Nannas 3 plays Calcorp 11
ATT: CB, DC(MOM), JH (MOM), RH, AW, Joel.

Tao put the kiss of death on us before the match had begun. Curiously, he declined to say why he wouldn’t play. Was he terrified? That’s how I read his messages in the lead up to the game.
There were six heroic Nannnas, though, willing to weather the Calcorp storm. They dress in orange. They are younger than us, and certainly a lot more skilful.
We lined up, and within five or six minutes it appeared it would be a procession just as our frightened Tao suggested. They scored one, then another, a third and fourth for good measure. They have sublime foot skills, can change direction on a pinhead, seem to find each other without even looking, and a couple (most) of them can really hit a shot.
There we were, Tao frightened, hiding at the thought of these people and unable to face them. While on court, those Nannas courageous enough to face the Calcorp were staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat.
But a glimmer of hope appeared.
As I stood astride the right-hand touch line, marked by the big dude with the dreads, Joel threw a long ball to me. As is Joel’s want, he threw it hard at my feet. There was no thought on my part. I simply turned and suddenly my marker lagged behind, the ball spitting out in front, and their goaling rushing towards me. I sighted a glimmer on the keeper’s right (my left), and that’s where my toe poke was aimed, finding the back of the net.
Then there was the Cocky. Oh, the Cock walloper. After my moment of glory, he thought he would one up me. And he did, almost. Like on the slopes of Kashmir, he did slalom beating one, two, and a third, after which he just had to deal with the keeper, which he did.
Chas got a third, and for the briefest of moments we had control of the ball, and were starting to threaten, find balance in the force, and look capable of matching it with the Orange men of magnificent foot skills and deadly shots.
They did score one more before the break and we stopped there for a breather 5-3.
In that pause, I did try to instil in the Nannas some wisdom of holding the ball and not trying to play through swathes of opposing, very practiced feet. I also gave a brief tutorial on marking people who are faster and more adept than you.
Despite my pleadings the Nannas only know one way. And like in the first half, there were moments when we were over ambitious, could have played to friendly, open feet, instead of trying to play through hostile skilful ones, and made them work harder to gain possession.
And the price we paid for our profligacy? Six more of the best.
From the Browns, we hit the post at least four time in that second stanza, so we were unlucky. But the better team won.
One of their goals was particularly special. After a Nanna lost the ball, they pushed forward, delivering a long pass to one of their Orange in a forward position. Like he’d done most of the night, Joel came forward to try to snuff out the danger. But the Orange seemed to know this, and with his back half turned, managed to lob Joel having the ball drop just under the crossbar and into goal. A very special goal.