MARCH 23RD '08

T&A Punch v Pot Black

23-03-08

Normanston Park

Result lost 5-6

Mr Dependable.. Jason 'Shaggy from Scooby Doo' Russell

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A lovely easter sunday morning greeting the players at Normanston with the snow and hail blowing down the pitch.The players gathered in the changing rooms and as usual our mister reliable, Woody did not turn up so Danny McKinley doned the gloves. This enabled Jason Russell(mister dependable) to start up front. Pot Black kicked off with 10 men as Coop's had forgot to set his alarm and arrived 10 mins after kick-off by which time PB were 2-0 down due to some poor defending.With 11 men on the pitch, PB soon got their passing game going and were soon level with goals from Tom Miles and Robert Cooper. Still on top, PB were awarded a penalty and Goalkeeper come striker Dan Mckinley blasted the ball past the keeper to give PB the lead.Still the back four had not woken up and almost from the restart Punch levelled to make it 3-3. Tom Miles was playing havoc down the left side and PB continued to waste some good chances and always looked likely to concede another goal.In the second half with the wind, snow in their faces, PB faced an uphill stuggle but still managed to take the lead through Jordon Wardrope and go 4-3 up to which Wally our solitary supporter on the day turned to me and said "thats not the end of the game this looks like a 10-9 scoreline. He must have an expert football brain or know what our defending is like beacuse from a corner, with our defenders wondering who should I mark, they decided nobody and they equalised with a free header, how many times have I wrote that this year. Still the scoring continued with Tom Miles giving PB the lead again only for Punch to score 2 late goals and take the points with a 6-5 victory, perhaps we should take up rugby with scores like that! A game which was played in difficult conditions but was played in good spirit by both teams but spoilt by a over zealous referee who managed to book a number of players.They must think secretaries like paper-work and Suffolk FA need some money.Next Match 6th April Fleet Solutions at Normanston Park(plenty of notice for WOODY and good luck to the boys on Banksy stag week-end in Krakow). I think he will need it to make it back in one piece if what I hear is true. Still Banksy you're got Danny to protect you after your pact down the club, can you trust him?

10TH MARCH 08

Kessingland Queens Head V PotBlack
10-03-08
Match Result 2-3

Mark 'Micky Quinn' Lansdale

Position - Deadly Striker

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Apologies for the late report but this was a game soon to be forgotten and I did.Before the game, this was a first for PB this season, with myself arriving at the normal time, to be greeted by the team. My immediate thoughts were had British Summer time arrived or had they all learnt to tell the time this week.Still normality soon returned as were playing at Kessingland, they all assumed we were Juggernauts, only to be told we were playing Kessingland Queens Head, too much for the players to learn the time and understand 2 teams can play at the same ground. The team sheet had another unfamiliar look this week with ‘the cat’ returning in goal and the heavyweight duo(or should that be treble) of Mark Lansdale and Danny McKinley up-front. This pairing would have put the fare on any team and did with the opposition only having 10 men, 1 still unconscious in the changing room with the thought of facing them. Now for the bad piece, the game!In the first half, PB completely controlled the game and soon took a lead with the some silky passing between the deadly duo which enabled Lansy to hit a first time cross which was converted by Tom Miles. The second was not long coming with a melee in the box and the ball ending up in the roof of the net with a shot from Lansy.The celebration was felt around the ground and country, as he celebrated with the customary dive on to the ground causing the nation to go into panic stations with the thought of another earthquake and enough the make his mum and dad go home to check the damage. The third goal soon followed with another melee resulting the other half of the dreaded pairing, Danny smashing the ball in from 2 yards.The opposition gained a corner from a breakaway attack..The usual marking took place(been watching Ipswich too much) and from a free header, the Cat made a superb one handed save only for the rebound to be slotted into the net, with our defenders still walking around looking for somebody to mark. Half-time came with PB leading 3-1 and looking comfortable. A change was made with Jason Russell replacing the injured Darren Laws. The second half was a non-event for the PB, content to sit on the lead and let the opposition have all the play. They scored a second goal, which should have put some fear into the players but to no avail, the opposition still pressed forward for an equaliser which they nearly got, but for the Cat again.
M.O.M. The Cat again!!!

Next Game 17/03 Suffolk punch at Normanston Park, so the players know who, where and can tell the time.

