M4 vs Hereford 2
Win 2-1
MOM: Tobias
DOD: Justin
This week…a fantastic result!
So new year, new start? It was a tough game to start with Hereford were sitting 3rd in the table (we were 8th) and a fair bit of festive indulgence to shake off.
…but we did have a full squad of 15, a nice mix of young and old.
After the pre-match chat about how we were all doing, what we got from Christmas (Justin didn’t get new socks) etc. We noted that Hereford were warming up, right, yes, we gathered around and tried to recall how we did last year. Effort, passing, marking but mostly have fun and enjoy the game.
We started well, speedy wingers of Guillaume and Tobias providing attacking threat and backed up by Joe who is no slouch. And we looked much better than I thought as a team – Alex put it nicely we hadn’t gone rusty over Christmas. In the middle Chris L sweep up the threats and Ollie, Michiel and my-self in rotation did the passing thing and we built attacks feeding Justin Ethan. This was looking good. And when pistol Pete stepped up for a well earnt short and scored it was not unexpected, 1-0. We had some good chances, although Ollie air-shots (he wasn’t the only one) extracted groans from the rest of the team and Will kept getting into great positions and we are playing good hockey. Hereford has some chances but started to look to the long ball from the back to force field position. That’s not to say Alex was a mere spectator, some good saves and scrambled defence from the very strong back line of Matt, Pete and Bill – supported by Glynn.
½ time easy team talk again, keep going we are doing all the right things. Oranges are now the favourite but the Tangfastics and Jelly Babies helped a bit.
Hereford, brought up an experienced attacker who had been at the back so 2nd half was going to be tough and so it proved to be. Alex pulled off a good save high to his right and when a short was conceded the shot pinged off the post (I was on the post didn’t see it or the rebound) and Hereford scored in the goal mouth melee. It didn’t get the team down, we just carried on air-shots, actual shots that had to be saved, one in particular Tobias feed Ethan (on the p-spot) from the right, Ollie called post Ethan first time pass and Ollie missed the chance to deflect in by smallest margins – it was like watching a training drill. And when Tobias from the top of the D reversed a shot that due to its lack of pace fooled 3 defenders and the GK who stepped over it! 2-1 and we held Hereford to record a winning start to 2026!
A bye, next week then on to our next victory(?) vs Cirencester M5
MOM: Tobias – great attacking energy and a goal!
Honourable mentions: Ollie – great energy, Matt – lovely runs from defence, Chris – master class in the middle, Michiel – solid
DOD: Justin – socks, last one wearing black! Playing wise he had stormer.
Dis-honourable mentions: Ollie – a few air-shots!