1st XI
The dream lives on after Saturdays performance with Scarney still considering it possible to big up Charterhouse so bringing it into the same category as Cranleigh. Denial is a tough concept to rid from one’s mind.
A crucial and massive result. Although fighting to the end the opposition came away empty handed and in real terms always trying to catch up after the initial stages that saw us take an early lead. Wils’s first pint at the head of the team gave the rugby boys a problem and they came second, well second. Unlucky boys, willing and able any time you wish to have a rematch but try and give us competition. Guess we need to introduce one egg for one of the 4 to consume along the way.
All this post dated another 3 points tucked away for safe keeping. Some curious results elsewhere, that would have anti corruption units sending in the sniffer dogs, saw daylight creeping in at the top of the league. 7 games and a long to go though.
The atmosphere was different from the start. It was like a latter stage cup game. 2 teams warming up with complete focus and big squads. Both teams needing and wanting a win. Only one came away with points. Tommy was so focussed he contracted double vision when smacked in the face in the warm up.
We were off to a flyer with Wiso creating a chance for Gilo whose shot was saved only for Paddy to convert the rebound. End to end stuff followed with both goalies earning their corn as did our right hand post to keep our noses in front. 2 top drawer saves from our first 2 corners kept the away side in the hunt. A Rippers snorter towards the end of the half gave us a crucial 2 goal lead at half time. By this time The Hound joined the double vision brigade when performing a manoeuvre more akin to ice dancing in Sochi. Tommy came on whilst the Ripleys were in commanding mood.
As expected Horsham pressed hard as they had to and, with good effect, causing us problems. The midfield was tireless and leaving body parts all over the pitch, well, Paddy was. By the end of the game he looked like a mummy courtesy of the blood bin rules. The unopened packets in the first aid bag were ravaged.
End to end hockey with mistakes creeping in and scrappy interludes. The same right hand post now performed a favour for Horsham preventing us from taking an unassailable 3 goal lead. Scarney went off with an injury to his calf but we coped with the number of defensive shuffles we needed to make. The Ripleys still stood firm as did Danny Boy.
With 7 minutes to go Horsham had a sniff. Dan slid out and a stroke was given against him as ball, stick and man were dispatched. The third umpire would have been involved had we had the opportunity of invoking one. On the flip side we would have expected a stroke if one of our players had been tumbled in a similar manner.
I will never know how Dan managed to remove all his kit in the one second after the award was made but remove his kit he did. 8 minutes later it was all back on and he was agonisingly close to saving the stroke that took a huge deviation before nestling in the goal.
The last few minutes saw us hold out for a famous win. We left nothing, other than Paddy’s skin, on the pitch. A massive 3 points.
A high intensity game was expertly umpired by Jim and Richard in their fetching lime green with only 2 green cards given. Very worryingly Richard also had a lime green jacket to go with the lime green top, not a league issued garment.
Sadly that result is now in the past and Woking next up on Saturday. We owe ourselves a big one after November’s shocker
3rd XI
> Now dear reader, prepare yourself, Harmer’s Column has returned as the 3rd Team’s Captains request to document a truly record breaking weekend. It has be too long since this informed, politically tuned and dare I say, cutting comedic production has graced the pages of the OCHC web site.
The reason for the resurrection of this publication, well could it be that Christian Davies has remained vertical for more than 6 hours.no. Could it be that Crumby has finally lost 6lbs through visiting his local beauty salon for a BSC.thankfully not! Is it because that Jock Vickers has finally been able to break free of the Newtonian laws of gravity and achieve forward momentum.I am afraid not!
Dear reader, it is because Chris Bents has finally been able to score 2 goals in a season. Yes, our very own Van Persie finally made it to a hockey pitch after a nightmare weekend last week. Chris now knows that treating his nut allergic girlfriend to the finest Chicken Satay takeaway was probably not the wisest move. Mercifully, his better half has now fully recovered. Christian Davies was understanding over e-mail and slated poor Chris at length. It might be wise for Christian to remember that he once poisoned a sizeable amount of the congregation at Bertie Bance’s wedding by flash grilling four dozen bacon sandwiches at midnight after consuming four bottles of Veuve-Clicquot.
Anyway back to the action, on what actually turned out to be a sunny day at Thames Ditton, the 3rd team finally clicked and achieved the captain’s vision of total hockey. For Bents, a well worked move through the midfield in the second half allowed him to finally apply the lightest of touches to steer the ball around oncoming keeper. He turned away from goal and was overcome with Alpha Male emotion.
If this had been the goal that broke the deadlock against a solid defence we might have all joined him in his orgasmic explosion of testosterone. Alas this one only one of 14 goals that we scored this weekend. It is probably easiest to list those players that did not score; they were Nige Hawes, Robin Crumby, Darren, Kevin Smith and CB.
It all started at the first whistle that saw OC’s catch Purley napping from the off as we went for all-out attack. The first goal came from poor tactical discipline as Christian Davies managed to run in a straight line with his supermodel legs from the left back spot (yes, the most defensive or defensive positions) down the pitch and got his magic wand on the end of simple tap in. After that it was a blur with us at 5-0 at half time. The second half started in the same vain with the 3rd team being clinical with nine goals rattling in over 35 minutes and at least 5 in a mesmerising 8 minute spell when literally each attack ended in a goal.
We should not slate our opposition as Purley never gave up and kept battling which is why they managed to score a goal against us mid-way through the second half. They are a good team but alas this was not their day as the 3rd team finally showed their true potential.
Having played hockey for over 25 years and for the OC since 1999, I have never played in such as game when our team managed to click so beautifully. At times it was magical, unbelievable, breathe taking and awe-inspiring. Only Darren falling over his own feet on the centre spot broke the enchanted spell over the TD astro.
I understand that this is a record breaking feat for the 3rd team in all the years of the OCHC.
On a personal level, Grant Archer and I noted that in last quarter of a century of playing hockey together neither of us had ever scored on the same day.I am only referring to on a hockey pitch as nightclubs are another matter! J
Harmer’s Column signing off.
Ladies 1st XI
