Chapi Last Match Salamanca Bashing

For reasons that remain unclear to El Davo, Chapi Vets last game of the season took place in a small village near Salamanca some two and a half hours drive away from home and not so far from Portugal. The journey there was uneventful except for Rafael 2 having to unload (in a petrol station toilet) some dodgy prawns he had the night before. Arthur's frequent requests for comfort breaks also slowed down the progress of the Chapi convoy. Finally, after spotting and roaring past the gleaming spires of fair Salamanca, we trundled down a winding road through flat featureless countryside until we reached our destination.

Picture above: Assembled Chapi Vets in deceptively confident mood before the match.

Despite the village of Galindo y Perahuy looking like a two-horse town with one horse on holiday, their vets team has a fearful reputation with rumours of some ex-pros among their ranks. In order to prevent a colour clash, Chapi considerately swopped their usual light-blue shirts for a slightly less blue strip. Fortunately, the opposition played in black and white. The stadium was only slightly full but was augmented by some rather bored looking cattle in a field opposite. So, after a swift warm up and further exercise swatting the myriad of flying insects, off we went.

Picture: Chapi old lags El Davo and Lewis 1.

Although unaccustomed to playing on real grass, Chapi raced into a two goal lead with strikes from Arthur and baby-faced Robert. However, it didn't last. G y P turned on the heat and smashed four goals past a helpless Joseph to reach the interval leading 4-2. As Chapi kicked off the second half down the slight slope, their fortunes also continued to take a downhill turn. G y P scored three further goals to finish worthy
winners by 7-2.

Picture: Charles and the Galino y Perahuy captain after the presentation of the ceremonial plaque.

After the match, the team decided that a fairer result would have been 5-2 so that's the way it will remain in our memories if not in reality. Our friendly hosts invited us for post-match beer and nibbles before we set off for Madrid around 10:15pm. Unfortunately, Lewis 1 took us back on a somewhat circuitous route which seemed at one point to put us closer to France than Madrid and which was at one point punctuated by Peter and George 1 relieving themselves over some unfortunate's garden fence. El Davo reached home at 1:15am and crashed out some seconds later.

Picture: Assembled Chapi players in the bar. Left background: Lewis 1, Arthur: Standing, Joseph, Luciano (El Negro): Sitting, George 1, George 2 and Rafael 2.

Reports of Chapi Vets matches will take a hiatus during the balmy (or rather roasting) remainder of July and August although El Davo will attempt to post regularly, detailing interesting details of Spanish rural life and associated nonsenses.

This week's profile is George 2. A cultured central defender, George is well-known for his pleasant manner on and off the field except when on the bench when he goes bonkers. George lives in central Madrid with his wife who will give birth to their first child in January. He works as a sweet salesman (in both senses) and along with Arthur (who sells tobacco) is proud to be contributing to the health of the nation.