Through the mud

While waiting for General Winter, the sheer presence of his Lieutenant Autumn was good enough to thin the ranks to a six a side game much to the delight of the players who could add the thinking to the action, a missing luxury throughout a busy and crowded season. It somehow brought FDs back to their roots with time and space to grace the beautiful game.

There was no shortage of people on the stands: FDs fans know full well that as long as at least two players turn up that is a show not worth the miss, regardless what’s on offer elsewhere.

The Bibbed with Hossam, Massimo, Marco, Johannes, Francesco and Roberto
exuded confidence since the first touch and flirted with the ball longer than usual, almost neglecting the benefits of one touch football that had served them so well all along. The exercise though never boarded on arrogance such was the captivating flair it was performed with.

Yet the mistake was not to consider that the players in front of them were made from the same mould. In fact on the Unbibbed front the likes of Tony L, Jamal, Darren, Giancarlo, Khaled and Tarek looked at their enemies the same way England players watched the Kiwis perform the Haka a week ago.

Respect and more importantly greed and ambition fuelled the Unbibbed response and before the Bibbed knew the score was set at an improbable 4-1 with Khaled and Giancarlo running riot in the Unbibbed defence. On the other front Tony Laskar erected a bouncing wall in front of goal and denied multiple times the Unbibbed forwards diving up and down, front and back and sideways as if the muddy terrain was an inviting mattress.

Hit hard in their inner core the Unbibbed made it a matter of pride to recover at any cost with ferocious determination: such was the force that they not only filled the gap but even managed to go upfront at 5-4. From there on it was a ping pong game with continuous, relentless counters conducted at the speed of light with only one goal to separate the two team until the score reached 8-7 for the Unbibbed. Even serial tennis watchers found it hard to cope with the hectic change of visuals and had to be treated for neck pain throughout the match.

At one point Jamal, who till then played an impeccable game in defence still scoring once, had to leave the pitch due to injury.

It was then decided to proceed to the golden goal which the Bibbed scored in emphatic style with Massimo freeing with an exquisite back heel Marco for a flick onto Roberto who found himself in front of goal to punish the Unbibbed keeper with an unstoppable shot that had ‘El Capitan’ written all over it.

There were few worthy contenders for the Man of the Match. Khaled hit the goal for four but that hardly makes the headlines anymore. Giancarlo while playing as a defensive midfielder scored an hat trick sending a stubborn message that sunset boulevard is far and away at his tender age.

Marco scored for the third consecutive time a beautiful imperious header. In fact last Saturday the forgetful commentator attributed his winning header to another player: it is only fair that sons have not pay for their dads faults…though today Marco risked few times to be carded while trying to stop his unrestrained dad.

Yet everyone nodded approvingly when the name of Tony L came out as the rightful owner of the award by virtue of stopping everything thrown at him today.

He was at the end of the Match a statue of mud but that did not prevent the fans from queuing up for a much coveted selfie with the Man who saved the day.