facilities in the
area. A large indoor area which was covered by what was essentially a large
metal shed frame allowed for a host of sports ranging from netball to judo,
gymnastics to badminton but the real profit maker was the outdoor football
pitches. Originally they had been Astroturf pitches and on the far side two of
them still are but the problem is that they, like grass, succumb to harsh
weather. The new advancements in technology had led to six quality pitches of
artificial grass with black pellet lining which reduced the burn injuries that
people suffered on the Astroturf and was not prone to freezing.
It
was due to those new pitches that there was a thriving five-a-side football
league in residence there. The pitches were also used for teams to train on
but that night it was a heated cup match between the North Passageway pub team
versus the Elsworth Electros.
The
Electros were a tournament side who had been to the cup final three out of the
last four years. They played decent football and had a good core of young and
older players. The team had started out as a group of local electricians and
builders hence the name but had become a well respected staple of the Sunday
soccer leagues. The smaller version of the game had become the place where the
older original members had enjoyed success.
Northern
Passageway pub was one of the roughest drinking establishments in the area. It
was one of the few pubs still standing and for good reason. The majority of
the men who drink in there were honest hard workers but a few, and that
included the bar owner and then captain of the football team, are involved in
drugs. This had caused problems for the pub but the fear that the members
instilled had ensured it was still open and indeed thrived in a way. To
increase an air of respectability they raised money for charities and had a
number of sports teams including pool, darts and the aforementioned football
side. This would mark the furthest the team had ever got in the cup and it was
down to the skills of a young man off the estate and currently on the books of
Tranmere Rovers.
It
was this teenager that instilled a sense of dread and fear into Reginald
Pierce. Reg had played the Northern Passageway side before. They had been a
very physical side, going so far as to break his nose and glasses in a
contested header even though they played a no over head height rule due to the
low level walls that fenced them in. Reg was happy to be out of the house and
getting the exercise and he was very much looking forward to going for a drink
with the lads afterwards.
The
boy was tearing them apart though and it was only by pure luck that it was
still a draw at five all. Reg had been goalkeeping for two of the goals and
was sure he had sprained his wrist trying to save one of the lad’s shots from
going in. At least it wasn’t my drinking hand, he thought as he stood
in defence watching the play unfold before him.
Dickie
was what the Northern Passageway team members called the lad and it was Dickie
who was now on the ball. He was gangly and in that awkward stage of
adolescence where his body was developing faster than he could really
understand. May be that was why his legs moved in such a confusing way as he
darted past two midfielders, his shock of bright red hair plastered to his head
with sweat.
It’s
all on me, if he gets past he’ll have a free shot on goal and I don’t trust our
keeper one bit. Went through Reg’s mind as he stood
there essentially swaying on the spot as he watched the legs of the young man
circle and dance around the ball and then in one glorious moment he made his
decision and tackled. Dickie went over his left foot and he landed heavily on
the ground, sliding and kicking up black pellets. Reg stood there for a moment
with the ball at his feet not knowing what to do.
His
teammates called for him to pass but it was if he was Moses and the opposition
side was the
area. A large indoor area which was covered by what was essentially a large
metal shed frame allowed for a host of sports ranging from netball to judo,
gymnastics to badminton but the real profit maker was the outdoor football
pitches. Originally they had been Astroturf pitches and on the far side two of
them still are but the problem is that they, like grass, succumb to harsh
weather. The new advancements in technology had led to six quality pitches of
artificial grass with black pellet lining which reduced the burn injuries that
people suffered on the Astroturf and was not prone to freezing.
It
was due to those new pitches that there was a thriving five-a-side football
league in residence there. The pitches were also used for teams to train on
but that night it was a heated cup match between the North Passageway pub team
versus the Elsworth Electros.
The
Electros were a tournament side who had been to the cup final three out of the
last four years. They played decent football and had a good core of young and
older players. The team had started out as a group of local electricians and
builders hence the name but had become a well respected staple of the Sunday
soccer leagues. The smaller version of the game had become the place where the
older original members had enjoyed success.
Northern
Passageway pub was one of the roughest drinking establishments in the area. It
was one of the few pubs still standing and for good reason. The majority of
the men who drink in there were honest hard workers but a few, and that
included the bar owner and then captain of the football team, are involved in
drugs. This had caused problems for the pub but the fear that the members
instilled had ensured it was still open and indeed thrived in a way. To
increase an air of respectability they raised money for charities and had a
number of sports teams including pool, darts and the aforementioned football
side. This would mark the furthest the team had ever got in the cup and it was
down to the skills of a young man off the estate and currently on the books of
Tranmere Rovers.
It
was this teenager that instilled a sense of dread and fear into Reginald
Pierce. Reg had played the Northern Passageway side before. They had been a
very physical side, going so far as to break his nose and glasses in a
contested header even though they played a no over head height rule due to the
low level walls that fenced them in. Reg was happy to be out of the house and
getting the exercise and he was very much looking forward to going for a drink
with the lads afterwards.
The
boy was tearing them apart though and it was only by pure luck that it was
still a draw at five all. Reg had been goalkeeping for two of the goals and
was sure he had sprained his wrist trying to save one of the lad’s shots from
going in. At least it wasn’t my drinking hand, he thought as he stood
in defence watching the play unfold before him.
Dickie
was what the Northern Passageway team members called the lad and it was Dickie
who was now on the ball. He was gangly and in that awkward stage of
adolescence where his body was developing faster than he could really
understand. May be that was why his legs moved in such a confusing way as he
darted past two midfielders, his shock of bright red hair plastered to his head
with sweat.
It’s
all on me, if he gets past he’ll have a free shot on goal and I don’t trust our
keeper one bit. Went through Reg’s mind as he stood
there essentially swaying on the spot as he watched the legs of the young man
circle and dance around the ball and then in one glorious moment he made his
decision and tackled. Dickie went over his left foot and he landed heavily on
the ground, sliding and kicking up black pellets. Reg stood there for a moment
with the ball at his feet not knowing what to do.
His
teammates called for him to pass but it was if he was Moses and the opposition
side was the
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