Messi, Matty Taylor, Lewis Hamilton and commentators gone wild

1) Why settle for just 50 hat-tricks, when you can score a 51st of this quality? Lionel Messi’s treble last Sunday against Real Betis was concluded by using his left foot as a pitching wedge. Mention must also be made of Luis Suárez’s assists for the second and the goal he scored. But could Messi’s left peg ever match the majesty of Matt Taylor, the former Luton Town, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United, Burnley, Northampton Town and latterly Swindon player, who announced his impending retirement last week, and scored some fantastic goals in his time, including this one? OK, but still.

2) Eintracht Braunschweig beat SV Meppen in the Bundesliga 3 last weekend, but only after this spectacular contrivance of misses. That surely makes them a contender for a future edition of Nick Murray Wills’s excellent series of animated Bundesliga commentaries. You’ll find loads more on his YouTube page.

3) Crusading newshound Lewis Hamilton asks astronauts if moon landings were fake.

4) Schalke manager Huub Stevens lets rips at the fourth official, feels bad about it then gives him a sweet and a gentle shove. Gentle shove you say, oh go on then, any excuse to dredge up this one.

5) A lesson for all football fans: it can be dangerous to sit on the fence.

6) Stewards have not been getting the best of press recently, but this one at Vicarage Road showed awareness, dexterity and single mindedness to cut off Javi Gracia in full swing.

Our favourites from below the line last week

1) The 50 best points of the ATP Tour in 2018. And the WTA’s best points from 2018.

2) More Turkey v England memories: Rustu Recber charging from his goal to take out Kieron Dyer in 2003.

3) Wild horses: a scary incident at Southwell racecourse in 1997.

Spotters’ badges: bobeto, GrahamClayton, whobroughtoranges, madrassi

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