Honey Badgers Lose 3-2 Battle with Beerca, But Still Winning the War
Cameron Road may have been edged out at the final whistle in yesterday’s match with Beercalona, but as the Fall Season came to a close, they are still #winning. Lets review the goals for the season: #1 Beat the Punters, check. #2 Finish ahead of the Punters/Dragons/Strikers, check. #3 Sit comfortably upper to mid table as to avoid promotion but still feel good about our soccer, check. Dump Niagara Falls quantities of ice-cold water on Ciro week-in and week-out, check. So, even with the loss yesterday, all things Honey Badger are looking pretty good.
Yesterday’s 8am makeup game with Beerca was nestled nicely on the treeline and poised for a good showing by both teams. Beerca, after somehow losing to the Punters last week, brought their A game. And the Honey Badgers were passing the ball around the park efficiently in the early goings. With Danimal and New Chris both out, the central defense was a bit patchwork with different combinations of Andy, Willis and BT partnering Jefe.
Okay, let’s get right down to it. Inspired by morning whalesong and special lollypops, Jefe threw his name into the Goal of the Season Hat with a miraculous and audacious near mid-field strike. He launched the shot from inside the Beerca half and it sailed right over the keeper’s head for the most fantastic goal he will ever score. Simply put, it was kind of amazing. 1-0 Cameron Road within 10 minutes!
As the half trudged on, Gigi was using his speed, Chappy was flicking on headers, Bret was getting kicked in the ankles, Jaybone was punting the ball into the trees while play was stopped, and Steve McKenna got hit with a golf ball from Mo Willy as he was making his way down the left flank. (only explanation)
The game was turning into a surprisingly tasty match as both teams were playing well, but damnit if Beerca didn’t snatch away the momentum with a nice close-range goal to close out the half.
Cut to orange eating.
Cameron Road game up an early Beerca breakaway goal and were back to their usual position of trying to claw their way back into the game. They were trying everything. Ciro made another Trojan Horse run into the box, BT and Chappy were trying to hook up on some long-range #sendits, Miguel was trying to dribble through most of the Beerca defense, but nothing was getting through.
With fifteen minutes to go, BT and Willis combined on the tying goal to lift the Honey Badgers spirits and get them back into the game. As BT sliced down the center of the park he had his choice of old-timers. Chappy on his left and Willis on his right. Quickly calculating that Chappy can’t really head the ball off the ground, he made the sensible choice and slide the ball perfectly in Ryan’s path for him to stab home at the near post. 2-2!
With momentum seemingly back on Cameron Road’s side, Beerca flipped the script and nabbed a bit of a wonky goal with time running out to go back up 3-2. The end of the game was a familiar scene as the Honey Badgers tried gallantly to bulldoze their way to the tying goal with corner kicks and free kicks but it wasn’t meant to be.
The season ending loss was bittersweet as it was a really good game by both teams, but the silver lining was in the Punters late-day collapse to the Gunners – which kept them firmly entrenched in Cameron Road’s rearview mirror.
Man-of-the-Match: I mean, come on, will he (or anyone) ever score another goal like that!?! J-E-F-E
