Not one to remember for AFC

I wake to a beautiful full moon high to the South West with a halo of ice crystals – giving it colour as it shines so brightly.

Audlem FC play this Remembrance Sunday away so that the pitch can recover from the masses of happy families attending the oh so magnificent ASET event of Saturday night with a stupendous Firework Display.

What a place this Audlem is that such a small band of dedicated volunteers can put on such a show with no reward other than seeing a job well and truly done. We are so lucky to have such men and women here – doing things for the village – and not sitting on their backsides sniping at the jewel that Audlem so surely is.

We load up in a very calm car park ahead of the coming service for the 11th hour and then travel to Wrenbury once more to face The Nantwich Young Farmers team. Still seeking that, what is to us, is a very illusory win.

Brilliant sunshine now with the church bells calling all to their service – so truly English.

Our Managers presented with 13 players but no true goalkeeper so again Gary Jones steps up to take stance.
Referee Jason Croft calls us all to the centre circle and we observe the 2 minutes silence.
Kick off.
Ref. a stickler for rules so we need to take care.

Air is cool as I sit there observing the play. Free kick won by Pete Jones and we gain a corner from that. Opposition noticeably targeting Kev Rodgers already – trying to ignite his very light fuse of temper as Kev's reputation goes before him.

Good shot by Sam O'Hara is saved. (opponents make a complaint that our goalkeepers blue outfit may cause confusion as we play in light blue stripes but Ref. waves it away.)
At this time we are really playing well and as a team but I think "will it all go wrong as the game progresses and we fade later on?"
We win yet another free kick as we do dominate play. Skipper this day is Dave Bebbington in defence.
Then – Bang
11.12: They score
1-0
Restart and Andrew Betteley is chopped down – just outside the box. Sam takes the kick and his shot tipped over by their very tall goalie.
Clouds gathering a bit and obscuring the sun and the air chillier. Ref. warns their number 12 as he again fouls our player.
11.23: We are down again
2-0.
11.25 and a great cross by Andrew Betteley is met by a shot from Sam to Pete Jones who heads firmly in to score his 8th gaol of the season.
2-1.

A light aircraft is droning its way across a blue vault of a sky – perfect weather for a pleasure flight. Game progresses and no silliness by either side as play is fast and fair.
Then they win the ball in their own half and tear down the pitch to smack the ball in to our goal mouth.
3-1!
Right now they are tearing us apart with very good play. An attack by us and the goalie chops Andrew down – the last man scenario, but the ref only produces a yellow, when in truth it was a red card incident
Half time arrives.

Second Half

And right from the start , they score a so so soft goal!
4-1
12.10 and Kev Mort goes in with a two footed tackle. So dangerous. He gets a yellow but in truth it deserved a red.
Restart and wham bang slam.
5-1
Defence in pieces.
Jim Davies comes on for James Bebbington.
Joe Overland comes on for James Bebbington. Fresh young legs.
A slight period of good play as we try hard to rectify things. A second wind perhaps?
Then, we are sliced open – like a hot knife through butter.
6-1
Defence taken apart again.
Their man to man passing play is so good.
A good shot by Sam O'Hara is met by Andrew who scores but ref says no – offside. Very tight decision.
We then gift another so easy goal.
7-1
Ref books Tom Whittaker for mouthing off.
To cap it all we are in pieces as they score yet again
8-1
Total slaughter. Sliced apart so easily. Beaten Hollow.
Once more my dreams are shattered as we troop off.

Next game is on the 16th November versus Bank Corner – away again.

Ralph Warburton
Chairman AFC

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