If ever the final result didn’t match up to the on pitch action this was it. The Shambles may have lost the match, but they won the heads and hearts of so many spectators with their honest, hard working and at times sublime play. The definition of Moral victory is having a psychological rather than physical or tangible win and that’s what this was, one of the biggest moral victories this reporter has ever had the pleasure of watching.
The game kicked off and as usual the Shambles were nowhere to be seen, letting the opponents score 2 in the first minute. Now let’s look at this from the Moral stand point, an honest and decent team would have said, look guys, you obviously weren’t ready to play, we’ll restart the game, but this is Coogans we’re talking about and no such offer was forthcoming. Finally the real Shambles appeared and it was game on.
The Shambles made Coogans look like a Thursday night 5-a-side team, they couldn’t get the ball and when they did they had no space to do anything with it. Eventually the pressure told with H.R.H making the interception of the season (if anyone is listening), a ball out from Coogans keeper was picked up by the regal one, who finishing it with an unnerving accuracy. Moments later the pressure paid off again. Blues put a wonderful ball into Flash who, with the speed we have come to expect from him, took it and placed it to the left hand side, goal number two for the Shambles. Just before half time Coogans scored, this reporter was looking away at the time but it probably was a bit fluky.
HALF TIIME. Actual score: 3-2 to coogans. Moral score: 1-2 to Shambles.
The second half began and the Shamble were nowhere to be seen again and of course the immoral Coogans took full advantage of this, scoring a quick unsporting goal. Fortunately the Shamble weren’t quite as slow on to the pitch this time and one goal was all Coogans had time for. It was then business as usual, with the Shambles Pressuring and the opponents having little clue how to cope. Before long the Shambles had scored again, the ball came out to His Royal Highness on the left wing, who then proceeded to beat his marker all ends up before deftly placing the ball in the bottom right hand corner, a sublime piece of skill which is a contender for goal of the season (if anyone is listening). In fact, the finish was so good that even Shambles forward Blues didn’t moan to much that the ball wasn’t passed to him for the shot, a rare occurrence indeed.
Then a refereeing blunder of Graham Poll proportions gave Coogans a penalty. Ian who, in his own mind, was clearly outside the area was adjudged to have played the ball inside it. Spot kick to Coogans; at this point I recalled an incident where a penalty was awarded to Robbie Fowler; the striker went and told the ref that it was not a spot kick and that, in fact, he had slipped, the referee explained to Mr Fowler that it was to late and the penalty was to be taken, Robbie subsequently passed it straight to the keeper. Would the Coogans player be as honest? This reporter is unhappy to report not as he placed the ball bottom right hand corner. With the clock ticking, the Shambles Players stepped on the gas and had several half chances that they didn’t finish, Dave, Ade, James and Craig all coming close to making the Moral victory a real draw. It wasn’t to be however and in the dying moments Coogans put the nail in the coffin. The Coogans player was one on one with the keeper about to score when out of nowhere H.R.H. made the block of the season (if anyone is listening), the ball however just sat up nicely for the Coogans forward, a moral man would have applauded the block and allowed Chris to regain his footing, but no, the opposing player thumped the ball into the back of the net, the final whistle went shortly after and it was the end of another epic clash.
FULL TIME. Actual Score: 6-3 to Coogans. Moral Score: 2-3 to Shambles.
Coogans may have left with the points, but Shambles left with our hearts and I know which I’d rather have. Even the hard to please Shambles manager was heard to say, “Well done as long as you played to your potential that’s all you can do”, rare praise indeed. Blues made several comments after the match but they were quickly withdrawn by the official website.