After this result it almost seemed inevitable that the venerable sport of hockey would add itself to the recently expanding list of global sports (football, cricket, tennis etc.) in terms of “suspicious” results being investigated by the relevant sporting authority. Prior to this week-end this fixture had always been a veritable goal fest with the Club racking up roughly a cumulative twenty goals to Sevenoaks’ ten in the last three games between the two teams, so such a parsimonious affair was rather out-of-place, at least this side of Lent. But ultimately it was just one of those days where many of the slices of good fortune that the team had enjoyed in the first ten league games of the season decided that some serious payback was due.

Picking positives from the wreckage of unforeseen defeat is never easy, but at least the defence looked a bit more solid than for some time with Phil Kinch and David Maltman adding two more oaks to the visitors’ seven, and returning keeper Tom Conway making a vital early block along with two good saves to his right on the few occasions where Sevenoaks seriously threatened. The home keeper was one of two late-fitness worries for the hosts after he decided to crunch tackle a moving motor vehicle during the week, whilst apparently forgetting that he was not wearing his week-end body armour at the time. Still, the car mercifully came off second in this particular battle. The returning Steve Miller was a welcome sight in the heart of defence too, and not looking a day older since his recent birthday either. A few months older maybe, but certainly not just one day …

The other late appearance from the treatment room was that of forward Pat Gainey who underwent a rigorous programme of massage and acupuncture to get himself on the pitch, amidst strenuous denials that any of this took place in Soho. However, there was unfortunately no happy ending in sight on this occasion. Despite getting into great positions where on another day a hat-trick (at the very least) would have been for the taking, his final touch could not convert any of the chances that came his way, but form is temporary and class is permanent so redemption is never going to be far away for the Vets’ serial “sick-note” striker.

Neither was there any lack of experience in the midfield area, where Mark Ainley and Richard Cleall were able to stay fit, remain on-field, and keep urging the team forward, along with man-of-the-match Ravi Wickramsuriya who was desperately unlucky not to maintain his goal-scoring streak thanks to the visiting keeper’s heroics and some desperate last-ditch defending. But despite the huffing and puffing, the Sevenoaks’ defence simply refused to be blown down, and what the home team seemed to be lacking most was a bit of width and guile … as well as a slice of luck … to either break the stalemate or dictate the play.

With a penalty corner count of 12-3 in the hosts’ favour it was therefore a tough one to swallow when the visitors scored from the last of their three with only ten minutes left to play, but even then the drama was not over. Two correctly issued green cards temporarily reduced Sevenoaks to nine men, but still the men in red could not make the telling breakthrough. The final whistle was blown simultaneous to the award of a home short corner, which then yielded another as the ball struck a defender’s leg. With nearly the entire Club team ringed around the away D vaguely resembling something from the recent TV dramatisation of “War and Peace”, there was one last opportunity as captain Stephen Gilbert lunged in vain at the right-hand post, but to no avail. 0-1 it was, and 0-1 it stayed. Well done to Sevenoaks for riding their luck and holding on till the last to record their third victory of the season to date.

So were there any dodgy bookmakers down the Old Kent Road rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a potential windfall at around 3.30 pm? Probably not, although Brombecks may now be relishing the prospect of exacting vengeance for BOEHC’s best victory and their own worst defeat of the season in next weekend’s derby match. Any lingering or fast-fading hopes of the Division 3 title were surely extinguished by this latest setback and the likely ensuing 7-point gap to runaway leaders Folkestone, but the Vets will need to shake off their customary post-Christmas hangovers soon to avoid the season going the way of most New Year’s resolutions. The 7-point gap mid-season gap to third place in the table is now disappearing fast with Burnt Ash, Brombecks and Maidstone all snapping at the Club’s heels.

Team:
Tom Conway (GK), Phil Kinch, David Maltman, Steve Miller, Matt Deeley, Tim Walters, Peter Robinson, Ravi Wickramsuriya, Mark Ainley, Richard Cleall, Jason Walsh, Pat Gainey, Stephen Gilbert (C) and Ross Ainley.

Man-of-the-match:
Ravi Wickramsuriya … never-say-die attitude on a day it was just not meant to be.

Umpires:
Johnny C. – once again, really very good indeed. Controlled the game well and issued cards without arguments and with explanations. And the Sevenoaks representative did just fine too.