A side claiming to be Dutch Lions lose 1-0

Match Report by Arran McMahon

What can I say? After the heroic performance the Lions put in against Sals Bar spirits were high amongst the team. We believed that we could take on any team in the league and that Hanwell Celtic was no exception.

The referees whistle blew for the beginning of the match, and it seemed that the Lions were in control of the game for the first ten minutes, bar a few chances by Hanwell. It was after this though that it all went horribly wrong. The lions failed to maintain their structure or discipline when Hanwell Celtic called every tackle as a foul, every handball as theirs, and every throw-in as going their way. It was somewhat annoying as the ref seemed to fall for their tactics. But what was worse is that we seemed to be affected by it. And this was the difference between the Dutch Lions of the previous five games and that which turned up today. We fell apart and the other team didn’t even have to play good football to break us.

We had a couple of chances in the first half, with Hamzeh, and Ahmed going close but the wind was a major factor in this match, as was the extremely poor condition of the pitch (not detracting from the fact the other team had the same conditions to play in). It was in the first half that Hanwell went 1-0 up. Playing the long ball forward, their striker, closely followed by Olly latched onto the ball. The lions keeper ran out to claim it and quickly realised not only that he wasn’t going to make it, but that he was also stranded in no mans land. The ball gets lifted over him and into the net. What a mug he is.

This seemed to depress the team even further. Which again was something we hadn’t seen happen to us in the previous games we won. The rest of the half followed suit, as did much of the second, although we did seem to have a couple of chances with Timed going close. The lion’s goal keeper makes two unbelievable saves, seriously you couldn’t script it. I was amazing. Although, I did fail to hold onto them and some quality follow up play by my back four came to the rescue. But honestly I can’t believe how good I am. In the final moments of the game, Noel makes a horrendous challenge on the goal keeper. His shoulder actually came into contact with the keepers… disgusting and uncharacteristic of Noel, to actually come into contact with another player. I expected more. But the keeper stays down because apparently he’s hurt. I think he’s been taking tips from Jens Lehmann or at least he has some Italian blood in him somewhere. But anyways, the match finishes, we lost, although I wouldn’t say we were beaten by a better team by any means. All we can hope is that the old Lions team turns up against N. London Tara. For Queen and country boys.