The Miracle Midget is sent tumbling as he was a marked man after his hat-trick.

Titch: The Miracle Midget.

The Miracle Midget is sent tumbling as he was a marked man after his hat-trick.

The already bolstered missing list got even worse. Dave Smith was added to the list to those missing on Monday, and I expected this to be the first time we would present ten players.

However, resourcefulness and persuasion led to a total of twelve (including me) against the Times Inn. Stephen “Titch” Conlin’s last game for Sassco was back on the 5th September and he re-introduced himself to a crumbling squad with an emphatic hat-trick and performance.

A scramble in the Times Inn box. Anth Pearson leaps and grabs the winner.

Times Inn went 1-0 ahead after we had the better chances. The ex-Sassco trio of Mickey Donkin, Kevin and Paul McCluskey were more than pleased on taking the lead for their own team. After some dallying on the ball, Times Inn snatched it and their player hammered the ball into the roof of the net. But Sassco were soon back into it. A palmed save from McCluskey saw Titch easily nod the ball into the back of the net.

Mickey Pearson and Scott Smith. It's Titch! But this time Kev McCluskey doesn't flap and palms the chance away.

Second half saw Times Inn score from a poor offside decision from our back line. Instructions were clear that we go goal side, but Scott Smith, making his first return from injury, seemed to be in his own little world. Ironically, late on, he defended deep and Sassco looked comfortable. At this time, Sassco conceded and it was 2-1. Just when we thought it was going to be 2-2, Times Inn took a 3-1 lead, but Titch nodded another header in from a Scott Smith free-kick almost from kick off.

Finally, with around ten minutes remaining, the indomitable Titch rifled in a tight angle shot to make it 3-3. Another glorious chance was missed, but the resulting corner saw Anth Pearson’s face slap the ball into the back of the net.

A haphazard (some might say ‘shite’) performance from Sassco, but we cobbled together a team and managed to gain a result against a stronger Times Inn side than we faced on Wednesday a couple of weeks ago.

The good news is that the injuries seem to be clearing up and our ‘stand by’ players seem to be slotting in without any problems.