Old Mid-Whitgiftian Hockey Club
2008-09
(The weekly thoughts of your captains, or their delegates.)
Saturday 4th April
2nd XI vs Ashford - Won 5 - 2
A comfortable victory against Ashford at Tithe Pit Lane, ensured Old Mids will finish above Oxted, which will be favourable in next season’s league restructure.
When asked about his Team’s recent revival, Skipper Nobby, had a clear reason……. “the Weather! If you examine our results, our victories coincide with the climate. During the early season, the Indian Summer allowed our older players (Average Team Age 67) to challenge / compete and accumulate some points, however, the winter months brought Arthritis, Gout, Hypothermia and in some cases Dementia.
In order to escape the cold, some players took drastic action by getting themselves “yellow carded”, allowing them 10 minutes beneath a pile of tracksuits. This strategy was used frequently by Woodsie & Bordy. At Trojans, Woodsie also displayed early signs of dementia. On returning from a yellow card, he completely forgot his original position and played all over the pitch.
From November onwards our arthritic players really struggled. In order to alleviate the symptoms, some used steroids to combat the rigidity and pain associated with this crippling disease, unfortunately there was no improvement, although Blacky did grow an impressive pair of breasts.
When asked whether “age & experience” had any advantages? Nobby was quick to say that, “when we trekked by Public Transport to play Hampstead, most of our players could travel free and Reevsie took advantage of the single seat set aside for Elderly & Disabled”.
When I asked the Old Mids Skipper, what were the plans for the summer? Nobby listed the following:
- A Stair Lift for Richard Armfield.
- Exploring possible Nursing Homes that have double room facilities, so that Cloggy & Woodsie can share.
- Spunky has been referred to Urinary Incontinence Clinic. It has been clear that the pads do impair his running.
- Blackie has booked a Wallace Arnold Coach Tour of Costa Rica. Leaves Fairfield Halls 07.30. 20th April 2009.
With one game left, a further three points against Oxford Rover, will push Old Mids into a respectable league position. If only the Regional Premier was a summer league…………Reporter: Andy Barnes (Chief Editor of El Torro – The only Bull Fighting Weekly)
Saturday 28th March
2nd XI vs Ashford - Won 8 - 3
Representatives from the Premier Open League were under media scrutiny this morning, following claims of “rendition” were made by ex skipper Ian Davidson. The elderly Sweeper takes up the story:
“After luckily escaping Champagne Moment, I left the Ashford Clubhouse at 16.30. As I was removing my Disabled Parking Badge, a sack was placed over my head and a foreign accent told me “to be quiet and comply” After a short car journey, we boarded a jet.
As I’m often mistaken for others, namely Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Richard Woods, I asked my kidnappers whether this was a case of mistaken identity?
After what seemed like hours , I was stripped and tied to a seat, in what I assumed was a dark, dank underground location. It was here, I met my Interrogator. After an initial array of punches, he set about obtaining information. The questions came fast & furious………
- How come after months of heavy losses, Old Mids win by a margin of 5 Goals!!??
- Have you been to training camps in Pakistan?
- How did you get Muggy to pass?
- Has any of the OMWHC got financial links with Costa Rica?
and lastly
- Where is Reevsie?
Between denying all knowledge, my captors attempted to hang me from chains, but the pulley broke.
I don’t know if it was the pain, the heat or pure exhaustion (…..not forgetting I had played 70 minutes before this grisly ordeal) but I passed out.
Strangely, I woke in a deck chair outside my garden shed……….”
When Mrs Davidson was contacted to verify her husband’s claims, she said “what is it this time?"....... tutted a couple of times and hung up.
Mids will be hoping for more of the same, when the young Ashford side, visit Warlingham this coming Saturday.
Reporter: Andy Barnes , Chief Editor of Bullfighting Today
Saturday 7th March
3rd XI vs Barnes Won 5-4
Mids put in an inspired first half performance on Saturday to stun a strong Barnes side who had lost just one of their last 5 games. Playing some of the best hockey of the season, Mids scored 4 goals in the first 20 minutes to lead 4-1 at half time. Beaker, inspired by a pre-match talk from his captain, was on fire and completed his hat-rick in the 2nd half to make the game safe.
As has become custom with Mids this year the side were highly uncomfortable with such a lead and kept the game interesting by not so much "taking their foot off the pedal" but "going into reverse" and despite being 5-3 up with 5 minutes to go conceeded a late goal to keep nerves on edge. The victory was especially important given the fact that Richmond had won earlier to close the gap to 2 points at the bottom.
Adam Greenwood and Kevin Pacey completed the list of scorers in an extremely competent display characterised by hitting the opposition with pace on the break. Beaker, stung by critisism from the tabloids over the last few weeks, rediscovered his scoring touch and a full interview with Beaker will be in the Sun tomorrow, where he will discuss second by second his movements and touches leading up to each of his 3 goals. Jockey has also made the papers but for entirely different reasons - the general public are dismayed that Halifax have given him a £100,000 bonus which he spent in one evening in Hustlers.
Next Saturday brings a chance to work on some moves in a friendly against Teddington Oaks, Beaker for one will be hoping to pile in the goals as he has not yet given up hope of gaining the elusive leading goal scorer trophy, which has been held by Spunky since 1803.Sunday 8th March
3rd XI vs EUHC Gamblers Won 5 - 2
Mids continued their fine run of form on Sunday with a convincing victory over high flying EUHC Gamblers. Mids played at the same sort of tempo that had seen off Barnes the day before, but with increased solidarity were also rewarded with a much more comfortable victory.
