Men’s 2s 4 – 2
The final home game of the season marked National Peoples Team Day and a chance for the team put a cherry on top of a superb season.
A lovely dry and balmy day for the Ladies 5s penultimate match against Wimbledon 7s at Oaken Lane.
The team were upbeat and fired up in the warm up and raring to go. A very strong start with lots of energy, pressurising the oppo on the ball right from the start! With great link up play throughout the first goal was a lovely tap in on post from Jenny, a second, followed quite soon
after from the oppo who equalised on a short corner. With extra determination and solid play a further 2 goals were scored by Hildegard and Jenny to take us to half time 3-1 up.
We knew the oppo would come out fighting and they did and equalised within 10 minutes to bring them equal at 3-3, a lucky run meant we needed to stay strong, as the match could have gone either way. With true grit, determination and great connecting passes down the pitch giving us two further goals scored by Hildegard to give her a hattrick!! Final score was 5-3 win, a great team effort, showing we don’t give up, a well deserved POM for Hildegard.
Puritans 0 – 5 Bromley & Beckenham
Travelling to Kent to face the unbeaten league champions in their last game was always going to be a tough one but in the reverse fixture in December we had the better of the game although losing 2 – 1.
No such repeat however as we were dispatched with 2 first and 3 second half goals conceding 3 shorties, one stroke won from a short and one open play goal. We did have our chances from 3 short corners and 4 or 5 open play chances and dominated the game for a decent amount of time but were unable to pierce the BB defence.
Well done to the oppo for their comprehensive league win and no mean feat to go the whole season unbeaten.
One game left versus Amersham at home on the 20th and a chance to replay the game that was abandoned at half time in February.
A win and we can reflect on a progressive first season in the league.
Ladies 7s 0 – 7 Sunbury and Walton Hawks L3s
At last, some warmth and sunshine for our last match of the season. Sunbury are top of the division, not without reason. They are over 10 points ahead of their nearest rivals (Indian Gymkhana – so we won’t have to face them next season which is a hurrah, but then no curry teas, which is a shame).
Along with Berrylands, Sunbury are one of the nicest teams in the division and we will miss them next year, so congratulations to them.
We were hopeful as we had had some lower scores against us, and we had been putting together some better play recently. But with only 12, one of which had been off sick for weeks, and Kaycee Beukman playing her first adult game against a very good team (welcome to the team, Kaycee – we are pleased to have you join us) those hopes were dashed very quickly.
Attacking ruthlessly from the start, and with a relatively young team (myself and two of our older players are 200 years old combined – I don’t think their team even made that age combined!) and four substitutes, we were helplessly outgunned. They had no goalie, but we simply couldn’t get the ball up to their quarter much at all, and the action mainly took place in our half.
Pam and Leigh did their best as our experienced defenders, frustrating the opposition as always at every turn.Veerle gave us a star turn playing back at Centre Defence. She seemed to be everywhere! Annie, as always playing where she is needed, played left defence, valiantly trying to shut down their feeding channel.
Lia and Nadia were their usual selves, chasing down everything and never giving up. No-one could ever accuse those two of giving less than 100% or question their commitment! Nadia deservedly won Player of the Match for showing her heart, despite struggling to breathe at times.
Kaycee had a rough match as her starting match (they aren’t all like that, promise!), but connected with the ball and managed to make some progress up the pitch. This was generally short-lived as their defence were all over anything that got sent up the pitch, as Jane and Sophia will testify to! They tried their hardest, but it was difficult getting the ball to them in the first place, let alone releasing them to score.
Rachel on the right in midfield made some great runs, but she and Pam weren’t clicking yesterday, mainly because they were both being hassled off the ball. Which was a shame, and I am looking forward to seeing them link up next season. Finally, Fi, back from over a month of being sick, defended at the end so well. Her stick (and once or twice her feet) seemed to be in the way of the ball loads, especially in the last 10 minutes, which I was grateful for.
A brave fight against an overwhelmingly better team. We lost 7-0, but made them fight for every goal. There were shorts, rebounds and saves on the line. We didn’t embarrass ourselves – and we didn’t let in the most goals in the division either overall.
It’s been a great season, lots of learning (especially by me), and a team that is coming together. Thanks to everyone who has played for us, and to the 7s for getting g stuck in, bringing their best selves week after week and working on getting better. I am looking forward to next season.
Lastly, good luck to all those sitting exams this year, especially Rachel, Lia and Belle.
Nici Goldsmith, Captain
Hamstrings 4-2 Sunbury
Sunbury twice proving our bogey team earlier in the season in a friendly and the league were always going to be a tough team to beat. We started very well and did not give away possession for the first ten minutes of the game. Then completely against the run of play Sunbury broke and took their chances to go 1-0 up. Holding our nerve we continued to play well and were finally rewarded when CB managed to stick the ball in the back of the net after a penalty corner. Half time 1-1. The half time team talk from CJ was let’s do more of the same and keep working hard. We were soon rewarded when Howie popped it in to make it 2-1. Sunbury then equalised through a penalty flick, although CJ’s bruised hand suggested it may not have hit his foot. 2-2. OC then took control and finally found the net twice through the Yonge and Tongey axis. A good win 4-2 and needing to win the final two games next weekend to finished 3rd. With thanks to the boys who helped us out this week as we were short and to Rob Crumby for sending us photos of his evening cocktails whilst on holiday in Sri Lanka.
