Match report November 6 2010
The 1st XI suffered their second straight loss after being undefeated for 20 months,squandering a 2-1 lead against table topping Havant to concede two late goals. It also marked the end of a remarkable four years unbeaten at TD. The Ladies beat second-place Old Kingstonians 2-1 to move third, while there were draws for the 2nd XI, 3rd XI and 4th XIs. The Vets lost 0-4 to Wimbledon
1st XI 2-3 Havant
Our four-year unbeaten home record has gone and against a team who rode their luck but deserved to win due to their fitness and will to win being greater. Having only had 5 first team at training on Wednesday we took from the game exactly what we deserved. Compounded by our failing to stick to a game plan that we had used to great effect in the first half we lost a game that at half time we controlling and at 2-1 up with seven minutes to go we should have shut out. As it was Havant were determined to go home with something and scored the equalizer when exposing our fitness shortcomings in the midfield and then a winner in the dying minutes, breaking out when we chose the wrong option to shoot when an early pass would have set up Gavin for the easiest of tap ins.
Gavin scored our two goals which were the product of his selfless running, making space for others and then receiving the ball in space. The first was a crisp finish from 5 yards and the second a full length diving tap in from a pin point Hunter cross. We dominated the first period but were found out in the second as Havant equalized the 1-0 half time score and were very much on top. Our second against the run of play gave us the impetus until seven minutes from time when the away side scored twice.
Our corners were shocking for the second week running and so now it is up to us to decide if we want to be also rans or have character to show the commitment that the other sides around us are showing week in week out. We also have to accept that we play as a team and stick to the game plan and if called off during the game to do so when requested. Substitutions are done for a reason.
Three short this week and one for the novel reason of being in school detention - a first for the OCs, missing a game for detention, not detention itself. David Knapp
Ladies 2-1 Old Kingstonians
We knew it was never going to be an easy game against Old Kingstonians who had a 100% record coming into the game. They started the game strongly and confidently and had a half decent chance within the first couple of minutes as we were still trying to get ourselves organised. Unfortunately the goal they had been threatening eventually came mid-way through the half from a well worked short corner routine where some slick passing left their player with a chance from around the p-spot that she didn't waste. Eventually though as the half wore on we worked our way back into the game and got some concerted pressure on their goal. What can only be described as a goal mouth scramble led to our equalizer with Philly getting the final touch - well so I'm told, from what I could see down the other end it looked like about ten players standing on the goal line and eventually all our team raising their arms in celebration.
I have always believed Goalie watches what happens on the pitch but after his half time team talk i might have to question this in the future. Any man who can claim Rosie gets through every game without getting injured has obviously never seen her knees, shins, elbows, arms.....pretty much any part of her really. Still the team were buoyed by his comments and suggestions and were determined to come out strongly in the 2nd half.
The team were transformed with us now being the ones pressing forward. The play down the wings from Hels, Jax and Nikki were causing Old Kingstonians trouble and our midfield were able to start to impose themselves far more. Our defence held strong when Kingstonians tried to attack and as it became obvious that the next goal would be the winner everyone willingly tracked back to ensure no easy chance would be given (for which i am always grateful despite the sometimes slightly strained and worried screams). In the last 10 minutes the game became an end to end affair as both teams tried to get the winning goal and just like it looked it would end in a draw Michelle popped up with only a couple of minutes left to calmly slot the ball through the keeper's legs. As the team celebrated even Rosie the dog realised how important that goal might be at the end of the season and became quiet for the only part of the game. We held on strongly against the late pressure to claim a hard fought and deserved win. Despite it not being the best we've played this season I think we all found a new level of grit and every player came off tired - a testament how hard they had worked to ensure the victory.
Next week we have a much easier game awaiting us - Surbiton - whose record currently stands at played 5, won 5, scored 32, conceded 0. Excellent looks like i'll be able to bring a paper along to read in goal ... Julia Dann
Trinity Old Midwhitgiftians 3-3 2nd XI
3rd XI 3-3 Sunbury and Walton Hawks
Old Reigatians 2-2 4th XI
With both teams vying to be King of the Throne at the end of the game, match Captain for the day “Guy” Archer came prepared with a Plot to blow the opposition off course and with the promise post match bounty of “Return of the Rocky Road Bars with a Caribbean surprise” provide by budding hockey players Daniel & Katie Aston aged 10 & 8 respectively there was all to play for! Captain Archer certainly put a rocket up the OC’s team as within 3 minutes of the game starting, fellow polter “Smeer” set the game alight by scoring a Cracking goal. OC’s held the lead and pressured Reigatians until they had a break away move themselves and scored an equaliser before half time.
