08 April 2006 - League
Hersham R.B.L 3 - Darkside 4
Team: Alan, Andy, Ant, Ben M, Ben S, Chris, Craig, Dan B, Dan S, Ian, Mark P, Mike, Steve, Tim
Goals: Mike x2, Ben M, Craig / Assists: Tim x2, Dan S x2 / MOTM: Tim / MM: ?

Darkside arrived in Hersham looking for revenge - the previous weeks robbery meant the lads were ready for the battle. However, without the services of centre half Boyd proved extra costly as the kit was still at the pub!!

The following half an hour was spent playing eye-spy in the changing rooms, interrupted only by Minty and Alan's secret discussion possibly over where Al got his pink jumper!

The kit finally arrived, the usual fights broke out as to who was to wear the cum stained shorts that Alan had stretched and Craig complaining over the holes in his socks.

The warm up, led by Mike again, wore everyone out! Neil gave the rousing team talk to get everyone in the mood and named the side. Craig filled in, unfamiliarly, at centre back, and Minty at centre mid. Elsewhere it was like you were the previous week.

The half kicked off on a warm, but windy, day. Despite the pitch being flatter than last weeks cow field, it was still extremely bobbly and prevented Darkside from playing their usual sexy football.

The lads started off where they'd finished the week before, laying siege to the HRBL goal. But against the run of play (de ja-vu??) a punt down field led to Hersham taking the lead. This failed to stop Darkside controlling the game and a swift flowing move led to Mike pulling a fine save from the Hersham keeper, and Minty hitting a venomous 25 yard shinner, that the keeper stopped.

After a couple of dodgy corners (wind effected), Fletcher won the 3 rd of the game. And with precise accuracy Gale's corner trickled to the feet of Masuku and from 2 yards he smashed home an equaliser.

The ref did his best to ruin the game, on numerous occasions believing he was reffing a rugby game, it made for a scrappy half, with the Hersham pie man going in the book after showing his disgust at the refs incompetence! Hersham, though, should have led as they broke through 1 on 1 and thinking there'd been a whistle smashed over the bar, Andy's Fabien Bartez impression working a treat!

The lads continued to battle, Craig revelling in his new position within the back four, Minty bossing the midfield and Dan dropping in to win the headers, it was Darkside who finished the half stronger, with Dan acrobatically firing just over from Ben M's cross.

Having played with the wind in the first half, Darkside knew they were gonna be in for a battle second half, the gusts stronger than Mintys after a night on the curry!

The second half kicked off and battles continued to be won all over the pitch the ref having quiet words with Kingston and Fletcher for little more than strong play.

The boss made his changes, Chris replacing Ian who'd picked up a knock and Ant replacing Minty in CM to do a very effective man marking job in the middle of the park.

Darkside though continued to press, and after good link up down the right, Masuku fed Gale whose cut back was calmly slotted home by Mole, 2-1 to the whites.

Darkside struggled to kill the game off though, Fletcher twice seeing a bobble ruin his chances of striking on goal. Mike and Ben M both had efforts kept out by the keeper, who was again keeping his side in it, as last week.

French Dan had the best Hersham effort, firing just over his own goal, from about 40 yards, apparently due to an unnoticed slip??!! This was followed by Andy doing very well to deny Hersham in a goal mouth scramble.

Then from a Fletcher corner, big Dan found himself sandwiched and poked in the eye, the ref pointed to the spot. Much to the disbelief of the lanky Hersham sub who's choice words to the ref of “you f*cking idiot” earned him a red card. Kingston slotted home his 4 th pen of the season, 3-1. Mark replaced Alan as the final change looking to see the game out and with the opposition down to 10, surely meant game over!

Hersham had other ideas; a well hit volley eluding Andy in goal and making a game of it. As the game approached the final 10, Hersham struck again a free header from a corner buried and the sides were level! Darkside had let a 2 goal lead slip, 3-3.

Fortunately, after some good chances had gone astray Masuku showed a touch of class to break through and lift over the goalkeeper to put Darkside 4-3 up.

However, injury threatened to leave Darkside with 10, Ben S' usual dodgy cramp leaving Ben M to fill in at RB and Mike wide right. Bert moving to hobble up front.

Hersham heads dropped and as they pushed for another equaliser more gaps were left at the back, sub Mark broke through to nearly open his Darkside account, but was denied. Tim saw an effort go agonisingly close (with me free to his right, surely my best chance of a goal this season), Mike seeing a 1 on 1 blocked and Ben S very very very selfishly (also 1 on 1 with the keeper!!) firing wide with others better placed!!!!! And then rolling round with cramp again.

The game petered out, and Darkside had picked up 3 points that they so wished had arrived 7 days earlier, but still a very promising battling display proving they are by far better than a div 5 side.

Match report by: Tim