Sunny afternoon

A grey foggy morning followed Black Friday, but come Saturday afternoon the sun was shining brightly upon the hallowed astroturf of Sandy Upper School. Following the previous week’s positive performance the sun was also in the hearts of the Shefford and Sandy Men’s 4th team, as they lined up against their 5th placed opponents, Hertford 5s.
From the initial push back it was clear that the two teams were evenly matched, both in personnel, a few experienced players and plenty of youth, and in playing ability. Possession was split evenly between both sides as the play swept from one end to the other like the ebb and flow of an autumnal tide. Coverdale and Blannin were strong at the back ably supported by the statuesque Angell of the forths. Up front Christopoulou, Parkes and Wood junior in turn provided the youthful legs for the ancient mariner Gully, ammunition provided by the midfield trio of De Luca, Woods Snr and Morlidge.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Gully got a rush of blood to the legs, pressed the Hertford full-back and won the ball on the goal-line at the edge of the D. Panic set in as he wondered what when to do with it and finding no inspiration he hit the ball on his reverse stick towards the penalty spot, where a rampaging Christodoulou met it and sent a first time shot into the right hand corner of the goal for his first ever goal for the 4ths.
Half-time came and went and still the tide washed up and down the Sandy pitch. Hertford pressed but thanks to able defending, were limited to few goal attempts, maybe this would be the day the ever hardworking keeper, Steer, would be rewarded with a well deserved clean sheet.
With ten minutes left De Luca brought the ball up through midfield and played it into the penalty area for a completely out of positioned Angell to latch on to and sweep it past the Hertford keeper for his first ever goal.
The last few minutes were played out with the Hertford team still looking for some consolation, but S&S 4s were determined to send them home goal-less, with Wood Snr and the ever improving Morlidge dropping back to help the defence. This was a very good all round 4th team performance and whilst naming individuals might be unfair to others, it must be noted that the aptly named Angell played like one.

S&S Men;s 4s: J Steer, D Coverdale, N Blannin, E Wood, E De Luca, T Morlidge, Z Christodoulou, J Parkes, A Wood, Gully