Many of our weekend matches were bested by the Beast of The East mark 3 (or is it 4?) For those who played at Fortress TD many could barely feel fingers to hold their sticks, so well done to everyone who played (and Umpired! Thanks Cookie!) this weekend.
Men’s 1st XI 3-0 Milton Keynes
The annual away trip to Milton Keynes is one that has always been enjoyed by the OCHC M1s, whose passion for national distribution centres and roundabouts is well-known. This year’s trip was no exception, and with forecasts of biting wind, heavy snow, and sub-zero temperatures, the lads could hardly wait to test their mettle in conditions that would have made even Shackleton shiver. Days like this are why we play.
Quickly building on the previous week’s 8-3 drubbing of Henley at home, OCHC took the lead within the first ten minutes after a searching ball from JLT’s cousin found 8-handicapper Nathan Hill at the near post. The finish – a first-time, no-look, round-the-body deflection – may well be a candidate for goal of the season. A few minutes later it was Hill again who found the backboard, this time from a rare, well-executed short corner. On another day the injection may have gone to the OCHC ‘castle one’, over which Ulsterman Matt Murphy has been a fixture in recent years. Fortunately for the OCs, however, Murphy was four Guinnesses deep in a Clapham pub at the time – reportedly not feeling ‘too guilty’ – and Hill’s flick was on target.
After calls for more of the same from the management at half time, the OCs dominated possession for the rest of the game, transferring it effectively from left to right and even right to left. Hill completed his hat-trick with another well-taken corner – the only goal of the second half – and Hugh Robinson saved keeper Josh Doble’s blushes in the dying minutes with a desperate and athletic pick off the OC line. The final whistle went just before everyone’s hands were lost to frostbite, the lads warmed by a comfortable victory and clean sheet all the way home.
MOM – Nathan Hill (hat-trick)
DOD – Jay Harman (sensible use of gloves)
Men’s 2nd XI 6-1 Addiscombe
Match report to follow.
Men’s 3rd XI 2-0 Wanderers 5s
As the clock ticks down on the club hockey season the clock on the 6 Nations rugby season has had its last tick. I do count myself lucky in being a member of a sports club which is full of wise old sages. How one should not scoff at their prophetic words. Hindsight is such a wonderful thing. Wind the clock back to the 27th January as we prepared to face Barnes at TD. The lively talk is about the forthcoming 6 Nations championship starting on the 4rd February and cue Virge. “Next weekend sees the wooden spoon match” said Virge with authority. I poo-pooed the idea thinking that Ireland and France were both too good for that claim. Who had the last laugh, Virge of course and when he pops into Paddy Power tomorrow to fill his pockets with the winnings from his 200-1 odds bet he will laugh again. He was dead right, England v Italy was indeed the wooden spoon decider.
Assuming that this match report avoids the fate of the Camberley report from the 24th February at the hands of the Politburo publicity censorship department and is not mysteriously pulled from public view you can all read about our good win against Wanderers that takes us a small step from a 4th successive league title. Should I be found unconscious on one of the benches on the patio at TD don’t immediately assume I ate something from the kitchen.
The omens were not good as we made our way up to the salubrious delights of Kennington as the snow was settling on the grass fields at Roehampton. Fortunately Kennington is so very toxic, especially with the advent of Ross’s kit that nearly closed down the Bakerloo Line, that there was no sign of snow that melted as it fell from far above.
Our variety of transport was the thing of a Top Gear special when Top Gear was good. A train full of people that did not leave Hinchley Wood, the underground, a foot scooter, cars and in Ross’s case by Kia. Al Packer was a bit late as he had been at a morning play date and whizzed into the park on his scooter, aerosol poking out of the back of his hoodie, a bit late as he had to say thank you to his mate’s mum after she made him eat his chicken nuggets. Lewi was on time for the first time this century.
We played out a very good game against a very good Wanderers outfit and 2 excellent umpires provided by the oppo. Wanderers definitely had designs on ending out unbeaten record. The first half was ours but we only had one goal to show, Knappy deflecting home a top ball from the impressive Langers with their keeper making 3 or 4 top class saves. Wanderers looked dangerous on the break but some excellent defensive work from our back 4 mopped up the danger.
