I was sure I was going to miss this one as we were double booked for a TQO concert and I had promised we would go regardless of the STRIKERS (greater love hath no man), but, to her great credit, my wife was a bit off colour and when she asked me if I would mind missing the concert I was over at the neighbour's with the tickets in no time.
There had been a marginal increase in the Wail's coverage of the team to the extent of a small colour photo of Josh Rose early on - probably we were mentioned on three days out of a possible six - heady stuff!. I also heard that Aunty had a bit about us on the Friday night TV news so wondered if the gate might have been up. It was, and as my opportunity to go was delayed, I had no choice but to use the official car park, and only just got in before it was full fifteen minutes before kick off. The Up for the Strikers Stand was two thirds full and the grassy knolls at either end fairly well populated. I haven't heard the official line, but, if there were 2000 the previous week, there must have been 6000 last night. More likely, if honest, 3500ish.
The first 15 minutes we were absolutely diabolical and did well to hold out to the far more penetrative Knights. In fact, the whole of the first half was pretty dire from both sides - very little flow, poor passing and a lot of midfield congestion. Once again Karl Dodd was a shining beacon. He has been so consistently good that every match now I am terrified he will either make some awful gaff or suffer a suspension or injury. I find him a delight to watch, and find myself doing so when he is well off the ball. I think we might have established the "Karl Dodd is magic" song last night - he is. I noticed the STRIKERS were in the attacking half for the last quarter of an hour or so, so I stated boldly at half time that I though a 1-0 win on the cards. It was actually 0-0 at the break and a fair position.
The lads were attacking "our" end at the restart and the quite brisk breeze into which we had been playing had died and it was still and quite cool. Not the hot box we had been hoping for to greet our Southern visitors. It was clear almost at once that things (for us) were improved. A lot more work, aggression and mid field harrying meant better possession for the STRIKERS. We seemed to have more players on the park than they which is always a good sign for a team, and the chances started to come, though it did look as though it could be one of those frustrating games where you should but you don't score. Wassa (as he is known to some) Moon, with about twenty minutes to go, struck an absolute belter left footed from just on the edge of the box inside the right post to break the tension and ultimately secure those three lovely fat points for us. A top goal which raised the roof (at least on our side of the ground where there is one). Thereafter we showed the vast change that Trani and the Baron have wrought on this team of youngsters - in a word composure. For most of the remaining time they were able to maintain cool possession, lure the Kernigets forward and a couple of times catch them on the break. Once a blatant and missed hand ball prevented an early cross to an unmarked Brownlie and a little later it looked like a fair penalty call might have been missed too. The last couple of minutes were occupied in that frustrating situation (if you are down one nil) in the corner where, right in front of the Banana Army, three successive time sapping corners were negotiated.
Despite all this the Knights did break out twice in the dying minutes and so nearly killed the party with an equaliser.
There had been a few "Croatzia, Croatzia" chants opposite early on, but after we reminded them that they only have one song, I didn't notice them again. I guess my favourite on the night, following another sound game and some good saves from Giggles Higgins, was "Jason Kearton can't be certain", oh, and the consolidation of the Dodd song, especially as he deservedly secured his third successive BSSA MoTM award.
Looking back on the season so far, I think there is not much difference in quality across the spectrum of the teams seen so far, that the standard of play is generally only fair to reasonable, but that the games here have been super. The Torcida Banana is slowly growing and I think the noise we are generating is increasing too. I spent a lot of the time trying to get an adjacent older couple to "Stand up for the STRIKERS" and, though clearly and unaccountably embarrassed to do so, right at the end they did!! As I have said before, it is nice to get home a little hoarse after a win.