THERE ARE SOME sports which are almost impossible to play in high winds. Tennis and golf are two obvious examples but Storm Barney wreaked havoc with one local football game last night.
Despite gusts of up to 70mph in Essex on Tuesday night, Thurrock FC and Romford braved the conditions to play out a 1-1 draw in the Isthmian League.
And the match will be remembered for one of the most remarkable own goals we’ve ever seen.
Like all good centre-backs, Romford’s Kamarl Duncan took control of the situation and after winning the ball back looked to clear the danger.
But his clearance didn’t reach its intended target. In fact, it ended up in the back of his own net.
The ball held up in the gael-force winds, swung back in mid-air and headed towards Rhys Madden’s goal. The goalkeeper was left flat footed, backpedaling furiously, but could only palm the ball into the net.
“At times it was a joke and Romford’s goal was something you can only describe after seeing – it was laughable,” Mark Stimson, the less than impressed Thurrock manager, said afterwards.
It reminded us of Felipe Contepomi’s penalty at the Sportsgrounds a couple of years ago:
