Match Reports - November 3, 2012

The 1st XI opened a six-point lead at the top of Hampshire/Surrey 1with a 5-4 win over second place Bournemouth while the 2nd XI stay top despite their first loss of the season at Surbiton. The 3rd XI won for the first time in a month, 3-1 at Surrey Spartans while the Ladies, who have a league week off, won a friendly against Aces in the morning before going down 3-6 to the Cranleigh School 1st XI in the afternoon. The Barnstormers went down 0-2 to Basingstoke 

1st XI 5-4 Bournemouth

Following last week’s top of the table clash the OC juggernaut’s reward was a mouth-watering tie against their latest title pretenders, Bournemouth, who were the only other unbeaten side remaining in the league. Bournemouth were rumoured to be a well-drilled side with a large squad and pace to burn up front. After a week of staggering football scorelines in the Rumbelows (name may have changed) League Cup so it was no surprise to see a packed stand anticipating a similar thriller. They were not to be disappointed.

The early moments saw both teams seeking to gain the ascendency and it was OCs who struck first with through a Sampras Gray far post finish. This seemed to settle the OCs but some somewhat slack defensive play allowed one of the Bournemouth front men to skip through a few tackles before slipping it to a team mate to level the scores.

There followed a slightly niggly period of the game with the home side seemingly more intent on coaching one another rather than concentrating on the basics. However, there were glimpses of the hockey that OCs were trying to play with the front line all finding some space deep in the opposition’s 25. This was rewarded with several short corners and it was from one of these that a trademark Nick Ripley thunderbolt gave the OCs the lead again.

2-1 at half time and a chance for the OCs to settle and refocus. This appeared to do the trick as a little way into the second half OCs stretched their lead through a well worked corner with Jay Harman deflecting the ball home. With this additional breathing space however the OCs saw fit to take their foot off the pedal with almost disastrous consequences. Throwing caution to the wind Bournemouth began to gain the ascendency and among some fairly hefty challenges Rippers was singled out by the umpire for a spell on the sideline.

Cheap turnovers in the defence and midfield were beginning to hurt the OCs and Bournemouth were looking dangerous on the break utilising their pace well. One such break led to some smart interchange between their front men leaving their forward one on one with the OC captain in between the sticks. Fortunately, the Bournemouth player had not been reading previous match reports, for if he had he would have surely put the ball through Dan’s legs. Thankfully however he shot to the side and Mowgli was able to swing from his posts to make an excellent save low to his left.

However the respite was short lived and Bournemouth hit back with three quick goals. Rumours abound that one or two of these may have been own goals but the dubious goals panel convened on Saturday night has decided to award them to their forwards (much to the author’s relief).

Despite these setbacks the OCs were not about to roll over. A blistering break from Harman, who had looked lively all day, left several defenders trailing in his wake and this eventually resulted in a stroke being awarded after the umpires adjudged that Frank’s shot was not going 3 feet over the crossbar. After his rest in the sin bin a revitalised(ish) Rippers calmly slotted home from the spot to set up a frantic finale.

Coach Gary with as close to a smile as
he is likely to get

Urged on by the raucous home crowd the OCs surged forward one last time and were rewarded with a short corner just as the final whistle blew. Time stood still. Coach called the slip back to the injector. Injector (Stu) admitted to not knowing what the score was. 4-4 he was informed. This for the win. Injection. Stop. Push back towards injector…slightly behind him… crouches, swivels, sweeps the ball past the despairing dive from the ‘keeper. Gooooaaal. Pandemonium. Goal scorer mobbed. Grown men in tears. Bournemouth dejected. OCs elated. Perfect execution under pressure from the Ripley pair.

Six wins from six is a great start to the season and the team can be particularly proud of the fight shown at the death to come through. However, plenty still to work on in the coming weeks up until Christmas but that is for midweek, not Saturday night. Thanks to all those who came to support and helped get us over the line.

DOD – Woody, for a most uncharacteristic and anonymous display leading some of the home support to start their very own game of ‘Where’s Woody’ in the second half. He missed a good game out there.

MOM  - Stu Ripley, decisive goal backed up by a solid all round display.

Smile Watch – Unbelievably after only 6 games, Coach Gary has broken and was seen after the game with a cane and coke in hand and a grin from ear to ear. Readers will be relieved to hear that this reverted back to a grimace after mere second or so though.

Surbiton 4a 2-1 2nd XI

We have been advised by our lawyers that all we are allowed to say is that we remain top despite our first defeat of the season. We have promised not to flag that the key word when referring to a water-based astroturf is water. As in generally it needs watering. Before matches. Despite the bacteria which react to the water by leaping on to all passing socks and eating them away by the end of the match.


Cranleigh School 6-3 Ladies 
Click here for match photos

After a win in a friendly in the morning, a youthful and entirely OC side took the the field after lunch against a School side who have swept most things before them in recent seasons.  For the first 20 minutes a rout seemed on the cards as the School ripped through an OC defence who took time to find their bearings. But from 0-4 down the tide turned, and two quick goals rattled the youngsters and thereafter the game was far more even.  The dismissal of the school goalkeeper for a professional foul left the umpire's daughter, in the 4th form, horrified as he had insisted that he "not do anything to embarrass me" but the second half was far more even and an enjoyable contest.

Surrey Spartans 1-3 3rd XI

Report seems to have been rendered void as a result of the side actually winning a match for the first time in a month

Barnstormers 0-2 Basingstoke

Report unlikely