'Dodgy' Ref Gains Vets a Draw

Steve Way Memorial Trophy- Chiswick Albion 5 Chiswick Albion Vets 5

Chiswick Albion were pulled back from a 4-0 lead by a combination of a gritty Chiswick Albion Vets side and a referee on a mission.

After an even first 15 minutes the Albion took a deserved lead. Nicky Wozniak pulled the ball back for Adam White to convert. A second soon came when Liam White set up Adam White for his second. Then debutant Paul Edghill nodded home Anthony Wozniak’s cross for number three and the Vets looked in trouble.

Another on his Albion debut was Eric Kwayke who has played for all the major clubs in the area, and he was a constant threat for the Vets. For number three, Anthony Clarke burst through the Vets defence to pick out Dani Rouco who curled his shot into the bottom corner.

Any other team would have given up the ghost, but these Albion Vets have won all before them in the 70’, 80’s and 90’s. Lee Channell who should still be playing at a good level set up ‘Feltham Legend’ Phil Heggie and the comeback was on. This was helped by a dubious penalty given against Ben White who had been pulled to the ground by Mark Brown. Brown in his heyday caused havoc across Middlesex and he has lost none of his appetite for a battle, and conned the ref big time! Up stepped penalty maestro Colin Curtis to leave Albion’s new keeper Adam Hughes helpless. From a really poor taken corner by Liam White, Lee Channell ran the length of the pitch and still had the class to roll the ball to Phil Heggie who scored with ease. Heggie played 295 times for the Albion, but is best remembered (by me!!) for the own goal he scored in the 1991/92 Middlesex Premier Cup final against West Hendon ESC at Enfield.

The second half and the ref took comedy to a new level when he deemed Martin Salem’s perfect tackle on Roy Gadsby as a penalty. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry Colin Curtis who had made 309 appearances in a glorious Albion career put away the resulting spot kick. Eric Kwakye and Adam White (3 headers) should have killed off the Vets but stout defending and experience kept the Albion frustrated. What had looked like the winner at the time came from a painful own goal by impeccable Colin Curtis. Martin Francis who is about to undergo knee surgery and his son Luke came on for the final ten minutes (although nobody went off!!) for the Vets, and on one occasion Luke put in a great cross but nobody was on the end of it. Then Roy Gadsby scored to level with a fine finish to an entertaining game.

The game played in honour of the deceased Albion Legend Steve Way was a great advert to the Albion style that has been at the forefront for 35 years and still going strong. As usual Remi Hinchcliffe failed to show, which is par for the course for this mercurial defender.

Albion Team: Hughes A, Salem, White B, Soskic O, Wozniak N, (Wozniak A), Clarke, Rouco, Francis, White L (Edghill) Kwakye, White A (Flynn)

Albion Vets Team: Alex, Colin Curtis, Phil Heggie, Mickey Bennett, Little Mickey Bennett, Dave Bennett, George, Ray Curtis, Leo Morris, Martin Francis, Luke Francis, Mark Brown, Roy Gadsby, Lee Channel

Chiswick Albion scorers - Adam White (2), Paul Edghill, Danny Rouco, Colin Curtis (OG)

Vets scorers - Phil Heggie (2) Colin Curtis (2) Roy Gadsby

Man of the Match: Phil Heggie

Champagne Moment of the Match: Lee Channell’s lung bursting 70 yard run from Liam White’s diabolical corner.

Referee Paul Andrews (Hanworth Park)

Match Report: Mark White

September 11, 2008