Barnsley, Jimmy, Brazil and Ryuichi!!....Verdy 4 -0 Giravanz 0

Back o` the net!! As everybody`s favourite recovering alcoholic Jimmy Greaves used to say "It`s a fanny old game Saint..." And he was right. After the dullest 45 minutes of the season so far, Verdy were to explode into action in lethal fashion in the second half with Ryuichi Hirashige claiming the first Verdy hat trick since the days of Hulk. Taira Inoue also chipped in with another and all this coming while Verdy were down to ten men. Verdy went into the break against Giravanz lucky not to be 1-0 down with ex Verdy man Leonardo cutting in from the right to feed the Giravanz striker who had all the time in the world to pick his spot; which he did just past the post. This was the only meaningful action of an absolutely dire first half. 3,126 unfortunate souls were there to see it and I congratulate them on their ability to stay awake for the duration.

Yuki Kobayashi was the man to receive his marching orders for two unfortunate incidents. Can`t complain really as both incidents were fair enough yellows but he was unlucky to receive both in one game. The first one was on 7 minutes for high feet in a challenge, both players had their feet up but Kobayashi got the card. The second half was only four minutes old and Kobayashi was back in the changing rooms rifling through peoples pockets and stealing their identity, credit cards and pocket change. The ball went through, Kobayashi blocked the runner and that was that. 

Saint, Big Frank and Greavsie. The cream of British sports broadcasting.

Verdy down to ten men then came to life much like FC Tokyo did a few games ago. Faced with an uphill task; the ten men battered the eleven to turn the "advantage" on it`s head. Our new best friend Taira Inoue (I`m getting sick of writing his name now) opened the scoring AGAIN after Kawakatsu had taken off one dwarf for another; Kikuoka coming on for Takagi.  Iio broke clear down the left and sent in a cross for Inoue who sent a weak header back across the keeper. At this point there were two defenders on the line plus the keeper. The first defender swung and missed the ball the completely, the second defender and keeper both thought the first one would clear it and subsequently could only get in each others way as the ball trickled over the line. A soft goal and a reminder why Giravanz were so terrible last season. 

Verdy were to add another 15 minutes later with a peach from Hirashige. Kikuoka sent the ball through with Hirashige rushing goalward; with two defenders around him he shot first time from outside the box beating the keeper just inside the post. As poor as the first goal was, this one was finishing of the highest quality. 2-0 and Giravanz were never going to come back from that point on. However Hirashige wasn`t finished, in the 90th minute he broke down the left, cut inside the box and drilled a shot across and past the poorly positioned keeper. Three goals were to become four in injury time again with Hirashige racing through the middle between two defenders and hitting his shot early from outside the box low and past the keeper. 4-0, three for Hirashige, another for Inoue and Oita up next. As the Barnsley faithful used to sing "It`s like watching Brazil!!" Onwards and Upwards The Boys Trot On!!