My career as chief football reporter for Menston JFC began 37 years ago with the now infamous 'Bloodbath at Silsden Moor' (3 combatants are still serving time at HMP Wakefield). It has essentially been downhill ever since; literally in the case of the match I reported at in Scarborough in 1993 when the cliff side pitch slipped into the North Sea midway through the second half. Despite my best efforts, during all those years I have been unable to include a reference to the greatest song in popular music, Jimmy Webb's Macarthur Park. I simply never thought I would get the opportunity. I never thought I would witness a game worthy of mentioning in the same breath as that lyrical gem; an encounter that could live alongside the magnum opus brought to life so majestically by Richard Harris, so thrillingly by Donna Summer.
I still haven't.
Prior to the game, my cakes had been ruined by some unexpected pre-match rain. I could only watch helplessly as the icing flowed down and will unfortunately never have that recipe again.
Today's match, between the recently crowned champions and a strong Clifford side, took place in the lush surroundings of Otley Grammar School. The fear was always going to be that the home team allowed standards to drop after clinching the title with a last-minute winner in their last match. Warning signs were evident in the opening minutes when Texel was required to make a stunning double save but Rangers grew into the game and after 10 minutes, the impressive Taylor set up Ainsworth who finished with some aplomb. But a malaise set in at around the 20-minute mark and Clifford took advantage of defensive frailties to level things before converting a penalty shortly afterward to take the lead. By now the visitors were creating chances at will and Menston were struggling to hold on.
The halftime whistle brought sweet relief and a chance for a reappraisal. With a flawless 100% record to maintain, Menston looked a different side in the second half. In the wake of Ainsworth poking home a goalmouth scramble to equalise, Clifford began to tire and Rangers turned on the style. Holliday-Gomes finished well to make it 3-2 before capping a great personal display by adding 2 more, both well-worked efforts that required no luck at all to find the back of the net. There were some magnificent individual performances, not least by Barker, a giant at left back who didn't put a foot wrong all day.
As the match closed out, the massed ranks of Menston supporters took to repurposing the words of Macarthur Park; 'after all the loves of my life, Menston Rangers will still be the one'.