After an interesting game the week before, whereby the 1st XI managed to get quite a scrappy point against Old Georgians, the squad travelled to the beautiful Medway region of Kent to face Old Williamsonian Hockey Club. Although our opposition had a difficult start, the 1st XI was aware that a hard game was in front of them. Or were they?!

I say this because quite simply the first-half performance was slow, meagre, and pathetic and something I would rather forget, let alone typing out on this Tuesday afternoon. Quite frankly, the major plus of the half was that the score was only 1-0 to Old Willies. We created a couple of chances here and there but the 1st XI lacked enthusiasm and a strong team talk (aka a Rocket…….) was needed at Half time from Captains and Coach.

And to be fair to the group it worked, where a strong start to the second half allowed us to get in the game more and have more consistent passages of possession. This pressure paid off where MJ managed to do a great slider to the back right post for Ed Bull to deflect and continue his good scoring form. From then on unfortunately some interesting decisions from umpires to both sides made the game a bit manic. However, we managed to keep more people on the pitch than them and whilst Old Willies felt the best way to get decisions was dropping on the floor and bellowing out injustice, the 1st XI just got on with it. Through a long corner, Eddy Forshaw managed to do another pinpoint ball in into the dee and somehow Charlie Speller managed to pick on reverse and score (it was quite a feat).

Now at 2-1 the game became a bit easier for the 1st XI and we managed to keep control a bit more and were able to capitalise on a break when Tom Archer intercepted and gave to Ian Harvey towards the oppositions 25, and after managing to go past their last defender he was taken out and we were awarded a penalty stroke. Up stepped Harvey who put away to keep his run of goals going also.

In the last 10 minutes, our scramble defence worked well, with James Craigmyle stepping up as usual with some great saves and it finished 3-1. So, we managed to get the result we craved, even though we only did 35 minutes of a performance. So as we enter this weekend facing the top of the league the boys need to carry on the intensity we showed in the last 35 minutes and take the game to Guildford, a challenge that everyone in the squad should be relishing.

DOD Harvey
MOM Speller

All the best The Don #23