Burridge 1-2 AFC Hop

Burridge slumped to a painful home defeat at the hands of AFC Hop. But let us for a moment regress to the past to understand the present. As children, many of us played Top-Trumps, wet play-times at school would vanish but hopes and prayers failed to summon that elusive E-type Jag that would surely win back a caboodle of cards. Of course for some of us, this was the first step into speedy descent of gambling, addiction, vice and regret – but this isn’t the place to discuss the Burridge squad’s pastimes.

If Burridge were a hand of Top-Trump cards they’d be formidable; Bryn Schwodler – not just a strange arrangement of consonants around some lonely vowels – but high scores in balance and footwork. Jamie Hewitt – close control and ability to keep possession, and Ben Hutton – powerful in the air, with the ability to strike with both feet. How Burridge would blow away their opponents. Alas – and apologies if this comes as news – but football is not Top-Trumps, it is a separate but equally rewarding game, where the sum of a team’s parts doesn’t determine the final outcome.

Although Burridge enjoyed much of the possession during the first half they were unable to capitalise and found themselves a goal down from a classic counter attack that caught them cold. Although Jamie Hewitt levelled after a goalkeeping mistake Burridge were never as comfortable as they would have liked to be, and with minutes left they conceded what turned out to be the winner. Burridge were left to reflect on defeat, with the words of Big Ron echoing in their ears (no, not his infamous words) but when he said, “When the final whistle’s gone, can you look yourself in the mirror, did I do enough?” On evidence here it would appear not.

4-4-2: S.Schwodler, L.Sanderson, M.Sanderson, K.Willsher, J.Schwodler, G.Baker, M.Reeves (L.Fielder), B.Hutton, J.Newman (K.Hewitt), B.Schwodler, J.Hewitt