Ealing 7 - Avondale 11 (London Premiership 25 June 2009)

Where were you when Michael Jackson died....

Louis will remember it as the night he received his first red card as a coach. Shrieking at the referee, "Your ruining the game!", along with some useful refereeing tips that included learning the rules, proved to be too provocative for the match official. Avondale's most successful captain of the modern era and team coach for this evening's match spent the last quarter cheering from the stand.... along with Andy Parkin, whose demise triggered Louis' vein bulging outburst. Meanwhile, back in the pool.....

The visitors were well below full strength for this potential banana skin against a reportedly 'frisky' Ealing team. Late withdrawals from TBFTE and Shaun meant that four of the starting seven were absent and the informed pundit might have anticipated plenty of exercise for the Avondale keeper. In fact, the visitors started the stronger and some very solid defence, a couple of saves and some wayward shooting from the home team preserved a clean sheet for Avondale in the first quarter. In contrast, 007 was in sparkling form. The hapless Ealing keeper flailed ineffectually at the early howitzers and 007 notched up four of avondale's five goals in the opening quarter. Ealing contrived to miss a penalty, their shooter dropping the ball in the act of shooting. The avondale keeper will be claiming a save!

Never a team to deny the crowd value for their admission fee, the visitors then proceeded to pass the ball to the opposition rather than their team mates for large portions of the second quarter. Ealing had their share of extra man opportunities and converted two well, working their far post man inside his defender on both occasions. The quarter finished 3 - 6 and there was life in the game still.

Avondale incurred more reversals in attack in the third and fourth quarters than they would expect in two or three games under normal circumstances. This was a very physical game that would have suited several of Avondale's missing players very well and Andy Parkin took exception to being hit in the face and reciprocated. The resulting fracas meant that he and Louis saw out the remainder of the match from the stand. In a very hard faught(!) third quarter 007 added a further two to his total despite the constant attention of several defenders and Steve Eakins found the top corner with a quality finish. Despite the improved control from the visitors the home team took advantage of the stream of majors and pegged back another goal. Avondale should really have been out of sight, but the last quarter started at a far from comfortable 7 - 9.

Despite incurring two further majors Avdondale defended very well and managed to contain the home side in the last quarter. It was a very physical battle against 'heavy' opponents, but the whole team fought hard for a well deserved win.

NB. The home team videoed the match so perhaps Louis' contribution is recorded somewhere for posterity...