Well, it's been a while but here we are again. The rest of the 2009-10 season picked up and, yes, we even won a few games thanks to some canny recruitment and rejuvenated performances from our hardy perennials. But that was then and this is now. Back we have come for season 2010-11: another year older, another year wider (surely 'wiser'? - oh never mind. Ed).
First up on our long trek towards the distant goal of Easter 2011 was a trip to the newly improved ground at Wimbledon for a tough ask against Masonian. But the early signs were promising. We gave as good as we got and, despite some pressure on our goal, our redoubtable back 3 of Nigel, Mike and - aagh! Are those new red pads and blue kickers he's wearing? - behind them, we kept our kennel spotless for the first 35. One or two chances the other end came and went, despite the best efforts of Kevin S, Paul DW and Satbir, so we reached:
HALF TIME: MASONIAN 0 'DOGS 0
Following a stirring half time speech from our (for the moment non-playing) captain, we went out and duly did the opposite of what we had agreed to do in the second half. Paul M was elegance personified , Satbir his usual steady self, Jimmy and Harry devilled away on the left and right respectively, while the 2 younger 'Dogs, Richard S and David R scampered around here there and everywhere. But the sum of the parts somehow didn't quite sort of do whatever parts are meant to do when they sum. Masonian defended resolutely and broke with menace. And while we were at sixes and sevens, they reminded us it was actually better to play with eleven and promptly finished off a well-worked move to open the scoring mid-way through the second half. We huffed and we puffed but their house wasn't to be blown down, despite some near misses, none closer than Richard S's full length dive to try to tap in a cross/shot at the far post. All he got for his efforts was a faceful of grass but, hey, there are worse grass habits for a 14 year old to indulge in. And that, frustratingly, was that.
FINAL SCORE: MASONIAN 1 'DOGS 0
October, traditionally, is the month when the 'Dogs have boosted all opponents' goal difference with some eye-wateringly high defeats. But these 2010 Vintage 'Dogs are made of sterner stuff. We lost narrowly, not playing as well as we might have, to one of the stronger sides in the Conference. Strange to say, therefore, this was a sort of uplifting defeat. If you see what I mean.
