| Subject: Zeds finally lay Eagles Ghost to rest |
Author:
Fairplay
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Date Posted: 02:04:31 07/19/02 Fri
In 1999 the Eagles and the Zeds had their only previous meeting in the K/O Shield, coincidentally also at the Semi-Final Stage. In that best of 9 match the Eagles raced into a 4 - 0 lead, before the Zeds clawed their way back. Controvertially with the scoreline at 4 - 3 to the Eagles, at approx 10.30pm, CaptZed refused to allow 8th frame to be postponed until after the 9th, as Eagles 8th man had not arrived. The Good Capt argued that he had set his team out in a particular order, and had placed himself last for tactical reasons. To reverse the last two frames, for whatever reason would negate his tactics. Capt Zed also argued that by claiming that frame which he was entitled to do according to the rules, he wasn't winning the match, but was merely equalizing the scoreline 4-4, thus still leaving all to play for in the deciding 9th frame. As it turned out CaptZed won the deciding frame, but the Eagles sense of injustice wasn't helped by their 8th player finally arriving halfway through the frame. The Eagles, although obviously very annoyed, did not pursue their case after the event, but they did leave immediately without the customery handshakes and congratulations, but accompanied with dark mutterings and even darker looks.
In the intervening years CaptZed's popularity in Eagle circle's (never particularly high to start with) fell to a level on a par with Typhoid Mary, Lord Haw Haw and Nasty Nick. Eagle fans would never accept that the Zeds victory was if not quite cheating, was at the very least unsporting and certainly tainted.
Since that last K/O match Zeds and Eagles have met 10 times in league matches, Zeds have only won once, drawn twice and lost 7. Although 6 of the 7 Eagle wins have been 5-3, their last one prior to the K/O was their only 6 - 2 drubbing of Zeds.
And so we come to the latest chapter, K/O semi-final again, mainly the same protaganists on both sides. Eagles intent on proving a point, and fully confident of doing so. But yet again the resolve of the minor Zeds was to be their undoing. At 4 - 1 down it appeared again to be a formality for the Eagles, but lightening can strike twice (bad news for Mark Hewitson) and yet again the Zeds came back from the brink to snatch it on the last frame. The only difference between the games was the lack of controvertial incidents and the sporting manner in which the Eagles accepted their defeat. A tense game, but played in a friendly atmoshere with good-natured banter throughout.
At the end of the day, when it mattered, the Zeds came out on top and finally laid to rest the Ghost of their previous 'undeserved' win. And this time no arguements, no complaints, no talk of assasination plots.
One last sobering thought, before Zedfans get too carried away. After that other Semi win the Zeds went on to lose the final to, what in all honesty was vastly inferior opposition. And further more last season the Zeds were beaten in their first K/O match by THE LARKS, the team we face in the final this year. More Unfinished Business......
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