Very Sporting Behaviour (and very unsporting behaviour in the boozer afterwards!)

After my night in a hotel filled with trained killers (possibly), I've arrived at work at 8.30am.  There's a giant pile of work but I've decided to bash out a quick blog post about last night.  Firstly, a huge thank-you to new Effra no 24 Sam Herbert, who on the night he was presented with his shiny new Accies kit, couldn't wear it and had to cobble together a team to play against us instead.  Seven swans a-swimming, sorry I mean Sporting Brixton players, turned out, and were joined by Joe, Joe's mate and Joe's brother. I had the dubious honour of playing in goal for SB, with Elbows replacing me between the sticks for the 2nd half. TBALT and Greg had outfield stints for SB during the match when injury depleted the whites' ranks.  Anyway, as I say, cheers to Sam for ensuring that we were able to end 2009 with a proper game!  Sam wants at least a month's notice for a future fixture date, but I think 48 hours is more than sufficient...

Lots to say about the match so I'll try to cram as much as I can remember into this paragraph. As we left the dressing room the predicted snow blizzard had started, giving the game a suitably Xmassy feel. An early lead for the Accies as Perre marauded down the right and squared past the hapless me at the request of Lex Luthor, who slotted home from several centimetres.  Incidentally, Thorny tells me he has never looked at this blog, so I might as well take this opportunity so say I can't stand the bloke and his goals this year – the one I just described was his 12th – were all rubbish and undeserved.  Hang yer boots up, Lex.  Then a mini-collapse for Effra, with SB passing neatly around the red'n'blues and scoring twice to lead 2-1.  After that I scrambled to tip over a Sene lob, only to flap shambolically at his corner, allowing Shaky to head firmly in for 2-2.  By this time the snow was extremely heavy and visibility was atrocious, but fortunately the weather mostly cleared in the 2nd half.  Before the 1st half ended Mike endured a couple of close-range misses that he won't thank me for describing, so I won't.  We soaked up some pressure, before eventually created a couple of chances of our own, one of which was a lovely ball from Lex putting Shaky through to make it 3-2.  How apt that the year's two highest scorers, with 14 and 12 respectively, should score all our goals in this match and combine for what proved to be the winner here.  A truly outstanding contribution in front of goal.

Sporting Brixton put us under pressure for most of the remainder of the match, ending the game with 4 strikers, but we held firm. Joe can count himself unlucky to have been judged offside when clean through on goal – it was a borderline decision which thankfully went our way, making it two weeks in a row that the youngster has been unfortunate not to score against us (erm, assuming he didn't get either of the 2 SB goals?  I was in goal at the other end so I haven't a clue who scored!).  Coach09, in goal in Lee's absence, made a stunning save towards the end – a fierce shot from the edge of the area seemed to swirl in the snow and wind and was going top corner until Neill parried it away for a corner.  World class.

The match was also notable for the return of Miami Dade at right-back after five months injured.  It's great to have two Dades on the pitch again – huge respect to my bruv for the support and commitment he's shown to the Accies while crocked, and welcome back – all were agreed after the match that he played well on his return.

Finally, there was a remarkable post-match fist fight in the Paxton, not involving any Accies of course.  We watched, stunned, as a drunken women screamed and shouted: "I didn't sleep with him," which of course, in the world of celebrity magazines that I will return to momentarily, translates as: "I slept with him several times and I think I might be pregnant."  An ugly brawl ensued. Full marks to Paxton Neil for wading in and Paxton Stuart for ejecting at least one bloodied fella – although as Shaky and myself were leaving, the same bloodied bloke was going back into the pub, so goodness knows what happened next.  All that remained for me was another very happy train journey with Shaky followed by a night and full English breakfast here on expenses for me.  Happy days indeed.

I'll save a stat-heavy review of the year for another post in due course, but suffice to say it's been a vintage Accies 12 months, with far more ups than downs!  Roll on 2010...