Trinity Veterans Football Match

Report taken from the Trinity Cheltenham website.

Trinity Vets vs. Trinity F.C. May 25th, 2010
Trinity vets, for a short period in the second half, threatened to cause the biggest upset in Trinity’s football history last night. Down 5-0 after the first half, Trinity Vets dominated early in the second half to come back to 5-3, only to see the relative youth of the regular squad shine through with three late goals to make the final score 8-3.

Last year, this annual fixture was played out in driving rain and howling wind. This year the sun shone brightly, the massive crowds (all three of them) sat on deck chairs and sunned themselves, and the game was played out amidst a beautiful sunset in the shadow of Cleeve Hill.

On paper, Trinity vets had no chance of making an impact on the young, fit and league-topping Trinity FC team. Their average age was 15 years greater, their average weight 2 stone higher, and their average hair line 6 inches further back. Further more, one or two of them were still wearing their short shorts that were all the rage in the 80’s, but now would be more at home in a Borat film than on a football pitch. And indeed, the first half was probably expected. A lot of huffing and puffing from the vets but not a lot else as Trinity FC scored 5 times.

At half time the Vets were treated to a ‘Dan Chatworthy Special’ rallying call. Dan, more renowned for crunching tackles and gutteral grunts, treated the vets to a masterly vocal recitation of true football heritage: they were reminded of the need to ‘keep it tight’, ‘look for the easy ball’, ‘pass it short’, ’support each other’ and not ‘give the opposition time to have a cup of tea’ before going in for the challenge.

Remarkably re-envisioned, the second half began with more enthusiasm from the vets, but with no impact on the field until manager Geoff Routledge made some incisive tactical changes. Grandad was moved from centre forward to goal-keeper, the Rev Gareth Dickinson was replaced by never-Rev Neil Bennetts, and the ex-Rev Jonathon Stott was asked to take his 6 foot 6 frame into the centre forward position. With Grandad shoring up the previously leaky goal, the short hairy legs of Dickinson removed from the field, the quick nimble Bennetts (his words) flying down the wing, and the Peter Crouch look-a-like Stott causing complete mayhem amongst the Trinity FC centre backs, the Vets managed to produce some outstanding penetrating runs into the opposition’s half, resulting in three quick goals that left Trinity FC nervous, and the now five-strong crowd breathless. Maybe if not-to-be-seen-anywhere Rev Bailey had been around to hack a few people down the result would have swung the Vets way. But then soon-to-be-Rev Jon Hills delivered what he had promised to do all evening, and scored a couple of very quick, well executed goals for Trinity FC.

So that was that – a healthy and encouraging result for the Vets, with a scoreline that betrays how close the game was. A technical victory for Trinity FC maybe, but a triumph of attitude, commitment and managing-not-to-die-in-the-process resilience from the Vets.

The return match is next September.

Game on.