It felt like the season finally kicked off this weekend as all of our Men’s squads had league matches. The majority of our Ladies teams had friendlies and our Ladies 1st XI successfully started their campaign in the Surrey Ladies Premier league.
Men’s 1st XI 0-2 Bath Buccaaneers
With back-to-back promotion, Mo’s party bus and a £400 bar tab feeling like a lifetime ago, the Men’s 1st XI were back in action at Fortress TD welcoming Team Bath Buccaneers; a well-established Division 1 South side who had consistently performed well in Conference West before the league restructure.
With the club following England Hockey’s back-to-hockey scheme, and opposed training not starting until early September, preseason training had been atypical. Nonetheless, good performances had set the team up for what was, for many, the highest level of hockey they had played, and that the club had ever experienced. The OCs also welcomed newcomers Callum Holloway and Ben Roe, recruited from BromBecks and Wimbledon respectively, who promised to be great additions to the side.
The visitors started the stronger, utilising their Irish core to its full potential and capitalising on a short-corner opportunity at the second time of asking to go 1-0 up. Not to be deterred, OCs rose to the occasion and settled into the game, producing continuous spells of dynamic, attacking hockey that had seen them reach their new league heights, as well as forcing a plethora of turnovers in the midfield. Short corners were won, chances were created, but goals did not come. Half-time approached, but not before, with the help of a large size 12 from Team Baths right-half, a goal against the run of play saw the visitors heading into the break two to the good.
The message at half time was clear; the current score-line did not reflect the performance, and maintaining the momentum was paramount to getting back into the game. We continued the second half where we left off, pressing Team Bath and creating opportunities, unsettling the visitors who endured spells with a man in the sinbin. But, unlike their City walls, Team Bath held strong, frustrating the OCs men. Despite being the better side for lengthy periods of the game, the fairy-tale season opener for the league debutants was not meant to be, with the game finishing 2-0.
The mood was lifted post-game however, with league winners’ medals being presented, as well as Charlie Lamb sweeping up at the awards ceremony, bagging himself Players’ Player and Coaches Player of the year (despite not being able to score a stroke). The men now look forward to an away day, where they will be reunited with Mo’s party bus as he whisks them down to Brighton and Hove HC. Unfortunately, post-game activities will be kept to a minimum in accordance with BoJos rules, despite keeper Josh Doble claiming to know the city of Brighton “extremely well”.
Men’s 2nd XI 1-4 Barnes
As the squad assembled at the freshly relayed Barnes duck pond a sense of crisp anticipation filled the air. A squad of new faces led by the new skipper, David Roberts mingled to discuss RBRJ’s recent failings with members of the female species.
Potentially due to the uncharacteristic focussed warm up OC’s started brightly on the front foot. Against the run of play Barnes burgled the first goal. OC’s quickly regained full control zipping the ball about and fully deserved the equaliser when James Pettitt calmly reversed sticked the ball passed a helpless keeper. 1-1 half time flattered the home side.
The second half saw more OC dominance as the youthful side ran rings round Barnes with fluid play and intricate moves. James Dick produced the highlight of the match, a wonderful stick save diving to his right from one of the few Barnes attacks.
After a debrief the fearless OC’s hiked across the raging river Thames in search of deserved liquid refreshment and found this and the welcoming Barnes club house, socially distanced the OC’s showed their class conversing with the understandably exhausted home side, and with fines dealt out the squad went their separate ways all wondering how Coops’ Nando’s date went. Sadly, OC’s lost 4-1.
MOM: James Pettitt – superb performance and goal
DOD: Matthew Cook – forgetting his stick bag
Champagne Moment – James Dick for his stick saves
Men’s 4th XI 4-2 Old Kingstonian 1s
Autumn felt like it had arrived early for our first league match, as we made the short trip past thames ditton to Old Kingstonians. After one of the more testing weeks on the hockey admin front, Captain Tallent had an exciting blend of experience and youth on display. He had even managed to get Martin Williamson to take some time off complaining about Boris on twitter to come and umpire.
Despite having a few new faces again, we played the ball around at pace allowing Jan and Rory good space at left and right back. We held possession well and a well worked move down the right was finished off calmly by Jon Turner. Lockdown proved immensely positive for JT as he has started this season firing on all cylinders. We didnt relax and Jake and Paddy worked a move up the middle to find Eds, who put us 2-0 up after 10 minutes.
A little wobble ensued as we began to think this could be an easy game. OKs were well drilled and but for some outstanding tackling from the infamous and now yoga-mad Sam Carne we could have been all square after 20 mins. Instead we regained composure and pushed down the right with Smythy and Tristan before switching it to Rory Kennedy in acres of space at the top of the D. Rory Kennedy had been boasting that his only game in the last 4 years was on oc tour against the Malta National XI. His finish was world class as he took us 3-0 up and everyone momentarily forgot he was an immensely painful character to be around.
