48 year old scores winning goal!

It was a fairy tale come true for a 48 year old dreamer who, having announced his retirement several weeks ago, returned for a run out with Werder Beermen on Monday evening. In what is likely to be a fairly frequent cycle of retirement and comebacks, I managed to last the full game and hit what turned out to be the winning goal.
However, the stand out performances came from new Matt with a hat trick and Dave C with his first goal for Werder after something over three years of playing.

The big fella really at the back this time in goal
Dom and Dave in defence
Rich Craig and new Matt in the middle
Iain upfront

In the absence of several players, the team had an unusual look to it but that was probably because of the lighting. They don't always look like that! One thing doesn't change and that was the habit of going behind early and this evening was no exception. One nil down and not getting hold of the ball at first, it looked like a long night in prospect but in actual fact, it wasn't long before it became clear we ought to win the game. It's just we made hard work of it.

The first equalizer came from a neat move on our right in which I managed to pop the return ball to Matt who struck a left footed shot goalward but with no real momentum. He turned in disappointment only to find the ball had incredibly slipped under the keeper and in. Our surprise was such that we promptly feel behind again. The equalizer this time came from a long throw by stand in keeper, Dougie. Bowling the ball up the pitch, he set me free and I put a first time ball inches over the defender to give Matt a chance at goal. Turning on the proverbial sixpence, Matt smashed a shot into the corner and we were level again. Then they scored again.
The pattern remained the same with another equalizer coming when I nutmegged a defender to release Matt once again. This time he was able to run onto the ball and push it past the keeper easily, a picture book goal.

At last we took the lead with Dave C competing for a ball in the middle of the pitch. The ball headed goalward and the keeper inexplicably missed the ball as he dived to cover it with me 'chasing' after any mistakes. The ball was headed in and it was just a question of following it in or tapping into the empty net. Thankfully the covering defender was unable to quite make it and Dave had inadvertently scored his first goal.

Our final goal was well worked again with new Matt squaring the ball perfectly for me to run on to and pass into the net with the keeper trying to narrow the angle.

There was still time for another goal to keep it tight at 5 - 4 but in the end we deserved the win and the three points.

The boys return

We had the pleasure of a visit from Joe and Glen last weekend when they came to visit Joseph for the first time. It's quite a gathering these days!

Joseph and Maria

Maria was able to give Joseph a cuddle wehn he arrived home this afternoon.

Congratulations to Bridie

Joseph made his long awaited appearance at 5 past 4 this afternoon weighing in at 8lbs 11oz. Bridie and babay are doing great after as good a delivery as you could hope for.

Back to school

We return to school tomorrow after a summer holiday which seems to have been too brief for any sustained sunshine to have made its presence felt. There is a definite autumn feel to the weather and we've been out picking blackberries, another indication of the passing seasons.

Having had a niggling cough carry on for the past three weeks or so, it is nice to feel that is coming to an end. Yesterday was the first time I'd felt up to a bike ride during that time and I completed just 6 miles going to Verwood, then Edmondsham and home.

That took the edge off the discomfort felt after the first ride in a while and I felt much better with the one today, 10 miles to Verwood, Moors Valley, Ringwood Road, Ebblake and back home.

The pictures include some from a sponsored walk we did for the RSPCA in Yorkshire when we visited Joe and Glen.