TWFC

We had two match videos this week, shared by Fabiocc17 and Coach Hagenius. Many thanks Fabiocc17 and Hagenius. We are not allowed to publish Fabio's video link for business sensitivity reasons. Coach Hagenius's video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKMT6xLh24, we will use this for match timings of goals and major incidents. We will use frames from Fabiocc17's footage for VAR scrutiny.

The match was the last of the year due to the next Wednesday falling on Christmas Day. It also came hard on the heels of three games of poor attendance by members and the club having experienced two successive defeats to teams of guests first led by Eddie117 and next by the joint captaincy of Ellislewis123 and Elvis.

We thank Jimmy9 for doing the teams. No team was scheduled to play after us so it was agreed the end of year finale could go on until 9:30pm or lights out, whichever came first.

At 5 - 1 down, and clearly being overrun, the White Bibs took the opportunity of the ball going over the fence to re-group and talk through options. It was good to see that strategic use of a time out. By the time the clock reached the 40th minute the score was 5 - 5.

VAR Check

41:24 on the clock Leon94 was believed to have committed a penalty area infringement by easing a ball back into his own area before it had fully cleared the area. A penalty was awarded with the proviso that a VAR check would be done post match to determine if the award was fair.

VAR is unable to conclusively show that the ball was outside of the area before Leon94 made contact.

VAR Verdict is that the on-field decision must stand.

Coach Hagenius converted the penalty to make the score Mufti 7 - 5 White Bibs

VAR notes that

On 16:44 from virtually the same position it would not have been possible to prove that the ball had left the area before a Mufti attacking player assisted it to Mash10 to score. If this had been called by the White Bibs the Mufti's goal would have had to be annulled.

On 32:58 at the other end VAR would not have been able to conclusively prove that a Mufti defender did not play the ball before it left his area. If this had been called by the White Bibs it would have resulted in a penalty being awarded to the White Bibs.

However, football is not a game of ifs and maybes. The White Bibs did not make their calls and the Mufti are recognised for the competitive spirit that made them call for the area infringement that they believed they saw. We will need that approach in competitions.

White Bibs' heads momentarily dropped and the Mufti cemented their dominance by moving 8 - 5 ahead.

VAR Check

52:32 on the clock VAR check to determine if IIVGeorgeVII won the ball through foul means in the build up to scoring.

White Bib player in opponent's blind spot. Both players focused on the aerial ball.

White Bib player reads pass to opponent. Both players focused on the aerial ball.

White Bib player takes control of space where ball will arrive

White Bib player takes control of ball

VAR notes that a ball was floated to the Mufti midfielder when he was in free space. The Mufti midfielder acted accordingly but received no call of 'man on'. He was beaten to the ball by VIIGeorgeVII who, from three to four yards away, read the move, closed him down and took over the space where the ball was going before the midfielder could receive and control the ball. Winning the ball while using ones body to take control of free space from an opponent is not automatically a foul.

VAR Verdict is that there was was not enough in the movement between two players going for the same ball to overturn any on-field decision to let the game play on. Goal stands.

Mufti 9 - 8 White Bibs

Possibly spurred on by righteous indignation, the Mufti hit back with three goals in four minutes to restore a four goal winning margin. This is important because the Mufti channelled their anger into positive football. Every team needs this mindset.

Mufti 12 - 8 White Bibs

The game would see an incredible ending, which at school in Nigeria we used to colloquially describe as the "baba nla" (big daddy) of endings. The game only stopped when Cecil from the Sports Centre came out to tell us it had reached 9:30pm. JonF, the club captain, called it and the game ended. With that announcement the year closed for Tottenham Wednesday with a cameo appearance by one of our favourite officials, Cecil, and TWFC players having played out one of the most competitive nail biting end to end thrillers of the year. No one was sure of the actual outcome, it was that close.

Leon94 top scored with ten goals seeing him achieve one of his best hauls in a single game. As such he is awarded the Match Ball. This cements him firmly in the all time top five most accomplished strikers in the club's video recorded history.

After the match, four players were put forward by their peers for Player of the Match, they were Eddie117, Ellislewis123, Elvis and Leon94. As it is the season of goodwill the award is shared between the four players.

Post Match Interviews

[Click here to listen to interviews with Jimmy9 for the Mufti and Elvis for the White Bibs...]

Final Score

Mufti 13 - 14 White Bibs

Match awarded to the White Bibs.

Let's do it all again next match at Tottenham Wednesday FC.

Have a joyful festive period and happy New Year celebrations dear readers.