MATCH REPORT: 5/25

Pre-Memorial Day match report? Or Memorial to the once-mighty Waldwick Senior Soccer Association? You decide.

With expectations high for a good turn-out in glorious sunshine and low humidity, it was the same familiar faces making up the 6-a-side-lacrosse-goals session this Sunday, leaving many fans and players asking: "Why?"

"This is bullshit," said* Keith Hockenbeck. "What more do people want? Beer and strippers? Where is everyone?"

The sentiment was mirrored in the confused faces of the 10 regulars who showed up expecting more (plus Frank's doctor and some other guy who was recruited from the running track.)

The game itself was played at second gear pace at best. The blue team dominated with counter-attacks as the white team huffed and puffed but couldn't get the job done. Frank's doctor managed to pull a muscle with his first touch ("Someone call a doc... oh, wait...) and the injury appeared to affect his hearing and reflexes as he seemed unable to understand/resist the temptation to pick the ball up when placed in goal. He also couldn't produce a note explaining Frank's absence, meaning he was probably fishing down the shore.

Scott Rosner was at the heart of every blue attack, but as the game wore on every blue player got involved. Keith, often sweeping from end to end, scored the most memorable goal of the game when his first attempt bounced post-to-post hockey style before bouncing back to him for a tidy finish. His final tally was at least two, two more than he's ever scored in a full-sided game in 47 years of playing the beautiful game.

Meanwhile the whites refused to tidy up their game with loose passing (Keeble a culprit), a lack of hustle in the final third (again!) and a continued belief that a shot on goal has to be hit as hard as possible with as much finesse as a tackle from John Gilchrist. The blue goal was under-threat a lot less from the white shots than the joggers and low-flying aircraft.

The heat took its toll, even on a shortened pitch, and when the cries of "next goal wins" went up, the blues scored it through their on-loan jogger/winger Carlos. The white team applauded the game had ended, regardless of the result.

FINAL SCORE Blues 9 White 5 (Blues also taking the scorer-takes-all golden goal)

* "said" is used ambiguously. He didn't "say" it so much as "probably thought it."