"Memories of the "The Phil Yarrow Testimonial"

The first all-Allstars game took place at Willoughby Hall, behind the tennis courts. The score was 6-5 to "Girlfriends". The age-old playground call went up at 5-5, that "next goal wins". This was scored, in spectacular fashion, by one Grant "Sid" McKinlay, completing his (only-ever) hat-trick.

The "Sidney Hat-trick" in full (and un-edited):

1st Goal. Near post header that looped rather than drove into the left side of the goal.
2nd Goal. Left foot spawn at the far post that went straight down into the ground and ballooned into the net.
3rd Goal. Right foot hooked out from behind after low cross behind my run. Shot beat the substitute keeper comfortably, as Billy was up front. It may not have beaten any recognised keeper.

This latter miracle-goal was described thus by Jon May in early 2003:

"Sid scored from a corner - a sort of reverse flick volley, reminiscent of the one Zola scored in the FA Cup last season for Chelsea. The reason I remember that was because I was supposed to marking him, challenging for his swinging leg only for it to come off his other leg into the goal at the near post. Given his 'glorious' status I thought it was natural ability that became our leader, rather than a complete fluke!"

A hypothesis abounds that this was not the only hat-trick scored in this game. It has been suggested the feat was replicated, indeed surpassed, by the "Bachelors" Pete Reilly (scoring all 3 goals in the first half, and consequently retiring early from the game 'knackered').

Mr Patrick Hudson was futher moved to say in early 2003 that "there was a genuinely cracking goal in that game that involved me, Shaggy and Reilly". Sadly, a fuller description eluded our proto-historian.

And the final (largely inaccurate) word must go to the man in whose honour the game was played: "I believe we won...4-3 or 3-2, I think...but I definitely scored!" (Mr Philip Yarrow, 2003).

[Should Lord Hutton be interested, the following sources for the above material have been named: Messrs. Pat Hudson, Jon May, Phil Yarrow, and our very own goalkeeper of mass-destruction, Grant McKinlay].

To view more photos from 1991, click here.

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