Match reports - March 7, 2009
A rousing season-best 14-1 win for the 1st XI improved our goal difference but its was against an eight-man HAC side (who went down to seven when one was carted to hospital before half time). The result of the day was the 2nd XI's 4-2 win at leaders Old Whits, a result that puts the title within our grasp with games in hand. The Ladies relegation worries deepened with a 2-3 loss at Old Georgians, a result which leaves us five points adrift. The 3rd XI now need to win all their remaining four matches to have even a remote chance of avoiding the drop after a 1-2 reverse at home to Addiscombe, but the 4th XI climbed to fifth with a 2-1 win at NPL
Click here for this week's photos
1st XI 14-1 HAC
Not quite the game we anticipated as a very depleted HAC team pitched up at TD with only eight and then losing Tim to a facial injury after 15 minutes with the score 2-0. We all hope the injury is not serious.
Our plan was to play incisive one-touch and expansive hockey which we did for 60 minutes but inexplicably failed to do so for the last 10 with the score at 14-1. We started to assist HAC by taking goal-bound shots off the line and failing to provide the simple tap in for team mates by trying to go it alone. How important could those extra two or three goals be on the 5th April?
The goals we scored were in the main tap-ins, save three short corners and two from the top of the D. We welcomed back Ed Breton until he was scythed down and James Wood back from his cricket tour. The hugely important Jonny Hunter chose to spurn a family wedding to play what turned out to be a significant role in the middle of the pitch.
Our goals were scored by Knappy (5), Rex Bermon (4), Nick Wood (2) and one each from Eds, James Wood and Wobble. At 3-0 we inexplicably allowed HAC to score with their only open play chance and late on some sloppy defending saw us concede a short corner.
Meanwhile down the M3 Wanderers were putting 11 past Camberley with their also conceding one so although we did not dent Wanderers goal difference by as many as we thought we may, we did reel in three.
Our best wishes go to Tim and let us hope that HAC do not roll over as easily next week against Wanderers as they did against us today. David Knapp
Old Whitgiftians v 2nd XI
Old Whits away was always going to be an interesting game. Would our stingy defence (comfortably the best in the league with just 14 goals conceded before this game, against their 32 conceded) trump their more poignant attack (they had scored 70 vs our 29)?
The start for us was less than ideal - a mix up by the skipper meant that everyone turned up at the wrong venue and this was further compounded when he ( and his brother) got caught up in the tailback of an accident on the way. This could have resulted in a slow start (much like when we had conceded 3 goals in 15 minutes in the home leg) but we started strongly and the game saw a fairly even start played at a high tempo.
Will Stevens had been moved up into centre halves and this was crucial in the early exchanges - he gave us a release through the middle from 16s which we had lacked in previous games. We looked very composed in defence and dangerous on the break and we took the lead from a good finish just 15 minutes in.
Unfortunately we then conceded the first of many short corners just seconds later and the strike went through Robbo - a carbon copy of last week's goal. Instead of panicking we grew stronger, aided by some fairly poor tackling by them. We regained the lead before half time with a powerful, low flick into the bottom corner of a short. Just before half time we had to defend a short which then struck a defenders foot. Not spotted by the umpire the skipper immediately corrected the umpire as the half time whistle went. Thankfully a good save by Robbo left us ahead.
2-1 at half time and all to play for in the second half. We came under some heavy pressure at the beginning of the first half, with them forcing a lot of short corners aided by, at times, some indifferent umpiring. Robbo made amends for his earlier mistake with some outstanding saves of the corners and in open play and it was stopped by the post men half a dozen times too!
Despite this we still looked dangerous in attack and we scored again mid way through the second half. This only galvanised them into attacking us relentlessly and we were under real strain when Duncan was yellow carded for a series of poor tackles. His first offence but a reflection of some poor tackling by both sides earlier in the game. We weathered that period well, but then just after conceded from a short when Tom Merry, in an act of self preservation, dragged a shot just missing the left post into his own goal - a cracking finish!
The game had got more and more feisty but for a change it was them loosing their cool more than us - and this certainly helped us. A sweet strike by Will of a well constructed short gave us the two goal breathing space to see out the game.
