MyVillage UTD: Defeats can lift the soul

Defeats can lift the soul. Take Dunkirk, to all intents a crushing defeat for the British army, but what a glorious defeat, it showed all the best aspects of our small plucky nation. In our darkest hour came the resolve to go on to defeat Hitler and his Nazi hordes. For Dunkirk, read MyVillage UTD against the combined might of table toppers Franchise Face. What a sweet defeat. After 38 minutes the infantry men of MyVillage came off the field 1-7 down, battered somewhat bruised but all of them 3 inches taller.

It was almost a game of two halves.

Lessons were learned from the previous defeats, read routs, at the hands of Cop FC and Springbok FC. This week UTD had brave hearts, men willing to stand up and at least turn up for the cause.

The roll call read, Landi from accounts who was nearly signed for a crack Albanian football team 15 years ago; the 3 Queens Park NW6’ers Dan, Matt and Andrew; Des from Bective Leslie Marsh; Leon from Ealing council; Jeremy “Soccer Ball” Tilson; Tom “Chairman’s son” Cole plus pal Adel; Herbie from Portobello Market and I your recorder and witness to the encounter.

MyVillage came early and busied themselves with the job of warming up for a solid 40 minutes before kick off. Warm up showed that now UTD had men with purpose and some skill. Dan threw himself into the task with abandon. A few minutes in he had tweaked his thigh and his eyes filled up in sympathy.  It was plain to see that Landi needs to eat less pies but boy could he juggle that ball. His keepy upees acted as a clarion call to the rest of the boys in claret and blue.

Kick off came and Utd held their own and took the game to the league leaders. The foundation, no back bone, of the team was the man of the match Jeremy Tilson, who as goalie threw himself about with no thought for his personal safely. He figured the honour keeping goal to be more noble cause. He dived at feet, he saved, he blocked shots, he did Canada the land of his birth proud that night. At the end of the match, all felt humbled to have played alongside such a hero.

So what that we were 4 nil down before the sweet sensation of a goal; but what a goal. A neat movement and cracking shot that the FF keeper didn’t see or even smell as it flew past him.

The Franchise boys had skill, we had heart and at the end of the match we had the bruises to prove the size of our heart. I found myself one on one with the keeper. A younger me would have beaten him to the ball. At that moment, with a tantalising prospect of a second MyVillage goal, wound my right leg up for a shot. Boot missed ball and leg connected with bone. I fell to the floor, it felt as if my leg had broken. If I were a younger man I would have cried, I crawled off the pitch bloodied and to all intents and purpose a crippled one legged footballer.

At the end of a tremulous first half we were 1-5 down. Dan had suffered another injury, Matt was a red as a beetroot and Jeremy was keeping the score competitive.

We took stock in the second half and got stronger; the opposing keeper had to earn his money. Landi from accounts found the back of the net, our net but our heads did not drop. When the final whistle went the score was 1-7. Dunkirk was over.

As any student of history will tell you, after Dunkirk came the battle of Britain… Bring on Blue Square, they will not know what hit them!


If you fancy a kick about every Wednesday under the Westway please contact Roifield Brown on 0207 792 0624. Knowledge of football, its rules and a little fitness are preferred.


Related Links:
Myvillage edged out in a tight 12-1 defeat
A fickle mistress

MyVillage, 14th February