Half time inquest was short and brief, basically we had all the Powder we needed within the team, we just needed to light the blue touch paper in their “D” and victory would be ours. All went to plan and “Banger” Bish caused sparks in the opo’s D with a “sparkling” goal. All we had to do was to keep the pressure on and sit tight. Unfortunately it looked like we had a " turncoat " within the ranks as towards the end of the second half , the opo all too easily beat the central defender to score the second equaliser (No names until the end of season trial where Judge Harmer 's (lengthy) deliberations will be heard, so Crumby you are safe until then!). On his first outing new recruit Robin Smith played well and provide the team with some fire cracking pace on the left wing. Nick Aston
Wimbledon 4-0 Veterans
With David Knapp helping out the 3rd XI we were missing our secret weapon for the top of the table clash v Wimbledon. With our current injury list including Butcher, Burles, and Cruthers, Harry Redknapp would have described us as down to the "Bare Bones" all too true in Howie's case! We were however able to welcome back Tricky Womack and Si Duncan, another outing for our away game specialist Viv Pyne and even more importantly the much missed Tim Cook to umpire!
When we turned up at the pitch we were somewhat intimidated by a very young looking Wimbledon team going through a very professional looking warm up routine on the pitch. A number of us commented that they looked very young for a Vets side and we now believed Indian Gym's comments that a lot of the team looked scarcely over 30.
Fortunately the Wimbledon Vets then turned up and we were pleased not to be playing their 1st team ...
The game started at fast pace with Myles and Viv getting used to their unaccustomed defensive duties and Rex prowling the touchline alert for the opportunity to roll on. Tony Jones "fresh" from a conference in Malta which seemed to have involved no sleep and some sort of chicken wrap eaten in the car park, that could only have seemed tasty following the in-flight catering of Air Malta on his red eye flight that morning, battled gamefully away.
The game was evenly balanced until it turned on a couple of defensive errors, giving the ball away in the wrong part of the field and we found ourselves two goals down. Si Duncan and Rich Wheatley pushed forward in a way reminiscent of Wade's attacking centre back play - we defend high ! and a couple of good chances flashed by the far post without the necessary touch to convert. Tommy and Tricky started to control midfield a very disciplined Wade managed to patrol the left of midfield and assist Viv in his defensive duties and Rex galloped around pressurising the opposition but in the end we were outplayed and lost our unbeaten record in the league 4-0 despite Pete's best efforts in goal.
Next Saturday sees our visit to JAGS to face HAC with a 15.30 start and a chance to return to our winning ways ! Travel on the train is recommended! Andrew Eve
1st XI 2-3 Havant
Our four-year unbeaten home record has gone and against a team who rode their luck but deserved to win due to their fitness and will to win being greater. Having only had 5 first team at training on Wednesday we took from the game exactly what we deserved. Compounded by our failing to stick to a game plan that we had used to great effect in the first half we lost a game that at half time we controlling and at 2-1 up with seven minutes to go we should have shut out. As it was Havant were determined to go home with something and scored the equalizer when exposing our fitness shortcomings in the midfield and then a winner in the dying minutes, breaking out when we chose the wrong option to shoot when an early pass would have set up Gavin for the easiest of tap ins.
Gavin scored our two goals which were the product of his selfless running, making space for others and then receiving the ball in space. The first was a crisp finish from 5 yards and the second a full length diving tap in from a pin point Hunter cross. We dominated the first period but were found out in the second as Havant equalized the 1-0 half time score and were very much on top. Our second against the run of play gave us the impetus until seven minutes from time when the away side scored twice.
Our corners were shocking for the second week running and so now it is up to us to decide if we want to be also rans or have character to show the commitment that the other sides around us are showing week in week out. We also have to accept that we play as a team and stick to the game plan and if called off during the game to do so when requested. Substitutions are done for a reason.
Three short this week and one for the novel reason of being in school detention - a first for the OCs, missing a game for detention, not detention itself. David Knapp
Ladies 2-1 Old Kingstonians
We knew it was never going to be an easy game against Old Kingstonians who had a 100% record coming into the game. They started the game strongly and confidently and had a half decent chance within the first couple of minutes as we were still trying to get ourselves organised. Unfortunately the goal they had been threatening eventually came mid-way through the half from a well worked short corner routine where some slick passing left their player with a chance from around the p-spot that she didn't waste. Eventually though as the half wore on we worked our way back into the game and got some concerted pressure on their goal. What can only be described as a goal mouth scramble led to our equalizer with Philly getting the final touch - well so I'm told, from what I could see down the other end it looked like about ten players standing on the goal line and eventually all our team raising their arms in celebration.
