Battle of Pembury

October
The year of Our Lord 1805
Admiral Lord Nelson was aboard Victory. Addressing his captains.
Laying ou the battle plans.
He called it "The Nelson Touch"
What followed was
Trafalgar

October
The year of Our Lord 2020
Vice Admiral Whitters was aboard HMS Heathens. Addressing his players.
Laying out the battle plans.
Among those players
The great, great, great, great, great, great, great nephew of the Admiral himself
(alledgedly, possibly, maybe)
Charlie Nelson.
What followed was
Pembury

Tunbridge Wells Vets. A history of battles with the Heathens. Some would say a bogey team.
The vets were emblazoned in red, they stood, ready for battle.
The wind had ceased.
The squall had calmed.
The sky had cleared.
The whistle blew and the battle commenced

The Heathens began perfectly to plan.
And that plan
Run and run and run and run and then run some more !!!!
We were fitter, faster and stronger. It was a fairly one sided affair. The vets relied on their stick skills, of which they had perfected over the years and pulled of many a block and interception, frustrating the Heathens who were controlling the play and making all the moves. The Heathens work rate was admirable, a hard 8 minutes on the pitch and rotating with a fresh set of legs. The hockey was great. Crisp passing, cool transfers and most importantly a lot more penetrations into the opposing circle, leading to many more chances and shots than the week before. Amazingly, and against the run of play, the vets managed to bobble in an opening goal and the Heathens hit half time 1 - 0 down !!!

The half time team talk
"How did that happen ??"

"Stick to the plan boys"
Keep the work rate up, run them off the pitch
Young Max nearly equalised 4.8 seconds into the second half with his deft little flick grazing the outside of the post. The first of many many shots wizzing past both port and starboard goal posts. The Heathens were dominant again,working hard and pressing but still often thwarted by the sticks of the vets. First mate Alex Macheath did a sterling job in midfield with boundless energy and superb decision making. Along with Max and Tom the young guns are making a big impact on the side.

But the glory once again fell to the hand of a Nelson. Charlie, with another MOTM performance, grabbed the equaliser, to not only make the ancestors proud, but to gain a more than deserved point, and what we will claim as a victory.

The Nelson Touch

The new league that we are in is already proving to be very tough, but also very rewarding. High class hockey every week is what we aspire to, and that is what we are producing. The team is gaining confidence and momentum and we are not being outclassed. We are building and getting better so watch out those that are to follow.

Thanks to both umpires for keeping control of the game, even when it got a little too fiesty ending in cutlasses drawn, a bit of pushing and shoving and a Harry Hill £250 moment, probably very lucky not to be caught on camera !!! Cheers gents.

Scorer - "Fore Gunner" Charlie Nelson
MOTM - "Fore Gunner" Charlie Nelson and "First Mate" Alex Macheath
Quote of the day - "Old Timer" Chris Brown - "Come on boys, they are just a bunch of old men!!"