Tuesday 25 March 2008

Burridge AFC 3-1 AFC Hop

Saturday 22nd March
Meadowside, Whiteley


After signing for Burridge last season Sam Hewitt would have been forgiven for wondering what the Hell he’d gotten himself involved in. His debut was against AFC Solent on Titchfield Rec’s sloped pitch, and after twenty or so minutes things turned ugly. There in the midfield Justin Newman was involved in an innocuous tangle of legs, drawing most of the twenty-two men on the field of play running into a space no bigger than a telephone booth. There they pushed, shoved and threatened each other, while Justin Newman was still pinned to the ground by his opposing number under a sea of knees on the sparsely sprouting grass. Every angry word spat from each twisted face rose high into the atmosphere, as potent as the carbon monoxide spewed from the exhausts of the steady flow of traffic of the A27, that runs parallel to the pitch. But that was a year ago.

There’ve been a few spats since, of course. The day Sam got sent off against Michelmarsh was one. Telling the referee exactly where to get off for sending off his brother Kristian, only seconds earlier. Out it came, that red card, held high once then twice in quick succession. Standing bold against a grey sky like two crimson bullets into the heart of Burridge’s hopes of promotion to the Southampton Premier League. Things don’t always go how you want them to, but they did today.

With Pete Lyons in France, Jay Schwodler - still sidelined with a broken wrist - stood in as caretaker manager. When AFC Hop took a quick lead in the hail and wind of Whiteley, Sam Hewitt wouldn’t have been surprised. It’s been a year. He knows now what he let himself in for. In the penalty area he ran, refusing to be knocked off balance by tetchy defenders, hitting the ball low. Low and fast. The sweet ping of leather hitting steel could be heard as the ball ricocheted in the back of the net.

Then another. The wind and the hail and the narrow pitch weren’t making things easy, but Burridge kept trying to play football. A defensive lapse and Hewitt was clean through, defenders chasing at his ankles made no difference as he side footed in number two. Sam Schwodler made it three late in the second half, before Sam Hewitt was rewarded for his two goals by being pulled off by Jay Schwodler with fifteen minutes to go. This is, if nothing else, proof that Schwodler’s wrist truly is on the mend.

4-4-2: Stanfield, Jones, Dyke, K.Hewitt(c), M.Sanderson, B.Schwodler, J.Hewitt, J.Newman (L.Sanderson), G.Baker, S.Schwodler, S.Hewitt (Kelly)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

i dont know what was more painful, the hailstones pounding against my face or rob kelly, badgering my ear'ole for 20 minutes during the second half..

good win guys, but they were bloody poor. thought you were great justin.

Anonymous said...

Where was Harry Potter?

Anonymous said...

Who's better Harry Potter or Paul Daniels?

Anonymous said...

Good result lads they may be poor but you still have to turn them over unlike earlier in the season!!My wine flowed sweetly Sat evening thanks for that.Two to go six points up for grabs lets not ruin a good season by dropping any more points.see you all wed end of season do is being organised for Sat 14th June @ the bugle price to be confirmed.the gaffer

Anonymous said...

New of yet another victory...

Launderette 0 Mark Sanderson 1(Aet)

I walked in on Saturday morning, looking like dog muck - as usual. Explaining that the girl didn't have any tickets left when I dropped off the red kit, and if she's just go over there on to teh shelf to get my bag. The black Nike bag. The one with Burridge written on the side in permanent marker pen.

The girl at the 'til said she didn't have our kit, and that teh bag I was pointing at was City Plumbings. Still feeling the double gins I had the previosu night at the Cricketers work my through mu head, I nearly took evasive action. I nearly walked behind the 'til and grabbed the damn bag, but I didn't.

They made me fee like a leper. Like I didn't know what day it was. Like I couldn't remember whayt I'd done or recognised my own belongings.

I returned the next day, when more experienced satff were working. When I was so hungover and weird looking. They hadn't back the goods. Back at my flat I emptied the kit onto the floor and embraced it.

Anonymous said...

They really ought to include a spell checker on this section.

The most important thing is that we have our changed uniforms back.

June 14th? The Bugle? I'll have to book a room at the Mum & Dad hotel.

Ben Stanfield said...

Sandy, from your dreadful spelling/grammar it appears you may still be drunk/hungover!?!?

Also, Fields, don't put us down like that. Considering the "artic" conditions it was a very good result. I do however commiserate that you had to stand next to Rob for that long. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!!!

Anonymous said...

Rowey's got loads apparently, he was giving it away.

Looking back (bringing back the blog)

I haven't posted here since 2012 – that’s five years of not blogging. The blog is/was about Burridge AFC, the football team I played f...