NOT A BOR(e)D DRAW!

What is it about Sittingbourne? If Saturday’s game at Old Bordenians is anything to go by, then one can only assume that the local derby between Saturday’s hosts and Gore Court will soon fall foul of noise abatement regulations, as both teams are on the highly verbose side of “vocal”. The match almost pales into insignificance against a backdrop of perpetual backchat towards the umpires not unlike an A-level paper entitled “Umpire gives decision – please discuss”.

But briefly back to the hockey itself ... the Vets welcomed back Keith Elliott in goal, handed debuts to Stu Cooper and ex-Welsh international Phil Goode, and were further buoyed by the presence of the team’s talisman, Lee Sandy. Following a scrappy opening in part due to the unfamiliar line-up, the BOEHC team started to find some rhythm and were eventually rewarded when a flowing move set Pat Gainey free into the opposing D where – after playing the ball neatly round the keeper – he was then invited to find out more about the topics of both hurdling and skin-grafts. Man-of-the-match Richard Cleall capped another sterling display by dispatching the resultant penalty flick into the bottom right corner with ice-cold efficiency to give the visitors a deserved 1-0 lead.

By the time a highly unfortunate equaliser had been conceded as the entire defence was wrong-footed by a combination of an air-shot, a mishit and a deflection, Lee Sandy was also then forced to give way to injury, giving the match an altogether different complexion. To their eternal credit, however, the visiting Vets ground out a valuable point in a game of very few chances, a small number of penalty corners and a steady succession of infringements by both sides. The determination of the defence to cling on for a point was exemplified in a number of cameos, most notably Keith Elliott’s quick closing down of any intruders into his D, Phil Kinch’s deflection of a shot over the bar which had “dentist” written all over it via his stick handle (on any other day he would have been man-of –the-match), and the match correspondent’s ability to deflect a shot round the post courtesy of his left buttock whilst lying prostrate behind the keeper.

A flurry of green cards punctuated the final quarter as temperatures on the pitch rose to match the balmy March weather. There was almost an air of inevitability as the hosts were eventually reduced to 10 men with less than five minutes remaining on the clock following a challenge which would not have looked out of place in a lumberjack’s manual for beginners. The inevitable green card became a rapid “traffic light”, as both a yellow and red followed in quick succession for the verbal accompaniment to the initial infringement.

In short, well done to the Vets for a point that may well prove enough to keep the team up in Division 3, for keeping their heads when it would have proved all too easy to get involved, and for maintaining cordial relationships in the clubhouse afterwards. Definitely a point gained (in more ways than one), rather than two lost. And congratulations too to acting captain Simon McDonald for his Player of the Month award.

Man-of-the-match: Richard Cleall.

Squad:

1. Keith
2. Phil Kinch
3. Tim
4. David H
5. Simon – Captain
6. Richard
7. Jason
8. Pat
9. Phil Goode
10. Mohsin
11. Steve M
12. Stu Cooper
13. Lee Sandy