An excellent effort by the whole team, played with superb determination throughout and no little skill. If we play like that for the rest of the season there is a good chance we will win our remaining 5 games, and in so doing claim the league.
Finally a big thank you to Nick Lewis for umpiring, after a plate glass window has robbed him of playing - he did a great job. Rob Merry
3rd XI v Addiscombe
Report to follow
NPL 1-2 4th XI
It wasn’t pretty, but a brilliant defensive performance and some incisive attacking play gave us a 2-1 away victory against NPL 3s.
NPL started the game brightly, gained a lot of possession and penned us into our own half for much of the first 15 minutes. Despite all their possession though, NPL never really looked dangerous and simply could not get near the goal with Rob Crumby, Grant, James Bishop and Steve Harmer denying every attempt to get in a dangerous position.
With the game appearing dead-locked in a strange stalemate that was playing out between the half way line and our sixteen, NPL ran out of steam and we came alive as an attacking side. Adam Justice threatened on several occasions before a fast break down the left wing led to him finding space in the area to drill home the opener (0-1). Half time.
We had the better of the opening exchanges of the second half and continued to break quickly as we had towards the end of the first half. Oxo, Rob Jonker and James Bishop did well to move the ball wide and feed Adam, who scored his second of the game after a goal-mouth scramble (0-2).
NPL scored a controversial goal late in the game, scraping the ball home while their forward pinned Nige Smith helplessly to the floor (1-2). Nige let most of Teddington know what he thought about the goal, and he was rightfully aggrieved after a flawless performance which deserved another clean sheet.
There were chances to extend our lead and, but for some nervous moments late on, we looked worthy winners in the end. This was a hugely important result against a team who sit one position below us in the league. Dom Tucker
Old Georgians v Ladies
Report to follow
Click here for this week's photos
1st XI 14-1 HAC
Not quite the game we anticipated as a very depleted HAC team pitched up at TD with only eight and then losing Tim to a facial injury after 15 minutes with the score 2-0. We all hope the injury is not serious.
Our plan was to play incisive one-touch and expansive hockey which we did for 60 minutes but inexplicably failed to do so for the last 10 with the score at 14-1. We started to assist HAC by taking goal-bound shots off the line and failing to provide the simple tap in for team mates by trying to go it alone. How important could those extra two or three goals be on the 5th April?
The goals we scored were in the main tap-ins, save three short corners and two from the top of the D. We welcomed back Ed Breton until he was scythed down and James Wood back from his cricket tour. The hugely important Jonny Hunter chose to spurn a family wedding to play what turned out to be a significant role in the middle of the pitch.
Our goals were scored by Knappy (5), Rex Bermon (4), Nick Wood (2) and one each from Eds, James Wood and Wobble. At 3-0 we inexplicably allowed HAC to score with their only open play chance and late on some sloppy defending saw us concede a short corner.
Meanwhile down the M3 Wanderers were putting 11 past Camberley with their also conceding one so although we did not dent Wanderers goal difference by as many as we thought we may, we did reel in three.
Our best wishes go to Tim and let us hope that HAC do not roll over as easily next week against Wanderers as they did against us today. David Knapp
Old Whitgiftians v 2nd XI
Old Whits away was always going to be an interesting game. Would our stingy defence (comfortably the best in the league with just 14 goals conceded before this game, against their 32 conceded) trump their more poignant attack (they had scored 70 vs our 29)?
The start for us was less than ideal - a mix up by the skipper meant that everyone turned up at the wrong venue and this was further compounded when he ( and his brother) got caught up in the tailback of an accident on the way. This could have resulted in a slow start (much like when we had conceded 3 goals in 15 minutes in the home leg) but we started strongly and the game saw a fairly even start played at a high tempo.
Will Stevens had been moved up into centre halves and this was crucial in the early exchanges - he gave us a release through the middle from 16s which we had lacked in previous games. We looked very composed in defence and dangerous on the break and we took the lead from a good finish just 15 minutes in.
Unfortunately we then conceded the first of many short corners just seconds later and the strike went through Robbo - a carbon copy of last week's goal. Instead of panicking we grew stronger, aided by some fairly poor tackling by them. We regained the lead before half time with a powerful, low flick into the bottom corner of a short. Just before half time we had to defend a short which then struck a defenders foot. Not spotted by the umpire the skipper immediately corrected the umpire as the half time whistle went. Thankfully a good save by Robbo left us ahead.
