True grit stuns opposition as Shambles claw 
their way back into the game

Sunday 6th April 2003
Sichuan University

Shambles v.  Local students
6 – 1 (4-1 at half time)
(14-3 on aggregate)


We'll meet again
This return match was thankfully free of the 
testicular tickling tactics which had marred 
the previous encounter with this side.  That 
had ended in a resounding victory for the 
Shambles, something like 8-2.  Hanging 
their heads in shame, the students had 
begged for a chance to avenge their 
humiliating defeat.  In that game, the 
students had started strongly and delighted 
their very vocal managerial team by taking 
the lead very early on. However, once the 
Shambles came back, the studes lost heart 
and seemed to be at sixes and sevens 
mentally and, nearly quite literally, in terms 
of goals conceded.  
Changes
Fortunately, their most skilful striker did not 
turn up in the second match, perhaps 
through FIFA suspension. As well as handy 
footwork, he had put in some footy 
handwork in applying unwanted manual 
pressure to Andy L's scrotum. The referee 
had ignored this man-to-man marking in 
spite of repeated appeals by the Shambles 
international affairs spokesman and handy 
left midfielder, Fox. All the same, the 
Shambles were expecting a tough match. 
Surely the Vodafone-sponsored opposition 
had strengthened their squad with some 
fresh talent to provide a winning 
combination of fresh young eager beavers 
with the experienced old hands who had 
shown so little spirit in the previous game.

 
 
 
 

Desire?
Sadly, this was not, as the French say, ętre.  
Initially the match was at an almost frenetic 
pace. The Shambles went through their 
usual unsettled period in the first fifteen 
minutes.  To everyone's surprise, the 
undergrad underdogs capitalized on this, 
firing in from a quick break, leaving the 
usually feline Carl staring at the defence like 
a bewildered retriever.
Oops! They did it again.
Another quick break soon followed down the 
left wing followed by a swift, low cross.  As 
one of the students tapped home past a 
baffled goalie, the Shambles knew they 
were back in business at 1-1.  This was the 
champagne moment of the game, and it 
proved to be its turning point.
Under pressure
From then on, midfield pressure continued 
to force the opposition into unforced errors. 
In the 30th minute, Martin began to impose 
himself on the game. His quick throw in to 
Robbie was chested back to him.  From 
outside the box on the left, Martin looped 
the ball into the top left corner. The 
opposition were gutted, but were still 
showing signs of putting up a fight, and they 
continued to threaten up front. In terms of 
goals scored, Shambles were still 2-1 down, 
so they were still grateful to that defender.
He's no angel
Five minutes later, mild-mannered Martin 
gave the world another glimpse of his 
jagged blade killer instincts.  Following a 
post-corner scramble in the penalty area, 
Robbie, again playing a crucial role, slipped 
the ball to Martin.  He chose his spot to 
ensure he bagged a symmetrical double.  As 
the ball glid into the bottom right, the pub-
backed side were ready to clink glasses yet 
again.
Ain't that a shame
If Mark scores, it really is rubbing salt into 
the wound of the afflicted team. Sadly, the 
students were having one of those days. 
Still, in sport, you make your own luck, 
especially at this level, and especially if your 
name is Martin, who stroked the air-filled 
sphere to Mark, lumbering around just 
inside the area.  A graceless motion of his 
left leg clubbed the ball goalwards.  The 
hapless goalkeeper could only make a 
desperate dive as the ball hit the inside of 
the left post and dribbled in. 
In the second half, the other team seemed 
to have given up, which was rather a pity. 
They had shown a great deal of individual 
skill at times, but, as big Ron might say, 
their game plan fell apart because they 
didn't have one.
Barbara Ann
In the 60th minute, another of the ever more 
frequent Shambles attacks was completed 
with a blinder of a stunner of a scorcher of a 
shot.  Andy L, revelling in the unmolested 
state of his undercarriage, slotted the ball 
through to Roger, who danced through the 
defence whilst collecting a surgically precise 
through ball and rocketed the ball into the 
underside of the bar and onwards into the 
net. The goal shuddered as it struggled to 
cope with the mighty impact of this left-foot-
launched missile. At 5-1 with 30 minutes to 
go, there was no way the other boys were 
going to get back into this game.
It's all over now
24 minutes before the end of this ultimately 
one-sided, although two-sided game, the 
ever industrious Fox was through with only 
the goalie to beat.  Fighting back his usual 
instinct to pass, he shot low past the 
keeper's left to claim yet another in his 
impressive tally for the side.
Satisfaction?
The opposition had not really gone out there 
and given 110%, and there was no 
competitive edge or team spirit in evidence. 
You've got to question their commitment.  
At the end of the day, the Shambles scored 
more goals than the opposition, and that's 
good enough for a win in anyone's 
language.  The lads done tremendous.

Team: About 20 of us (11 on the pitch at 
any one time).




Page 1 of 1             		?Frank Lee Desmond April 2003
Page 2 of 2             		?Frank Lee Desmond April 2003