Dear Diary,

Today was one for the history books. It all started with me (Avi) running late because I had to drop off my fur baby—classic start, right? But the real story unfolded on Ely’s turf, where their unbeaten streak and our history of losses to them were finally shattered.

Ely are second in the league, but today we were the stars. The game kicked off with high energy, and from the first whistle, we were connecting beautifully: short, accurate passes, stepping to the ball, and communicating to each other.

In the first half, our press paid off when Kendra intercepted, took a shot that rebounded off their keeper, and in the scramble, both Kendra and I swept it in together. First goal! Elation doesn’t even cover it.

Riding that adrenaline, we kept pushing, with midfield and defence holding strong. Half-time came, and after the usual sweets and an inspirational (paraphrased) speech from Kendra “Think Man United vs. Southampton: dig deep and win” we charged into the second half. Ely brought more intensity, but so did we.

During another press, I managed to pick off a defender and found myself one-on-one with their keeper. My flick was saved, but the rebound gave me just enough time to drag flick it in. 0-2 up! Who saw that coming? The second half was fierce. Ely were just as hungry and managed to score from a scrappy short corner, making it 1-2. But we held firm, driven by sheer determination and a belief that today was our day. And it was.

We wanted this. We were hungry for it. And we got it!

Had to follow the M1s here and categorise our team.

Category - Man United

Forwards:

• Avi = Rashford: Pacy, unpredictable, with moments of decent-mess (and the occasional headless-chicken run).
• Kendra = Højlund: A central force, powerful and clinical.
• Esther = Antony: Tricky, creative, and always in the right place.

Midfield:

• Lou C = Eriksen: Composed, creative, and always dictating play.
• Meg = Mount: Dynamic, everywhere, always doing the hard graft.

Screens/CDMs:

• Ruth = Casemiro: The rock, the shield, the enforcer.
• Ell = Amrabat: Calm under pressure, always steady.
• Vinnie = Mainoo: Terrier-like, relentless, and impossible to ignore.

Defence:

• Ellie = Shaw: Dependable and solid under pressure.
• Rosie = Martínez: Fierce, never backs down.
• Nicole = Varane: Strong, composed, and always in position.
• Julie = Dalot: Tenacious, clever, and relentless.

Goalkeeper:

• Lou R = Onana: Big saves, big presence, a wall when needed.

Special Mentions:

• Man of the Match: Vinnie, the terrier of the team, who snapped at Ely’s heels all game.
• Lemon of the Match: Yours truly, Avi—for doggy drama, nail drama, left/right confusion, and some questionable passes.

The final whistle blew, and we erupted. A 1-2 victory over Ely on their own turf. A win long overdue and well deserved. What a day.

Until next time,

Avi

P.S. this was hard for me to write as a Chelsea fan