Gerry Kendrick - Goalie extraordinaire

As a non-sporting person my contribution to Killerton sports was primarilty spectating. It always seemed that absolutely every one else in the house took part in all the sports.

During football matches Gerry Kendrick was prominent in his yellow jersey in the Killerton goal mouth and was always busy when the action move to this end of the pitch.

During the first foortball match I watched at Killerton I took up position just near the Killerton goal and added my voice to the supporting crowds.

It was a damp day, not actually raining, but it had been overnight. Consequently the "pitch" was slippery, and it was not long before the teams were virtually indistinguishable as they were all now wearing brown - a cross between mud and cow-pat brown.

To my inexperienced eye, the match progressed furiously through the first thirty minutes or so. Suddenly the play moved to the Killerton end with an attack on the Killerton goal. A shot at goal but a magnificent save by Gerry as he snatched the ball from the air as it rocketed towards the top corner of the goal. A burly attacker jostled Gerry hoping to loosen the ball from Gerry's grip but he was not to be separated. He slipped past the attackers and launched the ball into the opposing half.

As players followed the flow of play Gerry stepped back into the penalty area and suddenly held up both arms. I didn't hear what he said but the referee blew his whistle and Killerton players returned to the penalty area and dropped to theIr hands and knees like a sunday morning prayer session. I was totally confused by events and looked on mystified as 11 players grovelled in the mud/cow poo.

I found out that Gerry - also known as Lenny the lens! - was not able to wear glasses whilst playing football and hence would wear contact lenses instead.

Apparently the jostling had dislodged one of his lenses and the subsequent break in play was the whole team searching for the lost item.

After a very few minutes the lens was found, and after a quick lick-clean was re-inserted to the offending eye-socket and play restarted.

It turned out that this was an almost regular occurrence, indeed, the referee and the opposing team were normally warned that this might happen during the match and to treat it sympathetically.