Date
August 1, 2008
Participants
Report by Wayne Smith
Only two people showed for the Werder Weekly.
Wayne gets hot, then gets lucky, wins four straight.
Wayne 4:1 Steve (3:0)
Steve attacked for the first 5 to 7 minutes getting 3 shots, two off the woodwork and one wide. Wayne took a 1:0 lead with a pass through the middle of Steve’s defensive line off an attacker who was used to shoot the rolling ball into the corner of the goal. Wayne took a 2:0 lead with a shot that caromed off a defender and chipped into the far corner. Wayne added another goal before half-time to make it 3:0. Wayne kicked off in the second half, but Steve took the initiative almost immediately. Within 90 seconds of kick off Steve make it 1:3. It was a very nice typical Tucker goal…ball rolling hit into the corner of the goal. Steve had numerous more chances, but either his flick would come up short or the ball would roll away from him. Wayne added one late to make it 4:1.
Wayne 1:0 Steve (1:0)
This game had none of the intensity of the first game. The only game came when Wayne caromed a ball off of one of Steve’s defenders and went into the side netting. Wayne had been practicing carom shots off of figures ever since his Maryland trip where he got a tutorial of carom shots from Patrick Sheridan. Because of the number of times that Steve got figures in to block his shots he tried carom shots about 10 times on the night, scoring three. Steve put together some chances, but his figures weren’t sliding that well and twice his figures stopped inordinately short, costing him possession near Wayne’s shooting line.
Wayne 1:0 Steve (1:0)
The intensity picked up a little, but Steve’s alcohol intake didn’t help him any. This was, however, a close game, and a good bit of luck carried the game in Wayne’s favor. Wayne’s only goal came on a very weak shot from very close to the keeper. With no angle to chip or get around the goal keeper he tried to knock the ball off the ‘keeper to force a corner or throw-in. Sadly, Steve held his ‘keeper up in the air too high and Wayne muffed the shot and hit the ball slowly under the keeper and into the goal. Wayne’s goal “celebration” was “OH! NO!” Wayne’s luck continued as Steve pushed a ball though Wayne’s defensive line and shot the rolling ball on goal, but Wayne grabbed his ‘keeper and slapped the ball away all in one motion. Steve’s bad luck continued as he pushed a ball through Wayne’s defensive line only to have the ball take a bad roll (the only one of the night) and end up partially behind a defensive figure. Steve couldn’t rescue the play from the bad roll and Wayne ended up with a very lucky 1:0 win.
Wayne 1:0 Steve (1:0)
Wayne’s work on carom shots continued to pay off as Wayne got an early chance, but with not a good angle at goal. However, Steve flicked a defender to a position even with the ball about ¾” closer the middle of the pitch. Wayne saw he couldn’t get the ball on goal directly, but he could carom the ball off the defender at goal. As intended, he bounced the ball off the defender and into the goal. Steve managed some possession, but managed only occasional pressure. Wayne’s 1:0 win gave him a four game sweep.
Quotes:
Steve: “When I first came back from Maryland (winter 2007) I had improved to the point that I could push you. This time we both went to the tournament and you improved just as much as I did.”
Wayne: At half-time of the first game: “I hope I didn’t use up all my luck in the last 10 minutes.” “I’ve been getting 9 or 10 players back on defense every since the National and it shows. It hasn’t helped my offense any but that’s OK.”
Results
| Wayne Smith | 4 | v | 1 | Steve Tucker |
| Wayne Smith | 1 | v | 0 | Steve Tucker |
| Wayne Smith | 1 | v | 0 | Steve Tucker |
| Wayne Smith | 1 | v | 0 | Steve Tucker |