WIN: 3-1 vs Beerca – Badgers Beat Beerca in Summer Season Finale Before Dining on Grilled Meats, Fish and Margaritas!
Finally, the end of the long, grueling, hot, summer season was at hand. In more of a friendly with the good folks from Beercalona, Cameron Road packed the 3 tents of Badgertown with a full squad of 20 players ready to battle it out on the pitch and then party down until sunset.
It was shaping up to be a day to remember, especially since the Soccer Gods provided some much needed cloud cover to hover over Field 1 for most of the day.
With literally two squads to choose from, Cameron Road controlled the early half of the game, routinely camped out in the Beerca end looking for goals. Adam G came close with a header from inside the box, Mark T smacked one off the crossbar with one of his many attempts. Ciro took a pop from distance. Derek cut back, and then cut back some more. With a heavy rotation of fresh legs, the Badgers were knocking on the door all over the first 30 minutes of the game.
Jefe had a nice walkabout into enemy territory, Leoooo was busy doing 360s with the ball, Billy calmly patrolled the defensive flanks, and Chris G was back to hastily cover the defense ground when anyone got in behind.
But then as fate would have it, Beerca struck first blood with one of their only shots of the game from distance. Since they did provide the majority of grilling infrastructure and meats, it was the kind thing to do.
Oranges. According to Danny, they were a 8 out of 10 on his CFS (citrus flavonoid scale)
The second half got underway with Cameron Road trying to weave in all the subs available as the smells of sizzling charcoal permeated the treeline.
Adam set Jesus free down the left touchline where the ATX man did his thing. After getting free of his marker he raced towards the endline and for the second week in a row put in a fantastic cross to the far edge of the box where The Cutback Kid was lurking. BOOM. 1-1 and the Badgers were feeling it.
As the second half continued, Beerca gained a very large striker who was giving them a few more options at the tip of the spear, but Nick L, Danimal, Guillermo and Ram were up to the task.
At the other end, the Badgers were looking for a winner. Mark T and his young legs were having a great game, and he found Chappy on the opposite side the pitch for a crossing ball, but according to Jefe the Captain needed to “check his run”. The same was said in reverse later in the half when Jefe went searching for a long ball down the right, only to find himself on the turf.
Danny also came close with a looping header from a corner kick that was just saved before entering the far upper 90.
Finally, the breakthrough goal came as Adam, for the second week in a row, delivered a belter from just outside the box from Jefe’s pass. This week his fantastic strike (best goal of the season?) buried itself in the back of the net past the keeper for the 2-1 lead.
The Badgers finally put the game to bed with a typical Cameron Road goal as the ball fizzed around inside the 18 yard box which Nick the Punter emphatically slammed home for the 3-1 insurmountable lead.
Game. Set. Match. Time to eat!
The game ended with all smiles, as both teams enjoyed the camaraderie during the game, and it was time to really get down to the business of post-game celebrations!
Man-of-the-Match: When 20 players show up, providing 3 tents, plenty of beer, food, margaritas, cookies, pineapple chunks, and serving up a big win, no one player can be singled out. CAMERON ROAD UNITED for Man of the Match!
