BORDS SUNK IN THE JOSH PIT

BOEHC Highwayman 3 Old Bordenians Men’s 6s 1

Fixtures between these two teams are often rather feisty affairs reminiscent of the mutual battering meted out in the “mosh pit” at your average Metallica gig, but despite the rather inevitable issuing of three separate green cards to the visitors, this was a well umpired game played in a competitive but generally good natured spirit by two good teams, both of whom have a realistic chance of finishing in the top two come season’s end. However, it was the Highwaymen who rode off with the booty at the final whistle after Old Bordenians had been well and truly “joshed” by the home team’s talismanic number 104, young Mr. Clark,who had an excellent second half where he scored two, hit the woodwork and narrowly missed the target – and a hat-trick – after a long and mazy run from halfway.

For a change, the home squad of 14 included 11 of the previous week’s victors at Canterbury and the greater continuity definitely helped ..... well, a bit, at least. However, with the ever dependable and super-consistent Steve Miller returning to action in central defence along with Steve Bowles in a deep-lying attacking role, the backbone of the team was indeed a strong one, once Ali Burnett was added to the top of a midfield diamond and Richard Cleall just in front of the back three. The ability of Mr. Cleall to game manage, keep the team in contention when under the cosh and quite simply “lead from the back” has been nothing short of inspirational all season, but all the more so since the dodgy run of results back in November. And of course the upturn in fortunes since the inclusion of Mssrs. Burnett and Bowles has been anything other than coincidental too.

Steve Garth fully deserved his starting slot and worked his socks off in a rather thankless solo forward role for the first 35 minutes, whilst Peter Robinson again showed his flexibility by playing one half at full-back and one in midfield. As ever, the returning Phil Kinch put in a sterling shift before injury forced him off shortly after the half-time break, and Simon McDonald reminded everyone what the team had been missing for over a year. If the line-up was rather similar to that fielded a week earlier, then so was the course of events after the obscenely early 10.00 am pushback, as once again the Highwaymen spent most of the opening period under pressure and penned in territorially by a very capable and at times tactically shrewd Old Bordenians’ side. Even if keeper Tom Conway was for once not overly tested by goal attempts, the home team found it hard to break the shackles and make more than occasional forays into enemy territory. But slugging out a goalless first 35 to then re-group for the second period is often the sign of a good team, as playing well for a full 70 is the preserve of very few hockey teams at any level.

Once again a tactical tweak at half-time and the introduction of fresh legs from the bench seemed to do the trick as for the first time the home side seized the initiative and the game started to stretch out. The second half saw the Highwaymen ethos at its very best, with the wise old heads coaching co-playing youngsters who are willing to listen and learn. Josh Clark started running at, and subsequently terrifying, defenders who had previously had a fairly easy ride, and with Steve Bowles dropping a bit deeper and picking up lots of passes centrally this spelt trouble for the visitors. The first goal came after some very quick thinking and neat interplay between these two following a free hit on the right. Clark’s finish into the far corner was exquisite and the visitors were visibly shaken. In true BOEHC fashion the lead was relatively short-lived and carelessly surrendered via a needlessly conceded penalty corner after the ball was lost during a pointless dribble across the top of the D by a “visiting home midfielder”, but this only served to galvanise rather than deflate the Highwaymen.

Clark’s second was equally well taken, albeit from a more central position, but the home team still had to see out around ten minutes’ play to ensure a hard-fought victory. The final act in the drama was one of brilliant nous by Ali Burnett as he single-handedly ate up half the available time by winning four consecutive penalty-corners. And then, just to add insult to injury as the final whistle preceded the last of these, Burnett changed tack and drilled a pile-driver into the backboard to make it game, set and match at 3-1, and crown a tremendous win for the home side before the clock had even reached 11.30 am. The only things that could have made it even better would have been either a) a clean sheet in defence, b) a hat-trick for Josh Clark, or c) a goal for the evergreen captain, Stephen Gilbert, who took up some excellent positions at the near- and far-post and narrowly missed getting a hat-trick himself. A number of the visiting team trudged off the pitch at the final whistle looking like they were chewing wasps, as the result had clearly punctured their own aspirations of promotion at the end of March. It is a sign of both how tight the table is, and how good the general quality of the top 8 teams is this season, that after four consecutive victories the Highwaymen are still only fourth in the rankings. On the other hand, had they not conceded that last minute equaliser against Maidstone (from yet another avoidable short corner!) at the end of January, then they would now be second.

It was great to see one of the team’s unsung heroes get the man-of-the-match plaudits too, as Greg Dowse put in another storming display for the full 70 minutes. The success of teams at this level is a combination of the brilliance of the likes of Burnett, Clark and Cleall and the ability, flexibility and attitude of stalwarts like him, slotting in wherever required and putting in performances that actually inspire those around them. Similarly, the readiness of Chris Bernard to step in as umpire at the expense of a starting slot speaks volumes for another “Club man”. And last not least, the team had almighty support on Saturday, particularly of a female nature, although none of this was exactly a result of any perceived "Highwaymen sex appeal". Nonetheless, there was representation by three daughters, one sister and a mother, some of whom made it into the team photo above ... along with an embarrassing post-match celebration by the team’s press correspondent!

Next up ... table toppers and BOEHC nemesis Gravesham & Wellcome at their graveyard of a pitch beside the Thames estuary ...

Team:
Tom Conway (GK), Tim Walters, Chris Bernard, Steve Miller, Phil Kinch, Peter Robinson, Greg Dowse, Richard Cleall, Steve Bowles, Alastair Burnett, Josh Clark, Simon McDonald, Steve Garth and Stephen Gilbert (C).

Man-of-the-match:
Greg Dowse – see above. Shame his dad was not present to see a marvellous display.

Umpires:
Mark Ainley and the visiting umpire worked brilliantly in tandem and kept a tight lid on things throughout. Special praise goes to the visiting official for not being scared to card (quite rightly!) members of his own team as well. Well done!