Happy New Year!

Charlie Oakley | 30 December, 2010

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s hoping that Bridgewood High FC will sky-rocket up the league winning league and cup competition glory in 2009!

I met up with a few of the lads last night and entered the new year singing the Bridgewood High FC song. My parents weren’t too thrilled, they were busy singing Auld-Lang thingamajig downstairs with granddad and nan.

Going to the big match today, so at least I will be spared an afternoon watching old black and white flicks with the olds!!!! Best C.

Escape!!!

Charlie Oakley | 23 December, 2010

Happy Christmas everyone! Why are you writing a blog entry on Christmas day I hear you ask? The answer – to escape! The lounge is now filled to bursting point with my relatives and the heating is on the blast-furnace setting. Add to this a cascading waterfall of condensation running off the windows and a regular waft of sprout induced wind from the older members of the party and I think you get the picture.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and was lucky enough to get some good presents, but you can have too much of a good thing. For me, the ‘too much’ point arrived when my uncles and aunties arrived and mum started to rally everyone to start the cold buffet. We only finished eating Christmas dinner a couple of hours ago!

I couldn’t handle the prospect of another load of meat, at least not until I have payed a visit to my old friend ‘Armitage Shanks’ and hence I have retreated. Dad on the other hand is on fine form and has helped himself to seconds at every opportunity without mum reminding him about his weight. Still, his shirt buttons look very tight in certain places, so it won’t be long before mum starts to nag him again.

Anyway, my rather tipsy granddad is calling me to play a game of Trivial Pursuit (the 1960s ‘Baby Boomer’ edition – DOH!) so I will have to go now. I hope that you all had a great day and have a fantastic Christmas evening. C

Money, money, money …

18 December, 2010

Some people say that money makes the world go round. While I don’t think that statement is strictly true, it is certainly a motivating factor that keeps me out in all weathers on my paper round. This is my favourite time of year on the paper round. Sure it’s chilly and dark at both ends of the day, but it’s also the time of year when my services to newspaper readers are handsomely awarded with a big fat Christmas tip. This year I’m hoping to put the proceeds towards my return plane ticket for the trial at Ajax. The club is footing the bill for the accommodation and food, but I’ve still got to gather the money for the flight and the all-important spends. Here’s hoping that people are feeling generous this year.

Bridgewood High 2–1 Wapping Bow Academy

Mr Cauldwell | 16 December, 2010

Mr Cauldwell reporting from Wapping Bow Academy.

With an old score to settle, Bridgewood High dominated the game from kick-off.

Unlike the previous fixture between the two sides, the rain held off on the morning of the match. With the Wapping Bow defenders’ aggressive tactics still fresh in their memories from the last encounter, Bridgewood wingers, Duc Duong and Angelo Del Paggio excelled. In particular, Paggio ran rings around the Wapping defender, Will Brown, whose dangerous tackle had injured him in the last match.

Duong also had an excellent game. Consequently, the Wapping defence was stretched across the pitch trying to contain the two Bridgewood wingers. This left acres of space in the middle for Dougie Butt, who headed an excellent cross from Paggio to take the lead.

Minutes later, George Lucas drove home a low volley to put Bridgewood two goals up with only five minutes to go.

In the last minutes of the game, Timothy Houghton-Smith tackled a Wapping Bow player in the box, who immediately collapsed, moaning and clutching his leg. The referee awarded a penalty, much to Houghton-Smith’s annoyance. Amidst loud protests from the Bridgewood supporters, the Wapping Bow striker approached the penalty spot. Silence fell on and around the pitch, as the talented striker curled the ball skilfully into the back of the net just as the final whistle blew.

Bridgewood High 0–2 Stanford Park Academy

9 December, 2010

Mr Cauldwell reporting from Goresbrook.

Stanford Park proved they are worthy leaders of the league in a tense and exciting game.

From kick-off, England trialists Charlie Oakley and Sam Smith were unsettled by the speed of Stanford Park’s top scorer. Jovan Maliqi (who was attracting the attention of professional scouts from many top clubs) waltzed around two desperate tackles by Bridgewood’s centre backs, Oakley and Smith, and rattled the crossbar with a thunderous shot that, luckily for the home side, bounced back into play.

A shrewd tactical change by teacher, Mr Mansell, enabled Bridgewood to improve as the game progressed. Observing that Stanford only played with one wide player on the right, Mr Mansell gestured to Luan Havolli to tuck in behind Oakley and Smith as a sweeper. It was a clever move that stemmed Stanford’s attacking drive right up to the half time whistle.

The tide turned during the second half when Stanford’s coach, observing that Havolli had changed positions, pushed his striker to fill the gap down the left flank. The tricky striker used this space to his advantage, curling a shot over Bridgewood’s keeper, Dominic Jaskinski, and into the back of the net. It was a goal forged from a tactical insight by Stanford’s coach and pure genius from the scorer.

A red-faced Mr Mansell soon instructed Havolli to return to his previous position, but the team never really settled down after Stanford Park’s goal and conceded a second just before the final whistle. It was another bad result for Bridgewood High, who realised their chances of catching Stanford Park at the top of the league were now even slimmer.

Big Trouble …

Charlie Oakley | 5 December, 2010

To say that I’m in big trouble for yesterday’s blog entry would be an understatement. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to properly apologise to Mitzi for any hurt that my thoughtless words may have caused and to assure her that in future I will go to a proper florists and not to the Esso garage around the corner.

Mitzi also correctly pointed out that a games console is very replaceable whereas she is not.

Nuff said … C

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