We won!

Winning in Wakefield

Saturday afternoon.

The domain is a picture.

The pitch looks perfect;

green and well mown.

White lines give us all some structure!

New nets strung up like

two opposing trampolines.

The team warming up;

belting practice shots

at the goal mouth.

Stretching, running, drills.

The referee's

whistle blows.

Match time.

Back and forward,

football bouncing,

rolling, shot back, forwards.

Thump as a head 

connects 

with the ball.

Out! throw, touch, pass.

Stringing them together now.

Pass, pass, fumble,

foot to ball.

Goal.    It's ours!

Keep the pressure on.

We score our second.

No time to catch breath,

opposition have the ball,

he goes by me,

their goal.

Dejection.

Focus.

Foot to ball.

Whistle goes.

We won!

People love winning.

Goal!

Goal

The Wakefield domain is quiet at 6:30pm,

but 20 men,

some old, some young,

amble and shamble out from the clubhouse

onto the pitch.

The trees enclose the space.

It is ours.

We kick the ball about

on the lush green grass,

carefully re-sown since last season,

until it is time to gather together.

There are jokes and jibes,

then it is time for getting serious.

A warm up run;

 with sprints,

then stretches.

The two sides face each other 

and we start.

The ball is passed from one to the other,

intercepted,

headed,

trapped,

kicked

and chased

up and down the pitch.

It slips by

and someone gets it in the net.

Off we go again,

corner,

pass,

pass,

miss.

Attack,

defend,

attack,

The ball is passed to me and 

I flick it on

to a team mate.

He scores.

We start again.

Muscles strain,

we stretch,

and pass,

and kick and run

listen to the calls.

A pass,

I run,

chase

a touch

and...

Goal!

mine

The first of the season.

A good night at football practice.