Another week, another Saturday night fixture on top of the cold hill at the YC&AC. Having experienced the previous week’s conditions and come off worse, the players seemed more prepared for the temperatures this week. There were a few more layers of clothing and a few more layers of determination to set the record straight and bounce back from losing the 5 game winning streak.
Again however, the BFC could’ve also done with a few more players. In the hours leading up to kick-off illness and ailments struck a few off the team-sheet leaving us with the bare 11 once more .

Albion Old Boys had subs but what they didn’t seem to have were the young hitmen that shook us a few months previous in the only victory of their campaign so far. They were average and we let them know it very quickly. By about 15 minutes in we were already 2 goals ahead and the BFC bus seemed to be cruising toward a big result.
Then a seemingly innocuous challenge on Paris saw him clipped in the calf putting him to the floor. Something had popped, the BFC had to see the game out with just 10 men.
Albion rallied with this. Paris had been very effective in the middle up until that point. With him gone they felt there was an opportunity. Despite the pressure however, BFC made it to the interval unscathed.
The half-time chat was about digging in, playing sensible, discipline and control to see the game through. The reality was one of discipline and control but it was also creative and confident. BFC eventually had two players get hat-tricks in Shun and Emil with 4 of those goals coming in the second half. The 10 men of BFC destroyed Albion Old Boys.
Emil moved into a strikers position giving a target for long balls whie Rik, Shun and Yuto blitz their defence with pace. Romen sweeped up behind them and the defensive line pushed aside any of the remaining scraps. It was top quality stuff.
Albion openly complained amongst themselves that “every time we get the ball there’s like 6 of them around us” and yet we were the team with a man less.

Our goals were made up of quality runs, perfect passes across the goal and straight-forward striker’s sucker-punches. A particular highlight saw Tomoki get the ball forward to Emil who tried to flip it over ‘Sauce’ while instead actually hitting himself in the face with the ball forcing himself to produce a moment of redemption by half-volleying it perfectly into the bottom left of the net. Even in our mistakes we had marks of brilliance.
It was a great response in a potentially tricky fixture that got even tricker with the injury. Goal difference could make all the difference when it comes to the crunch so that ‘plus 5’ tally is also all-important.
A gritty, authoritative performance and one that is much needed ahead of another two key league fixtures.