A voice gone with the wind
By Miguel Stabenão and Adrian Zilhow
Was this really Chenois? The team which beat us four months ago by 3-0 and on which in February 2007, we reflected, following a 3-6 defeat: "Another lost battle for Vets II. But was it really necessary to lose at Waterloo – 192 Years after the glorious victory of that other multiethnic lot against Napoleon's multiethnic one and exactly 117 days after our 3-1 win against Chenois?"
It definitely was Chenois, because the March 2008, incidentally the second 3-0 win within a week following our usual away win at AEMA, brought back some memories of that other easy 3-1 win in the autumn 2006. Yes, we recognized some – bald – forwards and a couple of Waterloo acquaintances of Pierre's. But others who prefer "friendly" conversations in the "casse-toi, pauvre con"-manner were obviously needed elsewhere.
From a reliable source which we will keep undisclosed – secret professionnel oblige – we also had indications that their usual goalie was not available – while ours responded to the call of duty with another clean sheet in the make.
Although Chenois had a strong wind in their backs in the first half it just pushed their attacking lines so far forward that their midfield could not follow suit. On the other end their midfield struggled to get back to help their defensive line, apparently because of the strong wind now blowing in their faces. For our midfield it was quite the opposite. Simon, Adriano, Tommo and Pedro swirled back into defense with the help of storm force winds while, when attacking, they wind-tunneled forward so quickly that they put the whistling gales between them and the yelling skipper – his voice gone with, well, the wind.
That was, in a nutshell, the main reason for already achieving the final result (3-0) at half time. There were some minor other ones. For example Barry's clever and cold blooded opening goal. Then shortly afterwards, a long opening pass by Barry into the box and the man-of-the-match book found a giddily balanced Paul turning and tottering Rafa-like on the brink of greatness, or utter failure; when the camera quit the unbearable slow motion and resumed normal service a graceful lob over the hoar keeper's hirsute but thinning head of hair turned Wisey into BUFC's own Mc Alpine fusilier.
But the goal of the day was scored by the other Man of the Match, Simon, who managed a fantastic shot from a difficult angle with – what else can you expect? - his left foot. What they call in the trade a left-footed stabenow with half-screw forward. It would have probably ended somewhere near the main car park had the net not prevented it from going there.
Yes, there were more chances to score, but we prefer to remain diplomatically silent about them and rather turn to Chenois' main opportunities (just about enough to deserve the plural form). In the first half Colin levitated like a double decker dragonfly, or, if you prefer, a cloud of stinking cigarette smoke heading reluctantly toward an exhaust fan built to demanding anti-smoking standards toward the left post to punch away a goal-bound shot. When he landed, half an hour later, the crowd could but burst into deafening applause (ok, would have if one had been there, but because of the wind it wouldn't have mattered anyway). And in the second half it fell to Tommo to head a ball off the goal line and preserve Colin's second back-to-back clean sheet.
No doubt, the opposition was surprisingly weak. But surely this doesn't entirely account for our victory. Against eleven men it still needed a decent performance, good concentration and some clever passes. And then, after all was said and done, fortune, as is her wont, favoured the (b)old Vets. Was this really BUFC 6?
Team: Shaylão, Kempão, Brownão, Woollão, Cohenão, Assunção, Zilhão, Thomão, Dibbão, McAlpão, Wisão
Subs: Blackmão Kellão, Stabenão
Scorers: McAlpão, Wisão, Dibbão
MoM: McAlpão, Dibbão
