You snooze you lose!

On Sunday morning I awoke with deep pain and discomfort in my chest. It wasn’t heartburn from the soggy Samosas I’d aimlessly gorged on the night before out of boredom at an insipid Wedding Reception I didn’t want to be at. Neither was it the joyful results of my 4yr old using me as a trampoline as soon as dawn breaks. As my grogginess dispersed I remembered it was due to being struck fully in the sternum by an opposition striker’s stick the day before. I gazed at the grim Ribena coloured circular bruise and noticed it made a macabre companion to the (thankfully now fading) perfectly spherical shaped bruises on my neck from the assassination-with-an-undercut-hockey-ball-from-two-metres attempt I received some weeks earlier and the one on my inner thigh following a concerted castration attempt at a penalty corner in the same game . I think the ‘Hockey Gods’ are trying to tell me something. Answers on a postcard please. However, I digress and it was clear that this anatomical assault wasn’t the only cause of my agony. It was in fact the distressing, heart-breaking memory of an abysmal performance by the Men’s Not-So-Mighty-3s the afternoon before.

It is probably true to say I have ‘padded’ this match report as there’s very little to write about in terms of positive reflection on the game. It is also true to say that in stark contrast to our all-conquering 2s the Mighty 3s have played four of the top five teams in their opening league games. So yes it has been a tough introduction to the League following the elation from promotion and yes the performances against BOE 2nd XI and T Wells were good but it doesn’t hide the fact that this team have four points to show from five games and that isn’t good enough. Displays like Saturday are also not good enough and do not help the cause. Canterbury were not a particularly good side but the 3s were worse. They let in soft goals, dived in, weren’t fit enough, went to sleep and kept trying to smash cross field balls. The whole team agreed that if they’d played to their true abilities they would’ve won the game. But they didn’t so walked away having literally thrown 3 points down the drain against a very beatable side. It was a missed opportunity that they cannot afford to happen again.

So onwards and upwards. The 3s are learning the hard way that this League takes no prisoners so they need to work on their mental preparation and be switched on from the off for all matches. They need to be well rested, fit and focused. Late nights on Friday and hangovers are not conducive to a good personal or team performance. Attendance at training vastly helps to develop an understanding and familiarity with your teammates. Practising of set plays, formations and Penalty Corners is also vital work at these sessions not to mention honing your basic skills which let’s face it were an abomination on Saturday.

There were some highlights. The Club scored two fantastic team goals courtesy of Messer’s Townsend and Wickenden who superbly finished off great passing moves. A welcome but frustrating glimpse of what the team can do when they apply themselves properly. Will Powell was a deserved MOTM who ran the Canterbury defence ragged with outstanding efforts of agility and pace. This is an outlet the 3s must utilise more effectively and frequently. This is a good team that can do much, much better.

Over the next few weeks let’s hope the Mighty 3s make amends for their early season lapses and rediscover the fight, spirit and cohesion that delivered glowing reports vs BOE 2s, T Wells and parts of the Holcombe 6-6 draw. The only way is up.

BOEHC 3rd XI 2 - 4 Canterbury 4th XI

Team: Hannon (GK), Wilde, Graham (Capt), Melville, Owen, T. Cleall, Earnshaw, Hatcher, Powell, Wickenden, Townsend, Barkworth, Miller.

Goals: Townsend, Wickenden.

MOTM: Powell

DOTD: The other 12 players for shambolic performances

Green Cards: Earnshaw, Melville