Jersey Festival Update: 10/4/09
THURSDAY EVENING SAW phone calls home and yet more swimming. With tiring bodies and minds, all the boys turned in early ready for the daily win-quest.
The staff caused an upset by winning a
picture quiz in the hotel, despite being hampered by the near blindness of the aging and tiring eyes of Messers
Moore and Duggins. Thankfully the
relative youth of Farquhar saved the day, beating off a late challenge from Stevie Wonder.
Ain't No Sunshine
All were up bright and early for the final game against Jersey. Beforehand, rain was
falling - setting a sombre mood as Farquhar showed immense powers of endurance and signed up to play in the staff match, grabbing a hat-trick and working his mojo all over the other team. Again, Stevie Wonder was the opposition.
With a large and boisterous crowd of locals with nothing better to do, the main event started brightly when Barking & Dagenham took an early lead through Ernest Okoh.
Louis Phillips played in goal in an eccentric tactical switch and pulled off a variety of saves in a heroic man of the match display.
Luke Gelston, captain for the day, added a second as Barking & Dagenham continued to impress.
Ball Of Confusion
Jersey pegged one back just before half time as Phillips misjudged the bounce of the ball and watched in horror as it settled neatly in the onion bag.
The second half saw Barking & Dagenham continue to press but Jersey threatened on the break roared on by an even larger crowd, as local residents investigated rumours of a certain braided Motown legend in attendance.
Alas, they equalized, leaving the home fans dancing in the street.
Despite the tracks of their tears, it was Barking & Dagenham's best performance of the Festival whilst neighbours Thurrock continued their
good run with a last-gasp win against Plymouth.
In the afternoon, heavy rain - and forgetting it was Good Friday - meant the
only place open on the island was Aqua-Splash for... wait for it... more swimming! So along with the rest
of the Metropole Hotel's clientele and the bored youth of Jersey, the team enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon
shooting down the flumes and bobbing in the wave machines.
Amazingly, all members of staff
stayed awake as the 189 members of the Hackney adult contingent used the
opportunity to catch up on some shut-eye in the dense humidity of poolside.
Get Ready
The evening gala dinner contains the closing presentation to all the teams and a chance for the Jersey boys to visit the hotel to see how the other half live. Speeches and awards all round. Can't wait!
Then comes the biggest challenge of the week - re-packing suitcases!
As Postman Pat and Jess announced their retirement, the residents of Greendale were a little concerned by their replacements...
