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It could be seen to be irrational to some, perhaps a weakness of the mind, that a game of football can cause a mood to be either frantic with joy, or sullen with misery. Today, for the majority of the Turnford Geese players, footballing disaster would occupy the whole day.

Turnford Geese have never played a double header before, although the potential takings or losses were an obvious calculation. With two victories against Edmonton Rovers, the Geese could be nearing the top of the table. It would be down to two individual sixty minute games to decide on the destination of the points. Unlike the afternoon’s Carling cup final, these two games were in the hands of our players. One of these players, Martin Belsey, had just signed back for the Geese in a Robbie Keane fashion however unlike Robbie, Martin/Merv was eligible to play, as the 8pm Wednesday Mercury Waltham League transfer deadline was met by club officials. Two other players were making a return to action. After being injured since the Geese’s first season Adamo Castiglione was making his comeback to regular football and making his second appearance of the season was homeward bound Craig Norris.

For once, Tony Cedrone was made to look an amateur cameraman with the presence of Edmonton Rovers secretary Laurence Hughes, who also runs the league website, setting up his tripod before the game, in a hope to capture the full 120 minutes of Sunday League action.

The first half of the first game was dreadful 30 minutes of football for both teams. It’s hard enough getting the enthusiasm to write a match report for a game that we fail in, but I haven’t any worthy words to sex up this boring 0-0 half. I can only assume that Laurence hit the delete button straight after these 30 minutes elapsed.

The second half should have been the half in which the Geese won the game. A missed penalty, a shoddy point blank header and long Norris off the bar were responsible for keeping the game at 0-0. The Geese’s first draw of the season. With three Geese departing to watch their beloved Spurs in the Carling Cup final, it was up to the remaining players to try and get something out of the second of the double headers.

A poor start saw Edmonton Rovers take the lead with a back post header from an in-swinging corner. The Geese were pretty poor throughout this period and it remained 1-0 at half time. Edmonton claimed their second when the ball seemed to travel through a hole in left back Tony Vullo and then beating Rob Dodd in goal when the Edmonton striker shinned his effort into the near corner. The Geese did claim one back when Jamie Feeley headered in to the right of the keeper, despite looking distinctively offside. But it wasn’t good enough. Even with a lack of players in the second game the Geese did not perform at their best over the double header. Three points should have been taken in the first game, but it was not be for Turnford Geese or Tottenham Hotspur today and well done to Edmonton Rovers who deserved their win in the second game…and probably deserve a match report that’s not tainted with a weekend of football anguish.

Last week’s defeat against Broxbourne Rangers Old Boys hit the Geese’s team spirit hard. Every player conceded that they could have given more to the cause. We made a vow to bounce back in today’s game against White Hart.

Midweek preparations didn’t go too well. Our regular training facilities were in the process of being painted in a White Hart shade of green, and as they didn’t bother to let us know, we turned up to utter disappointment. With training off, Paul Cully set the Sunday’s rendezvous to 9.30am sharp, giving us enough time to have a chat before the game.

9.30 am – Waltham Cross Playing Field’s Car Park – 10 out of 13 Players present.
9.35 am - Waltham Cross Playing Field’s Car Park – Paul Simpson squeaks into the car park, trying to hide his face with his hoody, like a celebrity avoiding camera shots.
9.45 am – Waltham Cross Playing Field’s Changing Room – Unpunctual Phil and Jamie enter, blaming each other for their lateness.

Paul Cully delivered his tactical team-talk, with the use of diagrams, in the changing rooms before the game. The Geese could not fail today. As a bonus, Andy “Pirate” Perry declared himself useable in today’s clash, after his warm-up along the side of the mushroom-less pitch. The mushrooms witnessed a few months ago had either been collected by a hungry Wicks before we arrived or Ellerbeck had been eating them for hardcore moustache enhancement.

