After a heavy early morning downpour and having been trampled by hundreds of eager footballers already this morning, it's lucky there's any grass left on the Marshes to play on. The usual chaos ensues as a Recreativo advance party surveys pitches further away, "more grass!", "not so boggy in the middle" come the cries as the rest of us carry the kitbag and nets trying to keep up, hot footing from pitch to pitch. After picking up Abdul, the cockney Moroccan 
referee in Islington and having rushed like maniacs to make the kick off, we've now lost him and Chris is sent back the half mile walk to the dressing rooms to find him. Clapham have rung us to say they're changing pitchside (whichever pitch that is!). We've told them to look out for our yellow shirts with red shorts, as another team in those exact colours rush past us and into the distance. Various other players pass us, feet in plastic bags like casualties from Goose Green. Looking traumatised and confused, they desperately search for their team mates or make sense of the pitch number along the sidelines, now eroded away by muddied boots and rain. The latecomers arrive and Dario realises his brand new gold boots are both left-footed!When the game eventually kicks off, the football is good. Despite
the conditions, both teams enjoy a great game of football. Chris has been a revelation in goal and new boy Alex a brilliant addition to the team. The goals come from the Portuguese wonder kids today - Joao rising high to head in two and bend another in from a free kick. Dario strikes later on in boots a size too big for him and secures all three points for 'tivo. At the final whistle we wrestle with wet kit, nets, and bags and pile back into the cars for the drive back home - another great game, another fantastic result. Back home it's Chels-Arse on the box, beef lasagne and a bottle of rioja. How else could we possibly spend our sunday afternoons?Team : Chris Read, James Humphreys (Jimmie Gregory), John Megaughin (Dario Costa), Mario Pisano, Adam Bradbury, Marcus du Sautoy, Joao Spinola, Russell Smith, Alex Reading FC, Bilal Talib Ali, Nick Candy.