The Wilson Report - Meatheads 2 Sunnybank 4

The heartbreaker of the season.
Coming off defeats at the hands of Rosewood and Mansfield the Meatheads needed to secure a victory over Sunnybank at the 'H' to move back into the top 4. Well to move into the top 4. Alas it was not going to be. This game will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. The game the referee awarded 5 penalties, the game that we had 13 and needed them all, and the game that took us to second on the table albeit at the wrong end of the ladder.
Remember the 7 all draw at Yandina Park or the 1 - 0 victory over Gordon Park with 10 men? Well add to the list the game we played Sunnybank and there were 5 penalties awarded. And I don't mean a penalty shootout at the end of the game.
To help you all appreciate the situation I have looked up the meaning of penalty. This will provide us with clarity of decision making by the referee.This will help us understand how a referee can determine the outcome of a game all by him or herself as there were only two other goals in the game, one each team. The Tigers goal was a beauty with Dunk receiving the ball from an opposition goal kick, taking control and then delivering a perfect ball to the Thespian who only had the keeper to beat. He thought about it for what seemed an eternity but completed with a copybook finish. The Sunnybank goal was a fluke. Mad Dog scrambled in defense making substantial ground, as he always does. He lunged and the ball took a deflection causing McStar to change direction and the ball slipped past him. I liked ours much more.

But back to the definition of penalty

pen·al·ty (pĕn'əl-tē)
Sports.
a. A punishment, handicap, or loss of advantage imposed on a team or competitor for infraction of a rule. b. An infraction of a rule; a foul.
Keep this in mind. The punishment was the awarding of three free shots at goal to Sunnybank. I will not call the referee bias but I will label him as inexperienced at best and inept at worst. I will walk you through the events.
Penalty number 1 ( 20 minutes approx.)Myles defending in the box shouldered with their number nine. Man on man, both challenging for the ball and the referee blew the whistle. Both teams looked bemused. The infraction was determined to be an illegal tackle on their forward. Tough call.Number 4, a right footer, goes left and places it in the back of the net. Penalty number 2 (23 minutes approx.)Mick defending in the box went up with their number nine contesting for the ball. A fifty fifty ball where the number nine does a perfect milk of the penalty (I think he was genuinely embarrassed when it was awarded) and the referee awarded a penalty for a push in the back. Mick was found with his hands in the wrong position and the striker milked it for all he could. They say age and wisdom accompany each other. Another tough call.Number 4, the captain, goes left and places it in the back of the net.Penalty number 3 (35 minutes approx.)I had my back to the action but their number 5 walked away shaking his head. Number 5 described the event in a similar fashion to the first penalty awarded.Jeremy, self elected penalty taker, goes straight and the keeper saves it.Penalty number 4 (55 minutes)A cross from the right wing at pace found Mick's right arm as he scurried in defense. Inside the box, a penalty. Very unlucky but I could not contest this one.Number 4, looking for a hatrick, goes left and places it in the back of the net.Penalty number 5 (85 minutes)Rhys is brought down inside the box by the captain (number 4). A blatant foul.Rhys, after practicing on Wednesday night, goes right and places in the back of the net. A perfect shot.
Five infringements, four goals. Sorry Bresciano.
This five penalty count got me reflecting on my long and illustrious career. I tried to stir up a memory of a time in my life where I heard of five being awarded in a game. Did I play in game previously where this happened, outdoor or indoor? Did I watch a game on the TV or read something. Did one of the Walsh boys remember such a time. I came up with nil, nothing, no memory. I suppose you could say my memory is fading but wouldn't you remember such an event? The Waterboy was flabbergasted. I rang Diesel, the second eldest, as he has a memory like an elephant, but he couldn't remember. He suggested I write a book about it (family joke inserted). I didn't bother Neville Hornery or Little Peter because they don't remember much at all.
I googled the internet and confused the search engine. Penalties amounting to five is what occurs to separate two teams locked together at full time. Five infringements in a game is well documented. But five penalties during a match is as confusing to me as it is for the game of football worldwide. Unless, of course someone can find something I can't. Now there's a challenge.
There were injuries. This proved to be one of those games where the playing list was fully utilised and the depth of talent was explored to it's fullest.
Before the game an SOS was received from the Waterboy, who was reduced to 11 as Samson called in crook. Fifteen before kickoff and a desire to get the Meatheads back on track resulted in a negative from Bresciano and the other boys. This would prove to be the best decision of the day.
Injury number 1 (7 minutes)
Only seven minutes in, with the meatheads playing extraordinary football, Sam, the stallion, gets a kick to the calf. He falls like a tree in the forest, did anyone hear it? He is aided from the field and would take no further part in the game. Dunk is on the pitch.
Injury number 2 (10 minutes)
Ten minutes in Versatility gets sent from the field by the referee under the blood rule. Andy takes an elbow to the face in the early stages of the game. Wilson finds himself out there early.
Injury number 3 (30 minutes)
At the 30 minute mark the Ranger contests a fifty fifty ball with number 5 (4 maybe). The opposition leans all over him, belts him with an elbow and the Ranger crashes. His broken shoulder and head hit the ground hard. Wilson, Thespian and the referee get to him first. Delirious from the fall Ranger, first, is lost for words. But it didn't take long for the Ranger to return with some words of encouragement for his opponent. I think it went something like this, "F.... you, f.... f....f....I will f.... break your f.... f.... f.... f....". We knew the Ranger was right to continue when we heard those encouraging words. It didn't matter if he was concussed he'd be back. But did the referee have other ideas?
The referee drew and held the red card in hand ready to let it rip while the ranger lay motionless on the pitch. Then an extraordinary thing happened. Two teams locked in battle, realising the referee was adding little value to what was a good and entertaining contest, intervened. There was a five minute intensive battle. The debate raged and the persuasive powers of none other than number 4 (the captain of the Sunnybank Saints) began to win the referee over. He started he question his decision given the weight of numbers clearly worked against him. Finally the referee retracted the red, pulled out a yellow and was content that the ranger was sitting on the bench for a while. Who would have thought?
Another gutsy effort from the boys but no points again.
Round 4 sees the following results
ROUND 4 - 21st April, 2007

Interestingly Rosewood and Mansfield play a 0 - 0 draw and St Catherine's win their first for the season. And St Cathy's push us into second last spot.

This week we host West End at home and we are in desperate need of a win. Consequently there is no training this week for the meatheads. For those inclined you can train with the Silvertails.

We play at home of field number 1 at the 'H' and the Silvertails are playing next to us on field 2 at the 'H'. I like it. This will allow us to play whoever we want on whatever field simultaneously. That should keep the referees on their game.

For now I bid you farewell.

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day. Take it easy and think of those who really went to battle. "Lest we forget".

See you Saturday.

Wilson

PS. Current nicknames are

Trent McStar
Mick Clean
Brad Mad Dog
Steve Quads
Myles Slippery, Giles, Red, ????
Duncan Dunk
Rob Ronnie
Andrew Versatility
John Ranger
Rhys Thespian
Sam Stallion
Jeremy Bresciano
Chris Wilson

Are we happy or can we do better?