Team: Krisy, Dexy, Jean-y, Benny, Jamesy, Danny, Richy, Spencery, Hodgy, Ola-y, Nilsy.

Bench: Tommy, Diddy, Jacoby, Family Tommy.

A grim January Brussels afternoon saw RBB take on old rivals Portugal, with the good guys hoping to put the previous weekends penalty-ridden disappointment behind them against a team whose mid-table position belied their danger.

No complacency could be afforded.

After the usual tactical and motivational speeches – with an added emphasis on attempting to not give away further penalties – RBB kicked off. Lining up in a personnel throwback to the 2018 season, with Danny and Jamesy patrolling the wings and Hodgy, Richy and Spency in the middle.

The game started well, with RBB exploiting the space down the wings and pushing the Portuguese back. Nils had a half chance, several crosses were played into the box and token non-2018-season-veteran Ola making a nuisance of himself, harassing Portuguese defenders and combining well with his Scandy buddy Danny on the wing. One of these combinations led to an utterly pointless yellow card for the Portuguese centre back, who petulantly threw the ball off the pitch to prevent a throw-in being taken quickly.

Despite the good start, the Portuguese were the first on the scoreboard after a rather aimless pass from midfield took a big deflection, wrong footing the defence and allowing the Portuguese striker to lob Krisy. Slightly against the run of play, the goal took the wind out of the RRB sails somewhat and the Portuguese grew into the game, moving the ball from side to side without being overly threatening.

RBB continued to probe down the wings, and quickly benefited from a deflection of their own, as a cross field pass was deflected behind the defensc and Jamesy burst through to take it round the keeper and finish calmly with his left foot.

The rest of the half continued in the same fashion, with plenty of crosses entering the Portuguese box but handled by the defence without much danger.

At half-time, the message was a similar one: take a touch, find some composure and play a bit more constructively. Portugal had wised up to the touchline tactics by the end of the half so RBB would need to develop the play first before using the wings.

The second half saw a flurry of corners, throw ins and free-kicks testing the Portuguese defence, which dealt with most situations aside from an attempt from Jean that was unfortunately ruled offside. The game picked up some spice when Jamesy took the ball round the aforementioned - centre-back who cynically dragged him down just outside the box and promptly received a second yellow card.

The subs were thrown on in an attempt to exploit the man advantage, but unfortunately a pacey counterattack from the Portuguese led to a rather soft appeal for a penalty being given, to the shock/bewilderment/resignation of RBB. A cynic would perhaps suggest that the referee, in pursuit of a relaxed-post match beer in the Portuguese clubhouse, chose appeasement over correct application of the laws of football, but that surely wouldn’t happen in ABBSA.

The weakness of man’s character aside, RBB found themselves facing their 5th penalty in the last three games, and after it was converted, also facing only the second defeat to Portugal in recent memory. With 15 minutes still to play, RBB had plenty of time to find an equaliser, but despite a steady dose of pressure, were unable to create any genuine chances, aside from a last minute volley from Richy that the keeper did well to keep out of the top corner.

RBB now face a battle for the title. Time to step up.

Reporter & MOM: James ‘King of the Ping and the Wing’ Philpot.