Our local Powerleague has updated their pitches from the old style wire-wool-on-concrete style of Astroturf to a new rubber crumb variety. This means impact from running is greatly reduced (not to mention falling over!), and you don’t end up with major flesh wounds when you do fall on the surface.
It’s also incredibly energy-sapping compared to the old surface, and offers more grass-like resistance to the ball. The other factor is when it’s wet it behaves very differently to when dry – much like a proper grass surface. On the whole it’s a massive improvement, but it’s taken a few weeks to get used to how draining it is to play on, which I suppose means it will be better for longer term fitness!
Today’s game was interesting – we were 10-3 up and cruising before collapsing and letting the other side get back to 10-10. My personal highlight was a freekick that Phil feigned a shot, instead backheeling to me – albeit not quite where I was expecting it – so I ended up having to spanner it with the outside of the right foot which admittedly foxed the defence and saw the ball curl nicely and firmly into the net.
We won 14-10 in the end after remembering we did a lot better when we were playing simple passes and then moving – and I think it was probably deserved!
Alan Fisher 
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