Intro

It was a sunny saturday morning 830pm. I had just woken up from sleeping
and dreaming of last nights hard fought game. After a quick brekky
consisting of a glass of red cordial and a bowl of kelloggs sustain, i ran
into my old man on the back stairs.

DAD "Your in trouble"
Eroy "Why?"
DAD "You cooked up some chops last night and didnt use a lid.....theres
grease all over the stove cause they were spitting!!!!"
Eroy "OK...no problem i'll clean it......thought that maybe id burned half
the house down or something"

After 10 minutes of chores i fired up my pc, where mezza icqs me and says
your up for last nights match report.

I went berserk. "You little ashka!!!!....back in action!!!"
I had been given back my wings, and a licence to kill. So here goes......


Match Intro

Fri Morning

I cruised up to Pine Rivers Shire Council to drop of some stuff to a few
rival work mates (me working for Caboolture Shire Council and all), and
popped the question to my fellow carpooler Bruce (not the whitsunday Brucey)
"I know theres a back way to work around here somewhere". Bruce "Yep, there
is, we can go that way if u want to see it?" Eroy "Yep, lets do it, i have
my soccer team coming up to narangba tonight and they have to get around the
****** gateway merge" (see how i editted the swearing).

The next 20 minutes were spent navigating what was soon to be titled "Eroys
shortcut to Narangba". I arrived at work and sent the email of to mezza so
that the rest of the team might enjoy a quicker and easier route to the
field. He says he never got it, so alas no one experienced it.


Fri Evening 530pm

I had just finsihed work and was on my way to the social club for drinks and
nibblies on the second floor. I saw my boss , Chris, in the hallway and
asked if he was having a drink. Chris "I have to have a drink after today
mate" he says with a look of sheer exhaustion on his face, sought of like a
man that has just climbed Mt Everest. Chris "Be in there in a second". He
walks off. I cruise in and purchase a fosters light ice for him and a
bunderberg gingerbeer softdrink for myself. The social club is barren
tonight, no one is playingpool and i have no mates here yet, so i cruise
back to our offices, where my two clerical chicks are working away still,
and wait for my boss to come out.

I have crapped on all year about the grange rangers to my work colleages and
was usually ignored by them. Tonight i was surprised however when one of
the chicks says "hey troy whats the name of your soccer team again?" Eroy
"The Grange Rangers" i say with a grin a mile wide and 2 tonnes of pride.
Chick "yeah...." she ponders the name "Have you played a team called the
Wanderers?" Eroy "Yep" i say. Chick "Did they flog you?" Eroy "yeah....5-0"
Chick "i have friends you are in that team, they said they whipped your
arse" Eroy "yeah they did" Chick "You must be a pretty crap keeper if you
let in 5 goals". I immediately went on the offensive, callling command to
see if i had permission to fire. Eroy "No actually me and my 4 backs played
really well that night" Chick "My friends say they were knocking in goals
everywhere"

Command "Do not engage until proper re-inforcements arrive Eroy" was the
call in my head. Eroy "Not true, two goals were good ones, but the other 3
were our own mistakes, not wanderers skill" "The rangers were doing fine"
Chick " Thats not what i heard" .........i realised i was going to lose this
battle, fortunately the cavalry arrived.

My boss comes walking out and says lets hit the piss mate. an escape was
provided and i took it, leaving the wails of "But we are talking soccer here
come back"


Fri Evening 615pm

I walked out of work in my short sleeve attire, thinking the temperatures
not too bad here and wondering how the grangers were going on their travels
up here. I arrived at the ground, to see what is described as a cub scout
den and about 30 little brats on the soccer field mucking about. No
grangers in sight. At this point in time the temperature changed suddenly.

The field was located in the suburb called "Narangba Valley" sought of like
Thredbo Valley. Down low in the hills, in alpine conditions, the
temperature of 20 approx up at caboolture had dropped to probably 5 down
here. I scouted around the cub den for signs of the dressing rooms and
found them and the narangba coach graham. Eroy "Jeesus....its could down
here mate" Graham "Sure is, its in the valley, once the sun goes down the
temp drops so quick around here.

Graham was talking to me as he was connecting up the lights on the field,
which was poorly lit. Eroy "They look like car headlights stuck to a pole
mate" Graham "Aircraft lights actually" he was serious, and as russell
pointed out when he arrived, our wingers should be able to hide in the
shadows quite easily here tonight.

655pm and 8 grangers on the park warming up. worried looks and nervous
comments of "if nick and harry and jimmy and andy show we'll be
right"........nicko shows but no harry.....marko is coming but wont be here
till the 2nd half. Pete turns up and coupled with chris we had 11 to start.
Pete "Shit , i forgot the jerseys eroy"..Eroy "hahaha i guess we aint gonna
be driving home ot get them are we?" Pete "Looks like we are skins tonight
fellas"...........

a mishap but quickly solved as graham dashes back to his place and grabs the
narangba B strip for us to don.


First Half Highlights
Narangba A (Green jerseys) vs Narangba B (Blue jerseys)

considering the appalling lighting conditions, the ball handling was quite
good. A professional day/night yellow ball was supplied and was visually
stimulating for all to get accustomed to.

The first half was hard fought, both teams were playing well, with rangers
probably having 60% possession and domination. Some things to improve on
are possibly some bad passess and turn overs but we can put them down to bad
lighting. I was tested a few times, but was happy to see some of my early
(Good) form returning. Narangba only had one dangerous chance all half.

Rangers, as i recall, had about 3 or 4. The first was a great pass to
merrick by Jon?, who then beats a player who made a sloppy slide tackle. he
lays off a marvellous ball to a lone david stirling for an easy tap in, but
dave skuffs it. and hangs his head in shame.

The next few chances were had by jon, a great shot but the keeper made a
great save, and pete too but they missed their marks. The first goal came
from a great cross in from Anthony?? to about 4 grange players all in a flat
line, dave, merrick, jon? who missed it be it falls to ray at the far post
for an easy knock in volley.


Second half 1-0 Rangers

The sond hlaf saw a tougher game, with narangba coming out stronger to try
and get a few goals back. no really dangerous chances were had by them
however.

A change in the backline saw marko in the centre and ray sweeping and froggi
playing much of the game on the left back. A good return to the
froggmeister saw him play a good game, considering his absence for 4 plus
weeks. Marko still not yet playing back at his top efficiency, some say his
absence at much needed training is to blame. Ray playing a great game
wherever, and continuing this good form at the sweeper position.

Rangers second goal came from a cross? shot? which the naragba keeper made a
good save to, but couldnt hold it. it spills out to jonny on the spot -
Mezza, who kicks home a 4 yarder.

Narangba had a good chance later from a freekick effort, a good save was
made by myself, but it spilled free. Everyone running for the frre pill,
but i made it there first to regather. Marko saying "I was this close to
booting that ball and your head away Eroy"

Rangers third goal came from some great hard fought play started by andy,
involving jon, rob, merrick russell and pete, and then finishing with andy
in a great 18 yard shot, which was well struck and found the net.

Overall, it was a good win to rangers and a good loss to narangba who will
easily dominate div 2 and win the div 2 league.

Quote of the match :- Ray after the ball had been kicked out for a throw by
froggi.

Narangba players "Green Ball!!!!!"
Rangers Players "Blue Ball!!!!"
Ray "Yellow Ball.....well it is ref."