MGBSFL DIVISION TWO
FAITHFOLD B 1 L'EQUIPE 6
It was a sign of things to come for L’Equipe as 10am crept closer and closer at the Hive, the clouds cleared, the rain subsided and the crowds gathered in anticipation. The brief from assistant-manager Dave Prager and captain Mark Singer was simple, “enjoy your football and you’ll win the game. Win the game and you’ll be Division Two champions".
The game could hardly have started any better and it set the tone for the 90 minutes of football. A trademark long throw-in from Matt Gilbery 10 minutes after kick-off was flicked on by Andy Smith and met by the late run of older brother Mark Smith, who nodded from eight yards. The nerves were eased a little.
It got better and better for L’Equipe as a late run into the box from the impressive Mark Smith was almost rewarded by a Matt Gilbery cross, only for it to be diverted into the net by the Faithfold skipper. The nerves settled. 2-0.
There was little to report until shortly before the break when a Gilbery clearance caused havoc for the Faithfold keeper, allowing Andy Smith to steal in and put the ball into the empty net. The champagne was on ice. L’Equipe led 3-0 at half time.
The arrival of Nick Stern shortly before half-time (shambolic childcare arrangements aside) just reiterated more of the same in his pep talk. L’Equipe were in touching distance of a momentous day in their history.
Faithfold were unable to stem the tide and it wasn’t long before L’Equipe made it 4-0 and put the game beyond any doubt. Another set-piece routine saw the award of a L’Equipe penalty after the red mist descended on the Faithfold goalkeeper, giving the referee no choice at all. James Mandell, so often the villain, this time the victim. Andy Smith dispatched the penalty to maintain his 100 per cent record for the season.
The party atmosphere was in full swing on the touchline with manager Stern using the jubilant atmosphere to ring the changes. Grant Bates was removed in order to speed (inside the limit) to a driving awareness course, Rob Simmons had run himself into the ground and Singer was so close to tears he could hardly see.
Mark Smith engineered a L’Equipe fifth with a sumptuous delivery into the Faithfold penalty area that forced the poor Faithfold skipper into a second own goal before adding his second and L’Equipe’s sixth with a header at the back post. The talismanic playmaker rose like the proverbial salmon at the back post to head home his younger brother’s cross.
The sixth should have been the cherry on the cake but Dave Prager channelled his inner Khalid Boulahrouz and gave away a penalty in the dying moments. Richard Fogelman dispatched the consolation penalty.
There was still time for Stern to do his best 1998 Tony Adams impression and run the length of the field to collect a cross from Andy and score the seventh. Stern quipped: "The only issue was that the ref realised Nick was a huge arsenal fan and therefore ruled the goal out for offside, typical Spurs fan!"
‘Keeper Marc Glucksman trundled forward for a last-minute corner but it only resulted in him being top of the celebratory pile as the final whistle sounded. Grown men dropped to their knees as though they’d won and then lost an Oscar, others cried tears of joy. What a day, what a performance, what a team and what a season.
Jubilant L'Equipe player-manager Nick Stern told JC Sport: "To win it in our 10th year with this special group of players is pretty monumental.
"I am not even sure where to start as the whole game was a bit of a blur but as we said in the build-up we were all aware of the scale of the task and we didn’t shy away from it for one second.
"To win 6-1 when there was so much pressure on us shows the spirit of this team. We won every battle, were first to everything as I had hoped. I could nominate everyone of my team this week but both Smiths were unplayable scoring four of the six goals between them and I couldn’t have asked for more.
"I must also congratulate those that have stuck with us for 10 years. The work that goes on behind the scenes is what makes this club tick. Josh Lewis for so much admin work, his wife must hate him, to Jules Bohm for all the finance work, everyone on the team hates him, and finally to Mark Singer, the captain chairman and founder of this club.
"Nothing in this club's history would be possible without him, the amount of rubbish he has to deal with is incredible and it's only me that hates him!
"David Prager that win at the Hive was as much for you as anyone. We have been in so many battles over the years I am glad we got to share the last 10 minutes on the pitch together even if you gave away your standard penalty.
"We won the league this year because we have the best team sprit I have ever seen, we have won 14 out of 16 and have won the league with still four games to go, I couldn’t be happier. To every person that has worn the orange shirt over the past 10 years this is for you! Now bring on the party celebrations!"
