End to end stuff

Here we are once again. The time has come. After the contentious appointment of a foreign coach, months and months of planning, endless speculation about the line-up and a couple of disappointing pre-tournament results, it is finally time to see if the team can live up to the hype.
This is the Big One.... Martin's All-Stars V The DSA.

The omens were good. In Gairloch, the previous day, Alasdair had kept it tight to pass his test and record an expected 1 - 0 win. So I approached Wednesday's big match with confidence, but keen to ensure my team took it one game at a time and gave 110%.

The Ullapool Stadium was only half-full as the kick-off approached, but the warm weather was sure to boost the numbers as the day went on.
8.40am: An early kick-off and, straight away, I had perhaps my star performer (earning her first cap) terrorising the examiner with her textbook displays of awareness, timing and accuracy. A lumbering bin-lorry tried to block her, but she showed great awareness in checking her mirrors, indicating and accelerating out wide. She left the bin-lorry for dead but fluffed the opportunity by indicating to move back inside, thus causing confusion.
Martin's All-Stars 0 - 1 The DSA. The crowd were stunned. If this pupil couldn't raise her game under pressure, what would happen to the rest of the team.
9.37am: A very nervous Chris was sent out to earn his second cap. He was very clumsy in the warm up and it seemed likely that the DSA would add to their lead. But, as time went on, his confidence grew and he finished strongly to equalise. Back of the net!
Martin's All-Stars 1 - 1 The DSA. The crowd were going wild. Game on!
10.44am: Laura was sent on for her debut. She fully deserved her chance, although there were some small doubts about her big-match temperament. I need not have worried. She kept her cool to register an almost faultless performance....
Martin's All-Stars 2 - 1 The DSA. We just needed to keep it tight, keep our concentration and victory would be assured.
11.41am: My next pupil was making her long-overdue debut. She had been picked for the December fixture but was denied that opportunity by the snow. She seemed calm enough, but an unusual lack of awareness when tracking backwards sealed her fate.
Martin's All-Stars 2 - 2 The DSA. Could this be the turning point?
1.03pm: Another pupil making her debut. She put in a great performance and it looked as though the game had swung back in our favour, but she went too early (approaching a higher speed limit) and the examiner blew his whistle. She was sick as a parrot.
Martin's All-Stars 2 - 3 The DSA. Oh, no.... memories of England v West Germany 1970.

HALF-TIME.
2.00pm: The second half kicked off and it was time for another debut. This time it was Catherine. With her husband wearing the three lions, she had plenty of support and put in a calm, solid performance to level at..
Martin's All Stars 3 - 3 The DSA. Had the momentum swung back in our favour?
2.57pm: Karen had been recalled after a desperately unlucky debut last month. There were to be no mistakes this time as she totally nullified the examiner (with only 2 faults) to claim a lead.
Martin's All-Stars 4 - 3 The DSA. With the clock ticking, it was a great time to re-take the lead.
3.47pm: Becky was sent on. This was her second cap after a brave, but slightly shaky debut in Inverness. Nothing shaky about this performance though and she was over the moon to learn that she had passed.
Martin's All-Stars 5 - 3 The DSA. Finally some daylight between the two teams and surely time had run out for the DSA?

INJURY-TIME (+10 minutes)
4.50pm: Jamie was eager to come on for his second appearance. A calm, secure and measured performer, there were high hopes that he could seal a 6 - 3 victory. But there was to be a sickening last-minute twist... he had an old-style provisional licence but had forgotten to bring his passport. Oh my word! An own-goal! He had other forms of photo ID, but nothing that was acceptable to the examiner. The examiner very kindly allowed 10 minutes of added-time (Jamie's girlfriend was rushing to the stadium with his passport), but there was no way that she would be able to get to Ullapool from Achiltibuie in time.

The examiner brought the whistle to his lips and brought the match to an end.

FINAL SCORE: Martin's All-Stars 5 - 3 The DSA  (Own goals don't count!)