The One I Forgot To Write

Bardon Hill Sports 1 Dunkirk 5

East Midlands Counties Football League

Readers of this blog do not necessarily expect professionalism. And I appreciate them for that. However, even I am sometimes amazed by how lethargic my attitude can be.

On Saturday, The First Man travelled to Leicestershire, to watch an ECML table-topping clash between Bardon Hill Sports, with points in the bag, and Dunkirk, with games in hand. As with last week's title decider, the end result was far more one-sided than anyone could have predicted. Only this time, it served to make the run-in all the more tight. That this was Bardon Hill's last game, and they now have to watch on as the others close in, will only compound their misery.

One unexpected highlight of the day was bumping in to an old friend in The Bodging (aka Pete) who may yet take the plunge in to the world of non league blogging. If he does, be afraid. Be very afraid.

Until then tho, know this. Dunkirk are more than any good. Having watched them despatch the previously admired Gedling Town without breaking too much of a sweat earlier in the week, I was keen to see what the table toppers would offer. As it turned out, very little. Bardon Hill played as if they knew their time was up, whilst Dunkirk harried and hassled all over the pitch. Even an early enforced substitution could not dampen their efforts. Indeed, as the resultant substitute ended up with two goals, it arguably made them stronger.

Dunkirk have pace all over the pitch, whilst Bardon Hill looked as cumbersome as their portly number 5. Time and time again balls came over the top, and the home defence could not cope. When Dunkirk bored of this game, they ran at a ramshackle defence who had no answer. For Dunkirk's fourth (possibly) they even rolled out a red carpet, pulled up a few deck chairs, and simply waved the impressive number 4 through, from his own half.

There's a proper match report, written by someone who deserves your audience more than me, here

If Bardon Hill were the best the league had to offer all year, one can only marvel at the quality of the rest of the league.

There are photos, and they will be uploaded soon enough. But I am writing this at work, and they are at home.