Fit as a Fiddle

The much anticipated visit to The Meadow of Southgate 2s in the England Hockey 2nd XI Cup finally dawned on a crisp, bright and autumnal Remembrance Sunday afternoon.

Southgate HC is a National League Conference East club and their high achieving 2s play in the London Hockey League Premier Division (approx. 3 leagues between them and our 2's). These boys are Veterans of five finals and are an impressive outfit. However, they had been losers in each one they'd appeared in so BOE planned to extend that misery but a few stages earlier than usual.

The Blackheath & OE’s 2s are currently unbeaten and sitting pretty at the top of the Kent Area Division 2 with a healthy plus 26 goal difference. The lads are brimming with confidence with a settled squad and goal scoring coming easy. However, the unforgettable dispatching of Brighton & Hove 2s via a dramatic penalty stroke shoot out in the last round was put on hold as ‘David’ BOE now attempted to topple the huge challenge of ‘Goliath’ Southgate.

Both teams had arrived early with full strength squads and blew away their previous days exertions with some high intensity warm-ups. A well respected minute silence was observed before the match until the Umpires whistle pierced the quiet and the teams got down to business.

The game started at a ferocious pace and it was clear from the opening passages of play that BOE would have to been on top of their game to cope with the slick and fast paced Southgate hockey. The Club stood resolute and Southgate’s initial forays into the BOE final 25 where nullified by the vigilant Baillie and De Witt. Southgate played a very good, disciplined and high press from the off which put immense pressure on the BOE back line at every 16 hit. Their speed and agility cut off the outlets and they hunted the ball down with predatory relish. This force eventually yielded a penalty corner for the visitors when a panicked mistake in the D drew a foul. A lightning fast injection and fiercely low drag flick in the bottom left within the blink of an eye gave Southgate the first goal of the game.

At this point the Blackheath boys could’ve bricked it and seen that goal as an ominous sign of things to come with a crumbling capitulation. But we are made of stronger, prouder and worthier stuff at BOE and from the re-start the Club went straight on the offensive. Some superb one touch hockey that only saw four or five passes exchanged before the ball fell to club top scorer Edd Thorogood with his back to the goal at the top of the D. He turned on a six pence and lashed an extraordinary shot into the roof of the net. Boom! A wonder goal and BOE were right back in it.

Southgate reeled slightly from this counter punch and before they could say WTF?! the Blackheath tide surged forward again and won a penalty corner. A slick move found Dan Moore on the right slip who masterfully flicked the ball high into the back of the net past a diving Southgate keeper. BOE 2 Southgate 1. We were up in the game with some excellent counter attacking hockey. Could the unthinkable happen? Was this to be another giant slaying display?

From the restart the game ebbed and flowed and the contest remained pretty even. Skipper Derwyn Baillie rolled back the years with a masterful display at CB despite enormous pressure. The Blackheath boys were industrious in midfield foraging and stealing the ball when possible and scampering forwards to feed the eager BOE front line. More and more chances were falling to Southgate as they showered the Blackheath goal with shots and efforts from all angles but with Ryan Bishop in amazing form leaping and hurling himself at everything they were constantly denied. BOE will rue a few chances to steal a further goal as they came close themselves on several occasions. Eventually the relentless drive of Southgate brought them an equaliser as intricate passing in the D from a baseline entry found their Fwd free on the post for a tap in to bring the scores level.

Halftime came with the scores level at 2-2. A terrific result so far for the boys in red who showed their counterparts they were no easy pushover and gave them a tough 35 mins.

The second half however was a very different affair. Southgate clicked into another gear and played their hockey at an even higher intensity than what they’d begun with. Their superior fitness (courtesy of training twice a week with their 1st XI squad with some of the UK’s top coaches) really began to prevail as they motored all over the pitch with relentless efficiency. As BOE worked hard to keep up the gaps started to open. As BOE tired Southgate appeared to get stronger. With effortless precision passing the visitors powered into a 4-2 lead with quick goals of utter quality. BOE rallied and attempted to force themselves back into the game with some sterling efforts throwing their bodies on the line. But Southgate were patient and just wore them down with fitness levels beyond the majority of the Blackheath warriors. Ryan Bishop continued to keep the score respectable but not even he could prevent the eventual onslaught as a string of excellently crafted goals put Southgate 7-2 ahead.

The final whistle came and it was clear the better team had won but BOE 2s gave an excellent account of themselves and to a man every single player was exhausted having given their all in pursuit of victory. A coach, captain and Chairman can ask no more than that. It gives us all something to aspire to as we continue to take this club forward to higher levels of excellence, performance and achievement.

A wonderfully prepared ‘party tea’ greeted all players and officials in the alternative London Marathon Sports Ground Pavilion as a good spirited game was discussed by all over mugs of hot tea.
An appreciative, congratulatory and encouraging email from the Southgate Manger the following day was testament to the BOE player’s efforts and the Clubs display both on and off the pitch. Well done to all – Very Proud and Very Worthy.

As an interesting aside I learnt afterwards that as well as the whole Southgate 2s Squad training twice a week with Southgate 1s the 2nd XI IR who faced us and never seemed to stop moving runs 10k every Friday night before a game then runs to every match they play in (except Canterbury where he gets the train and runs from the Station). Now is that just showing off or an indication of the fitness levels required to play top class hockey? Either way it’s mightily impressive. Roll on next season and we’ll go again.

Matt Wilde
BOEHC Chairman & Club Captain