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TROPHY TRIUMPH FOR HARDEN'S HEROES

TROPHY TRIUMPH FOR HARDEN'S HEROES

Matt Wilde2 May 2017 - 13:22
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https://www.blackheath.co.uk/n

A tight 1-1 match & a nail biting penalty shoot out that went to sudden death saw the lads hold their nerve to win the EH TROPHY 4-3.

Be Proud Be Worthy
- Andy Bartlett

Ever since the 7th Guernsey goal went in almost 12 months ago to the day there has been a burning desire to lay to rest the Ghosts of the 2016 Final. Fast forward to 7pm on Saturday the 29th April 2017, Lee Valley erupted as the Sea of Red bounced for joy when super skipper Chris Harden slotted home his sudden death shuttle to send the club into a state of utter pandemonium and firmly banish the ghouls of a year before.

The Road to Lee Valley was by no means straight forward and the squad should be given the utmost of praise for not only reaching the final for the second year running, but cementing a top half finish on their return to the tough South Prem Division 2. Having seen off the boys from Barnes in a very tricky Round 1, Round 2 lent itself to a brief trip to East London where a scrappy display got us through. In the aftermath of the 2nd round the 'Twitter Bantz' with our fellow clubs began and low and behold we would be pitched against our 'Demons' of last years final. Yep....An away trip to Guernsey waited for us in Round 3! So with a fraction more than a score to settle, the Colin Couves Barmy Army was born. The trip to The Rock did not disappoint and a glorious, well deserved, 4-2 victory in front of an evaporating, shell shocked Island crowd set the tone for things to come. It was sweet revenge that erased the remnants of our disappointing performance against this talented team the year before. Then another moment of Deja-Vu as the QF draw once again pitted us against the same QF opposition as last season - the good folk of Wotton-Under-Edge. Except this time it would send us on our way to the their place in the West Country for another re-match. This Quarter Final showdown with our pals Wotton-Under-Edge was a good old Sunday Cup Match ding dong and it needed two trade mark penalty corner rockets from the Skipper to cancel out an early deficit and set up a Semi Final place. With a trip to the Isle of Man & Manchester avoided, we finally got a home match and welcomed Norwich City to The Meadow. Cometh the hour, Cometh the man and the BOE Lads came good once again. Particularly the man for a big occasion, Michael Lawrence who set the game on fire with two incredible solo goals in a good 4-2 win to book our chance at redemption back at the Olympic Park Stadium.

Once again our Road To Lee Valley led us up against a familiar foe from last year - our Semi Final opponents. And so it was that a hockey date with our friends from up north, Didsbury, was set. The Northern boys had had a phenomenal season wining North 1 at a canter and reaching the Lancashire Cup Final. They were always going to be a very different prospect to the outfit we trounced 6-0 in the semi final the year before so the boys set about their task by training twice a week and committing to a programme of preparation that was geared to give us the best possible chance of victory. Had we not, we may well be writing a different story, as even with such good preparation, we had to fight for every ball, every inch, every moment and boy did they make us have to earn it.

As expected, Didsbury were a complex and tough task, well structured and disciplined to boot. The Manchester outfit, with their loyal band of green supporters, would pose us plenty of questions throughout and it is only due to our tenacity and never say die attitude that we were able to fight to the end, to the sudden death if you will, to ensure history wouldn't repeat itself.

The game was as tight as you would expect. Two teams having had very good seasons, both scoring plenty of goals and both set up to attack. The early exchanges proved to be even as the ball went flying across both goal mouths with neither side able to convert. A brace of corners were exchanged by each side but the deadlock remained in tact until a neat move and a deflected pass fell to the stick of a Didsbury forward who turned and struck the ball in a flash to open the scoring and set the cat amongst the pigeons, 0-1 and all to do. The midfield and back 4 were being ultra patient and waiting for their moment to pounce. The forward line was leading hard and creating space and every now and then BOE would find an avenue only to be shut down by the tenacious Greens. Eddy Forshaw and Tom Archer were controlling the middle, Mike Lawrence and Chris Harden were starting to get on the ball and all the while David Lawrence and Jake Owen were twisting and turning the Didsbury defence in the hope of unlocking the door. As the keeper saved from Mike Lawrence and a ball from Chris Harden crept just wide of the post, the teams would head for half time with the score remaining 0-1 and all the work to do.

