M4 vs Cirencester 5 (A) Lost 4-0
MOM: Graham
DOD: Tobias
This week…a battling loss!
A late one this week that clashed with the England vs Wales, it may be this is a factor of only having 12 players (?). Extra thanks to all who gave up a comfortable place on the sofa or a place in a pub to run around on the hockey pitch. Tobias, who dropped out in the morning (maybe one of them?) was voted DOD even before the start of the match.
Expectations then. Cirencester are 1 place above us in the league, but with a better win points record and had a series of good wins. Previous match was a close 3-2 loss, so maybe?
We started with 1-3-4-3 formation and in the team talk stated the 3 points, keep the ball, pass the ball and move. This how we have looked when playing well. Lost the toss, so it took some time to get the ball and have a prolonged period of possession. In the first 15 minutes it was pretty even, Raoul had a glorious chance to get us on the score-board after good build-up down the right, but his shot went just wide.
Fully supporting my teammates, I shouted the encouraging ‘Can I change my vote for DoD?’
As the half went on, it was clear that the game was to be a defensive effort. Cirencester kept the ball, passed and moved in a well-disciplined manner – all the things we should have been doing. Effort was excellent, as always, the defence manged to keep the shot count down and Graham dealt with anything that got through not only with feet, but some saves from rising shots and neat stick work. Can’t remember the full details of the goals, the first if recall was at least 3rd or 4th shot that Graham had blocked that finally went in and the 2nd was off a short that we didn’t set correctly – classic ‘I though you were running 2’ etc.
So, at half-time, oranges and sweets gratefully taken-in. We swapped to a more defensive 1-3-2-3-2 formation, can you guess who stepped down into midfield, Ethan.
Did it make a difference, not much, the effort of defending and chasing the opposition meant that we only managed to make a few attacks in the 2nd half, in total the opposition keeper counted 5 touches of the ball. We defended and defended well, multiple short corners blocked or pressured, so the shot was force wide. Adrain cleared a flick from the goal line with a lovely soft hand drive around the post. Cirencester only scored another 2 and the final goal was in the final few minutes.
Well at the end we were spent, battered and bruised. Shaun and Ollie limped off, the young umpire at one point asked me if was alright after chasing the quick winger around again.
It’s a reflection of the game, that all the MoM nominations were for the defence and GK!
Teas were a bit of a let-down, not the usual standard, the rugby club was full and short staffed, so we stood whilst quaffed down the cheese & potato pasty did our nominations and then departed.
MOM: Graham – excellent in goal again, full of energy and kept the score down.
Honourable mentions: Adrain – sterling effort, Mr Kim – solid and Mark – defending
DOD: Tobias – having a life / interest outside hockey.
So Tobias…..
‘…the rugby was on!’