Match Reports - January 12, 2013
Sluggish to start but inspired second-half performances helped the 1st XI and Ladies to important victories while the 2nd XI overcame Barnes by a single goal and the Hamstrings came away from St Albans with a win. All that stopped a clean sweep were the 3rd XI who were held 2-2 at Thames Valley
1st XI 4-0 Southampton
In the second half the OCs played with a more aggressive, higher press which caused problems for the Southampton defence as they struggled to get the ball out of their own half. The unrelenting OC pressure eventually paid off with CV slotting away a rebound about ten minutes in. The OCs pushed hard for a second but Southampton shored up their defence in the hope of finding an equaliser from their rare forays in to the OC half. However, the OC defence of Gary, Cato and Cookiey proved equal to what the Southampton attack could intermittently muster. Dan Osborne also made an important save from a short corner and prevented a potential own goal.
The game was put beyond doubt with ten minutes to go as Chris 'Sampras' Gray made a darting run behind the defense to slot a composed diving deflection into the far corner. It had been a difficult month or so for the forward who had been dogged by controversy from his exploits on and off the pitch. A clandestine christmas party in December the night before a match had ruffled a few feathers amongst the club's management. The terraces were also awash with rumours that his commitment to the club was fast diminishing after arriving at the last match 15 minutes before the end because he had been out playing golf in a Carlos Tevez-esque debacle. He may still have a while to go before he becomes a fans' favourite, but with this goal the enigmatic Gray took a big step on the road to redemption as he saluted the jubilant home fans and kissed the crest on his shirt as he wheeled away in celebration.
The second goal truly was a hammer blow for the brave Southampton defence, and their misery was compounded when minutes later Chris Wiseman went on a characteristically mazy run from the edge of the Southampton half to reach the D and dispatch a sharp shot past the keepers reach into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 while CV finished off the match by bagging a second with minutes to spare with a cheeky reverse stick finish under the keeper.
The match may not have been the champagne hockey the legions of OC faithful have come to expect this season but a 4-0 win was exactly what the team needed as they head into the second half of the season.
Dick of the day: Sam Carne
The game was put beyond doubt with ten minutes to go as Chris 'Sampras' Gray made a darting run behind the defense to slot a composed diving deflection into the far corner. It had been a difficult month or so for the forward who had been dogged by controversy from his exploits on and off the pitch. A clandestine christmas party in December the night before a match had ruffled a few feathers amongst the club's management. The terraces were also awash with rumours that his commitment to the club was fast diminishing after arriving at the last match 15 minutes before the end because he had been out playing golf in a Carlos Tevez-esque debacle. He may still have a while to go before he becomes a fans' favourite, but with this goal the enigmatic Gray took a big step on the road to redemption as he saluted the jubilant home fans and kissed the crest on his shirt as he wheeled away in celebration.
The second goal truly was a hammer blow for the brave Southampton defence, and their misery was compounded when minutes later Chris Wiseman went on a characteristically mazy run from the edge of the Southampton half to reach the D and dispatch a sharp shot past the keepers reach into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 while CV finished off the match by bagging a second with minutes to spare with a cheeky reverse stick finish under the keeper.
The match may not have been the champagne hockey the legions of OC faithful have come to expect this season but a 4-0 win was exactly what the team needed as they head into the second half of the season.
Dick of the day: Sam Carne
Ladies XI 5-3 London Wayfarers
We played our first competitive match of the new year against Southampton determined to not display the charitable spirit shown in the friendly loss to a ramshackle Horsham outifit the week before. Hockey fans throughout the Southern counties were speculating on whether this shock loss could lead to a mid season slump. However, yet again the OCs ventured out onto fortress Thames Ditton with the immaculate professionalism and approach we have come to expect under the tenure of player-coach Gary Boucher.
The first half was a scrappy affair. OCs dominating the possession but finding chances few and far between with the Southampton defence resolutely dealing with the constant barrage of attacks and probing runs from the lively Chris Wiseman and Simon Connolly. Chris 'Ceige' Gray had the two best chances of the half but failed to take advantage. At half-time the score remained a 0-0 deadlock.
Our first league game of 2013 and we knew it would be tough. First half - let's not say too much but two mistakes from us meant the opposition went 2-0 up and at the break it seemed a tough ask for us to get back into the game. But boosted by a rousing half time talk we came out for the second half a changed side.
Within two minutes of the restart we got a short corner, from which Georgie smoothly aimed on target, and three minutes later we were level thanks to Philly’s reverse flick past their keeper. The two strikes rattled Wayfarers who, up to that point, had been playing the better hockey and as we upped our game the pressure on them told. On 15 minutes we were ahead thanks to Philly’s diving deflection from another short, and the fourth was clinical in the extreme – May took a quick sideline hit catching Wayfarers’ defence asleep straight to an unmarked Fletch at the top of the D and she rifled the ball home. The fifth came thanks to Philly and Fletch working a slick 1-2. Wayfarers pulled one back four minutes from time and pressed hard at the end but our defence proved rock solid.
A big hand goes to Sophie for stepping in as goalkeeper whilst Michele was away. Never an easy task!
The first half was a scrappy affair. OCs dominating the possession but finding chances few and far between with the Southampton defence resolutely dealing with the constant barrage of attacks and probing runs from the lively Chris Wiseman and Simon Connolly. Chris 'Ceige' Gray had the two best chances of the half but failed to take advantage. At half-time the score remained a 0-0 deadlock.
Our first league game of 2013 and we knew it would be tough. First half - let's not say too much but two mistakes from us meant the opposition went 2-0 up and at the break it seemed a tough ask for us to get back into the game. But boosted by a rousing half time talk we came out for the second half a changed side.
Within two minutes of the restart we got a short corner, from which Georgie smoothly aimed on target, and three minutes later we were level thanks to Philly’s reverse flick past their keeper. The two strikes rattled Wayfarers who, up to that point, had been playing the better hockey and as we upped our game the pressure on them told. On 15 minutes we were ahead thanks to Philly’s diving deflection from another short, and the fourth was clinical in the extreme – May took a quick sideline hit catching Wayfarers’ defence asleep straight to an unmarked Fletch at the top of the D and she rifled the ball home. The fifth came thanks to Philly and Fletch working a slick 1-2. Wayfarers pulled one back four minutes from time and pressed hard at the end but our defence proved rock solid.
A big hand goes to Sophie for stepping in as goalkeeper whilst Michele was away. Never an easy task!
Barnes 0-1 2nd XI
Report may follow but unlikely
Thames Valley 2-2 3rd XI
St Albans 3-5 Hamstrings
Report may follow but unlikely
posted by Admin at
08:42
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home