After reluctantly agreeing to a late nomination to be team manager I feel I should write a report. We rocked up to Manchester with a squad of 12, smallest of any of the teams there, consisting of 3 first team regulars, 5 second team players, and 4 people I'd never seen before in my life. With limited opportunity for player rotation and no goal keeper, an exhausting, challenging weekend lay ahead.

 

The first game was tough. Many of us had hardly kicked a ball all summer and there were new faces to get used to. Under the cosh for most of the game we seemed in trouble. Then Papa asked the ref to watch their forward foul him as he prepared to receive a throw into he area. The ref watched, the player fouled, penalty! Only 5 minutes left of the game. A number of volunteers emerged until Sam Baines donned his assistant manager hat (assistant "to the" manager, Sam...) and nominated a shell-shocked Park. Ever the warrior, Park accepted but scuffed his kick wide. Five minutes later we were three down. An hour later we re-gathered and faced a some what weaker side. Unfortunately, we lost again. Trailing 1 - 0, Sam Baines headed in from 5 yards after Park had cracked a shot against the bar during a goal mouth scramble. Another 2 late goals had us beat. The brave Pete Baines who had sacrificed himself to go in goal for the opening games deserves a special mention.

 

After the lunch break Genesis returned for the ominous looking afternoon games. Tired and demoralised the boys battled on. The energetic Jamie, one of Chris's mates with great skill, moved to partner Park in midfield, and the heavy looking, though gorgeously tanned Papa moved to centre-back to Partner Chris. The team looked rejuvenated. We knew each other that bit better and played some fantastic football. Ross with a pint of Stella down him at lunch looked particularly electric. Chris scored a header from a corner, Pete Bains released from his goal keeper shackles scored a great goal, Park nicked one to make amends for his penno miss, Dan (another Chris friend) scored, as did somebody else. Appa kept a clean sheet with a great display in goal and Genesis were back with a 5 - 0 win.

 

Next we faced a team that had beaten the team we lost 3 - 0 to in the first game (the one where Park missed the penalty). They were a decent outfit but we weathered the storm and started playing. We battled on to a 2 - 0 win. Glorious. Suddenly we had a chance of qualifying, a long shot, but a shot nevertheless.

 

The boys showered and met for a mixed grill feast at Chiquitos before upholding the age old rock n roll tradition of football tours with the lads and visiting the cinema to watch Walle, a Disney feature about a garbage disposal robot who saves the earth.

 

Game five the following morning was against rivals and friends Emmanuelle and this ended with a comfortable 2-0 victory. 3 wins and 3 clean sheets on the bounce and we were suddenly feeling confident, if exhausted and immobile. Appa, again sacrificing himself, had been outstanding and deserved a run outfield against Emmanuelle. He is actually a fantastic goal keeper and a hidden gem in that respect.

 

For the final game, Genesis needed to beat the league leader who had a 100% record and hadn't conceded a goal. it was a tall order and we eventually lost 3-1 though we did get that goal that no other team had. ultimately we didn't qualify, being pipped at the post by the team that beat us 3 - 0 when Park missed that penalty. the boys hung around a couple of hours for the play off game as Papa went home to Mum and Dad, showered, shaved, had a bit of a kip, woke, tucked into some roast chicken, gravy, salad, creamy bacon pasta and ice-cream desert before returning to catch the back end of the play off game for 7th or 8th place. The boys looked shattered for some reason. A 0-0 draw was finished with a penalty shoot out which Genesis won.

 

Overall, given the thin squad we had, as well as the new faces, we did well. It did highlight the clubs need for at least one goal keeper and everyone of should be looking out for this, while Appa could do an excellent job this needs to be sorted if we are to achieve our goals this year.

 

Papa