As far as half time team talks go it was fairly easy – do not relax and the next goal is vital. We squandered a couple of early chances to kill off the game and then relaxed as an OKs strike went straight between Captain Tallents legs. We did then kick back into gear and won our first short, which was converted to make it 4-1 and all but end the game. We did tire towards the end as fitness needs to be worked on generally, leaking a late goal to come out 4-2 winners. Captain Tallent was fairly happy afterwards and we must also thank Zali, our team manager, for her strategic advice throughout. Early days but we played some good hockey and roll on a home tie against Croydon at TD next weekend!
MoM – JT (great game)
DoD – Eds (hairstyle)
Men’s 5th XI 1-2 Old Kingstonian 2s
To the backdrop of JJ on the tannoy akin to the 1980’s Politburo’s governmental policy brainwashing as one ate and socialised keeping us all in Covid check with the underlying threat of a £10,000.00 fine if we stepped out of line rather than a trip to the Siberian salt mines, we were all on hand to witness Ravo sporting his new luminous green darts top, that fitted like a glove, as he strived to differentiate between the oche and hockey. Lost in the south/north language barrier.
We could have started with an easier fixture than v OKs who had the better of us 2 years ago in their promotion season but what ensued was a really good game of hockey in which OKs ran out 2 – 1 winners, deservedly so, as they took their chances and we did not.
With a blend of real youth, youth, middle aged and ancient we were pitched against a team that also had youth, middle aged and not quite so ancient the game was very evenly poised right to the final whistle. End to end competitive hockey played in a perfect spirit made both sides appreciative of league hockey between two sides who wanted to win.
Playing to the club end in the first half, I cannot remember ever doing that before, and in the away dug out those of us, well me, with OCD took some time to adjust as both sides decided they did not want the ball and continually gave it away. We had territory and OKs the speed on the break which caused us problems. 20 minutes in a long ball was perfectly picked by their forward on the reverse who in one movement slipped the ball home from a tight angle. A super performance from Jamie, Sam, Grant and Howie in midfield went unrewarded as OKs scored another with a clinical finish as we lost concentration and allowed an OK to ghost in and pop the ball home just inside the post. At the other end we had a few half chances, a couple of corners but were unable to test the keeper.
We shuffled the pack at half time and lost our way a bit but did pull one back half way through the second half with a Shane Warne leg break that somehow found its way home following a CJ strike, being polite, that was going wide but on the second bounce deviated sharp left. Bouyed we pressed forward and created some good chances but were just lacking at key times.
Mozzer and one or two greedy OK strikes when open goals begged two or three team mates kept us in the game but force an equalizer we could not.
This was one of those games where one doesn’t mind too much at losing as we did play well and lost to a good bunch of guys who were just that little bit better.
Epsom with their Procession moths next week ahead of which we bade ‘a bientot’ to Sam who is off to self isolate for 7 or 8 months in Warwick. Good luck Sam and great to see you having improved so much in the last 18 to 24 months as your baton of youth passes to Matt J who had another good learning experience and equipped himself exceptionally well in what was probably the most competitive game of his fledgling career to date.
Stormers 2-1 Southgate
Never easy to get a side together to drive to Southgate on a Saturday, however a 3pm push back made it somewhat more difficult. With a Crèche set up on the side of the pitch for the kids, a fit Stormers side was raring to go. Grimmer meant business with a spanking new pair of hockey shoes, almost as bright as Gerys new grip!
The game was a little one sided, OCs pressed, shifted, transferred and controlled the ball for the first 25 mins and came close on a number of occasions. Southgate cleared a Penalty corner off the line and defended their hearts out. In the 32nd minute out of nowhere Southgate scored completely against the run of play. At half time OCs knew this was theirs for the taking.
CB converted a Penalty corner with a power push in the 60th minute, game on! Rippers Snr controlled the middle with Cato on his shoulder mopping up any scraps. Dazzler was busy on the right, good job he wore his tights as he spent most of the game sliding to get the quick transfers. Rippers Jnr defended his heart out stealing two great balls off the centre forward who missed his vocation in life……actor. Heslop converted penalty corner number 7 and OCs had ten minutes to hold on. The last ten minutes was calm, controlled and professional. No panic! (Until Southgate hit the crossbar in the last 60seconds and then won a Penalty corner to finish the game). Penalty corner went wide. OCs take the first 3 points of the season.
Ladies 4th XI 3-1 Surrey Spartans 2s (friendly)
Our last friendly and hopes were high for a win which on paper should be possible. The first 15 mins were end to end play and the 4’s were settling in well. Then the game took on a new slant, we were attacking at every opportunity. but then we struck gold, or should I saw goal. We continued with the attack and kept just missing the spot, good goalkeeping from Spartans, until a further 2 were banged in. Spartans returned the favour scoring one off a break but perseverance paid off and final score 3-1. Goal scorers Lana, Yasmine and Katharine. A good result and well deserved even though we do say it ourselves.