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2005 'The'

Many men know this titanic struggle as simply, "The"."The Cup Final" would just have been too long, and not implied sufficient grandeur for what was a behemoth of a football match.
The Squirrels arrived at this match in confident mood, looking to add to their 2 year unbeaten winning streak.

And in the early moments of the match everything followed the script, with the Squirrels bagging a goal inside the first 5 minutes. "Surely the flood gates would open and a cricket score would be on the cards?!", cried the onlooking pundits... Idiots. They reckoned not upon the resilience and temerity of a Badger team bursting with experience and ... Well, just bursting.



























The Badgers dug in. They fought them on the beaches. They wore the badge with pride. They deservedly bagged an equaliser some 15 minutes in. The Squirrels were visibly shocked and perhaps this mental hiatus affected their game, for moments later a defensive mix up allowed the Badgers to steal in for a goal. Closely followed by a poor back-pass allowing the Badgers to make the score 3-1.
The Squirrels clearly distraught from this performance went into half-time as the trailing side for the first time in their illustrious history.

The Squirrels team talk centered around the deficit being but 2 goals that could be easily overturned in a few moments. The Badgers would surely tire and allow mistakes to creep into their exemplary game plan. The important thing for the Squirrels would be not concede again.

The second half commenced, and within moments disaster struck for the Squirrels, with the Badgers bagging another to take a seemingly unassailable 4-1 lead.





















However a team does not go 2 years unbeaten for no reason. A drastic tactical change was required. The captain, Garnanzo, who had struggled all match with horrific knee weasels went in goal. Tabio moved from a wide wing position to the marauding left-back of a flat back 3, with the excellent Morlester and ever dependable Jazzy Jeff. Leaving Macca and Debo as midfielders and P'Teh the lone target man up front.

The effects were dramatic, with Garnanzo directing his defenders the Squirrels seemed water tight at the back, Macca and Debo starting bossing the centre of the park.

Before long it was 4-2, then 4-3. Squirrels fans could sense the biggest comeback since Lazurus.... came back.



















There were still some 10 minutes in which to bag the fourth goal that would ensure extra-time and perhaps even the spectacle of penalties.

The Badgers knew their task well. At all costs the Squirrels must not be allowed to equalise. Their resistance was valiant, but much like the fall of Troy, their capitulation was inevitable. With 5 minutes remaining the Squirrels struck to square the match, sparking scenes of jubilation amongst Squirrel fans and despair amongst Badger supporters.

Surely now both sides would hold on for the final whistle, and the respite that would bring, allowing them to re-invigorate for a final flurry in extra-time?

No. The Squirrels had other ideas. Deep into injury time with one final thrusting assault saw them breach the Badgers defenses for a final fatal time, cue wild scenes of mass hysteria and celebration, and as the final whistle blew on that winters day, the Squirrels were, once again, crowned Spurtnip Champions.
























And as the dust settled and the mist rose, supporters and players alike realised they had born witness to a unique sporting spectacle, unsurpassed before or since.

Spurtnip Cup 2005.


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