INJURED GOALKEEPER

Seasons greetings to all of you.

I think most of you know by now but just to let you know that due to my close encounter with a wall during a recent 5-a-side game I will not be playing for the foreseeable future. I will hopefully be looking to return around mid-Feb / March time. Annoying I have been told that I have to avoid all contact sport etc as a second blow to my head in this time could result in a nasty touch of death.

I still can’t remember the incident itself but have been told that after lying face down in the ground out cold for 2-3 minutes I got up and insisted on playing on, in which time I apparently scored twice, but at half time people were getting concerned for my health and general well-being as I couldn’t remember what the score was or why I was actually there in the first place!

Ps. Ross, sadly this means I wont be making training on Wednesdays for a while either. I’m sorry.

From Dave Hopkins

Burridge AFC 2-0 AFC Spotted Cow

Sunday 18th December
Osbourne Road, Warsash

Taking into account Burridge's wretched form, one wondered how they would fare against the league leaders. The threadbare nature of the squad was not helped by injuries carried by Rich Allan and Ross Bryant, so Maurice decided to play them out of the way up front. Whilst Luke Sanderson - returning in place of the injured Andrews - and Paul Dyke (yes, Paul Dyke) were nursing hangovers. It appeared hopeless.

Reverting to a 4-4-2 formation, Burridge matched Cow's endeavour, and before long they were excelling it. Although no genuine chances were crafted for either side during the first half, Burridge's passing and movement was at a level that made you wonder why they were languishing in the league.

As the second half unfolded, Cow became more frustrated by Burridge's hunger and tenacity. There didn't seem to be any danger as Burridge attacked the left flank towards the metal fence end, but Ross Bryant's floated cross evaded Cow's keeper and nestled into the top corner. Cow looked amongst themselves disconsolately, they continued to pass but only tested Hopkins from range.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Burridge began another swift attack. Bryn Schwodler and Greg Baker combined to centre to Ross Bryant who - after a bounce - drilled home number two. By now Cow had thrown in the towel, and if Allan had been more mobile there could have been further goals. But it didn't matter. Burridge had ended their poor form and the year, with the kind of satisfying victory that makes you remember why you play football in the first place.

4-4-2: Dave Hopkins, Luke Sanderson, Kev Wilsher, Paul Dyke, Mark Sanderson, Bryn Schwodler, Scott Burnet, Greg Baker, Jay Schwodler, Ross Bryant, Rich Allan

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Survey 1-1 Burridge AFC

Saturday 17th December
Cutbush Lane

Amid low winter sun, it was Kristian Hewitt who gave Burridge a second half lead after Lee Wood had squared to him. This is how it stayed until the very last minute when Survey drew level.

3-5-2: Dave Hopkins, Paul Dyke, Ben Wilson, Ross Bryant, Rich Allan, Mark Sanderson, Steve Froud, Kristian Hewitt, Jay Schwodler (Mark Reeves), Lee Wood (Paul Andrews) Luke Sanderson), Bryn Schwodler

Other results:
Burridge Sports 4-1 Capital
Cadnam United 0-2 Academicals
Priory Rovers 0-3 Malvern
Solent WTL 4-0 Classic Comrades Res

HECTOR RIAL AND THE PANDORA'S BOX

I was confused. I was very confused. Hectar Rial may have scored the first winning goal in European Cup Final history, but was he Spanish and Argentinean, why did he have an abundance of alias - as so many South Americans do - was he Rial Laquia, Jose Hector, or just plain old Hector Rial? Like I said, it was confusing. Then I stumbled on something so utterly overwhelming that I wasn't sure if I could actually fully comprehend this discovery. I dare not spoil it, but if one logs onto http://directory.google.co.uk/Top/Sports/Soccer/Statistics/ they enter into a diversity of football knowledge unparalleled anywhere on God's green earth

RONALDO CONFIRMS SUSPICIONS

Wayne shows who's daddy at the M.U. Rowdie Sox.

Burridge AFC 1 - 3 West Meon

Sunday 11th December 2005
Burridge Rec

3-5-2 Dave Hopkins, Mark Sanderson, Paul Dyke, Kev Willsher, Ross Bryant, Greg Baker, Rich Allan, Scott Burnet, Bryn Schwodler, Paul Andrews, Jay Schwodler
H/T: 1-0

Hello everyone. I thought I'd let guest writers fill in the gaps - I'm suffering from a bout of writer's block. BUT, I have to mention that the league table makes for upsetting reading. As Spotted Cow have pulled out, we have only won once. The same amount of times Gems have!

This means we are second to bottom, as West Meon & Warnford have gone 2 points ahead of us with 4 games in hand! Played 9, won 1, drawn 4, Lost 4. Before Sunday's games we'd scored the same amount of goals as Gems.

Relegation battle on!

SATURDAYS WITHOUT FOOTBALL

"Looking back it's so bizarre, it runs in the family, all the things we are. On the back seat of the car with Joseph and Emily, we only see so far -And we all have our daddy's eyes, looking back it's so bizarre." They were the words that would reverberate from my Dad's Ford Cortina on a Saturday Afternoon. The days before Saturday afternoon football, when I was too young to be left alone with my Lo-lo ball watching Fall Guy repeats. Radio Solent would tease us blind with news of a goal, by use of that familiar synthesized cliffhanger jingle. Presenter Grant Coleman would postulate further: "There's been a goal at...." Yes Grant, where? "At...The," yes, where? "There's been a G-g-goal," said Grant, far too aware of the attention he was drawing to himself. "At....The.......Wait for it!" Where Grant? Where? You fuckhound! This isn't pay per minute on Clubcall, I just want to know if Saints are now four down at Kenilworth Road! "There's been a Goal at Kenilworth Road," he said, finally. "Here's John Hughes to tell us more."
"Yes Grant," said the reporter, who later found himself in the commentating netherworld, covering F.A. Vase ties between Havant and Waterlooville versus Little Wallop under Lyme Regis. "There's been a goal at Kenilworth Road." I know there's a fucking goal at Kenilworth Road John, I've just had Grant Coleman prick teasing me for the last minute an a half!
By now I'm chomping down hard on my Fox Glacier mint - this is very precarious when
you've still got a head full of milk teeth. On it went 'til I was old enough to cruise 'round on my three speed Grifter on a weekend diet of Nerds - shortly before they were pulled from the market after a tip off that they were spiked with shards of glass. Well, if our pitch doesn't pass a pitch inspection tomorrow, we'll be able to relive those warm nostalgic climes.