What only a lucky few know is that a game with similar passion, skills and desire occurred on Sunday at the field of dreams at Gundary Oval, when the guile and wizardry of Moruya Blue took on the youth, speed and technical ability of the Moruya Swans in another epic chapter of the Eurobodalla men’s all-age football competition.

Field number two was again heaving with expectant fans. 

The grounds were immaculate, the nets strung with a precision few clubs could aim for, and the atmosphere before the game was palpably tense. 

For some, the tension proved too much.

During the Moruya Blue’s typically disciplined pre-match warm-up, their first-choice goalkeeper inexplicably left the field, and the game.  

This left the Blues’ captain/coach, David Saines, little choice but to don the gloves for another match; a brave decision which surely had no bearing on the final score.

Swans’ captain Keane won the toss, however the euphoria this provided his team proved short-lived.  

Moruya Blue started brightly, delighting their many fans with several exhilarating passing displays, while the Swans appeared frequently frustrated with missed opportunities, and were occasionally startled by the Blues’ unorthodox game plan.

Injuries to many key players left several Blues players in un-familiar positions.  

It was a case of right man wrong position which gave the first half its real highlight.  

When the ball broke through the Blues’ back line in a fortuitous forward break from the Swans, it was a desperate three-way sprint between the Swan’s striker, Blues’ defender Dave Salter and keeper Saines.  

While the smart money would have been on the Swans to convert, the smart money has never been a concern to Salter.  

With the years peeling behind him, along with his beard, he pulled ahead of the opposition but with only a fraction of a second to consider his next action.

He became again the feared Cobargo striker of old, and unleashed a ferocious volley past the stunned Saines, and watched with satisfaction as the net billowed gloriously.  

An own goal is often met with dismay; it is a testament to the Blues that, once the laughter had died down, it was unanimously agreed Salter had scored a fine goal.  

Andre Gmur was a revelation on the right, generous both to the opposition with possession, and the referee with advice.   

Mark Ethel was again a force of nature in midfield, demanding the constant attention of the opposition defence, but tragically rarely the ball.   

With Darren Lynch and Matt Fraser pulling tactical strings like the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s string section, and the resolute partnership of Carl Whiffen and Phil Timms redoubtable in defence, it is an enduring mystery why the goals did not flow the Blues’ way. 

Certainly, Levi Cameron and Greg Downey contributed their usual 110 per cent with strong running in several directions, often simultaneously.  

The undeniable, if somewhat unpredictable, genius of Ligin Joy was thrilling to watch.  

It was Jeff Hodges, fresh from the bench who shone.

He latched on to a fluid attacking move mid-way through the second half, just outside the Swans’ box.

He brought the ball under control with a surprisingly gentle touch; he shimmied to the left, deaf to the screams of his team-mates and his knees.  

Then, just as some unbelievers thought he’d left it too late, he struck a thundering shot towards the goal.  

The keeper was hopelessly beaten and goal celebrations were already underway when the crossbar cruelly intervened. 

However, such adversity is something they have learned to cast off and laugh at this year and laugh they did – at least 10 times as the ball sailed past Saines’ despairing gloves, despite his heroics and histrionics.  

It was an enthralling encounter, with a score line which many observers considered flattering to the Swans, who won 11-nil.