2-1 at half time and all to play for in the second half. We came under some heavy pressure at the beginning of the first half, with them forcing a lot of short corners aided by, at times, some indifferent umpiring. Robbo made amends for his earlier mistake with some outstanding saves of the corners and in open play and it was stopped by the post men half a dozen times too!
Despite this we still looked dangerous in attack and we scored again mid way through the second half. This only galvanised them into attacking us relentlessly and we were under real strain when Duncan was yellow carded for a series of poor tackles. His first offence but a reflection of some poor tackling by both sides earlier in the game. We weathered that period well, but then just after conceded from a short when Tom Merry, in an act of self preservation, dragged a shot just missing the left post into his own goal - a cracking finish!
The game had got more and more feisty but for a change it was them loosing their cool more than us - and this certainly helped us. A sweet strike by Will of a well constructed short gave us the two goal breathing space to see out the game.
An excellent effort by the whole team, played with superb determination throughout and no little skill. If we play like that for the rest of the season there is a good chance we will win our remaining 5 games, and in so doing claim the league.
Finally a big thank you to Nick Lewis for umpiring, after a plate glass window has robbed him of playing - he did a great job. Rob Merry
3rd XI v Addiscombe
Report to follow
NPL 1-2 4th XI
It wasn’t pretty, but a brilliant defensive performance and some incisive attacking play gave us a 2-1 away victory against NPL 3s.
NPL started the game brightly, gained a lot of possession and penned us into our own half for much of the first 15 minutes. Despite all their possession though, NPL never really looked dangerous and simply could not get near the goal with Rob Crumby, Grant, James Bishop and Steve Harmer denying every attempt to get in a dangerous position.
With the game appearing dead-locked in a strange stalemate that was playing out between the half way line and our sixteen, NPL ran out of steam and we came alive as an attacking side. Adam Justice threatened on several occasions before a fast break down the left wing led to him finding space in the area to drill home the opener (0-1). Half time.
We had the better of the opening exchanges of the second half and continued to break quickly as we had towards the end of the first half. Oxo, Rob Jonker and James Bishop did well to move the ball wide and feed Adam, who scored his second of the game after a goal-mouth scramble (0-2).
NPL scored a controversial goal late in the game, scraping the ball home while their forward pinned Nige Smith helplessly to the floor (1-2). Nige let most of Teddington know what he thought about the goal, and he was rightfully aggrieved after a flawless performance which deserved another clean sheet.
There were chances to extend our lead and, but for some nervous moments late on, we looked worthy winners in the end. This was a hugely important result against a team who sit one position below us in the league. Dom Tucker
Old Georgians v Ladies
Report to follow
Labels: 1st XI, 2008-09, 2nd XI, 3rd XI, 4th XI, David Knapp, Ladies XI
posted by Admin at
18:36
1 Comments:
It could well be argued that the current winning streak of the OCHC Mighty 4th Team over the last two matches has coincided with one or a number of the following points.
1. Warm weather and sunshine
2. Robin Crumby returning to the squad.
3. Nationalisation of the UK / USA banking systems making half of the City of London civil servants.
4. Cake
5. Mrs Crumby promising (if we started winning) to come and support the 4th team wearing her American cheerleader outfit!
Now it’s quite clear that 1-3 are not relevant and one of 4-5 could start one hell of an argument (if not already) in the 4th team defence.
For those that had to disappear early after the match on Saturday, Mrs Crumby’s offering was fantastic although Robin’s description of them beforehand as ‘sexually enticing’ did put me off!
Anyway in the absence of any sensible reason, lets all agree that ‘Cake’ is the answer.
Working on the premise of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t change it’, it is quite clear that we need a continued supply of post match fondant fancies, lemon slices, mini apples pies, Victoria sponge, angel, Madeira, and chocolate cakes to maintain our winning ways!
Now it is unfair to ask the same WAG to provide the nibbles every week so I suggest we rotate the ‘Cake Duty’ round the squad.
This week we are playing at home 10.00AM. So who wishes to volunteer their other half to provide our motivational nibbles?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Harmer
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