The itinerant Highwaymen finished their plundering 2016 – 2017 tour of Kent Open Division 3 against a handy Holcombe side who might even have beaten the visitors in terms of “average age” too. In the early morning sunshine at Holcombe’s fine facility next to Rochester Airport, however, it was the hosts who found it difficult to hit the take-off switch and really give the Club a hard time, although a well-deserved victory for the men in their white change kit was only eventually confirmed after two late goals secured the team’s current runners-up placing in the table. Whether this is a permanent or temporary position will depend upon Brombecks’ slip fixture against Maidstone which, assuming they win it, will edge out the Highwaymen on goal difference only.

By popular request this week’s report is only a brief one, as recent match coverage had gotten so long that Steve Bowles noted that both of his young daughters had grown up, left home and gone to university before he had even reached half-time whilst ploughing his way through last week’s report. Suffice it to say, the team against Holcombe were great from 1 – 13, and 7 wins, 1 draw and a solitary defeat against the league champions was indeed an excellent return since the turn of the year. It was highly fitting that Ali Burnett should score the first and last goals of the day, both via penalty corners, the latter once more tucked away after the final whistle had blown before the award of the short after 70 minutes. In between Josh Clarke settled the nerves by establishing a two-goal lead for the visitors for the first time after Matt Robinson had scored his first for the Club to make it 2-1.

Huge credit must go to captain Stephen Gilbert for turning around the team’s fortunes so spectacularly since the three match losing streak in the late autumn. 2017– 2018? Bring it on ... whatever league the Highwaymen are playing in.

Team:
Tom Conway (GK), Tim Walters, Steve Miller, Richard Cleall, Jamie Rendell, Ravi Wickramasuriya, Greg Dowse, Steve Bowles, Alastair Burnett, Josh Clark, Matt Robinson, Steve Garth and Stephen Gilbert (C).

Man-of-the-match:
Jamie Rendell – once again a textbook performance at left-back to get the plaudits from his team mates ... it is nice for the team to have a decent left-back for a change!

Umpires:
Seneka for the Club plus one from Holcombe. One word for both of them ... “excellent”.