Match report January 21, 2012
An excellent weekend with wins for the three senior sides and a superb battling 2-2 draw at Wimbledon for the Ladies. The Vets managed one win and one loss
Bournemouth 1-2 1st XI
A hugely important match at a venue where few away teams win and a must win game. The first 10 minutes were one way traffic as we struggled to cope with the home side's direct and effective hockey, a slightly bouncy pitch and the slope and it was no surprise when Bournemouth scored the goal they deserved following a quick break when we lost the ball for the umpteenth time as we pressed forward. For the next 15 minutes we were under intense pressure with Coops making a miraculous save when faced with a 3 on 1 which should have seen us go two down and a disallowed goal which on another day could have stood. We did create our own half chances and won four corners but did not threaten and were relieved to reach the break only one down as it could easily have been three.
However we knew the slope would be important as would the first 5 minutes of the second half and so it proved to be. Upping the intensity we created more chances in the first five minutes of the second half than in the whole of the first half, CV being the pick of our attacking players, and drew level when Bentsy was unceremoniously upended resulting in a storke that Hunts put home in his usual effective way. The tackle was unecessary as a bouncing ball into Bensty was never a danger. From that point onward the home side's discipline went out of the window and in the next 30 minutes they received six yellow cards and crucially two with seven minutes to go by which time we were 2-1 up.
Our second was a Bentsy 8 inch special - Virge, you have been re incarnated - when we scored at last from our 11th short corner. We had a number of good chances and positions to seal the game but instead had to weather a last throw of the dice by Bournemouth who forced their only two short corners in the last five minutes. Both were capably dealt with.
A very important three points with our team spirit and discipline seeing us through in a game that in the last two seasons we would have lost. Yes, we were fortunate not to have had the game out of our reach by half time but in the end Bournemouth were let down by their lack of discipline and we did receive the rub of the umpiring as a result.
London Eds next week which is another massive game in this very tight league. Thankfully the Battersea Park pitch is not so windswept and so Bentsy's syrup will stay well and truly affixed. Rex Harrison
Wimbledon 2-2 Ladies XI
A remarkable match in which we were only denied a remarkable smash-and-grab win by a Wimbledon equaliser with the last hit of the game. When the home side, who played with skill and speed, went ahead after three minutes it looked for all the world as if we were in for a tough afternoon. For the rest of the half the ball was almost constantly in our half – their keeper was not called on to make a save – and we held out through grim determination and some last-ditch tackling. We were also aided by Wimbledon’s determination to head straight for goal rather than show patience.
The second half started in the same way, but from one of Wimbledon’s 18 short-corners we broke, and a strike into the area was deflected from the top of the D by Emma past a static defence. Our first attack and we were level. Wimbledon came back hard but let the equaliser get to them. Cool and collected until then, they turned on the umpires – their own in particular, unfairly - and started to become ragged. They still looked good for the win, despite our increasing confidence, but six minutes from time another break resulted in Karen sweeping home, unmarked, from three yards out.
Predictably Wimbledon threw everything forward and with seconds to go grabbed an equaliser. That could not take away from a superb, gritty, wholehearted performance from our ladies and although we remain bottom, if we show the same resolve through the second half of the season, we have every chance of avoiding the drop.
2nd XI 3-3 Surbiton IVa
Sanderstead 2-4 4th XI
Barnstormers 2-2 Maidenhead
Hamstrings 0-2 HAC
Bournemouth 1-2 1st XI
A hugely important match at a venue where few away teams win and a must win game. The first 10 minutes were one way traffic as we struggled to cope with the home side's direct and effective hockey, a slightly bouncy pitch and the slope and it was no surprise when Bournemouth scored the goal they deserved following a quick break when we lost the ball for the umpteenth time as we pressed forward. For the next 15 minutes we were under intense pressure with Coops making a miraculous save when faced with a 3 on 1 which should have seen us go two down and a disallowed goal which on another day could have stood. We did create our own half chances and won four corners but did not threaten and were relieved to reach the break only one down as it could easily have been three.
However we knew the slope would be important as would the first 5 minutes of the second half and so it proved to be. Upping the intensity we created more chances in the first five minutes of the second half than in the whole of the first half, CV being the pick of our attacking players, and drew level when Bentsy was unceremoniously upended resulting in a storke that Hunts put home in his usual effective way. The tackle was unecessary as a bouncing ball into Bensty was never a danger. From that point onward the home side's discipline went out of the window and in the next 30 minutes they received six yellow cards and crucially two with seven minutes to go by which time we were 2-1 up.
Our second was a Bentsy 8 inch special - Virge, you have been re incarnated - when we scored at last from our 11th short corner. We had a number of good chances and positions to seal the game but instead had to weather a last throw of the dice by Bournemouth who forced their only two short corners in the last five minutes. Both were capably dealt with.
A very important three points with our team spirit and discipline seeing us through in a game that in the last two seasons we would have lost. Yes, we were fortunate not to have had the game out of our reach by half time but in the end Bournemouth were let down by their lack of discipline and we did receive the rub of the umpiring as a result.
London Eds next week which is another massive game in this very tight league. Thankfully the Battersea Park pitch is not so windswept and so Bentsy's syrup will stay well and truly affixed. Rex Harrison
Wimbledon 2-2 Ladies XI
A remarkable match in which we were only denied a remarkable smash-and-grab win by a Wimbledon equaliser with the last hit of the game. When the home side, who played with skill and speed, went ahead after three minutes it looked for all the world as if we were in for a tough afternoon. For the rest of the half the ball was almost constantly in our half – their keeper was not called on to make a save – and we held out through grim determination and some last-ditch tackling. We were also aided by Wimbledon’s determination to head straight for goal rather than show patience.
The second half started in the same way, but from one of Wimbledon’s 18 short-corners we broke, and a strike into the area was deflected from the top of the D by Emma past a static defence. Our first attack and we were level. Wimbledon came back hard but let the equaliser get to them. Cool and collected until then, they turned on the umpires – their own in particular, unfairly - and started to become ragged. They still looked good for the win, despite our increasing confidence, but six minutes from time another break resulted in Karen sweeping home, unmarked, from three yards out.
Predictably Wimbledon threw everything forward and with seconds to go grabbed an equaliser. That could not take away from a superb, gritty, wholehearted performance from our ladies and although we remain bottom, if we show the same resolve through the second half of the season, we have every chance of avoiding the drop.
2nd XI 3-3 Surbiton IVa
Sanderstead 2-4 4th XI
Barnstormers 2-2 Maidenhead
Hamstrings 0-2 HAC
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