OT4 Loses First to Chelsea

Even the best teams have days when things just don't go right, and that was the case last Friday for the OT4. From the time we arrived at the Woodroffe High School park, things seemed ominous. There was a gaping hole in the left side of defense with both Richard Gravel and Fergus Macdonald away, plus stellar central defender Jeff McNamee showed up queasy and weakened by the flu, and seemed in no shape to play. Add to this situation the tension hanging over the team after the previous week's bust up and the injuries that Graham Cathcart and Mario Arnone were carrying. It was clear that this was not going to be easy - especially against a Chelsea team which, physically, looked as imposing as their 7-0-0 record.

Coach Harry Van Dyk opted for prudence in dealing with the absences and pulled midfielders Nigel Parker and Arnone back into left and central defense, respectively. With Kenny Slemko and Matthew Blackwell inserted alongside Cathcart into the starting lineup, the midfield didn't look like it would suffer from the change. In fact within two minutes, the Royals were almost on the board. A nicely floated free kick from Parker 35 yards out found Slemko's shining pate, and his clever back header sailed wide by the narrowest of margins with the Chelsea keeper well beaten.

The game continued fairly evenly, but Chelsea began to take a physical advantage, even if that included some rough play, particularly by their number 19. Keeper Larry Everett was forced into two good aerial interventions as Chelsea sought to use their height advantage. At the other end, Marwan Kassis was probing for holes in the Chelsea defense while Andy Steele was looking to puncture the defense with passes. But it was a sudden run forward from Brian Harcombe, reacting well to a wonderful headed pass from Cathcart, that caused Chelsea the most panic. In alone into the box, Brian took just a little too long to shoot, and a sliding defender cleared to safety. This was a missed chance the Royals would rue.

The game continued to grow in physical intensity, and Chelsea's big number 19 was very lucky to escape unsanctioned after three bad challenges on Blackwell's left leg in the space of 5 minutes. The third of those fouls, after 17 minutes, would earn him his only yellow card of the game. What this observer found surprising was that he was still on the field following that foul. It was also surprising that he was almost sent off 10 minutes later (only to get a "final, verbal warning", after the referee had reached for his pocket) for a more anodyne foul on Doug Green. The referee, who had begun promisingly, keeping an eye on things, speaking to players and urging them to keep in line, sadly eventually abandoned his role of sanctioning rough play.

In the midst of these hostilities, Chelsea took the lead, as a free kick from just inside the Royals' half was headed on twice, and the second header left the Royals with no reaction. Shortly thereafter, another blow for the Royals, as stellar right fullback Michel Fournier pulled his hamstring and had to be substituted off. This forced the unfit McNamee to come back in central defense, with Arnone pushed out to right back. Some chances at both ends before the half ended, Slemko from right wing had a good shot, Cathcart and Kassis had chances, and Green had a penalty claim turned down. But just as the half ended, the killer blow arrived from Chelsea. On a corner, Cathcart was left marking the much taller number 19. A good corner found him, Cathcart tried, but couldn't match his leap, and the number 19's well-placed header nestled into the top of the net, leading to loud Chelsea celebrations. The error was the Royals', but with McNamee healthy, Cathcart would not have had to mark him. A bad way to end the half, and the recriminations about rough play didn't make the atmosphere any better.

Sweeper Paul Dickins would later comment about liberal use of fists and elbows by the Chelsea number 8. On the positive side, the Royals' team spirit was still good, and everyone kept positive.

The second half was more one-sided, as Chelsea got more subs, and were the fitter, fresher team and the tiring, wounded Royals were forced to chase the game. Without most of their starting midfield in defense, it just wasn't going to work. The Royals didn't have too much in the way of chances, in part because of a very good game by Chelsea's sweeper (number 4). What shots the Royals did have were well handled by the Chelsea keeper. Just about halfway through the second, a rapid counter attack by Chelsea swept by the Royals' makeshift defense, valiant efforts by Riccardo Brun Del Re and Green to get back weren't enough and Everett was beaten for a third time, through no fault of his own. There is not a lot to add from the Royals' perspective to describe the second half. Harry mercifully removed Jeff before he got ill on the field, the running battles that characterized the early portion of the game simmered, but did not boil over, and Chelsea dominated the game physically (including one more bad, carded foul), adding a fourth with 15 minutes left. The referee's well-intentioned exhortations to "respect each other on the field" continued to be too often ignored.

The Royals were well beaten, and the rancour of the first half, plus Chelsea's loud celebrations and the abrasive behaviour of a handful of their players didn't make defeat taste any better. It should be noted that, given trying circumstances, the Royals did nothing to discredit themselves. A fine effort by Dickins, as well as by several players forced by circumstance to play out of position (Matt Blackwell even got a run at right back), are signs of a very good, one might say renewed, team spirit and bode well for the rest of the season.

We had good, supportive crowd behind us tonight, as Cathi Fournier and Brian Harcombe's family, Karen, Jordan and his other kids were there. We had our first annual barbeque afterward, sponsored by the Arnone Propane Corp., and that settled things a little, and the OT3 team crossed the parking lot to commiserate with us. Time to forget this game and look forward to more challenges, beginning next week out in Osgoode, which is a nice park to play in.

Chelsea takes a six point lead in the table. One is sure we'll hear more from this team - in fact, one of Chelsea's players sent Dickins an email sharing his unique view on the game. (Unique meaning both insolence and ignorance, ed.)