On a rainy, cold Wednesday afternoon, our lads in red welcomed the experienced, mature Thirds team from Hotchkiss. Due to the weather we decided to play 35 minute halves and start a bit early, too. Hotchkiss opened the scoring in the 16th minute off of a nice buildup and then a low shot that skidded on the wet grass and got by Ryan Egan, Taft’s goalkeeper. Our lads played well but couldn’t get a shot past the ‘kiss ‘keeper. I have been playing and/or coaching this game for almost fifty years and I firmly believe that goal scorers are born and not made. Surely refinement of the innate gift is needed but that extra-something resides in a few players who seem to just score goals. Unfortunately, our team does not number one of those scoring machines among us, alas. We’ll make do without, I assure you. Hotchkiss tallied another goal before half to make the score two-nil. I can’t really tell you how because my match notes got soaked in today’s heavy rain. The first half ended with the Bearcats ahead two-nil. Five minutes into the second half, Taft earned a free-kick from about 35 yards out dead center. I told our lads to charge the Hotchkiss goalkeeper as a rebound was likely due to field conditions. I immediately looked like a prophet as Kevin Lian sent in a low screamer that bounced off of the GK directly to a hard charging Will Henderson who tapped the ball into the net. Now we were getting somewhere! Unfortunately we keep losing the ball in the midfield due to dainty play and then suffering the outcome of a good counter. Thusly, Hotchkiss regained their two goal lead with about fifteen minutes to play. Then a glimmer of hope as Taft earned a PK to perhaps pull within a goal. Alas no as the shot hit the Hotchkiss keeper as did the shot off the rebound. That’s just our luck this year. We are one for five in PK’s. That’s not a good average. We had a couple more good chances but no goals. The referee blew his whistle three times and we had lost again three one. Our boys played hard and better but still not quite good enough to win. Max Keller played well at outside midfield today and the back line did their best, as always. Alex “Bang” Macdonald, Abdullah and Ayden were solid in the middle but still a little reserved and not completely in control of the center of the field. Aidan Chan again played well in the goal during the second half as did Ryan in the first. We’ll work hard the next two days in practice and then welcome our friends from Trinity Pawling here for a match on Saturday afternoon before Fall Long Weekend. See you then.