Not the best of weekends as both 1st XIs went down to defeats, but there were good wins for the 2nd XI and the Vamps
Winchester 3-2 Men’s 1st XI
Following a fast start to the second half of the season the 1’s made their way down to a cold and blustery Winchester with a spring in their step.
The game started in cagey fashion with neither team taking a firm foothold in the game. The OC’s however were the first to strike, lacking leading goal scorer Matt Murphy, Matt Laidman stepped up to the plate and slung a low firm flick into the bottom corner. 1-0.
The early goal kick-started Winchester and the OC’s were soon under siege. It was evident that the game could easily swing in the home sides favour, the OC’s seemingly lacklustre in both attack and defence. A breakdown of play in the midfield led to a Winchester counter and the opposition forward didn’t mess about, clinically finishing into the bottom corner from the top of the D. 1-1.
Winchester kept piling on the pressure, the OC’s unable to find an answer and it wasn’t long before Dick of the Day Jack Smart was sent to the bin for breaking down play. Down to 10 men and with momentum against, the OC’s had to try and dig in and play out the half. With minutes remaining Winchester played the ball down the left and with some clever skill managed to beat some of the OC’s players and calmly slot home. 2-1.
After a poor first half performance the OC’s were evidently revitalised after the break. With Winchester happy to sit back and let the OC’s play, wave after wave of attack was thrown at the opposition. Chances were left begging and it seemed like it just wasn’t going to be the OC’s day. Jay Garman however had other ideas. Following a quick bit of skill in the oppositions D, space opened up for OC’s veteran and the result was inevitable. 2-2.
The OC’s kept ramping up the pressure and it looked certain that they were going to score again. Winchester however had other ideas, a quick break from just outside their own D caught the OC’s napping and low behold the back board thudded. 3-2.
With minutes left in the game the OC’s were beginning to turn the screw again, could they find an equaliser? Some quick work down the right hand side led to a short corner, the whistle blew, the final chance of the game. Laidman stepped up and delivered the ideal pass for Smart to deflect into the goal, it was however not to be, the ball deviating well wide of the goal posts. Final score 3-2.
A very disappointing result for the OC’s and one that ultimately led to Spencer leapfrogging the boys into top spot. Lessons have been learnt and the team will look to fight back mid-week in the cup and look to charge on in the league once again when Banbury are welcomed to the fortress next weekend.
Men’s 2nd XI 1-0 Wanderers
Match report to follow
Old Georgians 2-1 Men’s 3rd XI
Big games need big players and so it was a blow to lose Hunts on Saturday morning although due to his 5 days worth of food poisoning he was not as big a player on the 9th as he was when he last played. We should however have him around for the run in with the hope being he does not need to run into the club house too frequently. The new yellow card rule is now gathering pace. The writer has somewhere in the region of 1,400 yellow cards to be issued in retrospect were Martin not agreeing to refrain from publishing the many photos he has for as long as the weekly sum finds its way to his pocket by midday on Thursdays. I also learnt this week that one of our former members who has gone silent on us has done so due to a top secret job of being involved in training MI5 recruits. That person is teaching all the recruits how to bullsh*t effectively and convincingly. I cannot reveal that person’s name as it will breach the Official Secrets Act and by implication I will be in trouble. You are liberty to take guesses with answers to me in person by 11.30 on the 16th February. Ports managed to circumvent the yellow card rule this week by peeing into the pitch from the outside of the cage thus using a loop hole and strictly interpreting the rule. Interestingly the rule does not prohibit other bodily discharges from being deposited on the pitch from within the cage which explains some of the weekly performances of many a player.
