A Saturday away game is always a bit of an adventure so we were all looking forward to the League game at Actonians Association. The ground at Gunnersbury Drive has been a lucky one for both the First team and the Reserves in recent seasons except for Cup Final fixtures when we seem to play below our best and lose. The squad was minus Josh Tutt, Joe Kelly, Connor Byrne and Charlie Kallas so in came Ruan de Silva, Jamie James and Will Scudder.

The boys get a bit excited when they have to go East Croydon and Clapham Junction Stations because they are like foreign lands. At Clapham we saw a man with a cat on a lead and a one legged guy on a skateboard – and some English people. Off we toddled to Acton Tube Station.

New keeper Leo Webster dropped the water bottles outside the Raj of India restaurant on the B4491 as we made our way towards the A406. Leo said they were too heavy – we told him that we normally fill the bottles at the ground not at home. The B4491 is a longish road with 17 curry shops, 15 nail bars and 9 sweet shops – Fozzie struggled to keep Mark Williams out of the curry and sweet shops and Muzza out of the nail bars but then we had to cross the murderous A406 where accidents are ten a penny. Only last week a guy swerved to avoid a child and fell off the back seat of his car.

The pitch had a strange look about it (a bit like Jeremy Corbyn) – it was scruffy and unkempt with patches of longer grass and some bare patches. It reminded we of the Wyoming prairies and I half expected a posse of cowboys to appear.

Anyway, it was the same for both sides and after 22 minutes Josh Kennedy opened the scoring and we maintained our advantage until just before half time when Mark Williams scored a goal. Now, Mark has contested 471 corners since he joined the club and hasn’t got near any of them. He couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo but the ball hit him on the ankle and crossed the line – it was over – he’s off The Cold List at last. Well done Big Man – no more heckling from me then.

Up to that point Actonians had been well in the game and Leo Webster had kept out a fierce shot from their striker.

All three substitutes were introduced with Joe Walby coming on after 60 minutes and almost immediately Sam Murray added a third goal before we were denied a penalty when Charlie McGeary was clattered off the ball. To be honest I never saw either of these incidents as the steam from my meat pie clouded my glasses during both incidents..

Both of the remaining subjects, Jamie James and Ruan de Silva, slotted into the system seamlessly and we ran out 3 – 0 winners. Defensively we organised ourselves well despite Adam Freeman picking up a split eye from a stray elbow.

I gave MOM to Mark Williams (so did Fozzie and he had a better view than me). Ollie Clarke’s form is imperious and Ruan showed that he is right back to his best so the squad is looking stronger even than last season.

The Fives under new Manager Adam Kings won 3 – 1 against South Bank/Cuaco. Goals came from Nick Gibbs with a brace and Connor Pullen. Looks like Gibbsy is back on song after a lengthy injury period and I will bet he gets 15 plus goals this term if he stays injury free. Connor always gets a few and with pens he should get double figures.
The Sixes came a cropper against IBIS/Eagles losing 5 – 1 but Liam Lippett was happy as he scored our goal.

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES
HOME
First Team v Old Wilsonians 2pm kick off
Fours v Hampstead Heathens 2pm kick off
Fives v Polytechnic 2pm kick off
AWAY
Reserves v Old Parkonians 2pm kick off
Threes v Polytechnic 2pm kick off
Sixes v Civil Service 2pm kick off