MEFF #38 – YELLOW TEAM 5 - 7 RED TEAM:
Captaining the Red Team against Rowan’s Yellow Brigade, Griffin devised an ingenious two-part plan to win the game, and it worked like absolute clockwork to gain a victory that in the grand scheme of things counts for absolutely nothing.
Part 1: “Let Brett score with every shot while we look knackered and/or hungover”
The Red Team carried out Part 1 to the letter, as an invigorated Brett (who’d done a 6 mile warm up on the grass beforehand) latched on to passes from Crozier (3) and Rowan to smash home 4 lovely efforts that gave Paul little chance in his exposed goal. Luke and Fletch didn’t quite adhere to Griff’s instructions and did make some running with Paul also trying his luck from long range, but Patto and Griff were flawless in their ution, fluffing shots and generally watching from afar as the ball was lost to the energetic opposition, with Phil and Kieran offering Rowan plenty of options on the wings.
Part 2: “Start Trying to Win in Short Bursts”
With 5 minutes of the first half remaining, Patto and a reluctant Griff began to start moving a little more, and a static Patto set up Griff for a good finish at the far post (which crucially hurt Rowan’s little finger). The start of the second half saw Fletch tap home a second from Patto’s cross. Although Kieran grabbed an excellent solo goal for the yellows, Griff added his second before the injured Rowan swapped with Brett (and later Phil) in goal, but Luke and then Patto (2) finally made the breakthrough to give the Reds the lead for the first time as Steels made some excellent saves with his shins. Fletch grabbed a stunning second from long range to seal the win (from Paul’s quick pass).
