Kicking Off!

Two weeks ago saw the occasion of the first ever match played by the Caledon National Football Team. That's the Association variety of football, or Soccer to our Colonial readers. And yes, I know it is a bit late in arriving on this blog, but we have had a wedding to plan for!

The game was played against Neufreistadt, aka the CDS team, in their wonderful underground stadium. Our team made a fine sight in our away kit, designed by the very resourceful Miss Matini Discovolante, a most attractive kit boy indeed!

The starting line up for Caledon is pictured at top, being;
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Mr Podruly Peccable, Mr Roy Smashcan, Mr Jameson Despres.
Middle Row, Left to Right: Your humble correspondent, Mr Guiseppe Arbruzzo.
Top Row: Miss Martini Discovolante (non-playing member).

A team is only as good as its support, and we were very well-served by the Ladies of Caledon, who turned out in force to act as cheerleaders. Pictured are my beloved wife Miss Kacy Despres, Miss Jen Wise, and Her Grace Duchess Riel of Carntaigh, and some other ladies whose names I don't recall.

The CDS team were very hospitable, and very patient with our limited understanding of the game. The SL version, that is. Pictured is Mr Brian Livingstone, the CDS Team Captain, who made sure that the game was palyed in a spirit of friendly competition, and that it was above all FUN!!! Which indeed it was!

The first half was captained for us by Mr Despres, and a fine job he did too of organising us. Lag was a constant factor for all involved, and in fact the sim crashed just before kick off! We all managed to make it back, Caledon reassembling first, and whilst there was talk of a bye in our favour if the other team didn't return in time, that eventuality was happily never called into play.

The game got under way, and here you see our brave lads preparing to do battle. Caledon had a veritable star player in Mr Smashcan, who put us ahead with a goal in the opening seconds, and he went on to score the majority of our subsequent points too. We ended the first half up 3 goals to 2.

A change of personnel, and the second half got under way. Lady Diamunda (Whoop Ass) Gustafson took over the captains mantle, and Mr Iason Hassanov replaced Mr Peccable. Mr Hassanov looked every inch the Steampunk Soccer player in his Steam Mech avatar! And very useful in goal he was too.

The second half ended with the scores level at 5 apiece, and as a draw is no fun for a debut game, Lady Gustafson and Mr Livingstone agreed that a period of Sudden Death would be played, first to score being ajudged the winners. The action travelled up and down the field for several moments, neither team willing to give an inch, all of this very skilfully relayed back to Caledon via the ISC by Commodore Sin Trenton, who delivered a fantastic play-by-play from his seat in the stands. In the end though, home field advantage won out and CDS clinched the winning goal.

A fantastic display of sportsmanship all round, and the team looks forward to its next fixture. There is talk of a match against Radnorshire, and we agreed that there will be a return game against CDS very soon, possibly at the Caledon home pitch, when we get one set up.

Three cheers to the CNFT, and three more to our wonderful hosts from Neufriestadt!

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