There was much anticipation throughout the Garnett team, who had been anxiously waiting for the opening day of the Saturday Intra Mural Cup 04/05. After picking up only one point from the last two games and cancellations mid week, the team was fired up to start a decent cup run.

Controversy struck before the game had even kicked off, as opponents Real Mechanical had only nine players. Inspirational, but injured manager Jambo "Fat John Terry, Uglier Wayne Rooney, White Tutus Bramble, Smelly Luke Chadwick" Royal (any more names please let me know) was left to make the decision of providing two players for the opponents or playing a nine man side. Of course the fair play to which Garnett has always stood for left no other option but too provide two players for the 1st half and re-assess after 45mins, one of them being Garnett old boy. Rob Thorpe.

The game kicked off with both teams fighting hard in midfield with few chances at either end. Rob Wallace and Al Hindle fought hard in central midfield winning everything presented to them, and soon it was winger Ben Brown who found himself in space only to shoot wide. Brown again went on another individual run taking it past 3 or 4 players only to leave himself disappointed with another miss, and incredibly a another run by Atkinson ended in similar disappointment. Garnett knew it was only a matter of time before a goal arrived with Mechanical still failing to cause any problems up front, but holding steady at the back. And it did come. The hard working Appleby up front broke free after an assist from keeper Kroon over the top, leaving him to out muscle the last defender and slot home to the keepers left. The first half ended advantage Garnett. Changes were made second half, on loan striker Lee Marshall came on up front to test the Mechanical defence, left back Swiggs joined the enemy in exchange for our donated player Lee Harris. Thorpe enjoying the test stayed in position for Mechanical. The game carried on like the first, Garnett unarguably the stronger side, but Mechanical holding the own with a miss-match side. After an interception by Chris Normington at right back, a superb individual counter attack followed, Normington showing his pace taking the ball up to goal having the shot and watching it go straight to the keeper, a pity after a great run.

From that moment onward chances were few and far between, Marshall saw his header from a corner cleared off the line and another effort comfortably dealt with by the keeper. The best chance to seal the win came, when Appleby latched onto a through ball, dragged the ball back past the oncoming defender only to spoil it all with a tame shot. A late appearance from Thorpe raised the tempo but soon after, the final whistle blew with Garnett progressing to the next round of the cup.

Author: Jambo

Team: R.Kroon, R.Swiggs (L.Harris), D.Haines, C.Normington, C.Nunn, R.Wallace, A.Hindle (MoM), B.Brown, J.Atkinson (L.Marshall), L.Appleby 1, A.Walworth, R.Thorpe.

NB: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the
views of the Gosforth Garnett Bohemian Football Club as a whole.