the ball between his legs for a 1v1 with keeper. After all that work, to be honest, I was exhausted and proceeded to stubb my toe resulting in an embarrassing shot and an easy save for the keep.

The rest of the game proceeded with me getting the ball, taking a touch and then getting knocked off the ball. Minor injuries included knee to the thigh (dead leg) and the goalie sliding into my crotch. Somehow he came up injured and had to leave the game, where as I just had to leave the possibility of ever having children.

All in all, I guess I can't complain. I went a full 90 with little conditioning and created a few chances. Dead tired and hurting, but I think the club will invite me back, hopefully as a half time substitute or for the 2nd or 3rd division teams.