World Football: Hold Your Nerve and Calmly Slot The Ball Home!

Recovering from a long term injury can be very hard as I found out yesterday. Back on the green, participating in a local game.

It wasn't the best game I've ever played, I squandered a few opportunities which made me admire the so called "poachers."

In the first half, our left winger (Neill) made an incredible run down the flanks, the cross came in, I controlled it perfectly, a defender was lunging towards me, I sidestepped him, one on one with the goal-keeper.

The moment of truth, your heart beating faster than ever, trying to stay confident, I tried to outsmart the goalie, only to outsmart myself.

A finish which was meant to go in, deflects off the post and out!, **** you comes an immediate call from Neill.

Apologetically, I raise my hand, acknowledging his claim.

In the second half, put through again by Dan, I control the ball perfectly, I feel a defender charging towards me, someone sliding in from the back, under pressure, I try to power a shot into the bottom corner from some 20 yards out, as fate would have it, I scuffed the shot and ball ends near the corner flag.

I knew had it not been a pressure moment, at least seven times out of ten, I'd score from there but when it mattered most, I didn't.

Finally, with about nine minutes to go, I scored from just out side the box, a volley from a pin point cross by Trevor. A strike that Alan Shearer would have been proud of.

2-1 was the score as we took the lead, looking to seal the victory, I charged up field rather unnecessarily as I'm more of a central midfielder.

In the final minute of play, I get the ball, one on one with the goal keeper, another pressure moment, another much hated scenario, being tugged on the shoulder from behind, I nervously strike it, it deflects off the keeper and is cleared of the line.

The whistle blows and a forgettable performance is marked. In hindsight, I admire these "poachers," you'd think it's easy to score goals from the six yard box but in the pressure moment no one knows.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is a classic example, the lad hardly ever scores from outside the box, 90 % of his goals are scored from spot kicks and from within the six yard box but they say, anyone can do what he does.

When he was at United they said, Ronaldo and Giggs made his goals and he tapped them in, at Madrid they say Sneijder and Robinho make his goals but is it all that simple.

It's not, it takes heart even to tap the ball in, even when you are one on one with the keeper.

Van Nistelrooy ain't the only one, Kris Boyd anybody?