I have always believed Goalie watches what happens on the pitch but after his half time team talk i might have to question this in the future. Any man who can claim Rosie gets through every game without getting injured has obviously never seen her knees, shins, elbows, arms.....pretty much any part of her really. Still the team were buoyed by his comments and suggestions and were determined to come out strongly in the 2nd half.
The team were transformed with us now being the ones pressing forward. The play down the wings from Hels, Jax and Nikki were causing Old Kingstonians trouble and our midfield were able to start to impose themselves far more. Our defence held strong when Kingstonians tried to attack and as it became obvious that the next goal would be the winner everyone willingly tracked back to ensure no easy chance would be given (for which i am always grateful despite the sometimes slightly strained and worried screams). In the last 10 minutes the game became an end to end affair as both teams tried to get the winning goal and just like it looked it would end in a draw Michelle popped up with only a couple of minutes left to calmly slot the ball through the keeper's legs. As the team celebrated even Rosie the dog realised how important that goal might be at the end of the season and became quiet for the only part of the game. We held on strongly against the late pressure to claim a hard fought and deserved win. Despite it not being the best we've played this season I think we all found a new level of grit and every player came off tired - a testament how hard they had worked to ensure the victory.
Next week we have a much easier game awaiting us - Surbiton - whose record currently stands at played 5, won 5, scored 32, conceded 0. Excellent looks like i'll be able to bring a paper along to read in goal ... Julia Dann
Trinity Old Midwhitgiftians 3-3 2nd XI
3rd XI 3-3 Sunbury and Walton Hawks
Old Reigatians 2-2 4th XI
With both teams vying to be King of the Throne at the end of the game, match Captain for the day “Guy” Archer came prepared with a Plot to blow the opposition off course and with the promise post match bounty of “Return of the Rocky Road Bars with a Caribbean surprise” provide by budding hockey players Daniel & Katie Aston aged 10 & 8 respectively there was all to play for! Captain Archer certainly put a rocket up the OC’s team as within 3 minutes of the game starting, fellow polter “Smeer” set the game alight by scoring a Cracking goal. OC’s held the lead and pressured Reigatians until they had a break away move themselves and scored an equaliser before half time.
Half time inquest was short and brief, basically we had all the Powder we needed within the team, we just needed to light the blue touch paper in their “D” and victory would be ours. All went to plan and “Banger” Bish caused sparks in the opo’s D with a “sparkling” goal. All we had to do was to keep the pressure on and sit tight. Unfortunately it looked like we had a " turncoat " within the ranks as towards the end of the second half , the opo all too easily beat the central defender to score the second equaliser (No names until the end of season trial where Judge Harmer 's (lengthy) deliberations will be heard, so Crumby you are safe until then!). On his first outing new recruit Robin Smith played well and provide the team with some fire cracking pace on the left wing. Nick Aston
Wimbledon 4-0 Veterans
With David Knapp helping out the 3rd XI we were missing our secret weapon for the top of the table clash v Wimbledon. With our current injury list including Butcher, Burles, and Cruthers, Harry Redknapp would have described us as down to the "Bare Bones" all too true in Howie's case! We were however able to welcome back Tricky Womack and Si Duncan, another outing for our away game specialist Viv Pyne and even more importantly the much missed Tim Cook to umpire!
When we turned up at the pitch we were somewhat intimidated by a very young looking Wimbledon team going through a very professional looking warm up routine on the pitch. A number of us commented that they looked very young for a Vets side and we now believed Indian Gym's comments that a lot of the team looked scarcely over 30.
Fortunately the Wimbledon Vets then turned up and we were pleased not to be playing their 1st team ...
The game started at fast pace with Myles and Viv getting used to their unaccustomed defensive duties and Rex prowling the touchline alert for the opportunity to roll on. Tony Jones "fresh" from a conference in Malta which seemed to have involved no sleep and some sort of chicken wrap eaten in the car park, that could only have seemed tasty following the in-flight catering of Air Malta on his red eye flight that morning, battled gamefully away.
The game was evenly balanced until it turned on a couple of defensive errors, giving the ball away in the wrong part of the field and we found ourselves two goals down. Si Duncan and Rich Wheatley pushed forward in a way reminiscent of Wade's attacking centre back play - we defend high ! and a couple of good chances flashed by the far post without the necessary touch to convert. Tommy and Tricky started to control midfield a very disciplined Wade managed to patrol the left of midfield and assist Viv in his defensive duties and Rex galloped around pressurising the opposition but in the end we were outplayed and lost our unbeaten record in the league 4-0 despite Pete's best efforts in goal.
Next Saturday sees our visit to JAGS to face HAC with a 15.30 start and a chance to return to our winning ways ! Travel on the train is recommended! Andrew Eve
posted by Admin at
11:19
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home