All three of the Pionsat teams lost. And I can safely say that that has never happened in all the time I’ve been supporting them.. The 3rd XI lost last night and today the other two teams, playing at Paugnat, both went down.

Pionsat’s 2nd XI was unrecognisable – half of the usual 3rd XI were playing outfield, the veteran Philippe who retired on his 48th birthday 3 years ago turned out in goal, and how they managed to restrict the opposition to just a 1-0 victory was something I didn’t understand.

And had they had a striker up front (in the entire 90 minutes they managed just one shot on target) they might even have sneaked something.

The 1st XI were beaten 3-2 and at one stage with just 15 minutes to go they were down 3-0.

But the defence was unrecognisable – neither of the two usual central defenders were playing and only 1 of the regular full-backs and by the time the match was over both the central defenders had left the field with bad injuries, blood streaming down their faces from elbows into the face that the referee did not notice.

Paugnat’s team was made up of big, physical noisy players, the referee was taking his first or second match, and the Pionsat players are far too naive for this level of football.

I’m not going to comment on the refereeing because having done it myself I know how hard it is, but how the Pionsat captain expressing to the referee his disbelief over a decision, in civil tones, merited a yellow card, yet the Paugnat goalkeeper, bellowing at the top of his voice “YOU’RE A THIEF” to a linesman merited nothing at all is something that will always remain a total mystery to me.

So two football matches consecutively means that I haven’t done very much else today. Never mind – it is Sunday and my day of rest. Tomorrow I’m back at work.

But if you don’t hear from me tomorrow night, it will be cause I’ll be in the nick. I’ve been roped in to go Breaking and Entering tomorrow afternoon.

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