AFF Ladies Div 1

Boh Celtic 1 - 3 Fencibles

Boh Celtic 1 - 1 Ellerslie

The big problem with having Bill McKinlay as our home ground is that we don't actually train there (we train on Colin Maiden) and therefore we do not get used to the bounce or the pace of the artificial turf. Against Fencibles I actually let one bounce over my head right into the goal, to my immortal shame.

Ellerslie were bottom of the league, not having won a game, but they had a bunch of ringers in from their Premiership squad so it was a hard-fought tussle. Once we worked out how to put their strikers offside we got into the game. I had to win a couple of tight foot races with said strikers.

Three Kings 1 - 1 UniMount BohCeltic

... and what a way to end the season. Four red cards and some bozoid refereeing.

Remember this is the team against whom I got sent in the first round so I was warned to be on my very best behaviour and not let the opposition niggle me. But they hardly ever got near me - we were in their goalmouth all day long and only managed to convert one. I cleared some long balls under pressure and took a good clean catch from a corner, so I'm happy with that.

Then early in the second half their striker intercepted a long punt - clearly handling the ball, the linesman saw and put his flag out - but the ref ignored it, the striker took a long shot and bounced one in behind me off the post. The ref was later heard to explain that he didn't care what any linesman said, they were just there to mark offsides. So that got everyone good and steaming.

And then some pushing and shoving in the midfield turned into a punch in the back of the head, which turned into major retaliation. Two of theirs and one of ours got sent for fighting, fair enough. But another one of ours got sent when she was doing nothing but to try to restrain the amateur boxing bout. I think everyone was super p-o'd at that ref by the end of the day. After that, the game was 9-a-side, everyone was just exhausted and pissed off and nothing of value happened.

So, what a great way to end the season. We were going to have a catch-up game next weekend, but with two suspensions on top of a bunch of pre-announced absence, that'll be it for now. At least we didn't get relegated, and I showed myself (just!) that I'm up to Div 1 standard.

EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS MATCH

UniMount Bohs Celtic 1 - 0 Manukau City

Ha-ha! The grudge match was put back on once our team were bribed with the prospect of pre-match vodka jellys. Now, we were expecting absolutely nothing from this game. Two of our best players were still suspended from last week; another three were away, and we made up the numbers from our Div 4 team. In contrast to our pre-match drunken antics, MCAFC turned up primed and ready, warming up most professionally. If you will remember: we beat them 2-1 at their manor but they appealed on the grounds of ineligible players. We went into today fully expecting a thrashing, but determined to have a good time. We barely even warmed up.

In the end, I think it might have been that devil-may-care nothing-to-lose attitude that got us over the line. We had the lions' share of scoring chances in the first half (with a strong wind) - one corner came off the crossbar, and we had at least three further shots off the post. Impressive for a mainly Div 4 striking quadrant. At the other end, MCAFC's strikers were wrong-footing our defence with relative ease, but didn't seem to have many other ideas of what to do apart from long balls into the box, which I was collecting quite well under extreme pressure. I must admit it is a guilty pleasure of goalkeeping to charge in, collect the ball, and feel a thud as a striker bounces off your shoulder and onto their face. I think I also elbowed one in the head while jumping to take a catch.

Anyway, no score at half time and we're all quite amazed with ourselves. I had another two vodka jellies. In the second half it could have oh so easily fallen apart. Now that MCAFC had the wind they were pretty much camped just outside our penalty area. Their best chance was their centre-forward barrelling straight between our centre-halves, straight towards me. And then she tried to kick through me. OWWWW! That stung like billy-oh on my bare thigh but it went in the right direction of away.

I had much more work in that half. Had to dive to my right a couple of times and skinned myself on the turf. Once I actually dived forward to palm the ball away from a striker's feet. And with about two minutes to go in the match I punched the ball away from an extremely well-hit corner. Meanwhile, at the other end, one of our Div 4 strikers took a wild swing and to everyone's surprise chipped the MCAFC keeper.

So when that final whistle went, we Bohs partied like we'd won the damn league. (Actually 6th out of 10, I believe.) We were very proud of ourselves and how we'd played. And I was double proud when both coaches concurred in naming your humble narrator player of the day. Oh, I think I'm still a bit drunk.

Aaaand.... your humble narrator was granted the title of "Sportsperson of the Year" by her team at prizegiving. Got a big trophy and everything. :D So I'm definitely coming back next year.

Will be interesting in next year's Div 1, since my old team MAP just got promoted. So that'll be a fun match.

For the 2013 season, our team has been blessed with the presence of about 8 new players who used to play for Western Springs in the Championship or higher, and are looking for a slightly cruisier league to play in. I was against it until I found out they didn't include a goalkeeper. Now I'm all for it and I'm totally expecting to win the league.

 Well... it looks like I spoke too soon. Apparently there is an ex-Prem keeper among the newcomers. So the coach had a little talk with me after training about the second team and what a good favour I could do for them in goal...

I am not particularly looking forward to being a Div 4 keeper again, but I am a team player. And the good news is we're getting a keeping coach, so I might actually get better even though I'm playing in the 50-year-old grannies and cigarettes-at-half-time league. :-/

Feek em, go play as high as you can.. Didn't your coach write the book "how to kill a clubs culture"

You're either about loyalty or playing to the best of your ability. Its your call Doloras but whatever choice you make, make it and embrace it and never think about what might have been.

 ... well, I've already paid my subs for this year, so I can't very well back out now in good conscience. We'll see how things go.

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Sig pic is too big Doloras, can you make it a bit smaller please? ideally your sig's height shouldn't be larger than the high of a one line post, just so it's easy to read the forums without big photos everywhere.

How about this?

Can go a tad bigger if you want, but otherwise it's all good. Chur.