M4 vs Gloucester 4 Lost 0-2
MOM: Marcus
DOD: Jonathan
To sum up this week …. even better.
This was a busy game day, so bear with me.
First we organised to pick Fin up only to find that his kit was at his Dad’s house, so a 5 minute detour, OK, kit picked up, however on the way back Fin recalled leaving his key in the front door, OK back we go, they say things occur in 3’s, so Fin dropped his phone on the drive, no damage, but we all thought DOD nomination sorted all ready.
So, we played despite of the best efforts of storm Darragh and were thankful that it was a home match and didn’t have to travel. It was a strong team to face Gloucester as we could get a result with this match. It was pointed out that so far, my ‘we can get a result’ pre-match build up’s have resulted in no wins. I’ve been told I’m not allowed that phrase anymore!
We started well, no, really well putting in effort, doing those lovely triangles and moving off the ball. Gloucester had a few quick youngsters and played mostly on the break, and it was a good game of hockey, very even. Gloucester took the lead converting a well struck short corner. That didn’t stop the game play and on the half-time whistle our short corner stopped on the line by a Gloucester foot resulted in a flick. Now, I’m sure Fin may have had a rye smile as his DOD may not be a sure thing!
This is very exciting in the M4’s flick’s are not that common and generated a murmur of discussion on what do we do, whose going to take the flick etc., but John R had already placed the ball and looked ready to go. Now John practices flick’s for the last 15 minutes at training and he usually has issues keeping the ball below the crossbar. Well, you know the score so the out-come is no surprise, it rather tamely headed towards the goal and was easily saved.
Team talk was easy, keep playing, keep going. So full up on oranges and sweets we started again, and it was the same, both sides creating chances and Marcus who was bellowing at the defenders and anyone else, pulled off a good save with his left hand over the bar.
However, Gloucester scored 2nd from free play after we defended a short corner. We had defended lots of short corners, one I nicely deflected around the post from a rocket of shot onto my foot, it was going wide and to high, more a self-defence reflex. The goal was a bobble-shot that looped over Marcus and despite Adrain and my best efforts we watched the ball slowly roll over the line. Even Justin’s green card didn’t stop us much. He claimed that it was unfair as he had done a worse stick tackle in the first half and no-one noticed!
In the last 15 minutes, wanting to get a goal and back into the game, Mr Kim, who has been dying to go up front and show how’s done, went up front. It’s safe to say that we didn’t adjust to the new formation well and it got a bit messy, we still pushed for that goal (rather lose another goal trying to score) and often had a 3-on-1 attack vs defence (that was me), we didn’t concede!
We didn’t get the goal but it was the best hockey we had played and the pie ‘n’ chips was well deserved.
Next week, last before the Christmas break vs Stroud 3 I don’t expect to get a result, so we will probably win!
MOM: Marcus – Excellent saves (as mentioned) and a restrained moment when he choose not to wipe out the young Gloucester forward and afterwards mentioned that he now only wipes-out bigger people.
Honourable mentions: Tobias – attacking excellence, Peter – solid, Mark – goal line save (that wasn’t)
DOD: Jonathan – our wondering star, who was everywhere but sometimes not where he should have been, he was at the back with me, that lead to the mentioned 3-on-1 situation and he injected on one of our shorts, some confusion about double touch and when that attack broke down he was back in our D gave away another short, so effort was not in question.
Dis-honourable mentions: Fin – see pre-match build up, John R – Flick miss, Mark – being ‘pushy’ not sure if was opp. or shouting at players.
I have introduced a new feature for DOD, award winners will now be required to provide an answer to the question “In my defence…”
So Jonathan…..
Statement to be provided