Ever been to a football match and came away thinking you’d seen nothing? Well, I did at Pluim Park on Saturday night!

It started as soon as I drove into a half empty car park. As I walked to the entry gate, I could hear the shouting of the Under 20 players on the pitch but there was nobody around! I got to the gate but there was nobody to greet me, ask to see my pass or take my entry money. I walked into the ground and hardly a soul was to be seen.

I looked over to the grandstand and about twenty five hardly souls were huddled in their winter jackets and beanies, but hardly any noise. Actually the night was very clear and quite pleasant for May at Pluim Park!

Gradually the first grade players emerged from their dressing rooms to warm up but no usual banter and calling to one another. I picked up a copy of the team sheet and walked to the canteen.

Ah, some action here! Grabbed a cup of coffee and a steak sandwich and strolled to the nearly empty grandstand to consume my evening meal and prepare for the first grade match. The Under 20’s finished and ten minutes later out strolled the teams followed by the referee officials. All seemed in no hurry to get started.

No ground announcer to let you know who was playing etc. You could pick up the single sheet programme and see the Central Coast player’s names but none for Northern Tigers!

I counted the “crowd” and stopped at fifty eight, and that included most of the Under 20 players and their families! Referee Young blew his whistle and away they went. Well I suppose they did!

There seemed to be as much action on the field as there was off the field. Eleven minutes and the referee flashed his yellow card at Coast’s Louis Bozanic. Don’t’ know what for but assumed that it was for his ten minutes running around the field and colliding with opposition players, as he had seemed to do nothing else.

Play moved up and down the field, got to the penalty area and was then played up to the other end. And so it went on, repetition after repetition. The only work the goalkeepers were getting was taking the odd goal kick now and then! The players all seemed fit, passed the ball quite well but there was no incentive in their play, no action, no aggro!

Exciting Moment No. 1!! 24th minute. Bozanic collected the ball ten metres into his own half, made a dazzling run into the Tiger’s penalty area, this time without running into opposition players, passed the ball to Mitchell Harper who shot…..into the side netting!

Exciting Moment No. 2!! 44th minute. Rhys Williams made a run down the right hand side, cut into the penalty area and shot at goal. The ball hit Coast’s goalkeeper Jonathan Fraser on the knees, bounced up onto the crossbar and back into the field of play, and was then booted out of play by a desperate Coast defender. Phew! We nearly had a goal!

Half time came and the crowd reduced by approximately half!

The second half improved slightly but still continued at the same pace and effort. A few more shots were made but both goalies handled things pretty easily and really neither was pressed into making a “save”. The referee blew his whistle for full time and as I started to pack up I counted the “crowd” left in the grandstand. All eleven of us!

Apparently the coaches had caught the “players bug” as neither ventured outside their dressing room for a long time after the final whistle and yours truly decided “enough was enough” and went through the now nearly empty car park to the warmth of his car! And home! On the way home I thought, “How do I write a report on nothing!” Well I’ll try!

OOPS!! Nearly forgot Exciting Moment No.3!! The large coffee I purchased from the newly renovated canteen was real hot coffee (not powdered junk) and the steak sandwich had the works! Yummy!! If you visit Pluim Park make sure you use the new canteen!

Under 20: Central Coast Lightning 0 - Northern Tigers 3