THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

The BOE Mighty Threes now with a taste for victory and a weeks rest, assembled on their home turf of College Meadow, ready to face top of the league Felixstowe Folkestone. BOE had a full strength team available unlike the mixture of 3s and 4s we took to Felixstowe Folkestone for a 5-0 hiding earlier in the season. It’s been a season full of frustration, bad luck, missed opportunities and inconsistency as the lads have found themselves drawing games they should’ve won and losing others narrowly. Nevertheless the team have continued to try and do the right things with the confidence that they can beat anybody on their day when everything clicks. Despite the gulf in league places Skipper Ders Baillie gathered BOE on the 25 to remind them of their talents and share his belief that today was the day to win again in a rousing speech (or in Fowler’s case – ‘arousing’). This rallied BOE and gave them focus. The beginning of something special.
Felixstowe Folkestone started strong and demonstrated why they were undefeated and top of the league. But BOE were full of self belief and repelled the pressure. The first half was host to a whole load of chances from both teams. It was a very tight half, with Felixstowe Folkestone edging it on possession for the first 10 minutes. Despite this, they were unable to capitalise with a few deflections from long balls going wide, and other efforts calmly quashed by the returning talismanic GK Florence – who judging by form, certainly didn’t look like he had missed a single game, which was more than ‘handy’ for the Mighty Threes.

BOE managed to hold fast during the Opposition's most dominant spell of position in the latter of the first ten minutes, before breaking the run of play with a series of well executed passes. The ball finally falling in the path of Archie, who executed a signature pacy Archie run, surging with great speed into their 25, shoulder to shoulder with their full back, stretching the play nicely, creating space for the on looking inside forwards David Forsyth and Chris Fowler to push into, giving us possession high up the pitch. Chances arose from this positive spell of BOE possession with Chris Brown, Nick Surry and Lewys Taylor making creative runs, posting up to the ball in dangerous positions on the edge of the D and testing the keeper. Unfortunately the front line couldn’t quite find the required finesse in front of goal in the first half, taking one touch too many and sometimes lacking the necessary level of communication. In spite of this, BOE did manage to craft opportunities, with Lewys Taylor and Joe Allen often dancing through the barrage of oncoming defenders sticks to salvage a penalty corner or two. One of which Chris Brown was very unlucky not to convert – sending the ball spinning a mere 2 inches above the right corner of the backboard.

In the later stages of the first half, both teams stubbornly dug in. The BOE back line was however, immovable - a Spartan powerhouse demonstrating a resolute doggedness for winning the ball, even when overrun. Matt Wilde and Ders Baillie were both managing to make crucial tackles outside the D, covering each other interchangeably. Nick Smith and David Golbey as full backs followed their men back relentlessly, channelling them and applying just enough pressure to eventually pluck the ball from the frustrated attackers sticks.
The first half drew to a close and everything was still to play for. Another rousing talk from the joint captain Ders Baillie gave BOE the optimism and belief to edge the second half, and that’s exactly what they did. David Forsyth and Luke Kellaher, consistently called the game from the middle of the pitch, controlling the tempo and the press, keeping BOE a cohesive unit. Then one of Nick Smith’s surging runs paid off – a brilliant through-ball from Luke saw him chasing down the channel, running parallel to Joe Allen, he laid it off to Joe, whose touch was too clever for the Felixstowe Folkestone midfielder and was subsequently fouled. This saw the opposition issued with the first yellow of the match.

BOE fought on, determined to win at this point. Then our break came, in a flash Nick, picked up another brilliant though ball supplied by David, and proceeded to pass in a series of nifty one-two’s with Chris Fowler and Joe Allen, before Fowler laid the ball square into the path of Lewys, who sidestepped one defender then threaded the ball between two others to the well positioned David Forsyth who without thinking, deftly rolled the ball into the path of Chris Brown (lurking at the top of the D) who without a moment’s hesitation, wound up and smashed the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. 1-0.

BOE now ecstatic knew they shouldn’t (like countless times before) let this lead slip. So they dug their heels in even deeper and played some of the best hockey they have played all season. Nick Surry and Archie selflessly chasing the ball and utilising the rolling subs effectively, David Forsyth and Luke Kellaher continuing to control and organise the press, Matt Wilde tirelessly putting stick and body on the line. And then BOE got what they rightfully deserved. Ders Baillie masterfully intercepts the ball deep in the BOE half and proceeds to send it soaring across the field to the well positioned David Golbey at LH, who then bursts down the line, cutting in on their 25, noticing Lewys curve his run to meet him at the top of the D. He lays the ball onto Lewys’ strong side and Lewys (noticing the oncoming fullbacks) shifts his weight onto his right foot, feigning to go right, but instead cuts back across the left creating enough space to smash a lethal reverse tomahawk shot into the bottom right corner. 2-0. The win was on.

For the final 5 minutes, BOE held the game. Stifling any opportunity they created, holding onto their win aggressively. Some may say too aggressively, in David Golbey’s case. Gobbler managed to pick up a yellow card after trying to give their young winger a piggy back…or was it a Fireman’s lift? Either way it was best left on a Rugby pitch. Silly, unnecessary and stupid – particularly at this stage of the game. Nevertheless, BOE held strong with Kellaher stepping into defence and helping the team come out on top. James Florence only really had one serious save to make in a truly, cohesive team performance full of verve, skill and tenacity. This was a well-deserved win against the league leaders and anybody watching would be forgiven for thinking the league positions were actually the reverse. Two wins on the bounce and the drive to move up the table to safety is in full effect.