Corinthians (February 2008)

    The history of football is dotted with the unexpected triumphs of the underdog over bigger, more fancied and more monied opponents.

    While the FA Cup, once an unparalleled hotbed of giantkilling upsets, is dying on its feet as the Premier League clubs field under-strength teams to rest their players for the rigours and rewards of EPL survival, its archives are littered with the corpses of Goliaths stunned and shamed by Davids from the lower leagues.

    The roll-call of victorious minnows includes the unlikely Colchester United, Wrexham, Hereford United and now, of course, Barnsley.

    The FA Cup famously offers journeymen footballers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to trip up the big boys, and make some decent cash from a good cup run. It is as quintissentially British as the BC -- a one-off game of 90 minutes, two halves, on a level playing field -- unless Yeovil are involved.

    The tension is electric, the cost of failure can be immense. Nerves are frayed, frailties cruelly exposed. For passion and drama, nothing the serried ranks of FIFA or UEFA have since concocted as a competition comes close.

    But not much is consigned to the history books of those matches that run true to form.

    And so to the game: The BC First Team Have-Beens against the upstart BC Corinthian Wannabees in a special Lunar New Year "friendly" on the unfamiliar turf of Regents' Secondary School, somewhere beyond Dairy Farm. The pre-match hype was of Corinthian aspiration versus First Team inspiration. In the event, it was more Corinthian perspiration versus First Team desperation.

    Before a large crowd of WAGs and various hangers-on, the two teams took to the cramped, bone-dry, caked and ridged school pitch to fight for the honour of the BC Soccer Section's finest. Sadly, it was largely dull fare. The first attempt on goal

took 11 minutes to arrive, with First Team winger UN cutting in from the right flank and shooting wide.

    But then the Corinthians buckled.

    A corner was floated over from the right and ex-Corinthian DB reacted fastest to slot home past the imposing keeper JM. Two minutes later and the First Team doubled their advantage when Budgie stole in behind the defence to meet a free-kick and sidefoot home from close range.

    At 2-0 and cruising, the First Team had a chance to put the game beyond the reach of their opponents, when German striker NG crumpled under a challenge from committed Corinthian skipper GH. AL, First Team captain and top

scorer in both his seasons with the BC, stepped up to take the penalty kick.

    The crowd hushed, the thin clouds parted and JM parried AL's thumping spot-kick. As the rebound bounced kindly for the penalty taker, the keeper twisted from the ground and leapt to his left to bring off a stunning double save.

    The penalty escape galvanised the plucky Corinthians, who gradually took control of swathes of midfield and set their pacy young strikers to run at the ageing First Team back line. JM, BP and MR swerved, sprinted and harried as the game finally sparked into life.

    A frazzled First Team sputtered and choked, closed down in midfield and stifled in attack. Team mates UN, six feet and several inches, and Budgie, a good 12 inches shorter, clashed in a heading duel that left Budgie dazed and bloodied, but

unbowed.

    With half-time beckoning, BP, watched by proud dad MP, a left-wing substitute, startled the First Team back line with his muscular pace and lashed a shot past JL in goal.

    The half-time break arrived just in time for a First Team lacking passion, work rate and poise. The Corinthians went into the break with their tails up and scenting a famous upset.

    The second period saw barely better fare from the vaunted First Team. Ball control was often a lottery on a difficult surface, but the Corinthians managed. Passes too often went astray, the midfield was out-hustled by battling Corinthians PC and RvD and the Corinthian defence, ably marshalled by GH and the ageless BP, kept a limp strikeforce at bay.

    Then, out of the blue, a moment of real quality. First Team Player of the Year, PR, collected a loose ball in midfield, took one touch, looked up and rifled a right-foot drive into the top corner past a despairing JM in goal to make it 3-1.

    Sensing this was the only way to beat the keeper, the First Team resorted to shooting from distance rather than trying to work the flanks and get in behind a tiring Corinthian defence.

    The courageous Corinthians battled back, surging through midfield and creating several decent chances. JM shot from close range, but IG was guarding the line to steer the ball away to safety. JL was called upon to make good saves and, at the death, BP headed just over from a viciously inswinging corner.

    The final whistle sounded relief for the First Team, but kudos to the Corinthians for a fabulous effort, more than matching their opponents in most departments. They will, rightly, feel aggrieved at getting nothing from the result.

    For both teams, the following week it was back to league fixtures, with the Corinthians earning a creditable draw with high-flying Molex in the Vets League, and the First Team beating a tough Winning XI by 6-3 in the EFL, thanks to a memorable

second-half four-goal haul from JM, who played the first period in goal.

     The BC Soccer Section is strong. Competition is fierce and, maybe fortunately, for the First Team, the status quo remains. The Corinthians will be the keener to stage a re-match.