We went to St George’s College on the back of a top performance last week and following a most distasteful encounter back in October against OGs at TD. Thankfully 80 or so minutes after the first whistle the memories of the previous game were banished as the two sides played out a rollocking match which both sides wanted to win. This was the type of game that we all play hockey for, a bit of an edge due to the local competition, past bad blood but uber competitive and played in the perfect competitive spirit. Not a hint of a card all game. A much changed OGs side for October, showing the strength in depth that they have, saw them pulverise us in the first 20 minutes with our being somewhat fortunate only to be 2 down as it could have 4 or more. We nearly took the lead in the second minute but an Eds shot went past the post when looking destined to go in. We hardly touched the ball in that period but started to come back into the game for the last 15 minutes of the half. Five minutes after the restart Eds set up Knappy to reduce the lead and from then on we dominated vast parts of the second half, Disappointingly we had nothing to show from six short corners as well as coming up against an inspired keeper who made a number of difficult saves look easy. OGs were always dangerous on the break but our back four and Kieren took all that was thrown at them.
Perhaps on another day we would have come back to TD with a point but it was not to be on this occasion. We can’t grumble as we did have the rub of the umpiring. We do need to sort out our corners as our conversion rate of shorties in the 5 games since the resumption is something like 3 out of 30+ which tells a tale. As Barnes lost a clearly eventful match v L. Eds 7 – 5 we remain top, have our own fate in our hands with 6 cup finals left to play. Man of the Match is a tricky one but Lewi probably shades it with a top all round performance with many of his eye of the needle passes that usually go 4 inches in distance of to yards off beam finding their target and causing havoc in the OG defence. Dick of the Day is shelved for a week as I cannot think of anyone who warrants its receipt in what was as good a days hockey as you could wish. Skiing seems to be the flavour of the next few weeks so plenty of ammo for future awards. Thank you to the Redshaws for officiating and for OGs hospitality afterwards that included ladies coming into the showers as we took ours. Makes a change to play away and go into a buzzing clubhouse with 50 or more in the bar post match.
Epsom 1-1 Men’s 3A XI
Match report to follow
Men’s 4th XI 3-3 Leatherhead
Cracking game against promotion rivals Leatherhead ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw but it could have been so much more… In a physical encounter against a young and determined side who’ve lost just twice this season, OCs started well and created a succession of chances, but it was Leatherhead who went into the half time break with a 1-2 lead. We fought our way back into the game with superb goals from Jake (2) and Si Q to take a deserved lead going into the last few minutes, but we couldn’t quite hold on and conceded late in the game to a breakaway move that ended in a heart-breaking tap in.
We remain two points behind second place, in fourth place.
Barnstormers 2-2 Richmond
Barnstormers head into a civilised two week break having gained a point in a tense and hard fought draw against current rivals for second place, Richmond.
Unfortunately yet again sluggish out of the blocks we were unable to fully impose our superior hockey to any great effect although we clearly felt we had the upper hand in the early exchanges. A prescient team-talk reference to not winning the match in the first 10 minutes rang true but not fully in the way we hoped.
Doug, his luscious locks flowing in a strong breeze, slotted back into a defence alongside Heardy, Si and Darren with Tongy later joining from the sides. Unfortunately, having limited himself to just two games thus far this season meant outlay for appropriate footwear seems very much an optional luxury in the Dodson household and as a result he seemingly ended each involvement in the game on his arse.
Never really able to retain as much possession as we ought to at home, the game was finely poised at the break, shortly before which Super Gav had created his own golden opportunity only to – in his own words – strike it too well in seeking to chip the keeper one-on-one and ending up pulling it wide.
All the goals came in the second half. Two rather flukish breaks from Richmond each ended in goals and we were staring at the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline in something of disbelief. It was only then that we seemed to find the fight and desire necessary to gain the upper hand – stringing passes together and retaining the ball but moreover not being beaten to 50:50s. Darren led the fightback from the back, with some aggressive tackling and putting his body (specifically hand) on the line for the cause.
Pressure led to chances, some good saves from the oppo keeper and penalty corners, which proved to be our salvation. Tongy stepped up for the first, his fragile hamstring permitting, and struck a sweet, sweet rocket into the net off the keeper’s pads. Peaking too soon, Tongy then left took his leave shortly thereafter clutching aforesaid hammy. Speedy recovery.
