Sunday 13th May 2012, Central Park Malvern.
Central Park 1 - Boroondara 2
Central Park 'grimace' over narrow defeat.
Purple strip - check
Rain, shitloads of it - check
Clearly this week's opponents couldn't contain their excitement for Prince's Purple Rain Australian tour, demonstrated by their gooorrrrgggeeooouuussss purple costumes, set to the backdrop of timely Melbourne showers.
Unfortunately for Boroondara's audience Rangers, they would feel something resembling more like the bitchy wrath of Madonna's heeled studded stiletto's for the bulk of the afternoon.
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| ("just a scratch" - a brave Daniel Jones takes one for the team) |
As usual this cross town rivalry didn't disappoint in what was a hard fought and physical encounter. Central Park would produce their worst stanza of football for the year in the opening 15 minutes, which would ultimately prove the difference.
Like last week, Central Park were sweating on clientele, courtesy of a day dedicated to dear old mum. Having said that, the atrocious weather would have even the most ardent of footballer preferring the familiar surroundings of 'the womb'. Mark and Nick would be late withdrawals leaving the CP lads with a best case starting scenario of 12. It was only the seemingly endless generosity of the Davies family that would see father'n'son combo Paul and Tommy help out. Mrs D allowing both hubby and offspring off the chain for the afternoon despite the hallmark occasion - what a darling.
Central Park got off to a disastrous start, lacking the intensity of aggression that yielded last week's win, against a team more hellbent on playing wet weather football. Richard Price, good enough to answer the team SOS, would pick up from where he left off - a stable hand at right back and still very much under siege from opposition attack (Pricey, i swear we've improved since you last played for the red and black!).
Like 11 Grimace's hunting out an errant cheeseburger or MILF at a macca's kids party, the Rangers boys were harassed, touched up and chased all over the park. And when they weren't in possession - which was most of the time, Boroondara toyed with the lads and had them do the chasing, whilst being camped in their own half.
It wasn't long before Boroondara's slick movement off the ball created space for a loose man to hit a well timed pass perfectly, which rocketed past a statued Tim for a fine opening goal.
With Central Park's heads still seemingly in the clouds on the back of last week's victory, Boroondara continued to surge forward, winning anything in the air and stretching the Rangers formation.
An extremely flat, lifeless and lethargic home side would need to go a second behind before rousing from their slow start. A corner kick this time the opportunity taken, a skin headed self proclaimed 'geezer', completely unmarked drilling the ball low between the foot of Pricey and a diving Tim who managed to catch more of Pricey's boot than he did the ball. 2 nil.
Mario would succumb to a hamstring injury in a shambolic opening 45 for CP, who started to claw their way back into the contest. Boroondara now found themselves on the back foot, the pressure from the likes of Paul D, Daniel and Stuart causing all sorts of problems. As Boroondara tried to will themselves back to their earlier cracking standard, young Tom forced a critical turnover, ran the ball well, and unselfishly passed the ball across to a waiting Garriet to tap home the easiest of goals.
A tight tussle continued in the second half, as a frustrated Boroondara attempted to gain some breathing space with another goal. Consistent as always, Rod mopped up at the back with the aid of Daniel, who by the end of this match would look something like the victim of a Grey Street dominatrix. Bites, slaps, studs, welts and even a late attempted strangulation would prove part of the repertoire of a most irritating and unsporting Boroondara git, who somehow received not much more than a yellow card for his antics! It was a rough afternoon for one of CP's more mild mannered gents, who more than held his own. Every cloud has it's silver lining though, and word has it that the makers of 8mm having been knocking at Dan's door to talk about a sequel.
The freezing wind and rain that dogged the first half wouldn't be seen for the remainder of the match, and nor would the the scoreboard attendants for that matter, despite CP going agonizingly close to securing the equaliser. The dominance of Dave and Steve in the air, and Paul D's penetrating runs weren't to be rewarded, as the goal wouldn't come, and Boroondara would survive, just.
Best: Dan
The Rest: Paul D, Dave, Rod, Tim C
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