Men’s 1st XI 1-4 Team Bath Buccanneers
Report to follow
Men’s Ladies 1st XI 4-0 London Wayfarers
Report to follow
Teddington 5s 2-5 Ladies 3rd XI
For our penultimate match of the season, we knew we had to win especially as some players are not available for the last game. At 10am we were ready to go against Teddington, a strong start from all of us as we made many attempts to get a goal. The Teddington defence was strong but after a long corner quickly taken and a good pass we were finally awarded with Manny making it into the D and very impressively reserve flicked into the top right corner. The attack continued to be successful with good passing from the back to the forwards, Charlie A made a good pass to Bethan who ran with it into the D and scored.
After half time the team came back out focused and determined and all worked together to move the ball around the pitch. Livvy, Connie L, Erin ad Emma made some fab tackles and moved the ball up the pitch to the midfield, Charlie, Mischa and Connie C made some runs with Holly and Mischa sending the ball across the post where 2 more goals followed. Notably one goal was a great team effort with transfers and passing that we were all proud of. Teddington also scoring 2 goals, the match ended with us winning a short corner, striking and Bethan putting in the rebound. (Bethan)
Goals: Manny 1, Bethan 4
POM Bethan
Merton 1s 1-3 Men’s 4th XI
Our November visit to The Harris Academy saw us batter Merton 1s, come up against an inspired performance by their keeper, combatting 11 men behind the ball and stung by three late breakaway goals and lose 3-0, our last defeat. This venue has never been a happy hunting ground. A dry sticky pitch with a large dolloping of sand on a warmish Spring day was as far removed from Fortress TD as possible and it did cause us problems. The early umpire engagement was a stark portent of what was to come with umpire one starting the game whilst umpire two was rifling through his kit bag facing towards the side of the cage. Once umpire 2 had found his sun glasses that he adorned for the whole game the match could start.
The next 70 minutes saw us, well, batter Merton 2s, come up against an inspired performance by their keeper, combatting 11 men behind the ball and stung by a breakaway goal to be pegged back to 1 – 1 before our belief in the squad to dig us out of a hole enabled us to run out 3 – 1 winners. Merton were set up to make it hard for us and delivered their objective. In between the location of the sun glasses and the final whistle Jake nabbed his 22nd of the season, Knappy had a stroke saved at 1 – 0, Powelly scored our 100th goal and Ben added the third. After the game we dropped a rule book into the umpire’s bag leaving it open on the page that shows two rules:-
1. An outfield player taking a ball off the line with his chest is a penalty stroke ( to add to the one that was given)
2. The round bit behind the flat part of the head with which one strikes the ball cannot be used to stop the ball is known as the back of the stick and it is prohibited from use, especially when collecting a long through ball leaving one with a 1 on 1 with the keeper. Any goal that is a product of this infringement should not be permitted.
As it was we were not daunted by the equalizer and quickly scored two goals both from good team play starting at the back, going via the midfield to the forward line who combined to score. Our day was made better by OKs drawing 1 – 1 with Surbiton 5s, albeit causing the fat lady a crisis as she had to hastily tart herself up to deliver her vocals, meaning we had won won the league with a game to spare.
Great credit goes to Tissy who, after a mighty tough season last year, has captained the side expertly and with much hard work to ensure that each week we had a good number of quality players in match day squads and instilling a real desire and belief within our ranks. Teddington Oaks up next weekend, another test for our title achievers with a number of our usual crew away on the slopes, skiing ( Geyser) and walking down the aisle, Jake to whom we wish you the best of luck. (David Knapp)
Goals: Jake, Powelly and Ben S
Warriors 7–1 Spencer Harlequins
The game against Spencer earlier in the season had ended in a hard fought draw, and the previous week they had easily beaten a strong Teddington team, so the pre match warm-up preparations
were, despite the lack of Jaime in the line-up, taken as seriously as possible. A win would guarantee us promotion regardless of other teams’ results.
Spencer arrived with a full squad and for the first 20 minutes of the game were equal to everything we threw at them. The hockey was good, (if a bit frantic) from both sides, and we raised our game for the occasion, with Max and Harry pivoting the play down both wings and upfront Jonty, James and Seearsy running their defence ragged. The war of attrition eventually paid off and it was last week’s hat-trick hero, James, who set us on our way with a open play strike that gave the team a collective sigh of relief. A great team goal soon followed, with Jonty feeding Cookie, then through to Max and onto Rob for the goal. It has only taken the whole season to get to this point, but now everytime we get a short we look like scoring. This time it was a lay off from Harry to Seearsy who slotted it past the keeper, with Ado on the post ensuring no one else would get in its way. Half time 3-0.
With the steam seemingly kicked out of the oppo, the second half was a much a more composed performance from the Warriors. Oscar netted his first senior open play goal after Jonty had dummied a defender, and running from the half way line crossed to Oscar on the left who neatly beat the keeper. It was then time for Seearsy and Rob to each get their second of the day and put us
in a commanding 6-0 lead. There was still some excitement left to fill the final five minutes. Whilst the Warriors defence had largely contained Spencer attacks throughout, they were given a short, which despite a double save from Brendon, ended in a goal from the resulting melee. At the other end, in the final minute, Jonty won our own short for Warriors which also resulted in a goal. This time Harry’s layoff to Max found Zac who, with all the composure in the world, beat the on rushing keeper to score his first senior goal for OCs.
We finish the season with a 100% home record and a great team performance that secures Warriors their first promotion. With Barnes beating Wimbledon and matching us on points, we still need to
win our final game next Saturday to remain top and become champions, so all celebrations on hold for another week.
Goals: James Hudson, Rob Jonkergouw 2, John Seear 2, Oscar Samuel, Zac Hawes
MotM: Shared Max Nickless and Jonty White