The number of Geese fans in attendance today was well above the season average. However one regular was not present. Papa Dave Enefer (Rick Flair) was apparently returning from an old boy’s dirty weekender today. So as the Geese did there routine warm-up, Pete remembered the state that he left the house in, and decided to give his girlfriend a quick call for some cleaning services. With kick-off around the corner, Tony “The Tank” Vullo decided to hit a few shots at Rob Dodd. One of these shots landed with the trucks on the industrial estate behind the goal, so like a good Sicilian, Vullo went about going to retrieve the ball. What Tony didn’t realize was that the nets were put up with a string extending from the net, and as his cumbersome legs met the taught string, Mr Vullo Bear was propelled into the air landing headfirst into some soil. Tony had a look around and it seemed as though nobody had seen, so young Vullo molded his body position into a stretch to try and get away with his blunder, but as he turned around fully, he noticed a face full of laughter from Chris Wicks and so he cursed in his native tongue.

Just before the game was about to get on the way, the referee spotted a ball a few miles behind the goal that he wanted moving before he blew on his trumpet to start the match. The Geese took kick-off and within a few seconds were moving rapidly up field, nearly resulting in a good chance down the wing with Matt Cully. Turnford looked ready, and were dominating the early passages of play. A good move in the centre of midfield found its way to Enefer, who looked up and saw Cedrone on his bike up the left, he plonked it nicely onto to his left foot on goal, Cedrone fired, however soon after he realized that he should have maybe brought it down on to his right. More chances ensued, Paulacios Simpson hit one from the edge of the box but was saved from the White Hart keeper, but not long after the Geese converted, with Armstrong flicking on a corner into captain Neal’s face, who cheeked it past the goal line.

The game then turned into the Mr Vullo show. Tony made a glorious run down the left, all the way into the penalty area, but then his tank engine ran out of steam, and calamity Vullo fell over, for the second time this morning. Soon after he found himself in an advanced position again, after beating White Hart’s left back, Rooney, he crossed, yet his cross feel lifelessly to the keeper. As his team-mates started to run back into position, frustrated Vullo turned around and hoofed the corner flag out of its hole and into the air, spinning 3.5 times before it landed on the grass, laying assaulted as a victim of rage. Forget the respect for referees’ campaign, how about having some respect for the innocent corner flags of the football world, who dedicate cold windy mornings to those who play the game.

The first half finished and the Geese were 1-0 up and playing quite well. White Hart had a few a good chances, and were definitely not out the game yet. Two goose Chris’s were though. Wicks and Cedrone had picked up hamstring and groin niggles respectively and was replaced by Andy Perry, who has been struggling with a back injury and Jamie Feeley, for his third appearance as a Goose. Perry would sit in his normal role in the midfield and Jamie would go upfront, with boxer Simpson covering for Wicks at the back.

White Hart started the second half much better than the re-formed Geese. White Hart’s attacks were concentrating down the wings, and if it wasn’t for some poor finishes and great saves by Rob Dodd, the score could have been level. After 20 minutes of constant pressure, the geese found their wings. Despite his back pain, Perry soldiered on through the game, doing what he could to break down the play. Jamie settled in well, with some nice touches and after linking up with Fireman Phil down the left, a one-two placed him through on goal and Jamie coolly finished with a dink over the keeper with the swagger of Berbatov. After this, White Hart came back at the Geese. A powerful shot looked destined for the bottom right corner of the net, until Rob Dodd got a strong hand, to deflect it away for a corner. Neal Dodd also had to clear a goal ward attempt, nearly scoring his 112th own goal for the Geese. Rob Dodd nearly cancelled out all of his great work, by flinging his throw a couple of metres to his side in a dangerous position, but luckily it was cleared. Apparently Rob changed his mind mid-throw, and it slipped out of his grasp. Nonetheless our second goal gave the geese an important cushion, which allowed some of the flair players to show their stuff. Firstly, after touchline requests from Belsey, Pete performed his “Trick” and nutmegged the White Hart full-back, Belsey was a happy customer. Not long after, Vullo felt it was time to give the fans his next episode. Left-back Tony found himself on the right hand side of the White Hart penalty area, he twisted and he turned, with magical skill, he beat his man, advanced on into the area and nearly made a goal. The Geese fans screamed his name in applause. Next it was Matt Cully’s turn. He picked up ball out far wide, got past his man went for a cross, but miss-hit the ball, putting it out for a goal kick and falling over like an out-of-form gymnast.

