BEFC 1 - 0 France

Pre match:
Over 3 years have passed since the Battle of Oifuto and we were able to field 5 of the survivors from that memorable match. The big question on everyones lips was would Jules make a fairytale come back? The day started at that former hotbed of footballing talent, Oji Homes.....the names just roll off the tongue Johanson, Robertson, Lynch, Desmier......

Destination was the approprimately named town of Soka in Saitama with the enticing carrot of playing on grass. Giles had a done a bit of research and knew the route and Rob and myself followed like sheep and had no idea where we were going. Needless to say 20 mins into journey a distress call sent by Tomo to Tim explaining they had lost visual
contact and Tim did a remarkable 'Houston, mission control' act with mobiles pinned to both ears and getting the convoy back together.

The match:
Weather - Hot and sunny
Surface - Grass, firm base but some give on top.
Footwear - Blades or moulded

Team: Giles, Spivey, Masa, Willis, Flynn, Williams, Keisuke, Kenji, Biffa, Bystedt, Woolhouse. subs Court, Testsuo, Mohammed, Sendo, Richard

The big teams news was Jules' return, the Morgan Stanley front pairing of Wooly and Tomo and the league debuts for Giles and Ketsuke

The match was tight started scrappily with very few chances in the first 25 minutes and both defences in control. Time for a sub and Jules came on for Wooly and immediately made an impression.....unfortunately it was the same impression we had all witnessed before. Masa delivered a great cross from the right and there was Jules, seconds after the coming on, arriving on the scene, on his own, 12 yards out, just the keeper the to beat and no prizes for guessing what happed next...........goal kick. Jules continued to be a threat and when put through on goal by Keisuke shot tamely at the keeper. Flynn also had a great opportunity to open the scoring as Keisuke picked him out with a quickly taken free kick but ended up doing a Tortoise impression as he thought the keeper might spoil his Jan Koller looks and the keeper was obviously frightened to death of being clattered by a Jan Koller. 0-0 at halftime.

Game continued in the same vein with France having the better of possession but BEFC fashioning the better chances. The breakthrough came with around 20 minutes. Biffa and Wooly got off there asses from sunning themselves on the touchline and linked up well on the left, Wooly slung in an inviting cross and there was Masa at the far post to side foot volley home from 10 yards. France continued to push hard without really creating much with Donaldinho outstanding on the left and really making that left spot his own. Wooly continued to create chances setting up Biffa who hit the bar and then returning it in the middle again for Biffa to volley over from 8 yards. Only left for Jules to have the final word who succeeded in pissing off the Frenchies in his role as linesman by flagging for handball as the opponent courageously dived to stop the ball going 50 yards into touch.

Quotes;
"I'm at the ground but there are no goalposts" Wooly explaining gloomy news on the phone to Tim but failing to see the goals cunningly submerged behind the goal lines.

"But, it was my first touch......." Jules explaining why he balooned the ball over the bar but forgetting he was talking to people who have played football with him many times before and knowing the same result was equally likely after his 19th touch.

"I had it covered...." Giles explaining his positional stance as France hit the outside of the post seconds before the end of the first half......who are we to doubt a BEFC keeper.

"9 Haiparinas please" Rob ordering the 5th round of Brazilian lemonades.

"I'm don't even want to know why your t-shirt is on back to front" Mrs Willis upon waking the author from a half floor, half bed position in the spare bedroom the next morning.

NB: By the way I would like to say a big well done to Lynchy on carding a 98 in the Euro versus US golf compe the previous day!!!