M4 vs Evesham & Badsey 2 win 1-0
MOM: Shaun
DOD: Mr ‘Chopper’ Kim
So here we go again, a nice early start to kick of first games of the season at home and some new faces, Justin, Ethan and Tobias making starts.
Our coach Hannah kindly got up early and help with subs and some insights and tactical advice and Ed showed up, that made a few supporting us today, we all appreciate it, thanks.
The team remembered the team talk bingo and started off with a chorus of ‘first 10 minutes’ and you know it may be working as we came out strong and built some decent passing moves and looked the better hockey side.
Then on 20 minutes after an initial attack I picked up the defence clearance and played the ball back in to the PS and Shaun sweep the ball in, 1-0. It was deserved, although Shaun’s celebration shout contained some choice language! We continued to play well, creating chances and disrupting Evesham’s play limiting them to playing on the break and that’s how it stayed until halftime.
Inspired by Jules I also went old school and as well as jelly babies & tangfastics, supplied oranges, which seem to go very well.
We must all have still been dreaming as the 2nd half started Evesham nearly levelled right at the start of the first half and generally played better in the 2nd half creating more chances. However, our back line held either by Mr Kim’s best Gandolf impression ‘you shall not pass’ and the desperate, chaotic, scrambled, defiant defence.
The only moment of concern is when a good attack, Evesham has a shot that was partially stopped by Mr Kim but wrong-footed Alex in goal and in a time slows down moment we watched as the ball trickled towards the goal before Alex recovered to clear the ball an inch away from the line.
Overall, a very good game of hockey that in previous seasons we would have lost and it was good to be joint top of the league for a few hours!
MOM: Shaun, the winning goal and his first playing league hockey.
Honourable mentions: Barney – he was everywhere, Ethan – solid, Tobias – caused attacking havoc
DOD: Mr ‘Chopper’ Kim, well it’s really by default as we couldn’t think of anyone who had a really bad game etc.