Breath Takers vs RE Shufflers
Tuesday 2nd May 2017, 6:50pm
A warmer Tuesday night provided a welcome change from last week's chilly outing, and had the RE Shufflers in high spirits, looking to continue their winning ways.
The squad were up against brand new opponents in the shape of the aptly named 'Breath Takers' - their title acting as a clear omen for things to come...
The Shufflers were out in near full force, with debutant signings also taking part, namely:
- GKR’s South African household name, Grant Kaveney and his fiery Geordie apprentice Joe Cassidy
- Representing Beeken Reeves was resident Northerner Ryan Gorman
- Walter James' CEO James Absalom, fresh off the plane from competing in the Dubai Leagues with colleague and former Lille striker, Hervé de Klerck.
Sadly, even their combined presence was unable to spur the team to victory - though the casual berating of the referee by Mr. Gorman was highly amusing.
A quick-off-the-mark try from Mackenzie Davis was a promising start to the evening, but as cloud cover descended over King George's Park so too did the team's memory of the basic rules become foggy.
Maybe it was the enduring after effects of the Bank Holiday weekend? Maybe it was the absence of ambitious boxer and semi-pro recruiter Phil Squires?
Who knows, but one thing that was clearly apparent was this: for a team of six against the RE Shuffler's total squad of 13, the Breath Takers were a welcome reminder that this league will not be kind and that tactics and preparation are everything.
Eight tries for the Breath Takers were surplus to requirements to see out what was, in all seriousness, an emphatic victory and enough to send the Shufflers to the Irish pub down the road sharpish, pondering where it all went wrong.
Needless to say the team will regroup and figure this out, revising the team notes and performance reviews handed out by captain Peter Clarke soon after the final whistle was blown.
Commendations to be handed to both a resilient Karen Rayment and pacey Laura Kittle having played the full 40 minutes due to the mixed ruling requiring the presence of two ladies on pitch at all times.
Next week sees the repeat fixture against '2 Bold 2 Touch'. With so much on the line and only two weeks into the season, the RE Shufflers will certainly be back with a vengeance.
We'll expect double-digit scores, amazing sock/footwear combos post-match from Mackenzie, and of course to see you there, cheering the team on once more.
As always, thank you to the entire team and spectators for their presence both on and off the field. Have a great week, until next Tuesday.
Result: 8 - 1 (Loss)
Daniel Bull #5 – part time Match Reporter, full time Associate at Walter James
