Long Division by Hoppy

Red Lions 2 – Staines 4

With suspect (?) availability, with a 4 pm start and rugby on at Twickenham, a bare 10 was bolstered with an injured Colin B gallantly limping on to the pitch. Within 2 minutes of the start he had sprinted up the pitch to provide a cross that connected with Jitz for a very nearly early goal up.

Unfortunately at 2 minutes within the end of the game, Colin tried the same again and popped his knee out. Get well soon Colin.

The Lions soon realised that Staines, as expected, would bring a few developmental players and were applied the full Albie treatment but multiplied.

Roy, Mark and Trevor, as backs, experienced the full force of one or two very skilful 12-year-olds at full pelt but, to huge credit, largely contained the youngsters to run in ever decreasing circles.

Backed however with the Youth, Vets and a few very good less-senior players, Staines were enjoying a comfortable 2 nil lead at half time. The Lions were up against it.

And so nursing our wounds at half time, Robbie explained things were not so bad, as we were only 2 – 0 down, playing people half our age… Not so! - because someone pipes up that some of them are ”a third of our age”… no hang on!…”nope a quarter”, “a fifth maybe?” (6 x 12 = 72). Absent of a slide rule, we settled on a sixth and a bit!

Meanwhile, Wade turned sixty years old in goal and later very generously donated to the beer kitty. Happy Birthday Wade!

The second half started to see the Lions’ older legs pay dividends.

A choice ball to Jitz saw him fool the active defence into a time lapse slant to the left, slant to the right, slight to the left, all in the slowest slow motion that the rest of us were stock still and humming the tune of Vision On for about half a minute, remembering the happy times of the last really big energy crisis in 1973. Happy Days. Goal! Eventually.

Back to 1 -2 down!

And so….soon back to 4 – 1 down.

Lions short corner, Chris draws the players, slip to Hoppy, better not muck this one up! 4- 2.

Teas in the nearly otherwise empty bar saw Staines gracious in victory and complimentary on a tight friendly competitive game, no arguments either way, which after all, is what the Lions is all about.

Freddie took on the table football with one of the Staines 12-year-olds but left before announcing the score, so probably no honour saved there either though.

With thanks to John for umpiring and the folks running the teas and the bar in most excellent fashion.

Have a good week.

Hoppy