Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Catanaccio 1-2 Caledonia


Football was invented for nights like this.
At a rain-soaked Huntington Arena, and playing in their unfamiliar third-kit of Scotland shirts, York Hearts FC tonight pulled off their greatest result in more than a year.
Few fancied the Jambos against promotion-chasing Italic. Even within the Hearts ranks, the mood was hopeful rather than expectant.
But Hearts prevailed, with a late penalty clinching the points for the Scots.
The conditions were wretched, but Hearts threw caution to the wind, starting with an audacious 1-2-2 formation.
It paid off.
The floodlights flickered, the ball skidded, the Italians bickered, and the rain lashed and lashed, but York Hearts fought like warriors and won the day.
Sam Outing got the goals. The first came after five minutes, a blistering toe-poke, vaguely reminscent of Dave Narey's against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup (above). It lacked Narey's height but had the pace, and flew past the wrong-footed Italian keeper.
Hearts smelt blood and went for the kill. Neil and Tom's pace repeatedly forced the Italians onto the backfoot, and Aitchison thrice had decent efforts go wide.
At the back, lone defender Calum defied his lowly stature and commanded the air. Damo was rarely even tested. Italy was stunned.
The continentals rallied after the break, and briefly showed their true class, equalising with a goal of true beauty. The Hearts midfield and defence were sliced open, and Domenico slotted home.
But this was Hearts' night. Back they came, and with just 90 seconds left they got their reward. An Italian defender strayed into the box while making a clearance and Sam stepped up to rifle home the spot-kick.
The Italians, true to stereotype, protested animatedly. The Jambos simply beamed.
York Hearts: Champions of the World.
Man of the match: Calum Beattie.

6 comments:

The World Famous said...

Line of the night:

Luca (Radge Italian Stirker - Smaller than Cal!): ...Whilst walking away after the game in a murmering sulk "f**king English cheating c***s"

Sammy: "F**king SCOTTISH mate, get the f**king nationality right if your gonna slag us off"

...He loved that.

Top Goalscorer said...

Quote:

"Sam Stepped up to rifle the spot-kick home"


Just like to take the opportunity to say thats 2 in 3 weeks!;-)

Statto said...

YH last 8 on Tues:

P:8 W:5 D:2 L: F:8 A:3.

:-D.

Gav said...

Calum man of the match? The quickest he ran was to get away from taking that penalty!

Badger said...

Quality result....Quality reporting....may I add my tuppenceworth please.

It was never a toe poke but a blistering 25 yard drive (Oh Jimmy Hill's a poof)

Well done Kermit.....good to see you on the scoresheet.......and I have to say that the reply to Luca will now go down in history

Berti said...

That riposte is up there with Christian Dailly's outburst v the Germans in 2003.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql1-p3pvtoc&feature=related