The Skipper was very clear at half time, stay patient, wait for our chance and the game will open up, concede again and we would need a miracle to get out of jail. The second half started as the first finished, BOE on the front foot but all the while Didsbury held a fierce counter attack in their locker and Ben Wyatt, Tom Harden, Ben Stafford, Rob Hughes, Gabe Downer and Tristan Lacon-Allin had to be at their best to keep Didsbury at bay, with most of them taking numerous body shots and diving at full length to keep the door closed. Nevertheless BOE started to dominate the game with Didsbury barely creating any worthwhile chances. Lewis Lawrence was working tirelessly in the middle and Josh Self was starting to have an influence on the game, but it was the introduction of another wounded soldier that would help to turn the tide. Tom Mayfield had left Lee Valley on Monday night with a 3 inch cut on his forehead that was dripping blood following a horrible ball to the head. Much of the week we had debated the sensibility and ability of Tom playing but he passed himself fit and proved on the day that it was a good decision. As Tom won the ball on our 23 and burst through midfield, Mike Lawrence made a trademark run out left, Mayfield powered into their half and deftly located him on the run with a super pass. Lawrence then ghosted past his man at the top of the D before creating some space for his fearsome reverse hit..... you could hear the crowd pause to catch their breath and as he wound up.....silence spread across the Valley. Before BOOM! The ball rocketed off the inside of the back board with the most almighty thud. GOAL! Super strike1! That was the lift the boys needed, 1-1 with 14 minutes remaining.

Didsbury were determined to come back flying and a last gasp goal mouth touch from Rob Hughes diverted a certain goal and saved the day and the efforts of Archer and Forshaw in front of the back four ensured the gate stayed shut. Still BOE pushed creating many chances to wrap up the game but it wouldn't go in. The tireless Chris Harden continued to find space and with under two minutes on the clock he found a position to shoot but what looked like the winner would squirt agonsingly across the goal mouth evading the far post and also a team mates diving stick to ensure the game would finish 1-1 and the dreaded shuttle shoot out would lie in store.

What would follow would be the most tense and emotionally draining experience for all involved or watching. It's tough enough when you have a one on one in a match but knowing that your effort could effect the outcome of weeks and months of hard work and travel, the shoot out was set to test each and every one of the players that took one. Had we practised shuttles? A resounding no. But now that didn't matter and it was all about the moment. There was a hero or two just waiting in the wings and it went a little something like this:

Chris Harden - Fouled, stroke given, GOAL 1-0
Didsbury - Fouled, stroke given, Nathan Bullens SAVED 1-0
Tom Mayfield - pushed the keeper wide but so was his shot MISSED 1-0
Didsbury - GOAL 1-1
Jake Owen - Totally textbook. Cool, calm and scored superbly GOAL 2-1
Didsbury - Nathan Bullens brilliantly up to the mark again SAVED 2-1
David Lawrence - outrageous skill from impossible angle GOAL 3-1
Didsbury - Had to score and did. GOAL 3-2
Michael Lawrence - a chance to win it. You'd bet your house on him to score! Slid wide round the GK, got his shot off but couldn't quite locate the bottom corner MISSED 3-2
Didsbury - Once agin had to score...and did. GOAL 3-3. Uh oh!!!!!!!!

SUDDEN DEATH

Didsbury to take first. Player Coach and ex GB International Scott Cordon steps up. He goes left, twists and turns, backs into GK before slowly falling backwards and sitting on a logged Nathan looking for a foul. Not given! Quite right. Another save from the big man SAVED 3-3
Sadly the Umpire then needed both his yellow and red cards to remove the disgruntled and upset Didsbury player. It took an age for him to leave the pitch as the heated discussion continued. This moment of distraction and mind games could've downed a lesser man......but all these shenanigans which left our Skipper patiently waiting at the top of the D to take his go didn't seem to faze him.

Off he cantered, took the keeper one way, turned him the other before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner! GOAL!!!

THE PLACE ERUPTED!!!!!! VICTORY IS OURS.

What a moment, what relief, what scenes! That was it, we had done it, as players bundled and coaches ran from far and wide, the crowd descended into a fit of emotional glee. The game was over and 2016 was firmly banished from our thoughts. The moment had come and these 16 lads had stood up to the task in hand and passed with flying colours. Do not get me wrong this was a tough game and we know all too well how Didsbury would have felt. The toughest of ways to lose for a team that had worked its socks off. The boys in Green were magnificent from minute one and we wish them all the best following their promotion.

Hours, days, weeks and months of hard work and planning had come together in one moment of high pressure drama that will live long in the memory of all. To hold their nerve and pull it out of the bag, these boys had done incredibly well and if ever there was a way to finish a season of wonderful achievement, this was it.

To Chris and his lads, a monumental well done, the club are incredibly proud of you and all you have achieved and we salute you for your efforts throughout the year.

England Hockey National Trophy Champions?.............you bet your life we are!!!

Captain Chris Harden said “We certainly made it hard for ourselves. We were pretty disappointed getting to the final last year and losing so this year we were pretty determined but still couldn’t quite stick it into the back of the net and thought we better give the crowd a good day out! We came well in the end which is the main thing. I think we have the best crowd and they are the nosiest bunch here and we have got them a cup to celebrate!”

Video of penalty shoot-out https://www.facebook.com/EnglandHockey/videos/1281286498587796/

Men’s Trophy Final

Didsbury Northen (1) 1
Matthew Abell (17)

Blackheath & OEs (0) 1
Michael Lawrence (56)

Blackheath won on penalty shoot out 4-3

Further reading