The Los Palmas XI were back to full strength after FPC beat their weakened squad last year. This time it was FPC who had players missing although to be honest they might have kept the score down but wouldn’t have changed they outcome of the game.
Los Palmas made the better start and began to dominate in the midfield although the four man FPC defence was doing a decent job of stopping them creating chances. Los Palmas took the lead when a free kick was curled superbly into the top corner only for Kenzie to take over the goalkeeping duties and block the ball with his hands. The penalty was duly dispatched.
FPC then made what seemed to be a fatal error in changing to three at the back in attempting to get back into the game. Few chances were created, Moonie missing the pick of the bunch, but the Los Palmas team were now creating the opportunities their play deserved. Despite this, the score remained at 1-0 for a while with the FPC ‘keeper making some good saves. There were a few shocking misses as well to be fair but the second came when a long ball was brilliantly lobbed first time into the far corner.
Astonishingly FPC managed to pull one back shortly afterwards, the Los Palmas goalie couldn’t gather Dave’s low cross and Pettigrew knocked home the rebound at the second attempt.
Another penalty, after a trip in the box, made the score 3-1 to Los Palmas at half time.
The game wasn’t changed greatly in the second half with Los Palmas camping outside the FPC box. The fourth was quite a scrambled affair and the fifth a superb header before this reporter extraordinaire wandered off to chat to the Palmas goalie, interrupting his snooze against the goalpost.
By the time I had returned from my shower, the score was eight and I just caught Matt J tapping home to make it nine on the stroke of full time after a sclaffed shot landed on his foot.