Match One: 3-1 win vs Bedfont Village
Approaching this match with the confidence you have when you know nothing about your opponants, we were not to know that they were the favourites for our group. We were lucky to catch them cold on the opening game, and comprehensively thumped them 3-1.
Bedfont looked certain to inherit the mantle of the absent "Bunch of Thugs" as they bullied their way through the game, but luckily this year the referees were second to none. Our only disappointment came while leading 3-0... I was screaming at the assistant referee "How long left?!" since he seemed to allow an eternity of injury time... and we lost a potentially vital goal during this period which took the gloss of an otherwise hard-fought victory.
Match Two: 1-0 win vs Knights of Green
This is a match we dominated yet couldn't find a way through in. Knights were the acknowledged whipping boys of the group, and we knew we needed to win because other teams had done so comprehensively, giving themselves a solid goal difference in the process.
Despite our superiority, we were unable to find the killer blow and even ran the risk of being caught on the break as both Joseph and I joined the attacks in an attempt to grab that elusive opener. Eventually we won the game, but we made much harder work of it than we needed to!
Match Three: 3-1 win vs Jubba FC A
This unusually named team of Somalians scored early against us, but we refused to be downhearted. Striking back with 3 spectacular goals, we finished comfortable winners and all but secured our place in the next phase. This was confirmed when Jubba went on to draw with Bedfont Village in their next game.
Match Four: 1-1 draw vs TVU Old Boys
This match was for nothing more than pride to SD because we had already qualified. However Bedfont Village needed us to win or draw to make it through... while TVU needed a win. TVU scored early and looked to be coasting against a hardworking, yet uninspired, SD, since our minds were already on the semi-final to come.
However, everyone reckoned without Joseph Quashie! JQ hadn't studied the group table and was under the impression that we still needed to win to get through! Cue a vintage strike from the left wing which sent us into raptures and left TVU devastated. Bedfont went on to offer us a pint down Yates's after the game!
Match Five: 2-1 win vs Group A Runners-Up
0-1 We conceded an early goal in this game which stunned our players. The opposition crowed and said to each other "we can easily beat this lot", but that served only to inspire us further. the result? Two cracking goals from SD and a place in the final!
Match Six: 1-0 defeat vs Newton City
0-1 The winning goal came in extra time after a goalless match. Cameron was harshly adjudged to have had his arm outside his area as he threw the ball out, and the referee gave a freekick inches outside the area. Our defensive wall was pierced as the shot clipped the inside of Joseph's heel and deflected onto the post. We held our breath as it agonisingly trickled over the line in the cruellest of endings to a tournament. Now we know how the Czechs felt in Euro 1996!!!
Copyright © 1999 S. C. Productions