Caetano remembers how to score

Opinion

Fabiano Caetano scored twice for Wessex United on Thursday 27 August. It is the sort of sudden productivity that makes a manager look like a tactical genius for simply leaving a player on the pitch. He has spent much of the season looking like a bag of sand, but the brace suggests a sudden change in weather.

Wessex United managed a 2-2 draw with Jesmond AFC. It was a performance of varying quality. Caetano provided the quality. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the team find inventive new ways to invite pressure. They have a knack for making a lead feel like a temporary loan.

The goals were a relief. They were also, to be fair, a bit of a surprise. There is something deeply comforting about a player who has spent months doing nothing suddenly deciding to be useful. It allows the supporters to believe that the previous twenty matches were merely a misunderstood rehearsal.

The league table remains a crowded affair at the top. Marlborough United hold their lead, though Wellsford Athletic and Stepney FC are lurking. It is a high-stakes environment. Wessex United, meanwhile, are mostly concerned with whether Caetano remembers how to shoot when they play again.

There is very little time to reset. The luxury of a training session is replaced by the reality of the next matchday. One hopes the goals stay in the boots rather than returning to the dressing room. Typical really.