WIN: 3-0 vs Lofty FC – Just Another Day At The Office As Badgers Win

October. A hint of fall in the air. Back to Onion Creek for a game against Lofty FC. Wait, what’s that, 3 subs in Badgertown! (well, for the first half anyway) A Nasty Nate sighting! Danimal was back. Babies, children, two tents….. things were looking positive for Cameron Road during the pre-game build up. The only issue was that they were missing Jaybone, who was busy studying up on those 12 syllable words as he prepared for the regionals of the Adult Spelling Bee.

Enter Jefe using Danny’s gloves to take root between the pipes. What a hero.

Guillermo and Jesus were only available for the first half, so they got into the game quickly to try to make the most of their time. Guillermo right up the center of the pitch with Jesus patrolling the left flank. The Badgers were spreading around their passes early like a plate of Luke’s Grandmother’s biscuits at Thanksgiving dinner.

But with his new family onlooking from the sidelines, Ol’Schwarzy stepped up and stuck a beauty from just outside the box with a wicked curling effort to the top corner to the screams of “nice goal Daddy!” (Maybe only slightly creepy as it didn’t actually come from his 7 month old.) All Brians not in attendance would have been proud.

1-0 Badgers.

And if that goal was fun to watch, the second one from the Badgers was a thing of beauty from the front line. Jesus got the ball on the right making a deep run. He slipped it to Gianluca who chased it down to the byline and fizzed it across the box to the back post where Derek was waiting to drive it home. Didn’t even require a cutback!

2-0 Badgers.

It wasn’t all offense though as Lofty did find their way into the Cameron Road end of the pitch for large spells. In defense, Danimal was back in heart of the backline, heading everything away from danger as Jefe barked instructions from his new temporary spot. Jeff Z was his partner in the center, and just might have dodged a bullet with a slide tackle inside the box that would have made the Kraken nod his head in approval. All ball, some ball, no ball, all foot…. hey, who can be really sure, but according to the referee it was clean.

Someone who needs no controversy while bringing down the hammer from left back at least once a game was Big Dave, who absolutely lit up a Lofty attacker with a trademark slide tackle near the touchline.

Guillermo also came close with a long-range shot, Jake tested the lumbar support of the Onion Creek turf, Nasty Nate was starting to find his footing. You know, Badger stuff.

Oranges with Guillermo and Jesus taking off, reducing the Badger’s precious subs to one.

With only one sub for the second half, the Badgers did some reshuffling. Chappy slotted in at right back while Billy took a breather (and then moved to right mid, then to left back, then to left mid…. a utility man whose motto of “I can be mediocre at many positions” came into play). With Jesus out, Derek and Gianluca would be the main attacking focus while Jake and Adam took to the wings. Nasty Nate filled the Guillermo sized hole in central midfield.

Nate got himself involved in the action in the second half as he tracked down a ball and put hit first shot on target in 6 months with a fine effort that went just wide.

After picking up an assist and a yellow card in the first half, Gianluca was a bit fiery. A trip to the bizarro universe saw Danimal offer up a pineapple to keep him in the game. Strange times indeed.

Also strange were the chants coming from the Beerca post-game tent as chants of “Honey Badgers….. get that honey. Honey Badgers…. get that honey” droned on for hours and hours. Bless their little hearts.

Lofty weren’t done, and they were putting some pressure on the Badgers to try and get back into the game. Jefe took a shot straight to the paws from a little break away, but held onto it like it was the last doobie on the earth.

After sucking up all the Lofty pressure, the Badgers got back into the business end of the pitch and turned up the heat with a third goal that saw the forwards continue to share the wealth. Derek’s cross was headed to the back post where Gianluca heard the Bald Dome of Power roar for the ball, but he thought to himself, “Perché non io?” And with that brief thought he took matters into his own head as the nodded the ball home in front of the outstretched arms of the keeper.

3-0 Badgers

At 3-0, the game was pretty much done and dusted, but Lofty were still attacking but they were getting frustrated. Filling in for Big Dave at a spell at left back, Chappy thought it was the “Big Dave” thing to do so he unleashed a slide tackle on a Lofty attacker on the touch line…. probably not up to Big Dave’s standards as it gave away a free kick but the Badgers were able to clear the lines.

The final heroics came as Nasty Nate’s shoe traction malfunction saw another break away barrel towards Jefe at only the speed an aging 40 year old could muster. As Jefe got into position, he planted his feet firmly for maximum leverage as the shot came at him, drilled to the far post. But, like a black cat in a treehouse, Jefe sprung into action and went full stretch to his left to tip away the ball to safety. Who knew the big fella could move like that! Shutout preserved as the Badgers continue their excellent form in this young season.

Man-of-the-Match: Volunteering for keeper duty and preserving his streak of shutouts, Jefe stepped up and took one for the team and performed like a champ. Honorable Mention to Nasty Nate for making his comeback after 6-7 months of injury rehab.

Post-Match-Report: There were “handsy” Modellos left over. Big Dave took his icing without flinching. Nate contemplated getting some cleats with the actual ability to hold onto a square of turf.