CONTEMPT OF COURT

With the Lead Counsel Ram Basra condemned to 24 hours in solitary confinement, welded to the lavatory with Norovirus for company, after being struck down on the eve of this match, the Mighty 3s took to The Court determined to seek justice on their leaders behalf. With the case strategy clearly spelt out during the week it was down to The Chairman to lead the proceedings in Basra QC's absence. Responsibilities were given and with only one sub the team knew it was going to be a long slog. But spirits were high as it was a talented team that had been assembled which welcomed back several players from injuries and other commitments to join a squad still celebrating putting Holcombe away the week before. However, what increased our Blackheath Barrister's caseload and what they weren't prepared for was Justice Umpire from GCHC. A Judge determined to make his mark on this trial and leave his name all over it. An aggressive opening statement before a ball had even been struck left nobody in any doubt that this trial was not to be fun. No sir. Not in any way. His word was the law. His Honour also pointed out that young children were present and any inappropriate language would be dealt with severely. The whistle was his gavel and by God it would be busy. Cards were neatly tucked in pocket but fingers were already twitching to use them and that was when the coin toss was taking place! On the other side of the 'bench' was the astute and level headed South African: Justice Rhys Edwards, provided by The Club (a man who would've put Oscar Pistorius away on hearing the first evidence at his trial without blinking) and whom the team hoped (as he usually does when deliberating) would do his best to let proceedings ebb and flow and for all the evidence to be seen.

With a shrill "parppp!" of the 'gavel' the Court battle commenced and within the opening minutes it was clear this was going to be a feisty affair. The ball was zipped about as both teams probed and ventured. However, with opening statements barely delivered the trial continuously ground to a halt as Justice Umpire took exception to various technicalities including, back stick, pushing, leaning, encroachment, feet, dangerous play. We believe he witnessed almost every misdemeanour known in the hockey rule book that left both teams aghast. Plenty of berating. Plenty of appealing. Plenty of objections. Plenty of discipline. Plenty of lectures. Lots of free hits and penalty corners. Lots of over ruling. Very little hockey. It was a war of attrition.
Sadly, the green and yellow flashes began early with little conference or calming words beforehand. It was clear it was going to be one of those days. So the Mighty 3s conferred. We were desperate for the Judge to facilitate the trial not be the trial but we pledged to stay tight lipped in the face of the perceived injustice and try and have a game of hockey. No more further statements about Justice Umpire will now appear in this report......(ok..... maybe one or two...)

The Mighty 3s pushed on and began to make their case. The new formation of 2-4-3-1 was working positively and cracks began to appear in the GC defence. Nick Surry put their GK under intense cross examination. The defendant seemed to buckle under the pressure and totally forgot where the Witness box was which allowed Surry to defy lead Counsel Basra's pre-trial rule not to shoot on his reverse and fire the ball from distance, on the most acute angle, into the net....on his reverse. The law breaker landed the first blow. 1-0.
BOE looked to capitalise further and piled on the pressure forcing several penalty corners. This really irked the eloquent GC CF who spat out a torrent of abuse to anyone who would listen. Nobody really....except the young ears we were asked to protect earlier. The Mighty 3s backline feared for the lad if Justice Umpire heard him after his pre-trial contempt of court warning. But as the chatty chap ambled across to the public gallery where the minors were sat. Exuding his favourite anglo saxon expletive in various forms on the way. It became apparent they were his kids. The BOE lads were speechless and shared a few sad looks. Justice Umpire said he heard nothing so we returned to the game.
GC then secured themselves a penalty corner for another apparent back stick. It was becoming a firm favourite of the Judge in this trial. Especially in the D. After some initial valiant saves the ball fell to the left and a GC shot deflected in off the Chairmans gloved hand. 1-1. Not to be deterred BOE went straight back to it. Dan Moore and Ali Basham were controlling the case in the middle whilst constantly feeding an impressive attacking three of Marly Jones, Chris Brown and Toby Baldwin. The rotating Surry and Nelson played beyond them as the lone predatory CF. After another fine jinxing run from Jones which secured another penalty corner the initial strike fell to Brown who fired it towards the right post where Charlie Nelson turned himself inside out from a very difficult position to place his stick flat at the most clever angle and deflect the ball into the goal. Super finish. 2-1.
More pressure came as the Mighty 3s poured forwards taking no prisoners. It was the Law of the Jungle and the lads were swinging from the tree tops. Chris Brown again carved himself some space at the top of the D before dispatching a thunderbolt towards the corner of the goal. But alas a GC defendants foot diverted the ball on the line and away from a certain score. After some conferring by the Judges and several vociferous submissions a Penalty Stroke was justly awarded. The majority of the GC team concurred but sadly this was another decision that upset the articulate GC CF who, like a drunk teenager who has gatecrashed a school disco at 8pm, wanted to have it out with anyone would would listen. Nobody really....except the young ears we were asked to protect earlier. Que more sad faces. Happy ones returned when Nick Surry masterfully rammed the ball home to make it 3-1. Half time. Half way to victory.

A measured and reflective team talk urged the lads to consolidate their position and push on for victory. Unfortunately a ten minute period of sloppiness saw GC scrap their way back into it. The impervious Paddy Ferguson who'd been solid all game turned the ball over a few times, some unnecessary dribbling in danger areas from those that should know better and some slack marking all contributed to us conceding two scrappy poor goals. We allowed Mr Poetic to somehow wrestle and bundle one in through his legs reverse croquet style underneath a prostrate Seb in the BOE goal. It was a fittingly ugly goal to concede. GC then grabbed themselves an equaliser with a smart finish from a penalty corner move. Suddenly a comfortable game was less so. Time for the Mighty 3s to weald their sword of Justice and lay down the law. The lads stepped it up a gear with Rikesh Patel tackling, blocking and distributing with great aplomb. Jones again caused the GC defence problems with his mazy runs in the 23. He drew foul upon foul and justly secured another penalty corner. A great execution and once again it was that lad Nelson who deftly deflected into the goal on the far post to help us retake the lead. 4-3. Several more green and yellows made an appearance but the Mighty 3s drove on determined to get the victory. The best move then transpired which began with a fabulous run from Basham on our own 23 who put on the burners to usher the ball into safety away from the hapless GC forwards. He left them in his wake before shifting it early to Jones. He then turned the GC CB inside out before sharing a neat one two with Brown. Jones then ghosted past the final defender before picking out Surry on the far post to sweep it home for his hat-trick. 5-3. A fabulous team effort. There was just enough time for GC to grab a penalty corner of their own which they dispatched high into the goal off the glove of Seb who will be disappointed not to have deflected it wide. 5-4. There was one minute left on the clock which seemed to be stretched to bewildering 3 as GC tried in vain for an equaliser but Justice Umpire had to reluctantly bring to a close this almighty trial with a disappointed "parppp!" of his gavel.

We rested our case and with 5 guilty verdicts we enjoyed our day in Court. We fought the law and we won.