By Wim Vansteelant

The second consecutive home game for the mighty 3rds in a week's time so no pre-match stress due to Roger "Red Bull" Murray's GPS, meaning the lads could all prepare for yet another "game of the last chance" in optimal circumstances. Well, all apart from Oli actually, who arrived back from holiday only a few hours prior to kick-off.

We were still only 9, though, but much appreciated help came from other teams : Westlife (for the second week in a row) and Faddy had the honour to don the 3rds' jersey.

A motivated BUFC side got the game underway and, contrary to many other games, got off to a good start. Without creating any clearcut chances, we were the better side, playing the ball around nicely and trying to move forward whenever we could.

On one our breaks, Faddy got the ball in the box near the goalline, went past a defender and slotted the ball home across the goalie in the far corner of the goal. A great strike and BUFC were on schedule : 1-0 !

Minutes later a pass through the middle reached Wim, who went past a defender just outside the box and immediately fired off a shot that went centimeters wide.

We kept looking for a 2nd goal, which resulted in a few chances and shots from, amongst others, Jon, Faddy and George.

Our goalie for the day, youngster Thomas, was hardly ever put to work… which made it extra hard to accept the fact that on 1 of their rare forays into our half, the Irish actually scored from a low shot : 1-1 !

Still, our heads didn't drop, as we knew we had been the better side, so we kept playing our game. A great cross from the left from Jon was only half headed away by an Irish defender, the ball fell between the defender and the keeper who had ran out of his goal recklessly, and Wim just managed to get his foot to it, lobbing the ball diagonally over the keeper into the empty goal : 2-1 ! Or… wait a minute… was it ? Nope, the ref had seen an imaginary push from Wim on the defender. Weird, as the defender himself admitted to me afterwards he hadn't felt anything. Oh well, the ref was a Yank, so I guess if their Prez can see weapons of mass destruction where there aren't any, why shouldn't their refs see fouls where there aren't any ?

We could only abide by the man's decision and go into half time with a draw.

Unfortunately, we couldn't keep the momentum going in the 2nd half and slowly but surely, the Irish took over the game. It didn't take long to happen what everyone felt coming : an Irish goal. The green boys penetrated our defense and fired home a hard and unstoppable shot : 1-2 !

Things were now looking particularly gloomy for us, but we refused to lay our heads down and kept putting up a fight. We were rewarded with a truly magnificent goal : Jon struggled his way through their midfield, embarked on a one-two with George, cut into their box, went past some defenders and wacked the ball high in the goal : 2-2 !

Hopes were rekindled and the much needed 3 points weren't a faraway dream anymore… till, minutes before the end, we were caught stonecold on the counterattack : 2-3 !

A very bitter pill to swallow, especially given the fact we'd played a decent game. Maybe not enough to warrant a victory, but a draw would've been a fair result. Still, no use crying over spilt milk, such is the hard world of sports.

The result was an uppercut, though, and instead of going straight into the dressing room, the lads stayed on the pitch, discussing the game and comforting each other. A bit like the Frogs after they won the European Cup, only we were in a different mindset.

The next fixture, again at home, against Penelope is now truly a game of all or nothing !

Will BUFC 3rds get going when the going gets tough ? The answer : soon on a pitch near you !

Played: Thomas, Chris, Rob, James, Luis, Jon, Oli, Roger, Faddy, George, Wim

MOM:3rd: half the team; 2nd: the other half of the team; 1st: Jon (debatable, though, given the fact he hadn't brought out his vote)