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Fukuda Denshi, Sunday 14th February.
What do Soga on a Sunday night and Paris Hilton have in common? It’s a slot nobody wants.
I guess the reason for the resistance is…well…homework? Do it earlier. Need to prepare for work the next day? Prepare earlier. Want to relax and put feet up on a cold Sunday evening? Give up football and take up dominoes. Want to spend time with the girlfriend? No comment.
25 committed, football enthusiasts from all corners of Tokyo (including the Sala contingent of which only 3 still live in Chiba prefecture…) plus supporters…yes supporters all the way from Yokohama, lined up and faced off. The usual red tape which we are all used to by now was on full display, this time it was wrapped around the Fukuda Denshi perimeter closing off all access to persons not booked in until 7pm. Rules is Rules.
1915 kick off, one way traffic towards Geckoes goal for the first 1 minute 45 seconds. Sala keep ball on the floor and play nicely. Sala decide not to play ball on the floor anymore and let Geckoes re-organise and take initiative. Bustling Steve Claridge like Jonus Mogui receives the ball some distance from the Sala goal and does a few side steps, a twist another little turn and gives himself some space. The shot is a let down, mistimed and should be ok for the keeper. Should be. Keeper at time of shot still fiddling with water, gloves etc.. ball trickles through legs over the line.
1 – 0 to Geckoes.
Rest of the half was fairly uninspiring, big Stu Anderson flew into the keeper giving him a deadleg..lots of swearing ensued. Expecially the c word. I don’t like that word, I had to close my ears and watch the arguments through lip reading. I’m sure one of the Geckoes back line said ..’your leg was well high you something something…’ The Geckoes centre half would put his abuse right by saying ‘sir’ at the end of every tirade, so that made it alright.
The half time team talk was composed, 1st half performance wasn’t, second half needed to be if they were to get anything out of the game.
Geckoes bolstered the midfield in the second half which softened their edge up front somewhat. 10 minutes in, Sala wingman Ryutaro Suzuki started a run from lefback and didn’t stop until he made it to the opposing byline, not sure of what to do next he rolls the ball to Swinney at the edge of the box. Swinney, given about 10 minutes to the line the shot up, belts it into the top right corner. 1 – 1.
Further pressure continued to be exerted onto the Geckoes throughout the remainder of the half. Lots of pushing and shoving, some penalized and some not. Another dramatic whirlwind run from Ryutaro produced a fine cross for the back post lurking Toby Long who nodded in concisely. The score 2 – 1, and the game slowly slipping out of the Geckoes reach.
With 5 minutes remaining, a long goal kick was launched into the centre circle mixer eluding all personnel and finding the head of Toby Long as he shielded his marker. Swinney took a gamble and made a forward run hoping the flick would find him, it did and as his soon to be 30 year old legs failed him on trying to bustle his way closer to the goal, a clever little dink was produced and the Geckoes man between the sticks, spritely Yas Makita, was left stranded. The dink was a scuff, but a perfectly executed scuff placing the ball inside the left post.
3 – 1 the final score.
A game played in fine spirit plus a pat on the back to all those from both teams who were available to play at a pitch so so far away on a really cold dark night. Man it must have been such a chore…
Report by GL
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