Brystal Palace 1 – 2 Geography XI

After so many weeks off the football pitch, Palace decided to get UBTV along for a pre-match warm-up round of Crossbar Challenge. Could the boys in red and white outperform Bristol 1^st XI who didn’t even come close?

Palace returned to action after a prolonged Winter break to face old rivals Geog Soc. 4-2 winners last time round, Palace were optimistic of a repeat performance and the game started well.

Player manager Deccio Di Gradi had failed to strengthen in the January Transfer Window, and with defensive stalwart Huxley Ogilvy inexplicably left out of the starting 11 Di Gradi slotted himself into a usually rock-steady Palace back four.

Further confusion was aroused when an Italian Auburn midfielder (the eventual match winner) turned up sporting a University of Bristol 1^st XI shirt which was quickly replaced with the Geog Soc colours.

Palace chief scout Harry Zundel instantly recognized the threat the player posed to Palace. “I’ve seen the lad play a few times for the big boys and he’s a class act.”

“He’s a complete package: the looks, the style, the hair, and he can open a tin of peaches with that left foot, class’.

The match started shakily with both sides battling for early control. However, the Geog Soc defence was breached by waves of Palace attacks eroding their back line.

Palace took the lead midway through the first half. Di Gradi, marking the keeper, was first to pounce on a well-placed Jake Rogers corner, volleying on the turn to bury home his first goal of the season.

However, before the half was over, Geog Soc were level through one of the finest individual goals the Clifton and Durdham Downs has ever seen.

In the second half, Palace dealt with everything Geog Soc threw at them, with the opposition failing to register more than a handful of shots on target, and wingbacks Talkington and Case dealing with everything that came their way.

Angered Deccio registering his complaint

Di Gradi went off due to a cosmetic injury and Palace were down to 10 men, an underdog status the side appears to thrive on.

If it were not for a freak morale-shattering goal, from Geog Soc’s star player, Palace would surely have won.

Against the run of play the talented maverick put his degree to good use. Calculating wind speed, he arched the ball into the gusts and past the hapless Robertson McLeod who had a quiet game between sticks.

Post-game phone calls were made by Palace’s irate manager, and head of intra-mural Katherine Pacey was sympathetic, offering her condolences and suggesting the match be rescinded, which would unfortunately lead to the cancellation of Di Gradi’s only goal this season.

After a tough moral debate it was decided the result would stand.

Squad:

Goalkeeper: Variable

Defence: Talki Talkington, Charles Case, Henry Wilson, Huxley Ogilvy.

Midfield: Jake Rogers, Dave Ratcliffe, Andy Quaile, Max Connolly.

Strikeforce: Declan Grady, Jamie Robertson-Macleod, Ollie Feather.

Many thanks to UBTV for their time and equipment.