Match reports - January 12, 2008
The second half of the season started with a good 3-2 win for the 1st XI at Walton, while the Ladies hammered bottom side Barnes 5-0. The 2nd XI enjoyed a hard 0-0 draw with Walton, while the 4th XI also drew, 2-2 at Reigate. But struggling sides the 3rd XI and Veterans both lost.
Walton & Weybridge 2 1st XI 3 The month of January is always an important month as teams can fall away or come up on the rails following a month of inactivity. For us the next six games will see if we have the character to force us back into contention. The current leaders UCL slipped up again before the break and with Wanderers and Bank of Boks to come early this half their season could similarly be decided. At the beginning of the season they caught both sides cold but one has the feeling that the previous results could be overturned.
On a fast and excellent pitch Walton and Weybridge were going to be a difficult side to beat having had a good first 11 games picking up dramatically from last season’s travails. The first few minutes saw us caught cold giving away an unnecessary short corner with W & W’S slick routine punishing us most emphatically to put us one down. We thought we were level five minutes later when Knapp swept home a quick free hit but Eds was deemed to have passed the ball with his foot – in our view it must have been a wooden and size 28 foot. Nevertheless by half time the lead had been gained, Paul marking his league debut with a tap in after Bruce’s reverse stick pass across the goal took the whole defence by surprise and Cookie using the space that was created ahead of him and using his pace to outstrip the defence and hitting a sublime shot into the top right hand corner – one of the best individual and team goals of the season. The move had started at the right back position and with three passes round the back and a sharp pass up field to find Cookiey we took the ball from one end to the other in a minute or so.
Having taken the lead we inexplicably tried to play a completely different game and lost our way somewhat having put together some wonderful hockey in a 15-minute spell in which we scored our two goals – something to take home and put right for next week.
The beginning of the second half saw us play another five minutes of good stuff but W & W were not going to lie down and came back at us strongly but against the run of play very unselfishly Cookiey set up Knapp by taking out the goalkeeper and slipping the ball across the goal for Knapp to have the easy task of popping the ball home.
Instead of wrapping the game up we missed a number of chances and allowed the oppo back in when a beautifully worked short enable the gap to return to one goal with seven minutes remaining. W & W certainly showed the benefit of having a well drilled short corner routine. The last few minutes were Walton’s as far as the first four were concerned with Nigel Smith making one good save and one top drawer save that enabled us to run out winners following a needless yellow card for chat that reduced Walton to 10 and took the steam out of their challenge.
Once again we had two umpires, Peter and the experienced converted player Ian Jolly umpiring us for the first time who worked well together and umpired very consistently. Another tight but must win game next week against Addiscombe to ensure we stay in the top section of the league.
Barnes 0 Ladies 5 Our first match back after Christmas was expected to be a struggle and we did take our time to find our stride. The pitch was half frozen and hard but playable. Our first goal came about halfway through the first half - a bit of a scramble in the circle and Vikki finished it nicely to put us 1-0 up. Katy, after one-hour’s sleep, was not having to do much at all in goal up the other end and Tux the centreback/forward was having a stormer with some great creative play bringing the ball forward and distributing it around. Muriel and Rosie as ever solid as a rock for us at the back. Nothing was really on for Barnes an before long Nikki had a scored a second goal after a taking the ball around the Barnes keeper and hammering it home. Supersub George came on up front and within minutes had an aerial shot on goal rebound off the cross bar! Her usual position being defence she was so busy admiring her shot we failed to capitalise on the rebound!! But a few minutes later George did manage to score her debut goal for OCs and all was forgiven! At half time the score was 3-0.
We came out hard in the second half determined to rack up some more goals. The forwards of Mez, Caz and Nina were doing their usual job of closing down the Barnes defence and creating scoring chances. The midfield of Sarah Hardiman, Nikki and Jax were again working hard and putting Barnes under pressure. We did concede several penalty corners which Rossie P and her defence defended solidly. Another goal came shortly from some great team play a cross into the D and Vikki fired her second goal past the Barnes GK who had no chance. It was all over for Barnes but we kept pushing winning a final penalty corner. Sarah Hardiman had the final hit of the game to smash the ball just over the Barnes keeper who had gone straight down on the floor, to convert our penalty corner into a fifth goal. The final whistle followed immediately and the OC ladies had started the second half of the season as we mean to go on! A good solid win. Well done ladies! Jackie Joyce
Walton & Weybridge 2 1st XI 3 The month of January is always an important month as teams can fall away or come up on the rails following a month of inactivity. For us the next six games will see if we have the character to force us back into contention. The current leaders UCL slipped up again before the break and with Wanderers and Bank of Boks to come early this half their season could similarly be decided. At the beginning of the season they caught both sides cold but one has the feeling that the previous results could be overturned.
