LOSS: 3-2 vs Mean Eyed Cat – Heartbreak As Badgers Concede In The Final Minute

So close. So damn close. Cameron Road’s nightmare season continued yesterday as they found new ways to leave the field disappointed as Mean Eyed Cat snatched a last minute winner to break 13 Honey Badger hearts.

With Thanksgiving behind them, the Badgers suited up on a chilly, windy Sunday to finally face Mean Eyed Cat after several reschedules. Danny and Gianluca were both bonus late additions, giving CRU two subs to play with.

Since the league pulled the old field switcheroo and failed to tell anyone, Mean Eyed Cat started short, which helped explain the Badgers excellent early game passing. Once both teams were at full strength though, it because a pretty even game.

With Derek serving his suspension, Jesus and Gianluca were up top at the start of the game. But, looking like a 3 legged giraffe, Gianluca was fouled in the back and subsequently face planted himself into the gut of a defender causing a stoppage. As Gigi recovered on the sidelines, he did notice the collision worked better than any chiropractor’s visit as his back problems seemed to be healed – proving the Soccer Gods work in mysterious ways.

With Gigi on the bench, Chappy moved up top (proving he can still earn offside calls), and Nasty Nate made his first appearance in the fresh jersey! Good to have the big fella back on the pitch after receiving a shot of juice into the back of his heel.

Nate made a big impact within 20 minutes as he 1) nearly got hold of a header from a corner kick, 2) smacked the crossbar with a beautiful shot and 3) saw the red mist descend upon him as he was taken out for a foul on his knee, but had to listen to the loud-mouth defender talk trash about it….. which caused a chain reaction of cat herding to keep tempers calm.

Mean Eyed Cat did manage to score the opening goal down the center of the box midway through the first half.

For the Badgers, Chappy came close as Danny delivered a long-range free kick which the Captain managed to flick backwards, but the keeper was having a blinder and managed to push it over the bar before it went in. Jefe was reportedly ready to pounce on the ball as well inside the box.

Back from injury (pun intended), Gigi was back in the mix and nabbed the equalizer as Ciro’s whiffed attempt set him up to drop one in low and to the corner to tie it up at one goal each.

Speaking of whiffs, Ol’Schwarzy had himself one too nearing the end of the half. Perhaps the Mean Eyed Cat keeper was too a practitioner of the Dark Arts and was sneaking some olive oil on the ball?

Halftime and… .NO ORANGES! Not a good omen.

The Honey Badgers bad luck streak continued at the start of the second half as a late slide tackle in the box provided Mean Eyed Cat with a penalty after a five minute VAR break, which they slotted home for a 2-1 lead.

But the Badgers had some great chances themselves at the other end. Jesus was a bunion away from a tap in at the far post after Gianluca’s run saw him cross the ball across the 6 yard box. Close!!

Gianluca was also shooting from distance, as was Schwarzy, but it was a classic combo that got the tying goal.

Winning a free kick to the right side just outside the box, Peterson fired up the email server and delivered the packets into the box with a low, driving cross. With an outstretched size 13, Chappy continued his quest for 100 website goals with a dink on the ball that the keeper failed to snatch up tying the game up at 2-2.

At the other end, Danny was smashing clearances away with reckless abandon, and made the defensive play of the year at his own post with some amazing effort. A Mean Eyed Cat shot kissed Jawbone’s far post and came out into the path of their attacker for a tap in. Somehow, someway, Danny got himself between them and lunged to clear the ball away – inches from the post – in what could only be described as miraculous. Could this prove to be the Honey Badgers day after all?

The Badgers had some great chances for the winner as well in the final 20 minutes. Going for his customary “calendar year goal,” Ciro set up shop at the top of the box and managed to divert his beautiful shot past the keeper, but it clanked off the left post in cruel fashion. Jesus had another good run down the right but couldn’t find the back of the net. Gianluca kept shooting as well and JAKE IS DOWN! JAKE IS DOWN!!

With two minutes to play, the Badgers were minutes away from another good point. Working the ball down the field though, Mean Eyed Cat were still dangerous, but Cameron Road was up for the defensive challenge. But they were punished very harshly in the final 60 seconds after failing to clear the lines as Mean Eyed Cat intercepted a cross-town traffic pass and smacked home the winner with only the kickoff left to play. Harsh. Very very harsh… but so if life in the first half of this year’s campaign for Cameron Road.

Man-of-the-Match: Danimal. That clearance.

Post-Game-Report: Jefe had plenty of sour candy. There were no icings, but Jake did receive a “chicken hot hoodie pocket.”