Availability was low this week. Rumour has it was due to match teas being at Queen Edith this week, and not cantabs. Unfortunately this meant the majority of the M2s were unable to gain permission slips from their wives to travel that far. So a few valiant M3s stepped up and the stage was set. Alex ‘call me Haaland’ Haeglound, Alex ‘new guy’ Unknown Surname, Alec ‘not a typo of Alex’ Alston, Jonny ‘I just got dropped’ Camp and Joe ‘sacrificial lamb’ Whittaker taking stage for the M3s. Shout out to Tom ‘sorry washing my hair this week’ Anns and the other M3s who wanted to make it, but unfortunately had prior plans.  

Early chat in the week was about their under 18 England players, City 3s coming down from the league above and how hard a game it would be. Didn’t look promising…. 

However, all was not lost! The game was going…well. Huh? Having not conceded in the first 30 seconds (see last week’s match), we went 1-0 with some clever moves as Alex passed to Alex, who then dribbled it and flicked it to Alec over a stick and into the D. Alec then passed to a non-Alec/x (Jonny) who took it on his reverse and shot back post for a simple tap-in for Will. Huzah! 

Half time came, and buoyed with confidence we came up with a plan that the whole team agreed to, and agreed what a good idea it was. Will, in hindsight questionably in-on the hazing, asks Joe to execute the plan in his stead. ‘what if I mess it up?!’ he asks Joe, and putting a hand around his shoulder, 'you've got this!'. Having watched international hockey at Shin’s house a few weeks prior, we were going to aerial it into the corner and then press. This would also stop the problem above of conceding within the first 30 secs. Having spent the last 3 weeks at training practicing a 3-2-2-3 press up high, we’d get them! Get them good! Oooo mumma. They won’t know what….hit…oh damn where’s our press? Joe flicks the ball to their left back (as Dave says– always give it to their left back…for reasons that will get edited out of this report ) The ball goes deep, long, high. A beauty! The M3s charge: and Alex, Alex, Alec, Joe, Jonny and….George all push up…but where are the M2s?! Confused, the M3s look back and the penny drops. We’re sacrificial lambs! 

But all was not lost, their left back struggled to take down the ball…. but oh no, he has 3 minutes to control it! He calmly passes down the wing, straight into our D whilst the M2s are preoccupied all still cackling, ‘Is that one running up there Alex, or Alec?’ they laugh whilst the attacker unmarked walks, at a snails pace towards our goal. ‘Nah mate, that’s Jonny!’. 

Two short corners later (saved by George!) crisis averted. But Lemon secured for Joe as, although self-named Haaland didn't score a goal, he put in a good shift. The M2s joke afterwards at teas ‘we didn’t think you’d actually do it!’ whilst devilishly scribbling down their votes. 

Anyway, they score another 2 at some point - reverse tomahawks top corner from open play or something after breaking a couple of ankles. We score another from a short corner, won by Joe and slotted away by a Alex/Alec combo. Jonny cheered it in with all his might too. 

George gets MOM to keep it a draw. 

Looking forward to next week at St Neots. Hopefully Anns can change his hair-washing day to make it.