FC Irlande - Matchday 26

Brussels LTC 2 – 2 FC Irlande

We finished the season on a disappointing note with a heartbreaking draw away to Brussels LTC. We played some great football for much of the game and were deservedly ahead with ten minutes to go. Sadly we could not kill the game off.

The result, combined with wins for Jefke, La Lorraine and Brussels British means that Jefke are the league champions and we finish in fourth place, three points behind them. It’s great to have played a part in such an exciting finish to the season, with four teams still going for it on the last day, but to finish where we did and in the way we did is hard to take.

The game was played in a great spirit on a lovely synthetic grass pitch out in La Hulpe. Although short of numbers (Ben Gannon had to be drafted in as an emergency substitute, and even the injured Mark Cryans put on a kit just in case, although it’s maybe because he likes wearing anything with green and white hoops) the team we started with had quality in every position. Pete returned on the right, with Alvaro on the left. Christophe risked his knee to play alongside Charles for an all-French midfield.

We started brilliantly and played some great stuff. It was no surprise when we took the lead, nor a surprise that it was Sigve who powered home the header from David’s great free kick 30 yards out.

I then had one of the worst misses of my life. Charles played a great 50-yard cross field pass into my path. I knocked it past the keeper and then, with only a defender on the line, blasted it wide from the edge of the box. Shocking. And very costly.

Around the 15 minute mark we began to drop off a bit and allowed them back into the match. They are a good side who have suffered from a lack of numbers this season (they lost 8-0 to Jefke in part because they only had eight men). With a big, strong forward and a tricky guy in midfield they caused us a few problems, but their equaliser was entirely our fault.

Having worked it well down the left a cross came in to the far post where Alec stood alone. Tragically, and with his father over from Ireland in the crowd, he headed it past Chris into our goal. 1-1. We continued to make chances, and actually had the ball over the line in one scramble. Unfortunately the ref was too far away to see.

In the second half we picked up the pace again and started creating chances. Alvaro had a great shot blocked, while Christophe’s deflected free kick hit the post and bounced wide. The breakthrough came when Sigve powered down the right and fired in a great low cross that the keeper parried back into the danger area. A quick mad scramble ensued before Pete smashed home from close range.

It felt like the game was safe. We had been defending well in the second half, and they hadn’t really created many chances. That changed when we broke forward with too much haste and left ourselves exposed. I fed Charles on the right, he squeezed in a cross that Sigve met with his head. It was heading on goal before it hit a defender and bounced to safety. From there they broke up the field and hit a long diagonal pass that Adrian seemed to have covered. He hesitated for a second though, and their dangerous striker nipped in and fired an unstoppable shot past Chris. 2-2.

So a sad way to end the season, but a lot to be happy about. This match showed everything that has been good and bad about us this season: some great play, great goals combined with defensive mistakes, missed chances and perhaps a lack of composure to see the game out. And also a little bit of luck - another ref may have been in the right place to notice that the ball was half a yard over the line.

Fourth place is pretty good for only our second season in the top flight. We now know that with enough hard work we’ll be able to win it next year.

FC Irlande: Chris, Adrian, Christian, Alec, Charles, Christophe, Pete, Alvaro, David, Sigve, Ross

Goals: Sigve, Pete

Man of the Match: Pete - Our crazy Dutchman worked hard all day on the right and scored a cracking goal.

** A special congratulations to our vets team, who earned promotion to division two yesterday with a 6-0 win **