We expected Wanderers to come at us from the off in the second half and they did not disappoint. We were very much up to the job of keeping them at bay. Heardy cemented his man of the match performance with some big tackles and allowing Wanderers no really clear chances. Against the run of play Al Packer produced by far and away the best bit of skill of the match running 40 yards, beating 4 or 5 including the keeper and slipping the ball to Knappy who tapped home from 6 inches. Game over as Wanderers were deflated. No more goals but 3 points to the tally and only 2 more points to secure the league title.
After a short debrief we all made our way back from whence we came. Those who drove walked back to the nearest car parking spaces to the ground, some 3 miles away, hoping that the cars would still be where they were left and intact, Paddy P went home to prepare himself for child number 2 and Darren went home to prepare himself for a slap or two from Mrs M as she had to look after the children or face them being kidnapped in South East London.
The biggest misjudgement of the day goes to Eds who made a huge elementary school boy error post game by saying to the Wanderers skipper “Can we please paly at Battersea Park next year as Kennington is so hard for us to reach”. Hmmm, a bit like Milton Keynes asking us not to arrange our home game against them at 11.30 as they have to leave too early. No prizes for guessing where we are going to be play the away game against Wanderers next season….
The 2 games against Wanderers were comfortably the best 2 games we have played for 4 seasons and we look forward to playing against them next season and having more of the same. Good luck guys in taking the point you need from this week’s game v Horley to join us in Division 2 next season.
We can put the league away this week against Bank of Boks and with Virge umpiring he will doubtless buy us a couple of jugs of beer from his wooden spoon bet winnings as is the club captain’s traditional offering.
!!! Утвержден и разрешает !!! Simonolivic Virgilovska.
Men’s 4th XI
Match cancelled.
Men’s Barnstormers
Match cancelled
Men’s Hamstrings 3-2 Eastcote Past Maters
Match report to follow.
Ladies 1st XI
Match cancelled.
Ladies 2nd XI 8-1 Cranleigh
Match Photos here
Ladies 2s had a home match this week and braved the beast from the east (v2) to take on Cranleigh. The thermometer read -1 and our valiant umpires were freezing before the match even started so we knew we had to make it worthwhile!
The cold didn’t affect our fighting spirit and we started out from the first whistle to bag a win. The early effort paid off and we went 1-0 up in the first few minutes from Bernie with a ‘slippery one’ (her words) that she put in. From here the goals are hazy as we dominated play and spent much of the game in their half. We did have a lapse of concentration at 2-0 when the oppo won a short corner. A straight forward routine to the top of the D then slipped back to the injector saw them grab an easy goal. We remained confident this game was ours. By half time we were 3-1 up and ultimately finished the game at 8-1. To mention a few, Kara pounced on a rebound with a reverse hit, Bernie bagged a second to the delight of the watching crowd (the ruggers had just finished), Mel Pink also got 2 and our gorgeous captain Ellie also bagged 2. Does that add up, who knows, but true to our current form another 3 points in the bag. One more game to go – all we can do is win again, stay 2nd in the table, and keep our fingers and toes crossed we get promoted!
Ladies Vamps 1-4 Surbiton 9s
Vamps were slightly deflated going into this match vs number 2 in the league, due to most of the Vamps being injured and relying on back to hockey stalwarts and a very able Jenny from the 3’s and also due to most of the oppo barely out of nappies. An issue with half of the oppo not displaying numbers on shirts slightly delayed the start and can’t understand almost at the end of the season why this should be a surprise to them not knowing about this rule! Vamps’ defence were able to keep the oppo out of the D for most of the match but with short corner after short corner, were on a hiding to nothing. Surbiton scored a couple of goals in the first half and Vamps’ barely had a whisper in the oppo defence. During the second half, with a mistake from the goalie let Sara, after a great run, manage to get a goal back before Surbiton then got another 2 goals. A vocal match from Surbiton with most of the babes knowing more than the umpires! However Vamps did well to only lose 4-1.
Ladies 3rd XI2-5 Richmond
Match report to follow.