There was time for a third goal for the geese. A Cully throw found itself within a scramble in the box, when it popped out it fell to seagull plumber David, who smacked it with his left foot into to the top left corner. His joyous celebration consisted of running as fast as he could to his pal Ced on the touchline, with a elaborative smile upon his face.

Today’s victory was an important morale boosting victory for the Geese, who could now go home today happier than recent weeks and looking forward to forthcoming double headers.

Given recent postponements and holiday breaks, a home game for the Geese seemed like a trip down memory lane as they took to Wormely Playing Fields for an encounter against Broxbourne Rangers Old Boys. Our 4-0 win away at Broxbourne came courtesy of well timed goals and we expected a stern test in the return leg, requiring focus on the game itself and not on the painful memories of the day that Rory had flown the nest to seek a career in the performing circus back at Broxbourne’s Hoddesdon ground.

Early arrivals into the Geese changing room included a worryingly sober Pete and a pumped up Paul Simpson having come straight from his gym where he had been working out with the lap dancers since 7am. After concluding that the pitch could take a stud following 4 weeks rain, it was time to embark on a warm up that included a keep ball exercise aimed at helping the Geese start quickly and get used to the beautiful playing surface provided at Wormely once more.

The same long term injuries and absentees presented their usual difficulties, but with new signing Jamie joining a partially fit Sidog and Andy Perry on the bench, at least the Geese could look to mix things up where necessary.

On a heavy pitch not conducive to any passing game that either side might want to play, it was a slow start to the game. With two wingers pushing onto our fullbacks, Broxbourne were committing men forward and before the Geese had adapted their shape a long ball caught the flat back four unawares and the opposition’s young whippet broke away to put the visitors ahead.

With the shape sorted, the Geese started to dominate and after peppering the goal on a few occasions, Pete found some space and after a rare Cruyff turn, his shot struck a defender diverting the ball into the bottom left corner with the keeper stranded.

Now level, they had control of the game and the Geese second came courtesy of a controversial decision, sparking some fierce criticism from Broxbourne towards the referee. As a corner came across from the left, Lee rose highest at the back post to nod the ball goalwards. As the ball came down off of the crossbar, the ball hit the back of the net which prompted the referee to award the goal – the Geese leaving Broxbourne to complain that it hadn’t crossed the line while they ran away in celebration.

At half time it was felt that whilst not being at our best, we were in a position to take advantage of the lead and go onto win the game. As the second half got underway, the Geese seemed a little tired and rather than push home the advantage, the game began to open up with chances at either end. Having hit the post twice and watched the ball drift across the opposition goal line, the Geese saw hopes of extending their lead dashed on several occasions.

After 70 minutes we were duly punished as a loose ball outside the Geese area was dispatched with a fierce drive from a Broxbourne midfielder. With the scores level, the Geese were brought into further disarray as substitute Hoydog twisted his new knee and had to be immediately placed by Jamie. With the game now at full stretch it seemed that the game was heading for a draw, but with a few minutes left an attack down the Broxbourne left led to a cross falling to their striker who put the ball away at the second attempt, winning the game 3-2.

It was disappointment all round for the Geese, and it took some serious shower bonding to help the Geese move on from this defeat. The Christmas break and bad weather have resulted in fitness levels falling away, which is probably the biggest factor in two successive defeats. But with another game to come the week after, the fitness will return and so will the points.