“Just scorin’ in the rain”
The 23 players at Kensington Gardens were presented today with a stunning setting: a mid-Autumn sun, a gentle breeze, a grassy and soft pitch and only very few leaves on the ground as if they were stubbornly refusing to give up the view of the beautiful game from up the trees.
Unfortunately few minutes into the game an incessant rain started pouring down, but operations were hardly affected as the tempo remained fast and furious with the two teams battling openly on the field with no tactics.
To ensure maximum transparency and balance, team compositions this time had been decided by the two captains, who chose one player each at the time. On paper, the resulting teams were both equally strong, but the Bibs ensemble appeared superior since the beginning, moving the ball with greater speed and precision, and creating chance after chance. The first goal arrived when Jamal converted with a precise header a long cross coming from the left side. Few minutes later, when a badly kicked corner created some confusion in the area, it was Ben to resolve the scramble by putting the ball behind TonyL.
Now two goal down, the Unbibs intensified their attacks trying in any possible way to get back in the match. However, they lacked precision and luck, with Paride in goal stopping every attempt and even saving a penalty.
With the rain now resembling a flood, it’s hard to believe the best was yet to come, in the form of a spectacular brace scored by Francesco. First he scored with a volley with his left foot, converting an assist from Andrea after a well executed counterattack. Then he scored again, this time with the right foot, putting the ball on the upper corner where Tony could not arrive.
Towards the end the Unbibs found some consolation when they finally found the net, converting a controversial penalty, but could not avoid losing also the Golden Goal, scored by Yassin, sealing the final result at 5-1.
The score would have assumed dramatic proportion were not for the two keepers, the living legends Tony and Paride, who once again deployed the full range of their skills denying at will the frustrated strikers.They were both credible recipients of the Man of the Match award who also saw the ever present Yassin laying claim. Yet the voters went for a vintage choice as they opted to reward Francesco mostly for the beautiful brace.
“I was happy to be reunited with my ball, after it spent a month in custody with the Holland Park Police, and that possible gave me extra motivation” – said Francesco after the match. He then was heard humming his own version of Gene Kelly’s immortal song “I run down the lane with a happy refrain. Just scorin’, scorin’ in the rain. Scorin’ in the rain, I’m happy again”
In what is quite an eventful day (with the sad news of Sean Connery’s death and the incoming announcement of a new national lockdown), The Club was also pleased to learn that Tony S has been listed among the top 100 startup founders in the Telegraph Tech Hot 100 List. Way to go Tony, we congratulate you for this recognition and we look forward to see you soon on the pitch.