Vets
Two games and a lunch this weekend and the Hamstrings game moved to 10.30 on the new Surbiton Sand pitch as there was a small misunderstanding before but first a review of last weekend !
Barnstormers bolstered by having a larger squad than usual managed the double over Tulse Hill with what was a reasonably comfortable 3 – 1.
New found goal scoring talent Richard Watkins picked up a brace to go with his single last week ( Tommy Trinder scored the other last week)
The club captain put his body on the line, having tried to keep up drinking with his sons the night before, was taken out by the goalkeeper and falling on one of the rare unpadded parts of his body was rapturous in applauding Richie’s goal before hobbling off. To be honest it was as well that Martin and Wade played a good advantage as there was not a long queue to take the penalty flick ! believe that Howie scored the other Barnstormers goal too but my memory of the day gets hazy as it was dark by the time I got home !
Hamstrings with a few players who looked familiar ( or knackered ?) from the previous match but bolstered by the arrival of the free scoring Neil Fox and the “keen to play a match” Kevin Smith (our 69th Vet player this season) set out to lose their match to achieve the planned scheme of sadly coming third in our league and failing to get promotion – sorry not completely achieved yet but finally off that pesky first place position !
If the rugby was unpredictable the hockey was once we discovered that Old Loughts had a secret weapon wearing red socks who it would be fair to say hit the ball harder than most of our side put together ! Si Duncan reported, admittedly later in the bar, that he was proud to have intercepted one hit but it nearly broke his stick and his shoulder ! Although we jumped on the information that red socks was a former Pakistan under 19 player it was clearly not recently enough to cause a problem !
And so to the match itself – whilst Surbiton have Diplomats in their side it is fair to say that on this particular day – diplomacy was not our strongest weapon ?
Clearly Foxy has been watching only the first part of football confrontations as he was sent to the dug out following a short staring competition with the largest, in height terms, player on the opposition. Some evidence is currently available on the OCHC website.
Shortly afterwards one of our distinctive but nameless players was slightly fortunate to survive giving tourism advice, for which he is well qualified, as to where to go on the pitch to an important member of the opposition.
Foxy kept up his remarkable goal scoring record – no it was a tap in not a remarkable goal and Richard Wheatley showing the same positioning discipline that Wade Pollard and I are famous for popped up from centre back to deflect in what was a well worked goal via the odd opposition stick.
So an entertaining weekend a good win for the Barnstormers, our “Vets in waiting” showing us why they will be playing Vets next season and me being yet another year older if that is possible.
I look forward to seeing all of you either on the pitch on Saturday or in the bar or at lunch or hopefully all three !
The 1st XI are expecting a raucous crowd of vets supporting them so we must not let them down.
Anyone who has not confirmed their attendance for the lunch please let Tony Rogers (who is copied in) know.
I will send out a team sheet email later in the week but already lined up to play a part next week are Jon East who is one of the colts coaches whom the Barnstormers will know and Tony Price who all of the Hamstrings know ! Neil R fancy a gentle run around for the SuperVets ?