5 a-Side 2009

Surrey County Referees’ 5-a-side Tournament

Woking Leisure Centre – Sunday 4th January 2009

Details from your on pitch reporter, Roger “The Cat “Hall

I arrived at Woking Leisure Centre at 2.30 without great expectations of the afternoon to come, just the fact that I had told the ball & chain that I didn’t think that I’d be home for tea at 5 o’clock meaning that we may actually win a game. But I was looking forward to playing with some new faces that had offered their services to Bill.

Unfortunately, we were left with the usual suspects but as we have played together so many times it was like a well oiled machine. It just needed a few tweaks and a jump start to get us going, but we didn’t need a bigger incentive to get us going than our first game. Woking A, B or C who cares, it was Woking and revenge was in the air. So the A-Team was unleashed in the first game to show Woking that youth isn’t everything in a 5-a-side tournament, it also needed old heads and experience, of which we had in abundance.

Our team was myself Roger “The Cat” Hall, Steve “The Brick Wall” Nanson, John “The Banjo Player” Taafe, Dominic “Who’s The Daddy” Spena, Chris “Baby Face” North. On the bench biting at the leash were Sam “Twinkle Toes” Hourigan and Bill “The Governor” Matthews, (not so much biting, just the odd suck now and again).

In a tight game chances came and went, mainly from us and there was only going to be one winner. Finally in the second half we un-tethered our defensive dynamo; Steve just strolled through the Woking team growling at anyone that came near him to slot home the only goal of the game. 1-0 to Guildford, job done, time to go home.

We decided to stay and play the second game which was against Mid Sussex. A deflected shot ended my hopes of not conceding a goal in the tournament but goals from the banjo player and the baby faced assassin gave us a 2-1 victory.

Brighton was next and an unknown team, but hang on, they’ve got a girlie in goal. Time to rest some players, so a cameo appearance from the Governor taking the place of Dom soon saw us 2-0 down in the first two minutes. At the start of the second half, Bill restored The A-Team. A managerial decision we all agreed with, and keen to applaud his tactical awareness. With Dom back into the fray and two goals from Chris and a few other chances we came away with a draw with the thought that we could have won the game. Let’s face it; they did have a girlie in goal.

Redhill was our next victim, and with goals from Steve, Chris, Dom and an OG we came away with a 4-0 victory. But with 44 shots on goal not a very good percentage actually hit the back of the net. This also saw the first appearance of twinkle toes in the second half who danced round several defenders to give a very credible performance.

With a record of 3 wins 1 draw and no losses we came to the last game in which we still needed a point to progress to the semi-finals, what other team could boast such a record? And so enter our old friends Farnham, who were already looking forward in going home and we were going send them home with a beating they would never forget. So I settled down with a cup of tea and some digestive biscuits to dunk to watch my team mates go to work once more. Unfortunately the spectators were in more danger twenty feet above the goal than the white thing between the goal posts. I did see the ball once in the game, I asked the Ref to show it to me as we changed ends. 0-0 and we were in cruise control (or were we already knackered?)

So the rush was on for John to find a phone so he could ring his better ‘alf to tell her that he was going to be late. He was confident as well then? Woking “A” kicked off the first semi and just before they started looked up at me and said that they want us in the final. Well it sent a shiver down my spine!

We were called for our Semi Final and Chichester & Bognor were waiting to see if they could give us a game. But hang on, this team had at least two players that were only 12 years old and being a school night needed to get home. But already Guildford was running on fumes and it was getting harder and harder for the old legs to loosen up between games. The game was close with no team making many chances. Fortunately with about 10 seconds to go Dominic slipped past a defender, who was probably thinking about his homework, and poked the ball in the corner of the goal, the whistle blew, 1-0 and Woking awaited in the final. Just one small point, Woking “A” was already getting changed and on their way home, they had been beaten by Brighton and the Girlie Goalkeeper. “Bye Woking, see you in the summer”. So we came off the field of play, sweat on our brow and a congratulating hand shake from Brian and the words we didn’t want to hear. “We’re running a little late, on you go”.

Last game, but as soon as the whistle blew I could tell it was a game too far and we were on empty. 1-0 down at half time and 3-0 at full time. At the end of the day the best team won the tournament and Guildford came runners-up, so we must be the second best team of the tournament. A statement I can’t disagree with.

With Roger (Farmer) supporting the team and his hand on his telephoto the afternoon was again, well organized and a joy to play in. Just a few more minutes between Semi and the Final may have been nice at our time of life. The Referees? Well the usual older, senior Referees were replaced by younger Referees and they were superb, couldn’t find any fault with them. Even Taafey couldn’t find anything to moan about, well not much anyway. Thinking about it, Taafey could find fault with Kylie Minogue standing in front of him in a negligee.

Oh yeah, just in case you’re wondering why ‘Banjo Player’, it’s because we’re hoping he can play one, he certainly couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with one!

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Woking (booo!) v Guildford (hurrah!)

The Re-Match 19^th July 2009 – 3.00pm k.o. (hopefully!)

In aid of Georgie’s Fund

Yes, talk is under way for the re-match this summer between Woking RA and Guildford RA (notice, no mention of Farnham [yet]). It will be held at Woking FC, hopefully on the 19^th July (which happens to be my Mum’s Birthday, so Happy Birthday Mummy!) and hopefully a 3 o’clock kick off at my request as 1.30 last year was just too hot. Mind you it was the only hot day of the summer.

As we are talking about it early we can all contribute in organizing the event so we can raise as much money for the charity as possible. I would like to see roll on roll off subs and Andy Gray or any other football pundit refereeing the game. Weather this is possible in the laws of the game, don’t know, but it is for charity. But at the end of the day this is Woking’s baby and what they say goes. As for the team, let me know if you want to participate on the day, not only playing but helping out. We will try and fill the team with Guildford players but may need to rope players in from other societies. And most important of all the support from our Society members on the day by coming and watching the game will be much needed. Thank you.