The 2007 RMFA Vets Game

By ASgt Shaun Foster RMFA Manager

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The Globes 7  The Laurels 5

The game as usual was sandwiched (calm down Jonny B, I said sandwiched not sandwich) between the Plate final and the Tunney Cup final thus ensuring a sizeable crowd which were all packed into the new 150 seat stand at the top field CTCRM.

I (Globes Manager) had the pleasure & advantage of sorting out the two teams in advance and duly loaded the Globes with the younger vets members which included Jason Margrett, Jimmy Lyon’s, James Beverley, Paul collinson, Steve Mare Marr, BJ Farrimond aka Mike Basset, Jonny Byrne, Andy Macfarlane & Vets debutants Thaine Hacon & Mick Heath and left George Kent’s Laurels team with the duffers older vets which included 50 plus players Brum Daly, George Kent, Al Tweed, Dondo Pearson, Sammy Spall & Bob Fardoe, I did however give them Robbie Buglass & Shagger Shaw who had just finished playing 90 minutes in the Plate final for FPGRM & Vets Debutant Lee Aston who was the Corps player of year 1998, Brian Hepburn, the lovely named Dave Somerton-Rees, Jimmy Clutton & a referee with two left feet in Matelot Lee Dudman, somehow I don’t think they will let me pick the teams again next year, call it a hunch.

It was not surprising that the Globes took a strangle hold on the game early on with the majestic Jonny Byrne directing traffic proceedings in the centre of midfield aided by the donkey work of Paul Collinson and the youthful energetic right midfielder Danish Hacon who was ghosting past Dave Somerton-Rees and Al Tweed as if they were stuck on a tread mill to the amusement of a packed stand. Stevie Marr & Jason Margrett tirelessly covered for me as I was feeling guilty at the one sided affair I had created.

It was no surprise when the Globes opened the scoring through Scottish International Andy Macfarlane after some neat inter play involving James Beverley & Jimmy Lyons. Three more goals followed in quick succession from Andy Macfarlane again, Danish Hacon and Jimmy Lyon’s and the Globes looked like running riot, but the Laurels dug in deep and created lots of chances which were are all squandered most notably by Dave Somerton-Rees who blazed high & wide when he should have pulled the ball back to an irate Sammy Spall who was unmarked and screaming for the killer pass, I was beginning to feel a little guilty at the one sided team selection until Angus Hepburn fired a trade mark unstoppable left footed pile driver past the hapless Globes keeper Mick Heath who went down slower than whore in a brothel. There was more confusion in the Globes defence when Magsy shouted to his full backs to “tuck in” and Jonny Byrne & Stevie Marr thought Chris Bancroft’s BBQ tent had opened for business and this lapse of concentration let in Jimmy Clutton (also known as Jigsaw as he also goes to pieces in the box) who blasted straight at keeper Mick Heath.  The score at half time was 4-1 to the Globes and if looks could kill, the now hanging out Robbie Buglass would be up for my murder.

A trade mark half time pep talk of “listen boy’s, some of us might not be here next year” from Laurels manager George Kent seemed to work as the Laurels came out miss firing on all cylinders minus Dondo Pearson who was replaced in goal by Bob Fardoe who had raced over from a family holiday at Minehead Butlins only to find we had kicked off at 1pm & not 2pm as he had thought, and Brum Daly who required medical attention in the form of Oxygen after tracking Jimmy Lyons (24 years his junior) for 45 minutes. Brum was replaced by Matelot Referee Lee Dudman who lived up to his name of a Dud man, there was cries of “Who is this clown you have given us Fozzy, he’s killing us” from Sammy Spall and “The team selection was bad enough, now you give us this Muppet” from Robbie Buglass.  However despite this handicap (we had our own in the shape of BJ Farrimond) the Laurels pulled goals back through Angus Hepburn again, Shagger Shaw and a Jimmy Clutton penalty. Paul Collinson swapped spit teams with Lee Dudman to try and balance out the teams and Striker James Beverley swapped positions with defender Magsy but goals from golden boy Danish Hacon again & Jason “The Mower” Margrett who last year scored an own goal and I am sure he will thank me for mentioning that again made the score 6-4 to the Globes going into the last 5 minutes. It could however have been even closer but for George “Washboard”

xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Kent blazing over twice in succession when it seemed easier to score, once again if looks could kill then Angus Hepburn & Sammy Spall would be doing time with Robbie Buglass.

 With the final whistle only minutes away up steps match official Bryan Hughes who at 60 years young was officiating at his last Tunney Cup after making his Tunney Cup Officials debut in 1990 at RM Deal, Laurels right winger the evergreen Sammy Spall whipped in a cross and up popped Referee Bryan Hughes who to the delight and amusement of the players and a packed stand superbly side footed home an unstoppable shot past the very impressive Mick Heath who stood still in bemusement until chasing the referee to the centre circle and subsequently brandishing a yellow card to him. The Globes had the final say when Captain admin Jonny Byrne scored to make the final score 7-5 to the Globes and Goalkeeper Mick Heath was deservedly crowned man of the match in his debut Vets game after some impressive one on one saves. There was however more confusion at the end when Mick Heath went up to pick up his man of the match trophy but picked up the jug eared BJ Farrimond instead.

For more Vets pictures and previous years reports please www.royalmarinesfootball.co.uk