The night started badly for the Nannas
First was the issue of a Nannas exodus. Sure it was Easter and sure a lot of Nannas be whipped by their respected misuses but this was a crucial game. It was the week before the finals. It was a week that the Nannas needed to work out combinations, settle on formation, find form.
NB: Word on the street has it that one or two Nannas were still in town on Thursday night, packing trailers or some shit. It is only a rumour mind.

There was the issue of a missing match report,which left many Nannas feeling betrayed, stricken, rudderless—one was even seen vomiting in the bin outside the stadium. The author of this report has subsequently said that his girlfriend will provide him a note but we all know what that means.

Then the ref turned up a good ten minutes late and allowed the opposition to bring on a merry stream of subs from the teams lining up to play after us. An official complaint has been lodged.

Finally our Brazilian import, who Tao promised had more foot skills than a raver on half a dozen pills, said that he would have to go to another game at eight, leaving us in the lurch for the last half of the second stanza.

The tight five
The righteous Nannas were: Tao, Kondo, Gilla, I (James) and our Brazilian import, Geido.

The game
For the first five minutes the Nannas line up against an opposition of four. We were lazy, we were sluggish, we were sloppy, and soon we were a goal down. But we hit back pretty swiftly when I (James) fed a speculative cross court ball to Tao, standing five metres out from goal. I thought he side netted but the ball, so I am told, went in.

And this is how it went for the rest of the game. The Nannas not quite with it in defence but able to rally and keep on level terms.

Our main problem was losing the ball mid court with one or two men caught up front, leaving the back outnumbered and exposed. It be a common problem for the brown men, and one that the coach and captain will need to account for come game day this week.

To be fair though, we were a disjointed outfit, with our style of play not befitting all members of the team—Geido especially. His foot skills and constant need of the ball did at times perplex us. Yet, there were a few notable occasions when we did function as a unit, holding the ball for at least one or two passes and communicating with a reasonable amount of composure.

In the end the opposition pulled a couple of goals in front and we could not pull it back.

Special mentions
Tao: for not getting into a fight but also holding the Nannas together when must of us thought we were elsewhere.

Kondo: for some inspired running, especially in defence. On more than one occasion he was the crucial stopper of an opposition move, intercepting at the pivotal moment.

Kondo: for taking us to one of the finest Japanese eating establishments in town.

Geido: for putting up with a team of soccer fools, who are not a patch on his Brazilian-ness.

Gilla: for bringing his unwashed dirty jocks to the game–such a treat.

Gilla: for keeping the opposition’s goals to only eight when it could have easily been twenty eight.

And I (James): for popping up twice for two consecutive Gilla throws: the first caused a goalie own goal; the second came off the top of my foot. Two minutes, two throws, two goals.