On a fast and excellent pitch Walton and Weybridge were going to be a difficult side to beat having had a good first 11 games picking up dramatically from last season’s travails. The first few minutes saw us caught cold giving away an unnecessary short corner with W & W’S slick routine punishing us most emphatically to put us one down. We thought we were level five minutes later when Knapp swept home a quick free hit but Eds was deemed to have passed the ball with his foot – in our view it must have been a wooden and size 28 foot. Nevertheless by half time the lead had been gained, Paul marking his league debut with a tap in after Bruce’s reverse stick pass across the goal took the whole defence by surprise and Cookie using the space that was created ahead of him and using his pace to outstrip the defence and hitting a sublime shot into the top right hand corner – one of the best individual and team goals of the season. The move had started at the right back position and with three passes round the back and a sharp pass up field to find Cookiey we took the ball from one end to the other in a minute or so.
Having taken the lead we inexplicably tried to play a completely different game and lost our way somewhat having put together some wonderful hockey in a 15-minute spell in which we scored our two goals – something to take home and put right for next week.
The beginning of the second half saw us play another five minutes of good stuff but W & W were not going to lie down and came back at us strongly but against the run of play very unselfishly Cookiey set up Knapp by taking out the goalkeeper and slipping the ball across the goal for Knapp to have the easy task of popping the ball home.
Instead of wrapping the game up we missed a number of chances and allowed the oppo back in when a beautifully worked short enable the gap to return to one goal with seven minutes remaining. W & W certainly showed the benefit of having a well drilled short corner routine. The last few minutes were Walton’s as far as the first four were concerned with Nigel Smith making one good save and one top drawer save that enabled us to run out winners following a needless yellow card for chat that reduced Walton to 10 and took the steam out of their challenge.
Once again we had two umpires, Peter and the experienced converted player Ian Jolly umpiring us for the first time who worked well together and umpired very consistently. Another tight but must win game next week against Addiscombe to ensure we stay in the top section of the league.
Barnes 0 Ladies 5 Our first match back after Christmas was expected to be a struggle and we did take our time to find our stride. The pitch was half frozen and hard but playable. Our first goal came about halfway through the first half - a bit of a scramble in the circle and Vikki finished it nicely to put us 1-0 up. Katy, after one-hour’s sleep, was not having to do much at all in goal up the other end and Tux the centreback/forward was having a stormer with some great creative play bringing the ball forward and distributing it around. Muriel and Rosie as ever solid as a rock for us at the back. Nothing was really on for Barnes an before long Nikki had a scored a second goal after a taking the ball around the Barnes keeper and hammering it home. Supersub George came on up front and within minutes had an aerial shot on goal rebound off the cross bar! Her usual position being defence she was so busy admiring her shot we failed to capitalise on the rebound!! But a few minutes later George did manage to score her debut goal for OCs and all was forgiven! At half time the score was 3-0.
We came out hard in the second half determined to rack up some more goals. The forwards of Mez, Caz and Nina were doing their usual job of closing down the Barnes defence and creating scoring chances. The midfield of Sarah Hardiman, Nikki and Jax were again working hard and putting Barnes under pressure. We did concede several penalty corners which Rossie P and her defence defended solidly. Another goal came shortly from some great team play a cross into the D and Vikki fired her second goal past the Barnes GK who had no chance. It was all over for Barnes but we kept pushing winning a final penalty corner. Sarah Hardiman had the final hit of the game to smash the ball just over the Barnes keeper who had gone straight down on the floor, to convert our penalty corner into a fifth goal. The final whistle followed immediately and the OC ladies had started the second half of the season as we mean to go on! A good solid win. Well done ladies! Jackie Joyce
Labels: 1st XI, 2007-08, David Knapp, Eds Copleston, Ladies XI, Nigel Smith, Sarah Mann, Vikki Mottram
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