Internationals C at McCarthy:

Mario gets credit/blame here. I just edit the ------------ (fill in blank).

The Royals OT4 opponents this week were the Internationals C team, which promised to be a harder test than their unfortunate D team clubmates several weeks earlier. If memory served correct, this team featured skilled players in the midfield, that controlled the play and distributed the ball to hard working, dangerous strikers. Indeed, at the pre-game card check, the upcoming task seemed all the more daunting when former Royals OT1 striker Fred Adibe was introduced as a bonafide member of the Internationals C.

During the pre-game activities, Jeff McNamee kept his unprecedented streak alive of knowing at least one member of the opposite team (a streak that may be in jeopardy next week vs the Korean White Caps- but you never know with the worldly McNamee).

The game started as expected, with the Internationals controlling the play, however their triangle passing patterns and give and go plays found little success against the tightly marking Royals. The Royals starting back four, Paul Dickins, Jeff McNamee, Michel Fournier and Richard Gravel took heed of the scouting reports on the striker Adibe and paid him special attention. The skilled midfield of the Internationals was content to pass the ball, and never really tried to beat their Royals counterparts one on one. This made the job of containing them rather easy for Nigel Parker, Graham Cathcart and Mario Arnone; the latter two back from respective knee and ankle injuries sustained in previous games. The Internationals forwards couldn't go forward without getting taken off the ball; and they couldn't pass back to the midfield support that was marked out of existence.

The game swung back and forth until a loose ball found the foot of Arnone. Spotting an open Marwan Kassis on the left, he chipped it over the defender between them. Kassis neatly took the ball off his chest and calmly flicked it by the charging stopper to an unmarked Brian Harcombe who was bearing down like a runaway freight train for the Internationals net. As he ran on to the ball, his momentum took him easily past the sweeper also caught going the wrong way, and then deposited the ball cleanly into the back of the net past the over-matched keeper. With the cheering and accolades still in his ears, Brian breathlessly put up his arm for a substitution, which brought on Matthew Blackwell in his place up front. The attack looked its best in weeks, as Blackwell, and part time forward Kenny Slemko caused all sorts of grief for the Internationals back four.

Jeff McNamee continued to be a physical presence at the back, playing his most aggressive game to date. He almost single handedly marked the dangerous #24 out of the game in the first half, leaving the equally dangerous Adibe to the capable attention of Dickins. The Internationals offered less danger and pursuit as the half progressed, so it was no surprise when Cathcart sent Kassis in alone up the right flank. Kassis took on several defenders, and finally bowled his way into the goal area, put some hockey moves on the keeper, and then stubbed home a soft, bobbling shot. Not the most artistic goal of his career, but it counted.

The Royals scored again only minutes later. Building from the back, Dickins sent the ball to a standing Arnone (standing being the operative word), who wheeled and left footed a pass to Blackwell. Before the pursuit could overtake him, Matthew sent a Zidane-like pass into space behind the sweeper. Kassis was on it in an instant, outracing all the defenders and scoring not unlike Harcombe earlier in the half. This was just too easy for the Royals, who were buoyed by their early success. There was even time for comic commentary by Johnny Rotten look-alike Dickins, who proclaimed that a wayward McNamee pass had "all the subtle touch of a rogue elephant". There was a price to pay, however, for this shenanigans. In the dying minutes of the half, a foolish play resulting in both sweeper and stopper running over the Internationals player, giving them a free kick from 25 yards out. The chip over the wall was misplayed by all concerned and resulted in the unmarked Adibe toeing the ball past a charging Larry (Toldo the Wall-do) Everett.

The second half saw a more determined Internationals team, but they had a large task ahead to penetrate the stingy Royals back line. Fergus McDonald was extra diligent and aggressive in his marking, making life extremely uncomfortable for the series of wingers they kept changing on that side. The wind was also in their face, making the prospects of a comeback even more daunting. The point soon became moot when a seemingly harmless free kick was awarded to the Royals from about the 35 yard line to the right of the goal. Cathcart stepped up to the ball with the Internationals holding the line at the penalty area. The chip went to the far post and seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. At the last moment, Nigel Parker ran on to the ball and smashed a killing header into the upper regions of the net. His victory cry alone could put the fear of God into the common man. Sudden, unexpected humility overcame the exuberant midfielder, and his tone changed to one of embarrassment. "I should have been shot had I missed that one" he said, downplaying his exploits. He was assured that such could still be arranged. Parker also showed his versatility later on that half by telling Everett how to play one particular through ball that came dangerously into the area, much to the chagrin to the voiceless one in goal. (Perhaps still suffering Larryngitis from the previous week's debacle against only nine men on the Falcons.)

Now up 4-1, the Royals were content to play out the string and keep the Internationals from scoring in bunches..Riccardo Brun Del Re contributed some useful running during this time, as well as the defensive-minded Andy Steele (not to be confused with the offensive Andy Steele- which is most of the time) and the hustling Doug Green. Seeking to rest the limping Cathcart and Arnone, the Royals braintrust was guilty late in the game of perhaps one or two substitutions too many and were scored upon with less than 10 minutes left. This called for some additional roster changes, and these changes kept the 4-2 scoreline unchanged to the game's conclusion. Gravel, back from his tour of duty inspecting the brothels of the Maritimes on behalf of the Canadian Navy, seemed mysteriously reenergized, and had a most impressive second half at halfback. It was collectively the Royals best team effort. They held the dangerous Internationals forwards to only two goals, and showed some good ball control and movement to generate numerous changes up front. In the end it was a case of the Royals midfield outplaying the Internationals midfield, with the back four and Larry mopping up anything that did get through. Everett will feel he had a much more solid team in front of him, and the Royals fans present will doubtless agree.

Faithful leader of the fanclub Cathi Fournier, along with her friend (Help Mike, I've forgotten her name!) were pleased by what they saw. Fergus' sons were out and were hooting with joy too. But Nigel's Laura proved herself to be the most savvy of the Royals and their fans by showing up just in time for her favourite part of the game - the beer.