It’s
getting to that time of year – the time when all the football leagues are
coming to a dramatic climax. But I’m not
talking FA Cup, European Championships and the like, I’m talking about the
Under 10’s local league, and the match I watched today certainly had more
tension than a cup final, at least as far as I was concerned.
My
youngest son’s team has been neck and neck on the leader board with one other
team, and are currently at the top. The
top two teams from each division will compete in the semi-final next week, with
the final taking place the following week at Chester Stadium.
Today,
after much postponement, they played the team they have been in competition
with all season. Tensions were running
high even before the match kicked off, but it was so evenly matched, with each
team desperate to prove themselves, that each touch on the ball, each tackle had
our hearts in our mouths.
But
especially me. As my son plays in goal,
I sometimes have to remind myself to breathe when the ball is in the goal
area. Today, luckily, he was on top
form. He made some absolutely brilliant
saves, some which he literally hurled himself at.
I
have no idea where he gets his bravery from (or is it lunacy?) because I certainly
wouldn’t be able to do what he does.
In
the event it was a nil-nil draw, which was a pretty good result. Both teams played so hard that neither
deserved to loose, and it was down to both goalies that nothing went into the
net.
Next
week the tension will be even higher.
The team have worked hard all year that it will be devastating to be knocked
out at the final hurdle. But then, if
they get through will it be even worse.
My
eldest son played in the final at Chester when he was the same age. I remember it as one of the proudest, yet
scariest moments of my life. But then he
wasn’t playing in goal, so if they do make it, I think I might just need a defibrillator
on hand.
Oh
what it is to be a football Mum!
