Steve E 7 - 0 Grant N
Garry C 3 - 2 Steve E
It seems that a fair few people have been a trifle blinkered in this thread! So may I present to you all the tournament which I managed to win at Gaz's!
What a f*ckig tournament this was too...sure you can have your epic encounters, your close games and sure you can play each other twice to give each other a second chance and sure we only played three games and sure- oh f*ck it. I won 2 games and got 1st place on goal difference...onto the next tournament!After the main event that was the first tournament the powers that be rigged it all so they could manipulate events to further enhance the stock of JonG and fast track him onto a plane to Germany to be crowned King of the World and once there he will rule Dusseldorf! Hang on...this aint the conspiracy forum is it?
It's just over a week since KOBRA XVIII took place and I'm still buzzing from the high of it all. Without doubt this was the funnest of them all so far and really energised my passion for the game. (so much so I played Si in a 20minute each half game the
Graham S 2 - 7 Steve E
Garry C 2 - 5 Steve E
Simon K 2 - 5 Steve E
Steve E 4 - 4 Jon G
Steve E 6 - 1 Grant N
following Sunday!)
After my exploits in the earlier tourney I felt even more relaxed for the main event and carried on my rich vein of scoring. Having not played in months, I duly took advantage of Graham's rustyness and despite trying to oil himself with a lager before the tourney I carried on the goals from before and was in seventh heaven once more.
At this stage i was thinking that perhaps I could go the whole tournament scoring 7 goals?? My next games against Si and Gaz would prove to be very testing affairs and it's bizarre how they both brought about the same scoreline. Gaz was very unlucky not to get a draw but in the last minute I just suddenly hit a rich vein of scoring and against Si? I was lucky to win ffs! For most of the game Si was in the ascendancy but my keeper was having a stormer and in the second half Si was completely strangling my midfield but once the storm was weathered I capitalised on some atrocious keeping and a final score of 5-2 was distinctly flattering!
For my penultimate game of the round it was the UK Champ himself and this would have an extra special flavour in KOBRA's dungeon! Thankfully Tarantino and Bruce Willis didnt turn up but after losing a 3 goal lead I felt like a gimp. Jon then upped the ante and got the lead but a very attack minded game with plenty of chances for both players would end up a very worthy draw.
Despite having a long way to travel and with extreme sleep deprevation, Grant was a real trooper to travel the distance and take part. Hopefully a new breed of players of which Grant is part of will show the same tenacity and passion for the game and signal a new golden age of KO2 tournaments. I was still on my guard though having our UK Champs game etched into my mind where he wouldnt back down and it made for a very entertaining tussle but in this one I managed to get a good cushion of goals to make the score safe.
Steve E 3 - 2 Graham S
Graham said at the end of this one that I only got 3 cause I kept talking but anyone who's played me in a JFF will know...thats when it's flowing (both verbally and in-game!
). The game was locked at 2-1 for a very long time and Graham proved deadly with his lobs again. 3-1 and I managed to get a cushion to see out the last minute but when he got a goal back it made for a very tense last few seconds but I hung on for the win.Steve E 5 - 5 Garry C
I was feeling great before the tournament but meeting up and playing Kick Off with a great bunch of people? I was high on good times thats for sure but when you'r laughing at any inconsequental moment it's very hard to keep in the hysterics when you score a godawful goal..but when Gaz was so incredulious and did a replay I just couldnt hold it in! Gaz tried to slide three players out the way to get control of the right player and having evaded these to first of all not get a free kick and then a penalty, I was hardly in my seat and sorta pushed fire with my eyes closed, relieved I still had the ball - that ball then zoomed straight in the way of the keeper and narrowly went through his side into the net. It was an up and down affair reminiscent of our JFF's and I knew that Gaz wasnt going to let me run away with it two games in a row and this is when he delivered a fatal blow and went 5-4 up. People started to crowd round and less than a minute was on the clock but I just...just snuck in there at the end. It was a cruel blow to a game that Gaz deserved to win.
Steve E 3 - 3 Simon K
With a look at the table we both knew that this was the top of the table clash. JonG had seemingly played well but he was out of it (or so we thought) and having battled many times, on this occasion it was for a KOBRA. The goals sure wernt flowing and we were both very edgy - and I had every reason to be...Si was on a fantastic run having transferred his JFF form to a tournament - all the more remarkable given he was late getting there and only had a few minutes practising against Graham plus I still had his thrashing of me on my mind from the UK Champs.
Si was winning 2-1 and the next goal was critical. Like the last game the fixture was fairly even but this time Si got the goals and he made it 3-1 by hitting me on the counter. We have this saying of a '3 goal challenge' or '4 goal challenge' in JFF's when one of us seemingly has an unassailable lead - of which the guy losing will then make a fantastic comeback and I had to summon this mind frame to even scored a 2nd. I switched between 4-2-4 and 5-3-2 and with the minutes etching away I did get that second goal. With regards to the time left I had to just block it off my mind to be honest. I just felt like I had one more chance in me and I knew that I needed to keep my composure. With the score in injury time that chance game and I snatched a 3-3 draw.
Jon G 7 - 6 Steve E
After our earlier game I was very much looking forward to playing Jon again and the goals were flowing. At half time I was winning 5-2 but then when I got my 6th goal of the game my mind began to wander. Beating the UK Champ 6-2 just made me feel invincible and the game never seemed so much fun but then Jon got one...."maybe I can score another" then a second "can I have the ball please?" and another... "oh f*ck". 6-5 and Jon was on a roll. When Champions like him get in their stride you can't knock em off and despite having some good chances myself he made it 6-6 but he wasnt finished there and got his well deserved seventh. From a game which had me seemingly passing the ball with panache ended with me simply playing pants.
Grant N 2 - 7 Steve E
Jon had come from nowhere and was now on course to win it! I couldnt believe it to be honest but I still had a glimmer of hope but the only way was by goal difference so I saught to do well in my game with Grant but he rose to the occasion and although the game finished 2-7, Grant had plenty of shots at goal and was unlucky not to score more.
A huge well done to JonG for never knowing he's beaten and to SimonK for running him so close. I really felt Si broke off a few shackles in this one and came to the fore as a top Kick Off 2 player. He has a fantastic defence and never was that more evident in his games tonight.
Great to meet up with Graham and Grant again who attended despite the distances involved. Jon himself was on the motorway all afternoon travelling from Stoke and still turned on the style when it mattered. I thought my time had come and I'd finally get a victory in the bag against you but you really turned on the style in our last game - superb performance mate.
Finally to Gaz for not only hosting once again but striving to make it a success and what turned out to be a wonderful tournament despite my disappointments in not winning - when the excitement and drama is that good who cares eh?
Having hosted the last 2 UK Champs and a 3rd one on the way you'd have thought the enthusiasm would be starting to wane but this one was the best one yet and with it comes a tidal wave of optimism and excitement for future tournaments.
