Mens Merlins lost to Teddington Tigers 0 - 5

TEDDINGTON TIGERS 5 – 0 MAIDENHEAD MERLINS

With Ivey and Mair on a boys’ rugby weekend and Brown entertaining Australians in Bournemouth, the Merlins were reduced to a bare eleven. The situation looked even bleaker when the appointed start time passed and only five Merlins were on the pitch. A series of phone calls saw three men guided in on the skipper’s mobile. Further phone calls established that the final three men were caught up in the Unite rally at Kempton Park. With a league fixture scheduled after the game, the two skippers agreed to play with two home umpires and three of the Teddington substitutes playing for the Merlins. The game commenced with two of the guests playing as inside forwards. This line up provided the Merlins with what proved to be their only period of parity of the whole game. As the tardy Merlins were introduced, Teddington had the luxury of four substitutes. Not only did this enable players to remain fresh, but the youth and skill injected proved too much of a test. Non stop pressure resulted in a series of short corners. With Ronnie Fuller beaten, the skipper’s foot intercepted a goal bound shot. Thinking he had got away with this transgression, Wardle lined up the defence to defend the short corner awarded, only for the senior umpire in the other half to award a penalty stroke. Despite diving in the right direction, Fuller was unable to deny the striker. A series of bizarre decisions resulted in another short corner. With Fuller going out to narrow the angle, he was mortified to see the ball go into the goal by the left hand post with Teapot Robinson having failed to remain at his post. Even with Roger Bowes dominant at centre half flanked by the tireless Noel Murphy and the obstructive Bob Wright, the Merlins three man back line featuring the recently returned Alan Jones, the Teddington forwards always seemed to have two unmarked men in the circle. The third goal inevitably came just before half time from another short corner.

Re-invigorated by the Country Store half time libation, the Merlins proved more resilient in the second half. Indeed with Lawrence Castle and Simon Miall combining to provide a number of opportunities for the evergreen Arthur Wood and the nomadic Mike Tarrier who was seen in the centre and both wings. Sadly these were sporadic efforts as Teddingtons’ fresher legs created a number of chances. This pressure, together with the junior umpire awarding a number of short corners in her colleagues’ circle resulted in two more goals. Unfortunately one of these came when Wardle intercepted a first time shot in front of his stomach on the line only for the rebound to be fired over the prostrate Fuller.

The post match Oriental chicken washed down with copious amounts of Fullers(the brewer, not the ‘keeper) London Pride served in the Portacabin club house were most welcome as the vanquished visitors toasted the health of MOM, Roger Bowes, and their hosts. Thanks were extended to the umpires, who in fairness applied the letter of the law rather than the sympathetic treatment the Merlins receive from lesser qualified officials. Ever optimistic the Merlins look forward to two home games on their Bray pitch with the rejuvenated Fuller able to escape his carer’s role following his mother’s ninety eighth birthday celebrations.