By:Curtis Morton
Football action returned to the ET Willett Park on the evening of Sunday 3rd December.
A fair sized and vociferous crowd was on hand to witness the two matches.
In match one, two youthful teams, in Bath United and Pioneers, took center stage.
Early in the exchanges, the Bath United goalie, who is incidentally only 12 years old, stepped outside of his box to collect the ball and the Pioneers team was awarded a free kick from short range. Fortunately, the Bath United’s wall stood firm.
However, later in the half, when there was another free kick awarded to the Pioneers team, the youthful goalie was undone and could not hold on to the ball.
Make that 1 goal to nil in favour of Pioneers.
The remainder of the game saw both teams missing out on opportunities but effectively defending their respective goals stoutly.
The final whistle saw the scoreline remaining at 1 goal to nil in favour of the Pioneers team.
In match two, defending champions Newcastle United, showed up with its full slate of ‘overseas’ players—Kittitians in the lineup, to engage the determined Hard Times team.
It was a fast paced and physical type of game.
Just two minutes into the game, a bungle resulted in a free kick being awarded from close range in favour of the Newcastle team, incidentally the defending champions.
That was stoutly kept out by the Hard Times wall.
Unfortunately, not a minute later, another bungle, this time, within the box, saw a collision between the Hard times goalie and a Newcastle striker and the end result saw a penalty being awarded to the Newcastle team, which was duly struck high into the back of the net.
Half time saw the scoreline remaining the same-Newcastle 1 Hard times nil.
The second half started and ended with the same intensity and saw Hard Times scoring a crucial goal but Newcastle United, sealed the deal with a second scorcher, to end the intriguing contest, 2 goals to 1, in favour of the defending champions.