Round 18, VS Seatoun, Miramar Park, 19 August

Elite 0  - 3 Seatoun 
​Write-up by Dave

It was the night before matchday, when all through the city the Elite were a’stirring….
 
Gus ate poutine and tried to remember the name of the curly haired lad he used to hang out with.
Roger sharpened his quill and filled yet another parchment with his latest daily deeds.
Blake roamed the streets on his bike seeking the latest parked car to be part of his ongoing ACC scam.
Adam put on the captains armband and flexed in front of a mirror.
Tim sobbed quietly while flicking through old photo albums of him and Gus.
Niall awoke from yet another dream of that glorious day on Fraser 4.
Steve was a seal.
CJ wished he was too, but he knew…
Dave tried to get the line-up out before midnight.
Turk replied to the availability email.
Shane sipped again from the fountain of youth
Ganes continued cutting down the forests of Wellington.
Henry tie-dyed some t-shirts.
Decs started his warm-up.
Clem surrendered to his love of cheese.
Greg hit on girls in the gym.
Damo called a guy.
Jason paid off some more of Jay’s fines
Rori donned his superman cape.
Jay studied the maps from last Saturday trying to figure out where he’d gone wrong.
Nik wandered through the city streets with a lady on each arm and two more in tow.
KJ kitted up.
Pete was still running.
 
Before long it was matchday…
A severely depleted Seatoun side battling to save themselves from relegation luckily had more than a few players with seasons already finished more than willing to turn out and turn their hand at the lower grades.
After a tough season of our own however, the Elite were more than up for the fight and it showed early on. Despite facing some high quality players through the middle of the park the Elite were in for every tackle and winning more than their fair share of the ball. Passes were sticking for the most part and some good football was being played.
 
Despite a shaky first touch of the ball that Greg “claimed he always had covered” as it rolled millimetres wide of the post, he looked the part between the sticks. A crucial one on one save sliding in at the strikers feet to claim the ball the most notable chance of the first half for Seatoun. The Elite although getting forward often couldn’t get the penetration into the box (Ganesy stop giggling) they wanted and a cruelly stopped header destined for the top corner the most likely of the chances.
 
The half time recruits arrived for IBU…I mean Seatoun and the Townsend boys ran on to try and help maintain the clubs Cap 6 spot, as a group of first team players struggled for the necessary goal against a group of weekend warriors. Blake had been drafted in for his stint under the gloves and looked the part (despite Decs complaints to give him a hat) an assured first few grabs and the sideline’s fears were allayed.
 
A second half highlight, or maybe that should be a season highlight saw Ganesy’s golden opportunity. The ball at his feet and an open net in front of him. The giraffe legs skated across the mud towards the ball and much to everyone’s delight struck it cleanly! The ball rocketed towards the net with gasps from the crowd as it was surely in…only to be denied but a butt save from the keeper (well maybe thigh but it really matter).
 
The extra legs made the difference sadly and a solid 70 minute performance by the Elite was destined to be undone at the final hurdle as Seatoun came away with some late goals that Blake couldn’t do anything about. The last laugh for the season however went to Vic Uni as the underdogs took all three points in their clash to ensure that despite the best efforts of a dubiously graded Seatoun team relegation was the only possible outcome.
 
MVP Points:
2 Shane – Tireless work up front all day. Deserved a goal but it simply wasn’t to be.
2 Decs – Similar tireless work in the midfield although he was a bit quieter than usual!
1 Nik – Good shift keeping his pacey opposite number under wraps for most of the match.
1 Ganes – Did all the hard work getting up there for the best chance on goal of the match. Unlucky big fella.