A hard-earned victory .....

Like headless chickens

They ran around

An icy wintry windswept

Football field at Roils Head

Beckoned by

Saturday afternoon

Red Triangle League

Fixture list

No. 21 bus

Old Daimler CVG6

Had trundled tirelessly

Towards Mount Tabor

Where they all tramped off

A quick change

In rickety old wooden shack

They were kits on

Ready for kick-off

As Dmytro talked tactics

To slender-legged lads swaying

In blunt and cold as Wainstalls’ wit

Force nine gale

Dark

Brooding

Black as Pennine dry-stone walls

Storm clouds gathered

Whistle blown

Booted feet blasted into action

Booting lead-heavy

Laced leather football

Left and right

Backwards and forwards

This way and that

On the ground

And in the air

Where

Whipped up

In grip of gusting gale

It blew away like a party balloon

Then

The heavens opened

Hailstones size of golf-balls

Lashed and flayed

Still soft and smooth

Schoolboys’ skins

Whilst they played

Whistle blown

Game over

A hard-earned victory

But

Too cold and numb to care

Cold showers were skipped

In rickety old wooden shack

In favour of pies and chips

And cups of tea

Back at the clubhouse