3RD MARCH 2008

Date: 02-03-08
Venue: Normanston Park
Opponents: Waveney
Score: Lost 2-3

For this match, Pot Black fielded one of the youngest teams to wear the colours of PB with 8 players below the age of 19. The experience gained now by the youngsters will show fruition next year as they develop into men or develop the infamous pop belly as all good drinkers have.
For this match, Waveney fielded a very strong side, which for some reason, most teams seem to do against PB.
The match kicked off with a strong blustery wind and a very hard pitch, more akin to a match played in the summer. PB had the advantage of the wind and both teams struggled to put 2 passes together in the conditions. The first half went quickly with very little to talk about apart from the display of the referee, who gave an excellent performance of explaining every decision and the laws of the game.
Just as Wally and George our 2 loyal supporters were ready to get the half-time cup of tea, somebody shouted goal to find Adam Bird celebrating with the ball in the corner of the opponents net. A slender 1 goal did not seem enough to protect considering the conditions.

At half-time, Danny McKinley came on for Darren Laws who was suffering from a kick sustained during Saturdays game and Ross Jones came on for Max Wall who was suffering from sore shin splits, the effects of one so young and not fully developed yet.
The second half started as the first with boths teams struggling to look like footballers. The referee's antics were still entertaining the crowd and the players but in a very professional manner.
PB conceded a corner from which the normal marking of players enabled the tallest player on Waveneys side to ahve free-header which crashed agianst teh cross bar and was bundled in for an equaliser. This seemed to wake up PB and from the one piece of football, Simon Durrant showing great skill to turn a defender and get to the by-line and hit a perfect cross for Adam Bird to convert and put PB back in the lead. Waveney then got on top of the game, using the long ball with the ball which PB could not defend properly. Woody, returning in goal showed his class with a couple of superb saves before being beaten by a long shot cum cross which flew into the top corner with the wind to give Waveney a deserved equaliser. The match was looking to finish in draw until a goal mouth scramble resulted with the ball hitting the arm and spotted by the eagle eye of the referee. Goldy tried to tell the referee of his innocence but this only enabled the referee to talks the laws of handball and the rules for taking a penalty which was duly taken and gave Waveney a 3-2 victory which was hard on the young boys of PB.

MOM
The referee (who must be a school teacher when not refereeing)

24TH FEB 2008

Waveney Hearts v Pot Black Dip Farm 24/02/08

After a 3 week break which included a much needed team bonding weekend break in Bratislava, Pot Black returned to play Waveney Hearts, a team which had already dumped them out of a cup competition. Things did not look good before kick-off with PB without a goalkeeper. After a quick 'who wants to don the gloves', Ben 'the cat' Strachan volunteered because he had played there at school. The match kicked off with PB playing with the advantage of the strong wing blowing straight down the pitch. The game started evenly with both sides struggling with the conditions. Waveney Hearts won a couple of corners which were dealt with by the cat, which installed confidence through the team. Pot Black started to get on top with Max Wall and Jordon Wardrope controlling midfield. Quin French got his customary keep your mouth shut from the referee after showing his disgust at a offside decision which did appear suspect. After missing some chances, PB took the lead through Adam Bird who after chasing a through ball and playing a 1-2 with the goalkeeper heading in the rebound. PB were well in control now with the back four looking solid and blocking few chances that went Waveney's way. The second goal was not long coming with Robert Cooper showing his dazzling skills on the right wing inside his own half and leaving 2 opponents bamboozled, he released a perfect ball for Adam Bird to blast the ball into the top corner, this time giving the goalkeeper no chance. Just before half-time, PB added a third with what can only be described as one of the goals of the season.Quin French chasing a long hopeless ball from defence, using his undoubted pace reached the ball on the sideline and hit a perfect left foot cross for Jordon Wardrope to hit a volley from the edge of the area into the top corner. Half-time came with PB leading 3-0 and everyone shell -shocked as this was areas we have not been in this season. Playing into the stong wind was going to be a stern test even with a 3-0 lead but the back four played superbly under the leadership of Ros Jones and restricted Waveney to the odd chance which were adequately dealt with by the cat. PB had acouple of chances from corners to increase there lead before Robert Cooper had to be replaced, feeling the effects of not being well all week.Alex Ingles come on and nearly scored with a crisp left foot shot from the edge of the area. Shortly afterwards Quin French had to be replaced folowing a reoccurence of an old injury. Jason Russell came on and played the lone ranger upfront with PB protecting their lead. The game was nearly over with the cat hoping to keep a clean sheet but in the last minute of the gane, Waveney won a corner from which a Waveney player connected with a header which looked a goal all the way until the cat appeared and made the save of the game, only for the ball to ran loose and end up in the PB net. A very good all round performance and a pleasing result which ensures first division football next year unless the sunday league decides to re-arrange the leagues for a change.

M.O.M. THE CAT