Sunday Mar 16th, 2025 Saltford Stadium

TEAM: Sir, Teague, Jim, Neil, Colonel, Yinka, Duds, Al, Jones, Drane, Ford

SUBS: Sheridan

OLD TIMERS ROLL BACK THE YEARS

Pre match mood was slightly tense, Monday had already been confirmed champions but they wanted to have a clean sweep during this season and Red Star beat them last year on this ground so the Blues could take nothing for granted. Despite only having 12 players, the squad looked good on paper, plenty of experience throughout the squad, a little bit of pace from Jones (making a comeback for a medal), Colonel making a start (again ensuring that he got enough minutes under his belt to award himself a medal), Sheridan turning up as sub (despite being in a state of disrepair but determined to share the flu!).

Stu stood down for this one in favour of coaching duties elsewhere and was replaced by the cultured ‘is it time for a fag’ Al. His relaxed play in centre of midfield with the marauding Dudders running around and chasing every ball down was a joy to see. Early signs were not promising as Sheri reconsidered his decision to give start Colonel a start after a long layoff with a torn glute as he managed to trip himself over and stumble in embarrassing slow motion whilst trying to shepherd the ball out for a throw. After a slightly nervous start Dud’s and Al got control in midfield despite being outnumbered, and a lack of pressing helped the Blues get on top in defence. 

The game turned into a midfield battle with defences on top, the sort of game where expansive football could not be played, also down to the pitch which was not only uneven but quite bobbly. Al observed in his post match press conference… “There were two different team strategies; they flooded the midfield while we had the spaces on the outside. Unfortunately, our passing wasn't linking thanks to the mounds of hard soil and mounds of grass (kids had a lovely pitch next door), which meant we started to use the long ball more than we wanted to.” With Jimbo and Neil looking solid, Redstar were limited in their offensive threat, the defence worked excellently together and kept the Redstar attack down to a few half chances and a couple of corners. So, it was no surprise when Monday went ahead, Draner and Fordy were constant thorns for the Red Star defence, both of them chased down every ball, admittedly you can kick the ball anywhere up front to Draner for him to get on the end of it, Fordy however needed the ball closer to his feet but was just as effective. A through ball from the right to Drane, with just the keeper to beat, done what he failed to do last week…finished cooly to put us 1-0 up. More chances followed when an in-form Fordy saw a shot beat the keeper but just curl wide of the far post. At the back the 95ers snuffed them out any threat, with marking machine Marcus in ‘thou shall not pass mode’ - with his no nonsense defending. As Yinka observed… “Not a game for the wingers but certainly a game for Teague who won most of his challenges and hook or by crook and gave their right wingers verry little throughout the game.”

Second half went much like the first, a tight game with the defences on top, not much goal mouth action but a lot of work by the team to keep the 1-0 lead. Sir Lee was determined to keep a clean sheet, and it was good to see him rush off his line a few times, scary prospect for any striker, and enforced his dominance of the box. Yinka was playing his own game at times, dribbling little circles in the middle of the pitch then laying the ball off to a Red Star players, however, on the one occasion he managed to make a forward pass down the right, Drane was on it in a flash, the keeper was favourite to win the ball, but he managed to somehow out fox him, win the ball, sit the keeper on his arse, take a couple of unnecessary but nice touches before slamming the ball home…2-0 to the 95ers.

That knocked the wind out of Red Star, and Monday even had the luxury of making the longest substitution ever with Sheridan calling for sub then realising he had to take his wife’s jacket, thermals and body warmer off before he could come on the pitch. Monday then comfortably saw out the game….there was even time for Jones’s to have a run on goal, his mind was there but alas his legs said no and what seem a certain chance disappeared in the same vain as his hope for that exclusive medal from his one appearance of the season!!! Galloping defender Jim told reporters after the game… “We weren’t even hanging on despite the number of over 60 and almost 60 somethings we had on the field. We played out the game in relative comfort and a massively satisfying clean sheet. Brilliant attitude, great performance and 3 points for the newly crowned champions!”  

Yinka summed things up by posting to his millions of TikTok fans… “Hopefully Monday will have the same winning mentality for the next game v Decliners, we know it will be a tough game but we also know we have the players in depth who can step up when required and put in a strong performance, a brilliant team display, wat more do you expect from champions…and as the saying goes you can’t win anything with kids, but you can with the old timers!”

MOM: Teague