Valient Fives Fall To Old Nemesis

The annals of Fives history are littered with spectacular games against Gravesham and Wellcome: The 5-2 humbling of Wellcome 2XI by a fledgling BEHC team in their second season since returning from the wilderness. The absolute robbery of league-leading Gravesham and Wellcome 2XI 2-1 at Avery Hill, when the departed leader scored a brace in the dying minutes. And then the cruel destructions visited upon the 5s by Gravesham and Wellcome 3XI last season, a combined 10-3 in total.

It was therefore fitting that the last friendly the Fives had before their league started was against G&W. The newly-promoted G&W 3s were now the G&W 2s following a bloodless (I assume) coup, but otherwise remained as unchanged as they have for years - a strong, physical side, they always present a challenge.

For the first 10 minutes, it looked like a challenge the new-look Fives would meet. Ball movement was strong, passing assured, and breaks swift and threatening. But gradually Gravesham took control, taking the lead from a good move that took advantage of the Fives' backline's lack of playing time together. Undaunted, the Fives struck back, pulling level through a typical Ollie Payne penetration and finish, a well-deserved goal from a good move.

However, if anything the Fives' resistance just fueled the G&W behemoth further, and they retook the lead and piled on the goals, helped by the tiring legs of the Fives 11 men. Nevertheless great credit goes to the team for not giving up, and winning plenty of short corners, one of which Mike McKowen powered in for a second. It is good to see some old faces returning, and one of them popped up at the back post, Adrian Baily with a trademark tap-in for a third consolation.

At the end of the game, it was a 6-3 loss, a reasonable result against what we expect to be one of the strongest teams in the league above us. The team came off at the end ruing missed opportunities and looking forward to regaining some fluidity as the last of the rust gets shaken off next week - exactly where you want to be after a tough game against good oppo. The whole team played well, especially Jonny Lewis, who gave his body for the cause once again, but the stand-out player was Alex MacHeath. If last week was "Joni and the Juniors", this week was "Alex and the Adults", as Alex was left the only u18 in the team. You wouldn't have known. He was fantastic in the middle, winning the ball back when lost and passing off calmly, always looking for the next pass to send or receive. A very well deserved man of the match.

Thanks to Gravesham and Wellcome for the match, and for providing two umpires, who did a very good job.

MoM: Alex MacHeath