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 CZECH  REPUBLIC  TOUR,  JUNE  2010

Where did the team go?  Well, they spent a day in Prague (Praha) seeing the sights and sampling the beers of the Czech capital.  Then they moved  east to play AFK Horni Jeleni on Saturday June 26th followed by a game against FK Jaroslav (only 2½ miles from Horni Jeleni) on Sunday 27th.
 
 The time in Prague was spent mainly in the bars and clubs, with a little break for sightseeing and even a little sleep thrown in here and there (when the clubs closed!).  The two nights in Prague seemed to pass very quickly, and it was soon time to catch a train to Horni Jeleni and play some football in the extremely hot weather.

AFK Horni Jeleni play in the Pardubický Region Division 1B (Group A) which (I believe) is at level 7 of the Czech football pyramid.  This is a good standard of football, and was going to be a difficult game for Robin Hood, not only after the exploits in Prague, but also because we haven't played since the English season finished 6 weeks ago, whilst the Czech season had only finished the previous week.
 
 For the first half hour, Robin Hood failed to cope with the combination of the heat, hang overs, lack of match practice and the different style of football played in the European leagues.  They went two-nil down, and it could have been more.  But slowly the team adjusted to the conditions and the European style, and the game evened out a bit.  In the second half, James Finlayson scored our first goal of the season, a good finish too, to give us some hope of salvaging something from the game.  Horni Jeleni grabbed a third goal, to seal their win which over the course of the game, they just deserved.  Under the circumstances, Hood put up a good performance, and I particularly noticed Kris Robertshaw having a fine game.  There was free food and beer after the game into the early hours...
              
Team photo at the start.       Robin Hood & Horni Jeleni.      Exchanging pennants.

              
Nick Humble man marking.     Their keeper denies us.    Hood on the counter attack.

              
The keeper punches clear.      Pressing for an equalizer.        Local entertainment!!!


FK Jaroslav play in the Pardubický District Division III Class (Holicko) which (again I believe) is at level 9.  This should hopefully be an easier game than yesterday's then...
 
 And with another very hot day, and another set of hang overs, the Robin Hood team travelled a few minutes down the road and took to the football field again.  Once again Hood didn't start too well and found themselves a goal down.  But Jaroslav were clearly inferior to Horni Jeleni, and Hood began to dominate the game.  We equalised when a spectacular overhead kick from Lee Jaques came back to Dale Pickering, who headed it in from close range, unmarked.  And after the break, the comeback was complete  when Lee Jaques slotted home the winner.  Jaroslav looked for an equaliser, but we defended them well, and goalkeeper Damien Gale had an excellent game.  A final score of 2-1 to the Hood.  Well done lads.

              
Robin Hood meet Jaroslav.    James Finlayson defending.       Free kick taken by
                                                                                                        Chris Boseley-Yemm.

              
Saved by their keeper.            Kris Robertshaw battling.            Just over the bar!