The initially 9am scheduled game was now set for high noon, but both squads were depleted with barely any substitutes. A drizzly miserable day didn’t help get the spirits up, but fortunately a quality veteran referee would at least ensure that the game would stay well marshalled. Both teams came out suffering from an inability to adapt to the conditions, attempted one touch passes and careless touches making it a turnover battle. Barnstonworth were marginally more technically adept at holding the ball, but the Legends looked more dangerous when attacking. Once D’Andrea went down with a knee injury in the opposition penalty box, the Legends ability to hold the ball in attack dissipated.
Originally CPR thought they could wear down Barnstonworth with superior numbers, but once the Legends lost 3 substitutes it was virtually an even game. Although space was opening up around the field, the Legends had a hard time piecing more than 3 passes together. Meanwhile the Rovers bided their time and then took advantage. CPR had already been warned when one counterattack had forced a professional foul, but did not heed it and were pried open with the single opposition striker loping half the length of the field before converting. The Legends continued to be up and around the opposition penalty area but with little real threat, and committing players forward led to an almost identical second goal. With almost the last play of the game, a third counterattack resulted in Frazier taking down the striker. The now inevitable red mist sank all over Frazier and resulted in a straight red, with Vale’s long battle with the goalie gloves not providing any succor as the Rovers slotted in a simple third from the spot to end the game.
The 0-3 score was not fair to the Legends, but Rovers were the more technically astute side in keeping possession and passing the ball around which was enough on the wet surface to make the difference. That and having swift attackers to take advantage of the Legends unusually slow and injured back line. With one more game left CPR hopes to finish the season on a winning note.
Competition: Barnstonworth Rovers Veterans, League Opposition
Location: Randall’s Island #74, Randall’s Island
Conditions: A little too wet and cold for late spring
Fans: 0
Result: 0:3 HT: 0-0
Goals: N/A
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: Even by Frazier’s standards this was breathtakingly idiotic. Down 2-0 with virtually no time left, takes the striker down. Fairly close, but a penalty was reasonably awarded. The sending off wasn’t for that, it was for the resultant shove of the ball into the referee’s gut.
Mike D’s aka No Shows: None
Conboy’s aka Reverse Mike D’s: None
”Mr. Glass” Fragility/Old Man Injury Award: D’andrea went down with a knee twist in the first half and didn’t return. He was sorely missed. Steve Roberts groin hindered him into even slower speed than usual before he finally threw in the towel. Resnik uncharacteristically was also unavailable after warm ups.
Old Man of the Match: Some sporadic good play, but more often a lot of one touch misplayed foolishness in wet weather.
Old Man of the Bar: None.
El Presidente (Old Men who don’t make it to game but come to the bar): None
Statistic of the week: No surprise, Frazier continues to knock negative statistics out of the park in a Bizarro Ripken fashion. This week’s straight red brings the total to 22 discipline points (yellow+red) out of 24 games played. Good thing he’s so phlegmatic off the pitch else he would have been long gone from the squad.
Team Bar Showing: 2 out of 15 (13%)
Team Bar Night: 1 out of 5. Tier 1 showed up for some food and a pint, but that was it.
Team (No new profiles this week): Tim Frazier (GK), Manohar Venkataraman, Neil Stower (DF), Gavin Moore (DF), Steve Roberts (DF), Mark Resnik (DF), Danny Azzo, Franco Denari, Scott Brindley, Paul Vale, Willian D’Andrea, Steve Lacey, Manuel Casanova, John Hodges, Steve Teesdale (DF)