Another penalty corner with ten minutes to go and we were level – this time Gerry feeding Richie for a deflected equaliser.
Momentum was with us and the traffic was all one way. Another five minutes and we are (of course) convinced we would have had the winner. Unfortunately time was not our friend and a share of the spoils was all we could achieve.
Here’s hoping the ski break doesn’t add to our injury woes.
Ladies 1st XI 1-3 Wanderers
Off the back of two consecutive wins, OC’s Ladies 1s were looking to grab some more points and continue on a high. It was going to be a tough game ahead facing top of the league Wanderer’s Ladies 2. On home soil, OC’s started of strong in the first half with the majority of play in Wanderers defensive half. OC’s creating lots of chances in the D but unable to convert to goals against Wanderer’s defence. Work from the forwards pressing Wanderer’s 16’s gave OC’s opportunities to get in behind with shots on goal or short corners. Notable set plays down the right hand side of the pitch from Georgia Watson, Katie Richards and Georgia Syms created gaps in Wanderer’s defence. The few times Wanderer’s were able to break, OC’s went down 1-0 shortly before half time.
After a motivating team talk, OC’s were ready to get back in the game. Despite Wanderer’s levelling OC’s intensity, OC’s were really putting the pressure on. Looking to level the score, OC’s had a short corner opportunity to put away a goal. With an overload of attack forward Wanderer’s cleared the corner with OC’s on the back foot. Wanderer’s forwards picked up the ball high in OC’s defensive area leaving a one on one putting the ball in the net. A third goal from Wanderer’s followed, again in the few times they broke through OC’s defence. Despite 3-0 down, OC’s powered on wanting to get on the scoreboard to close the gap. In the final minutes, Georgia Syms put away a goal for OC’s from a short corner leaving the game 3-1 to Wanderers. A disappointing score to reflect a good game but looking to finish the season on a high after a two week break
Kenley 2-2 Ladies 2nd XI
It was another big game for the ladies 2s this week as we faced Kenley sitting in second place, whilst we keep our promotion hopes alive. We started strong with a last minute trip to Sainsbury’s to purchase some high quality kit…basic white t shirts to the rescue for the three of us who forgot we were playing in our away kit! Clearly a good luck charm, our passing was on point and we were applying the majority of the pressure. This led to us going 1-0 up with a great reverse strike from Kara. Unfortunately they got an equaliser just before half time with some generous tackling in the D meaning it was 1-1 at the break.
We came out fighting in the second half with some great defending and epic saves from Evie. Ellen’s late arrival (her keys were in her flat all along in case anyone was wondering!) was perfectly time as she got hacked on a goal scoring opportunity and a flick was awarded. Kara stepped up to slot away her second of the game and took us into the lead. Once again, they bounced back and scored off a short corner for some invisible feet.
We kept fighting right until the end and have to be proud of playing our game this week. Another draw is frustrating, but promotion is still possible! The half term break is essential for some our knees to recover, but we’ll be ready for the next challenge!
Ladies Vamps 2-1 Leatherhead
So there were several upsides to the game against Leatherhead:
– it didn’t rain
– only 3 people were late
– no-one came off injured (except Katharine – that pesky hamstring)
– some outstanding defending
– the 2 green cards were for them not us
– we won!!
However, we could tighten up in a couple of areas:
1) Observation – we didn’t notice when they had 12 people on the pitch, luckily their ref did
2) Short corner routine – how many corners did we have??
3) Protection – of our great GK Nici’s thighs against any more nasty bruises, maybe through closer marking in the midfield, breaking down those attacks earlier rather than later
4) Beigeness – of the teas. Chips, onion rings and chicken nuggets…Seriously?
However after going one down in the first half Katharine and Sara both found the back of the net and saved the day in the second. Final score 2-1.
A good result from a gritty game with everyone working hard. Well done all!
Ladies 3rd XI 0-2 Guildford
Match report to follow
Surbiton 0-0 Ladies Martlets
Match report to follow