Ice Age by Hoppy

After last week’s terrific game against Staines, with The Lions' No.1 Goalie, John Lodge (83 & 3/4s) saving the day to be the undeniable Man of the Match, The Lions went into hibernation for the following week to escape the extreme cold weather sweeping across the Country.
The sudden thaw, of just now, allowed a bunch of very sleepy and grizzly Lions to wake up and take to the pitch, against our friends from Wallington.

On the last occasion, if you recall, Wade’s Panzer got caught in a tank trap en route, meaning a thrashing and honour to be regained.
And so, up for it (?), The Lions started the game in the manner of a troubled glacier, apparently stuck neither going forward or backward, whilst the opposition probed the crevices in the Lions’ defence. A quarter later, some sunlight started to penetrate the chilled bones and the game perked up to a walking pace, over the terminal moraine.

Jitz, by his own admission, with the pace of a sloth, was the fastest man on the pitch and secured his first game of a fantastic return from pre-Christmas form with a hat-trick, plus a perfectly timed extra goal from Albie in between somewhere, to maintain The Lions reaching, melting icicle like, towards victory.

The opposition however had other ideas and with 10 men travelling, were lent Mark and Roy, who playing in the best spirit of the game and, were… annoyingly efficient in the opposition defence.

Wade, No.2 goalie (60) made some great saves, having not been out on the razz during the cold snap and, entertainingly for the rest of us, took out our Robin when there were no icebergs or other threat within our own half - or the South Coast.
Robin took this very well. Think of an angry Polar Bear.
Or Robin, Penguin sized, against Wade, Polar Bear...

With the tactical changes and rolling subs, huge cracks appeared between the glacial deposits of defence and gradually warming up, the Lions sprung a burst pipe, resulting in the opposition leaking a goal back.

And then, a new Dawn! The Stone Age arrived! …Sticks plus balls to Green shirts equals putting the opposition into squarely defending its own half and the Lions were finally awake, using the width and depth of the pitch to finish the Era with a well-deserved win.

Great teas and banter in the club house - and with thanks our resident barman for helping a fine day to be indulged with, once again.

With thanks again to John, umpiring, and Mark and Roy for playing for the opposition.
A great result.

A New Age is dawning…