1A vs UCL - 22/02/2019

UCL 4 - 16 BLWP

LUSL 1A entered this match rightfully top of the league with 3/3 wins, after a blistering first term full of fire and desire. Playing our fierce rivals, UCL Away, was always going to be our biggest challenge to date. In years gone past, the combination of a long winter break, and a team that has spanked countless Barts outfits in the past, would’ve broken our spirit. However, this LUSL 1A squad churned out 11 hungry warriors, including a quality substitute in the form of Tadpole Chloe, who once again stepped up following the last minute loss of Mudskipper.

The match started abysmally. A truly scandalous refereeing decision led to a major foul within the first 10 seconds, which a ruthless UCL side dispatched. Within the next 30 seconds, more outrageous refereeing had Barts flustered early on. Our resident commentator/ hype man on the sidelines, Drip Drop, was heard hurling constructive refereeing criticism already, following a truly mind boggling start. A LUSL team of the past may have lost their heads at this point, but this is when 1A showed their true quality. Fantastic play in pit from Tillicum hauled us up the pool, and allowed Candiru and Monthly Dip to score tidy goals. Reinvigorated, not even the referee could stop us from taking an unheard of 5-1 lead in the first quarter.

The 2nd quarter was magical. Our defence was impenetrable, as our tactics worked a treat time and time again. The tightest of pressing from Water Aid and Cutty Shark removed their best players from the game, allowing our octopus Paul to pick off any shot their weaker players dared to launch at him. Monthly Dip countered them relentlessly, and 4 pinpoint deliveries to him from Paul had Barts running away with at half time at a staggering 9-1.

Unused to being in this position against UCL, our tiring team put the foot off the gas and played sloppily in the 3rd quarter. Our defence was saved a thrashing thanks to great fight from the likes of Tadpole Iman, Plaice and Angela Mackerel, who put in massive shifts. The 3rd quarter ended 12-3, with Water Aid only just getting excluded from the game following a record 5 majors (someone should really remind the ref you’re only allowed 3...).

With the finishing line in sight, and the promise of 12/12 points and a return to the top of the league, the exhausted 11 warriors of LUSL 1A ground out the win in a relatively uneventful last quarter (except for Cutty Shark’s life peaking when he banged one in). The match finished an unheard of 16-4, as LUSL 1A’s magical journey continues. Shoutout to Crucifish for truly buying into the 1A mentality and putting in a phenomenal shift off the back of no training.

Only 2 games stand in the way of LUSL 1A and eternal glory- a substantial test against IC 1s, and the formality of the local derby against the not so noisy neighbours of LUSL 1B.

We are LUSL 1A,

Monthly Dip xxxxx


Goals:
Marco- 10
Alex- 4
Leah- 1
Connor- 1