An FA Cup tie against lower league opposition and on the telly to (football) boot. So where does one find any self-respecting TLF? Obviously not on the sofa, watching from behind a cushion, but in town, shopping with all media devices silenced. I remain scarred by being present for a home tie against Wycombe Wanderers and their last minute winner by a last minute signing spotted on Ceefax (younger readers may need to google that) and so no longer tempt fate.
Fortunately the footballing Gods of fate were smiling on TLF on this particular Satday and by the time TLF and Hatboy were propping up the bar at Clarence Park, the Foxes were looking good for a 3-1 lead. This distraction can be the only reason that TLF accidentally ordered a pint of pre-match Stella as opposed to moist January’s boit de match day; a cuppa tea. Obviously I would have sent the pint back but being a well brought up TLF I didn’t want to put the bar staff to any trouble.
We settled down for the final 15 minutes of the game, catching a disallowed screamer by Peterborough’s substitute, ex St Albans favourite, Junior Morias (now that would have been a perfect TLF story) and exploiting the time delay between Hat Boy’s phone and the TV to make loud and confident predictions that the fifth and final Lesta goal would be scored by Wilfrid Ndidi.
Five goals for Lesta. How on earth could the Saints beat that?
First though a small geography lesson was required. To TLF ‘East Thurrock’ sounds a bit, well, northern. Somewhere small on the coast on the way to Scotland, not an ‘area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway Development.’ Nobody actually said that obviously. That came from the interweb later. People sort of gesticulated a bit, talked about the M25 and crossing a big bridge and TLF tried not to look too clueless, nodded and pretended she has really got to grips with living in the south.
Apart from some early innuendo that Hat Boys passion fruit tic tacs richly deserved, things weren’t promising early doors. Some less than reassuring defending left Saints 2-1 down against a not overly impressive East Thurrock (of the south ) United. Fortunately United’s tackling wasn’t impressing the ref and their goal was followed by a sending off, which opened the floodgates. By the time the final whistle blew we had seen Saints score 7 (seven) and still Ray found time to berate the linesman.
Two teams.
One day.
Twelve goals.
Bang!
Dazed and delighted Fox