Sunday Morning Footie

View from Car Park over the Rainham 84 home ground at Howard School, Rainham, Kent.

9th of January 2011 and after over a month of a lay off without kicking a ball in anger, Rainham 84 were back at it in the cup, for their first game of the year. Despite an indoor session and a delayed Saturday morning training session, the boys were long over due a game in anger. What with the Xmas excesses and the fact they were up against one of the best teams in Medway, the omens did not look good.

After ten minutes, not only did the omens not look good, but the scoreline looked pretty poor too. Two Nil down and hardly out of the traps, this was going to be one long and cold morning up at the Howard school. However a couple of flashes of brilliance, some of the old passing clicked in and the boys started to look like their old selves again.

Just as the lads mustered up a head of steam, a sucker punch and Three Nil down. One of the plus points of this cup game was the knowledge that there is the John Lees Cup if you get knocked out. Works on the same sort of idea as the Champions League and Europa League here in Europe.

However the boys were starting to play with more confidence, they got out of their own half with some style on a couple of occasions and they were given their just reward with a goal before half time. Despite the difference in leagues and the supposed status of the opposition, Rainham were standing their own.

Second half finished Nil Nil, so if you can ever take something out of defeat, was the fact that it was a good run out after such a long lay off. The boys held top opposition for a full 30 minutes and Harvey got his just reward and recognition for his heroics in central defence.

Rainham could easily have been hammered here this morning, but no, they kept at it and showed some good old fighting spirit, that will stand them in good stead for the rest of this season.

Central Defender and current Captain of Rainham 84, Harvey Mackay, modelling the new home kit.