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CHARENSAT v 3rd XI 2nd MAY 2009
By now the season should have finished, but because of the appalling winter that we suffered here, we are still going. And so are the 3rd XI whose never-say-die attitude despite the lack of a goalkeeper, lack of personnel and lack of luck epitomises everything about local football. They've been on the receiving end of some heay beatings (although nothing like the 12-1 and 10-0 beatings received by some teams) but they have made it through to the last match, not like one club in this division which dramatically collapsed half-way through, and are not at the bottom of the table either.
So bravo to them anyway.
It was a beautiful Saturday evening for footy and they were playing against AS Charensat, who when I saw the home fixture at the end of February were absolutely appalling but still managed to win 2-1 (see what I mean about luck). If Pionsat were to have some luck today just for a change they could finish the season on a flourish.
Charensat had some different players out today and looked better in the warm-up, but I noticed that so did Pionsat. Sébastien from the 2nd XI was there. He's always impressed me whenever he's played and he could probably polish off this lot on his own given half a chance. There was also the lad with the alice band who impressed me against Chatelguyon back in September and there was also another lad I hadn't seen - a small energetic lad wore no12 and who played on the wing up front. He was registered with Pionsat but had been unavailable for all of the season until now. Michel, the coach, thought highly of him.
In goal was the lippy guy who went in goal at half-time in the home fixture. He seemed to be quite confident and competent at this level.
All in all, I reckoned that Pionsat had a good chance of doing this lot that Charensat had put out.
It didn't take too long for Pionsat to go 1-0 up. A useful throw-out from the keeper down the right wing. A couple of nice one-twos (is this really the 3rd XI?) and Eric, who plays up front usually with Xavier (who wasn't there today) impressively rode a really good tackle and managed to get enough on the ball to poke it out to the left wing.
The ball fell kindly for Sébastien who comfortably volleyed home from about 15 yards out.
Strangely enough that was all of the real action in the first half. I had the impression that Pionsat weren't putting into this game as much effort as they might.
In the second half the young lad with the alice band went up front to lead the attack while Eric and Sébastien had a breather (they permit rolling substitutions at this level of football). For a smaller guy he won a really good ball in the air and goes on his own right through the defence.
Even though he's forced wide he still has enough to squeeze off a shot between a defender and the keeper and the keeper just about manages to stick out a leg and push it round the post. I've seen a lot worse keepers than this guy too.
And then we were treated to a typical second-team goal. A good ball over the top and the lad with the alice band ran onto it from quite some distance back. He shot a rocket which seemed to take a deflection off someone else (the no12 claimed that it was off him but I really couldn't tell).
The keeper got a hand to it but such was the force (even with the deflection) that it still nestled firmly in the back of the net.
The keeper was in some agony with that, and no surprise either. He left the field and another player (the no13 who had looked fairly useful in midfield) took over in goal. Later, the keeper came back out and played upfield.
With a replacement keeper in goal, no-one could be blamed for trying to give him a few things to think about, and Sébastien, now back on the field, sent in a shot from about 25 yards. Unfortunately it went about 25 yards over the bar and was the subject of "some comment" from the Pionsat bench.
His response to the criticism a few minutes later when he won the ball in roughly the same position, was to dribble his way past the entire defence and walk the ball into the net. THAT is how to respond to criticism.
Pionsat are still on the attack and there's some beautiful interplay between some of the players right on the edge of the area.
One of the Pionsat forwards eventually looses off a shot that only just misses the post and clips the stanchion at the back of the net with the keeper ... well, lets just say "somewhat out of position".
There's still time for Pionsat to launch another attack and the Charensat keeper does well to get the ball round the corner from the Pionsat no12 who had a very good game today.
But there's no doubt about what is happening here. The Charensat forwards are stranded upfield and it looks for once like it's the Pionsat 3rd XI that has worn out the opposition. This is quite a surprise to anyone who has been following the 3rd XI. Fitness is not their strongest point.
And although Charensat had some better players on the field today, the team as a whole was even worse. Pionsat's team made this game look easy - really easy.
The keeper did have some work to do, but mostly dealing with short backpasses and showing off his dribbling skills. I was half-expecting a "Roger Milla" moment but the best that Charensat could do was to scythe him down on one occasion. He didn't have a shot to save. And there were moments where Charensat's attackers made Pionsat's notorious central defence look really impressive.
With teams like Charensat around, Pionsat aren't in much danger of dropping out of the league as long as they make the most of any break that comes there way. With all the problems that they have had, the 3rd XI can look back at this season with pride;
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