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Hachioji Park, Sat 28th April. On a beautiful spring morning at Hachioji Sala FC finally accomplished two things that had been a long time coming – beating Hibs and advancing to the final of the Cup. Hibs have been somewhat of a bogey team for Sala over the past few seasons, the main reason being their inability to find a way past the intimidating figure of Hitoshi in goals. At the station he looks much like any other bloke but upon donning the orange jersey and stepping across the white line he suddenly becomes an 8 foot tall colossus capable of denying the best strikers in Japan, all of whom happen to play for Sala.
So with the game deadlocked at 1-1 and the clock winding down Sala weren’t relishing the prospect of going to penalties especially given the circumstances in which they exited the cup in last years semi final. But with a minute left on the clock a quick pass from TML teenager of the year Peter Duggan was flicked on by Toby Long putting Dhugal Bedingfield through in acres of space. Time stood still as everyone waited for an off side flag and a whistle that never came. Hitoshi charged out to dive at the feet of the onrushing striker and smother the ball as he’d done so many times before but after carefully considering his options Bedingfield managed to somehow chip the ball over him and into the empty net.
It was no more than Sala deserved after controlling most of the match. The all Japanese center midfield combination of Yusuke Watanabe and Shigeru Chino won plenty of possession all game, the latter having improved immensely over the last few weeks since big Clarkey’s appointment as official interpreter.
 Sala took the lead midway through the first half from a set piece. Canadian superhero Dan Bard managed to head the ball to Kaiser McGeisler, whose trademark sidefoot shot was well saved by Hitoshi. The rebound though, fell to Tobias Long who lashed the ball into the net. But, the lead was held for only a few minutes when Hibs were controversially awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Robert Scott stepped up to take the kick and even though Andy Cross took extreme care setting up the wall, the left foot shot curled just inside the far post. Cross claimed that his vision was obscured by a player who appeared from nowhere and grainy footage taken by Sid Lloyd from the sideline shows a shadowy figure looking not unlike AWOL Hibs midfielder Bevan Colless stepping in front of the keeper’s path as the kick was taken but the theory may never be proven.
 Sala had a few opportunities to retake the lead before half time including an attempt by Stephen Brooke-Smith which went just narrowly wide before dashing back to his own box in five seconds flat to clear the ball off his own line. Toby Long could have scored a second but shot over the bar and Bard’s header into the box failed to be turned in by anyone. Bedingfield had the best opportunity when he found himself one on one with Hitoshi but the keeper got down well to save. The rebound looped up in the air and was about to be caught by Hitoshi before his head met Bedingfield’s knee in a sickening clash. The keeper got to his feet again while the striker left the pitch to seek medical attention for his bruised knee.
 Sala had most of the possession in the second half, streaming forward in numbers. Wingers Brookie and Lenny Tui saw a lot of the ball in wide positions, linking up well with Shigeru in the middle. Shige’s shot from 25 yards seemed destined for the top corner only for Hitoshi to pull off another stunning save. At the other end, the captain Geisler was putting in one of his best performances of the season in the heart of the defense. His only error of the match came when his attempted clearance was blocked by a Hibs striker but the loose ball trickled safely back to Andy Cross in goal.
Despite having most of the play Sala couldn’t find the breakthrough. Brookie’s definitely-not-a-dive failed to win a penalty and Toby’s header sailed just wide from a corner, but Hibs also threatened to score on the counterattack. Tomo Kunii produced a fine save from Andy Cross and, not long after, in a very nervous moment for Sala, the ball ricocheted off Kuni Katase’s knee and over the cross bar from inside the six yard box.
 The goal finally came a couple of minutes from time and the sixteen Sala players in attendance breathed a collective sigh of relief. The last couple of minutes of the match weren’t exactly a textbook example of how to defend a one goal advantage but the 10 white shirts in the box managed to keep the ball out of the goal just long enough for the final whistle to blow. And so, after another heroic performance, Hitoshi headed home with nothing more than a bump on the head to show for it (sorry about that mate). The Sala celebrations commenced as the boys retired to Yonohonmachi’s premiere gyouza restaurant to test the hypothesis that beer really does taste better when you win. Guests of honour were Giles’ mum and dad who’d apparently come to watch their young lad play for the first time.
The cup final featuring this year’s unlikely participants Wall Street Geckoes and Sala FC is yet to be scheduled but Sid assures everyone it will be played some time before Christmas. Be there.
Report by Dhugal Beddingfield
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