Total Distance Run for January: 30.22 miles
Other Exercise: Football (Five-a-side goalkeeping for Haringey Yacht Club - 50 minutes)
Another long day, and another day without a run. Before covering the (more) entertaining events, here's a picture of a tv program shown in 2011. Forming part of the pub quiz picture round - name that show! Neither myself or Simon had heard of it, but we got it right...
With the working day concluded, a welcome chance to put my goalkeeping disappointments behind me was the reward. The opposition turned up this week, and were an unknown quantity. Their average age seemed a touch higher than ours, and several of their players "looked" inferior - but then looks can be deceptive. I felt ok in the warm-up, and whilst that counts for little it was still good to start the game with a couple of stops under my belt.
For the first time in recent history, Haringey Yacht Club not only took early control but made the dominance count. Crisp passing and an energetic start saw plenty of possession, movement up front and chances created. Within a few minutes it was 2-0, and I'd not had a meaningful contribution to make. Both teams were playing man-marking all over the pitch - how it should be - but we were just doing it better. One drawback of man-marking, especially when the keeper has the ball, is that space is left behind when most players are tracked higher and higher up the pitch. We were caught out straight from a keeper roll-out, but I'd positioned myself well and stopped a scuffed effort on the edge of my area. I soon had a chance to repay the compliment, and claimed an assist for 3-0 - Stefan running from almost next to me down the centre-right of the pitch to strike home with his first touch. Clearly my "pass" was perfectly directed and weighted! 4-0 came soon after, with Stefan intercepting a roll-out, knocking past his marker and again finishing well. At this stage a comfortable mauling looked on the cards. Whilst most of the team began to count their chickens, we were pegged back to 4-2. Both goals were the result of "someone" switching off from their man-marking duties - the first was a ball from deep played through to an onrushing forward, who slipped the ball past me after I'd advanced as far as I could (a good finish, but I'd got my angles slightly wrong to leave the gap open). The second was similar but a different forward, who smashed the ball at my better-positioned self. Unfortunately for me, the ball rebounded straight back to him, and I'd got back almost upright as he hit a second smash through my legs. Very much game on, and whilst we scored a fifth before the interval I had a few more saves to make to preserve the lead.
The second half was a different ball-game - we were outplayed by opponents almost unrecognisable from their dismal start. They had energy, they man-marked well, and they created the chances. It wasn't one-way traffic, but most of our openings came on the break, and our frequent spells of possession became increasingly limited. I was happy with the defensive effort displayed, barking orders which were followed out, but I was given multiple opportunities to prove my usefulness as the game wore on. I made a couple of reaction stops, flinging out hands in desperation at balls struck towards my far post, and they thankfully worked. Most shots were at a comfortable height, but they still needed stopping. I did enough to draw welcome praise from others though, and more importantly preserve our three-goal cushion for as long as possible. With 6 minutes left, I was finally beaten again - having been drawn out to the right of my area the ball was crossed into the centre where someone got a fairly weak shot into the far corner. That made it 5-3, and that was how it stayed - with a few nails bitten before the final whistle. We lost the second half 0-1, and the opposition left the pitch rueing their poor start. As games go this was what we needed - a solid workout against decent players. Another win next week will see us go 5 points clear at the top after 5 of the 14 games.
Following the drive home and a quick snack, the pub quiz awaited. Despite initial fears that we were doomed to come last after glancing at the picture round (which comprises 20 of the 60 marks available), the honour of Team Deadly Fish was upheld as we squeaked up to second-from-last by a solitary point. Simon must take the bulk of the credit for achieving this, after getting over half of the TV show pictures right almost single-handedly (and with thought and logic to his answers - which I couldn't provide). Perhaps his only error was over-ruling me on "What is the minimum legal age in the UK that you can buy a pet?". I couldn't correctly recall which swimming stroke comes first in a medley (I was convinced it was something else), or the full name of the guy who won the BDO darts world championship (only the surname). Our total of 28 was comparable to many sides who suffered, scoring 27-31 - nice to see the usual pretenders fail miserably at pictures which aren't conducive to knowledge of the 60's-70's! So, that picture at the top - wtf is that? I noticed the beanie hat and pondered Bob Marley in rat form. It was Simon, with the light-bulb above his head, that suggested we guess what turned out to be the correct answer - "Rastamouse"! Apparently the most complained about kids tv show, it's still running on CBeebies (ya got ta be kiddin' me man!). Perhaps this is some well-known show which escaped my radar, but after checking an episode on iPlayer I can understand why it's drawn complaints - patois speaking mice?! Playing in a band called the "Easy Crew"?! So brilliant it's true - jam on!
Injuries: Nothing obvious
Mood: Amused
To round off the pub entertainment, a game of Mr Paparazzi on the ItBox was won by virtue of having played the game several hundred times. Essentially a game of hangman with pictures of "famous" people, my thanks go to Ai Sugiyama (twice), Lukas Haas, Ivan Karlovic and (old favourite) Chazz Palminteri for being recognisable from their foreheads and/or letter formations. This made up for another losing crack at Play Your Cards Right, with lower than an 8 being crushed by a 10. The jackpot will be near to £300 next week though...
Tomorrow I've no post-work plans. Some more Wii Fit will be in order, ahead of a long run on Saturday.
Oh, and those other quiz answers are 12 years old, backstroke, and Christian Kist!
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