1st XI v Lancing
On: Tuesday 25 November
Venue: Home
Result: 3 - 2 win
Charterhouse and Lancing went head to head in the sort of ding dong encounter that saw both sides embarking upon a policy of Mutually Assured Destruction, before waiting to emerge into some sort of post-war apocalypse, blinking in the limelight and watching the cockroaches with studied care. Charterhouse took the lead when the boisterous Ortega-Olazabal smashed in a bouncing ball from 3 yards. And they were playing some really good stuff. Except for Yiadom of course. But then, having ploughed through the soup course, the home side started to get a bit stuck in a tough bit of steak and Lancing began to hit their forwards more effectively and began to grow into the game. And pretty soon, as is often the way of things, the game was level. And then, in a quite dastardly twist of fate, Lancing took a lead. The game went on and darkness crept ever closer, like a cast of characters engaged in a game of ‘what’s the time Mr Wolf?’. Frustration abounded, anger grew, nails were gnawed and throats became hoarse. But Charterhouse kept on moving. ‘Said we’re running out of time,’ said Cox, quoting Justin Bieber, ‘what do you mean?’ And with that he ran straight into the path of an Isvy shot, the ball cannoning off his back and looping into the goal. And Charterhouse were level and it was Desmond.
And as night stalked Big Ground with his massive cape flowing in the wind, both sides pressed for an equaliser. Puvy, back on after yet another jewellery-related stoppage saw Herring take a seat on the bench, found Yiadom in a one-on-one situation with a defender. And Yiadom, whose pass percentage at that point hovered about 10% and whose shots on target to that point numbered 0, found the strength from within to power past the defender and slot a shot under the goalkeeper. And it was 3 - 2. It was the greatest comeback since the New Liberals battered the Conservatives in the 1906 election after the former had slipped to two humiliating defeats in 1895 and 1900. Or since that time Newcastle came back after losing 0 - 4 at half time to Arsenal. It was utterly resplendent. And it means that Charterhouse finish third in the league, narrowly missing out on semi-final qualification.
Too early to say 'there's always next year' yet?