03 Feb vs FC National at Kennington Park

For a description of today's game - see England / Wales atTwickenham from the day before - yes, we were looking good first half and we were a shambles second half.

It all started when we entered the female changing rooms for our first fixture at Kennington Park this season. And then we went on to play like a bunch of girls, particularly in the second half.

So we racked up with Eddie in goals, Tim (who filled in with about an hours notice) and Colin at full back, a Matt B and a Dai in the centre. We played four in midfield including myself and Jeff on the wings with Dan and Crouchy in the middle. Paul and Micah made up the 11 with a portly Ketchell brother arriving late with his whole family in tow, dismayed to find we'd started without him and only the number 15 shirt left. How very dare us!

It was looking good with the wind behind us, plenty of creativity in midfield and lots of space to exploit - we took the game to FC National - bottom of the league with only 5 league goals to their name all season. They were there for the taking, we were quicker in the tackle and we smelt goals. But we didnt get many genuine chances despite some attractive build up play.

And then a piece of counter attacking magic fit to grace any astro turf arena in amateur football. Crouchy wins a header and guides it to Dan, who lobs it forward into the path of Micah, who has broken the off side trap and is heading towards goal, a couple of touches into the box and then crisply finished beyond their keeper. 1-0.

I think this is where we switched off and decided we'd won the game. Which was unfortunate because we hadnt. We carried on playing some great stuff - again lots of space but as the half drew to a close FC National were finding their feet and putting pressure on the Alliance defence. Just before half time, they scored from a corner - the second week in a row we've conceded from a set piece just before the break. 1-1.

It's half time - we didnt need a team talks so decided to check on the progress of the Alliance's burgeoning youth policy. Youth team manager and club treasurer (and former captain - a promising career curtailed by injury and overly large thighs) reported that despite some restlessness and the odd tear it was all being held together well on the sidelines.

The second half, quite frankly, isnt worth the electronic dot matrix it requires to describe it so I'll keep it brief (there's photos at the bottom of the page that are more interesting - plus a team photo top right). We'd lost the wind. It hadnt gone anywhere or given us the slip, it was playing for the other side. Which helped but so did lacklustre defending. They get most of the game and are starting to do to us what we did to them first half, and it was working. Two moments of indecisiveness cost us dearly this week (and the decision to replace Matt B with Ketch - only kidding!). Playing football has clearly gone to our heads. Eddie tried to take on one of their players from a back pass - that went tits up 1-2. Ten minutes later - a ball over the top missed by the defence but not their forward who calmly stuck it over the advancing Eddie. 1-3.

After this we knew it was over - we had a few chances but nothing concrete. Colin had a great strike blocked by an Alliance shirt and after that we knew it wasnt going to be our day.

In the end...

We lost our hearts, then we lost our heads, now it's falling apar ar ar art (I'll thank Jack Penate for that one)

A bad day at the office indeed but there's plenty of football left this season to put that right. Despite a shoddy performance we had another round of solid performances from Jeff, Dan, Simon and Paul respectively but the MOM goes to Micah for another goal, a battling performance and the fact his Mrs put some nice smelly stuff in when washing the kit. Crouchy, take note for next week...

To sign off I take heart in the lyrics of that infamous band - Chumbawunda - who once said 'we get knocked down, and then we get back up again, you're never going to knock us down' only to throw ice over a fat politician mind. There's probably a more appropriate Muhammed Ali quote but this week we're simply not worthy.