Kennedy Assasinated. England Win the World Cup. Armstrong Lands on the Moon. John Lennon Killed. Sheffield Wednesday and United in the Premiership. All major events of the last fifty years. However what happened on Wednesday 19th March 2003 at Sheffield United Training ground puts them all into perspective.

The brace of goals bagged by Andy Machell, AKA The Tash, for Mould Football Club against the Bocca Seniors stands alongside these historic events. All who were privileged to be there would surely concur.

The shrewd tactical decision to leave The Tash on the bench for the first 10 minutes (made by the Tash himself) paid off. Within two minutes of his entrance, a gazelle-like performance by The Tash put the game beyond the reach of Bocca Seniors with two goals of supreme quality. After these events the rest of the game became insignificant.

For his first there appeared to be no danger for the expertly marshalled Bocca Seniors defence. Seeing an opportunity that footballers of the quality of Matthews, De Stefano, Best, Pele, Cruff, Maradona and Dalglish could only dream of The Tash â€˜driftedâ€™ towards the Bocca Seniors goal in a blur of intricate deception. Having briskly embarrassed three or four defenders with his ease of movement that made the spectators wonder if the acuteness of the angle had been an optical illusion he drilled the ball into the Bocca Seniors net.

â€˜What was the time of that goalâ€™ asked the Mould substitutes as they stood in awe on the sidelines. â€˜Never mind the time ladsâ€™ said the goalkeeper â€˜Just write down the dateâ€™

March 19th 2003

Mould 1 Bocca Seniors 0

Surely in the annals of footballing history we could not expect more. In my 30 years as a football reporter what I witnessed next make the â€˜big bangâ€™, the birth of Jesus and Mohammed, the Black Death, who Killed JR, Coronation Street and East Enders pale into insignificance.

Two minutes after that glorious strike The Tashâ€™s faultless positioning and alertness were again illustrated when a swerving shot spun away from the diving body of the Bocca Seniors.

Mould 2 Bocca Seniors 0

Privileged as I was to see these events it is impossible to put into words the sensation that his team members felt as they saw a master at work.

Clearly, the experiences as a youngster watching Kevin Keegan, John Toshack, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and more recently Michael Owen and Emile Heskey demonstrating the art of goal scoring has enabled another youngster of 41 to not only emulate but surpass their skills in this most difficult art.

We can learn much from watching such an accomplished footballer ply his arts.

Finally, the players, spectators, ground staff and security personnel who were there were heard to say at the end of the game: â€˜I was thereâ€™

Mould: Leese, Knowles, Dunkley, Owen, Cox, Knight, Machell, Dave
MoM: Matthews, De Stefano, Best, Pele, Cruff, Maradona, Dalglish - AKA The Tash

Mould FC

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