Match Report

A two-week delay for this year's reunion game, as a result of Sid's international triathlon duties for Great Britain U40's. The European flavour continued with the first Allstar cap for a Frenchman, young Max Houllier a late replacement for Jack Ness' dad. Thankfully, after the worst summer on record, a little freakish Gallic influence on the weather saw sun shine down, and the scene was set for another high-octane encounter at Grove Farm.

The game set off in its usual frenetic fashion, this annual fixture now taking on the aura of a derby grudge match, somewhat akin to the forthcoming Tangerine encounter with their deadly rivals from Coketown in December. Twenty-nine years, and finally back in the second tier of English football. We are Blackpool, we are Blackpool, we are Football Kings!

The Mighty BFC at the new Wembley Stadium (watched by the WebMaster, Jez and Shaggy).

Anyway, back to the match… and 5 minutes in, proceedings had to take a temporary halt as young Agnes Mullen, in true Scottish fashion, invaded the pitch. Her horrified English mother finally collected her, just before she began swinging from the nearest crossbar, and still clinging to her 1m square of souvenir hallowed turf.

In a generally even first half, it was Team Sid who took a gift of a lead, with Simon Heath taking advantage of some shocking defensive clearance mishaps after an innocuous ball was played into the Excalibur box, turning and slashing in a right foot shot from 4 yards out. Somehow keeper Deslick managed to injure himself in the melee, but soldiered on manfully amidst opposition cries of play-acting.

The lead lasted only about 10 minutes though, as Excalibur pressed forward with a slight wind advantage, and forced a corner. Up stepped Mince, keen to impress his watching tangerine-haired daughter. The old ginner didn't disappoint, as a left-footed in-swinger sailed straight past keeper Sid just inside his top left hand post. Quality. There were half-hearted claims that Brendon got the final own-goal touch, after being distracted by another ginger warrior, but that's nothing the Allstar record books need ever concern themselves with.

The first half score was looking a fair reflection, until a moment of defensive madness from Cookie saw him dithering near the corner flag, before rolling the ball vaguely towards (as in nowhere near) Sid, which Shaggy easily intercepted. Shaggy versus Sid from 10 yards out, and the whole goal to aim at. In 1991 there would've been no doubt as to the outcome, but recent years have taken their toll on the once sharp shooter from Lenton Hall, and so a collective gasp went up… but, no, the boy done good and memories of his peak came flooding back, as the ball nestled safely in the far corner of Team Sid's net. It remained 2-1 until the half time break.

Both captains appeared content with first half performances, as the teams came back on to the pitch with unchanged second half formations. Unlike previous encounters though, the tempo and commitment increased in the new half, with some thundering challenges. Most notable (and industrial) was a sliding lunge at Jack Hawkins' achilles from Heathy, which resulted in a temporary chase and handbag stand-off. Once the air punches had taken the sting out of the situation, Mince bravely intercepted to ensure the spirit of the game wasn't tarnished. Such intimidation from Team Sid failed to dent the power of Excalibur's midfield though, with young Jack Ness in fine form, covering the pitch with a Holburn-esque display of endurance and, together with Marc and t'other Jack, dominating the first 15 minutes of play. This pressure produced the inevitable goal, as Shaggy once more demonstrated skill of old, latching onto a through ball and slamming a big dipper over Sid for a 3-1 lead.

Not to be outdone on the intimidation front, Marc attempted to send a 10 year old's left leg from the half way line into the arms of his goalkeeping father. Unfazed, young Andrew McKinlay turned in another excellent performance that belied his tender years.

Team Sid responded well, however, and within a short space of time had pegged it back to 3-2, when an excellently weighted ball from Gnasher Heath split the Excalibur defence, tempting Sheff across from full-back in a desperate attempt to intercept the advancing Mo. Sheff had pulled off this manoeuvre a few times in the game with steely aplomb, but not this time, as Mr Aswat did what he'd done twice last year, and netted past a stranded Dave. Indeed, Team Sid should have equalised moments later, but for two excellent saves from Mr Eslick, the first down to his right from Stevey H, the second a Nureyev inspired tip over the bar from Mo.

On such moments games turn, and so it proved again, as Team Excalibur continued to dominate the midfield and consequently created the better chances. The fourth goal was a corker from Baby Sid, cutting in from the left and unleashing a peach of a right-foot curl over and around his older brothers trailing left hand. It was going to take something truly heroic from Team Sid now, and Steve "The Swan" Henderson nearly provided it. Cutting in from the Team Sid left, he evaded one challenge, only to be slightly tripped before he lost the ball. What followed next was truly a moment of beauty. Steve sailed, somersaulted and twisted in a mid-air display the Red Arrows could only dream of patenting. Free kick duly won, and free kick duly wasted.

Heroic had been tried, and so Plan B, desperation, was invoked. Sid exchanged goalkeeping gloves with Cookie (who reassured Max that it was in no way a "strategic substitution"), and attempted to hobble with his weary triathlon-wrecked legs forwards. It wasn't to be, as the fifth, and final goal, was the just deserts of a tireless display up front from debutant Paul McGivern. With the last kick of the game, McGivern stroked in a low right foot shot after some tidy work down the Excalibur right had outfoxed the double-Max Team Sid combo. Game over, 5-2 to Team Excalibur. Roll on next July and another Richie Isherwood promise of delivering Andy Nockton to the fold. Delivering himself would be a start.

Note: this match report has been independently verified to confirm its journalistic integrity (oxymorons aside).

Match Stats:

Score: Team Excalibur 5- 2 Team Sid

Attendance: 10 (Claire, Lorna, Janette, Master Eslick, Sasha, Louis, Harrie, Agnes, Ange & Sadie)

Conditions: Firm pitch, sunny with a light breeze

To see the Penalty and post-match photos, click here.

To return to Allstars 2007, click here.