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2nd XI v CLERMONT PORTUGAL 26th SEPTEMBER 2009
In the first half of the Clermont Portugal match I think we all went to sleep, inculding the players. The only piece of action that could be described as exciting was a shot tipped over the bar by the Clermont keeper, not that his goal looked to be in any particular danger by the way.
it seemed to me that we had been waiting for ever for some really exciting action. Pionsat won a series of corners, the last one of which the keeper was complaining that he had been fouled as he went for the ball, and as a result he had lost possession of the ball.
I have to say that I have some small amount of sympathy with him, but it was his own team's fault that he had been put into such a predicament. Clermont had been messing around with the ball on the edge of the penalty area for ages instead of hoofing it upfield and it was inevitable that sooner or later Pionsat would win the ball in a shooting position. When eventually they did the subsequent shot went into the side netting.
Right at the end of the half there is some more action in which the wrong side of the side netting plays a leading role.
Matthieu comes to the edge of his penalty area to catch the ball, under some pressure, and once he has it safely in his possession he hoofs it upfield. It's played on a couple of times with some nice first touches and a driven shot from the edge of the area beats the keeper but just goes wide.
Now if you thought that the action of the first half was quiet, if not deathly, the second half more than makes up for it. Pionsat take the lead in what can only be described as "controversial circumstances".
There's a "collision" between two players and Damian who is refereeing waves "play on", although had he been on the side of the field with Phillipe the retired first-team goalie and myself (who were engaged in quite a chat at the time) and seen it from our perspective he might have given another decision.
Nevertheless, "play on" was the decision and the ball broke to a Pionsat forward totally unmarked on the edge of the area who drove in a shot underneath the body of the keeper, who might think that he ought to have done better with the shot.
Saying that the Clermont players are "outraged" is something of an understatement. There's some unpleasant stuff out there and it takes quite some while before order is restored. I can't say that I don't have any kind of sympathy for them but they shouldn't be doing this.
It also has to be said that Clermont have come here with just 11 players. They have no substitutes, no trainer and (worst of all) no linesman. If they had brought their own official to run the line at the far side as they are supposed to do and who would have been able to interject and calm things down, this situation may well not have occurred.
And look at where the goalkeeper is - he's about halfway up his own half. But that's nothing. A couple of minutes earlier he was on the halfway line as his team took a corner. One mighty whallop out of the Pionsat defence could seriously embarrass him.
By the way, Sébastien is playing in the centre of midfield tonight instead of up front as is customary, but there's a guy playing no11 and going in what used to be called the "inside-forward position" (thats page 41 of the Karma Sutra by the way for those of you unaccustomed to early English field positions) who is certainly much quicker than anyone else on the field. If only his ball control and crossing were half as good.
a couple of minutes later there's some jostling in the Pionsat penalty area and the ball is cleared out for a throw-in. I glance back into the Pionsat penalty area and there's quite a fight going on - the first one that I've seen while watching football at this level in France. I can't say that I'm surprised, though. Tensions have been running quite high since the earlier incident. The temperature has dropped quite dramatically tonight as we approach the end of September, but this will warm things up quite a bit.
So, a boring first 35 minutes. Then controvery, argument, disputed goals, punch-ups in the penalty area ... ohhhh, all kinds of things. This is one of those matches that is better forgotten.
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