Rewatching the Nabster scoring one of the greatest OG's ever at Wembley got me thinking of some of the own goals that Lifers must have scored at various levels over the years.
My own contribution would have to be over twenty five years ago in a Saturday league game, (before the back pass rule was changed), when playing at right back and receiving a pass back from midfield, I attempted to chip the ball back to our keeper, but over the head of the striker in between us.
In golfing terms I 'got a bit too much of it', and rather than a gentle sand wedge, I had instead hit a soaring eight iron that swirled over our keeper by a good ten feet, before arrowing into the top corner - to this day I can still feel the sense of terror as I realised what had happened.
Needless to say we lost 1-0, and I am still reminded of it to this day.
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Les Berry scored an goal against Fulham in 79/80 which all but confirmed our relegation to Div 3. He backheaded the ball over our keeper and into the net at the Covered End. Fulham went down with us that season.
I honestly can't recall scoring an own goal. There would have been shots that touched me as they went it, but not a genuine own goal that could directly be attributed to me. It was at primary school, but I did see Martin Offiah score an own goal from the kick off. Probably a result for him that he moved on to a school that played rugby.
I can't remember it well, as I was drunk, but Carlisle scored a good og, when we got promoted in 86. Outside of the box I think, would like to see that again.
Best own goal in my team’s favour was a bizarre series of ricochets just after a corner was taken which from memory went - our shot hit the post, hits defender on shins as the ball heads towards the centre of the goal, another defender hacks off the line, hits another defender whose head or shoulder sends the ball towards the goal post, the ball rolls along the goal line for the defender who hacked it off the line previously to smash with almighty venom against his keeper and into net. I think we won 1-0 or 2-1. I’ll check the slow motion action replay later to see if I’ve got my facts right.
I only ever scored one genuine own goal - I was at the back post as a low cross came in and it hit my shins and went in.
Typical jumpers / bags for goal posts
Corner came in (I was stood on the "post") - Lovely tap in from me as I went to try and clear with the wrong foot
Couple mins later and I kindly showed everyone an action replay as I did the exact same thing again
Probably my "best"; I tried to cut out a bouncing through ball by left-foot volleying off for a throw....but top-edged it over our keeper from a good 30 yards. It was the decisive goal in a 1-2 defeat.
My mate Mick Bird, who used to come with me to Charlton away games in the early 80s, scored a hat-trick of OGs in one game. The first being a header into an empty net BEFORE the opposition had touched the ball in the match!!! (straight from kick off). The second was a close range volley and the 3rd was a corner that hit him in the nuts after everyone missed it and it dribbled in. We lost 4-2.
He was manager of Parkside FC in West London. A cup game and the goalkeeper is Mick Stapleton. The opposition shoot over the bar and the ball goes over a wall into some allotments. Bob Andrews goes to get the ball and sits on top of the wall, while he rolls the ball back to Mick Stapleton (play is currently at the other end). Mick places the ball in the back of the net for safe keeping. The opposition mount an attack but the ball ends up safely in Mick's arms. He is about to drop-kick from the edge of his area but remembers the original ball is in the back of the net (you know what's going to happen here don't you?) So, Mick rolls the current ball gently into the back of the net and picks out the original ball to drop-kick. Bob Andrews is sat on top of the wall and watches this all happen, thinking "I hope the ref hasn't seen that"........but of course, the ref did see it (after it was kindly pointed out by a member of the opposition). Parkside lose 1-0 and are out of the cup.
Three own goals in the space of 7 minutes
Lost about 5-3. As skipper you can imagine I took a bit of stick in the bar afterwards and had to get several jugs in. The fact that I was the only defender near enough to get a clearance in cut no ice 😩.