Things didn't start off too well as Mids conceded first in a highly unlucky fashion. Our back of the diamond, who shall remain nameless, was surrounded by ants and fell over one of them, leaving the ball for the oppo centre forward who duly went on to score. Unfortunately the foul which he claimed was seen by no one on the pitch apart from himself and so the goal stood. One must hope that he doesn't get robbed so often when he joins the police force.
The skipper recover from his pre-match chunder (from a dodgy burger) to equalise, but unfortunately this sudden movement caused him problems once more and he had to be subbed off. Unfortunately the queue for the bench became quite long at this stage - some of the older players were struggling with a second game in two days and it emerged that the reason that Beaker had been running around in circles for 10 minutes was because the rain had steamed up his glasses.
Two more goals before 1/2 time drained the self-belief out of Gamblers and the second 1/2 was reasonably comfortable as Mids eased to a victory that takes them out the bottom two for the first time since about the 3rd week of the season. Jockey left the pitch feeling rather smug as one of the opposition players accused him of being a "ringer." The rest of the Mids team did not wish to be too harsh to our rather hungover keeper but many only stopped laughing on Tuesday.Saturday 28th February
3rd XI: Richmond 4 - 2 Mids
To summarize, Saturday's game was one where very little went right. A team that was already hampered by poor availability on Monday was ravaged by the loss of 4 more players to higher sides, meaning the side that took the field was unrecognisable to the one that played so well the week before. To get something out the game given this would have been difficult in itself, but the team then spent several hours trying to get through some seriously bad South London traffic meaning that the game started with no one having warmed up on a pitch which played at a different pace in various sections. A 2 goal loss in these circumstances was perhaps the best that could have been hoped for.
The 2 goals that were scored were somewhat different and were also scored by somewhat different players. The first was a beautiful piece of skill scored by 16 year old Jamie Mcdowell making his first appearance, rounding 2 defenders and bashing it in the corner from the edge of the D. The second was scored by Beaker, which dribbled in down the middle from 2 yards out. Jamie has a promising career in front of him and ran his socks off, Beaker is slightly past his best and "doesn't do" running.
Beaker scored however and therefore made a positive contribution, which is less than can be said for some of the other players. The skipper put in a performance that could be generously described as poor and the sweeper had the look of a man who had drunk too much the night before and not got enough sleep. The captain therefore may not be arranging any Friday night activities before next week's game. To round off a miserable day, the "nouveau" designed showers didn't really give out any water leaving the washers with a difficult task trying to get the shampoo out their hair and as one player put after the game "I've had better teas."
With many of the side returning next week the 3s will be hoping to get back to winning ways against an in-form Barnes side and have an opportunity to move up the table with a 2nd game against EUHC Gamblers on the Sunday at 2pm at Trinity. Entry fee £5, limited numbers on sale.Saturday 21st February
3rd XI: vs London Edwardians Won 1-0Mids 3s went into the game against London Eds 3s on Saturday with some confidence as they were on the back of their best run of the season - two successive draws. Confidence however was lower than it might have been against an Eds side who were on a good run themselves. The team were missing the highly influencial Jockey, who was busy lining up a date with a stripper until it emerged he couldn't afford to take her out. There were also problems up front; Beaker - entering his 734th game since last scoring, seemed to be more interested in telling everyone how he was "ID'd" in a pub last weekend than putting the ball in the net. Unfortunately for our beloved forward with the strawberry blonde locks he later emerged that he had paid the barmaid to perform such an act. Still, perhaps the his money was better spent than Jockeys...
Disciplinary issues are also a problem than continues to follow the 3s. Kevin, strangely, has not been sent off for quite a while and is definitely due whilst the abusive Phil Mander, Nick Trend and Stuart Clarke are "walking yellows." The midfield generally are too tired to shout anything or get near enough the opposition to make a bad tackle by the 2nd half, so they are generally a little safer.
Rather disturbingly, the side turned up to see Spunky practicing taking his yellow and red cards out his pocket, but Mids gave him no opportunity to use them in a very good first 1/2 display, yielding no goals as usual. "Andy Beaker Cole" missed the best chance although it was an amazing save by their keeper. As any hockey goalie knows, it is very hard to stop a ball hit straight at you from 5 yards out.
As the opposition tired in the second 1/2, Spunky finally made an impact with the 1st yellow of the day. The oppo umpire was slightly confused when he tried to bring the player back on after 10 minutes, only to discover he was already back on the pitch. Mids showed their compassionate side soon after by scoring from a short corner that came as a result of their player being hospitalised.
Spunky soon struck again to send Eds back to 10, but he levelled things up by getting rid of Nick Trend (1/2 favourite). Mids have rather forgotten how to play upon taking the lead and after a series of shorts only a great stop from Tom Bentley on the line protected the lead.
Mids held on once the game finally returned to 11-a-side and the 3s celebrated their first win since the end of the cricket season. The captain was asked afterwards how he felt but he was too emotional for words. Instead, it fell to Nick Trend to sum things up - "My tackle was not worthy of a yellow card, the umpire is a [nice gentleman but unfortunately got it wrong on this occasion]"
Old Mid Whitgiftians 3s 1 - 0 London Eds 3s
Scorer: N Cook (winning captain)Saturday 14th February
3rd XI: Sanderstead 1s 2 - 2 Old Mids 3sMids played in rather unusual conditions on Valentines day with a sensible start time and the sun shining resulting in above freezing temperatures. The skipper asked before the game what each of his team had planned with their loved ones and some unusual responses came about:Trendy - "I'm taking my cricket scorebooks out to the curry house"Kevin - "This year I'm having a few drinks with my umpiring mates from the rest of the league"Cookie - "I can't go out because I'm working"Phil - "I'm going for a night out in Guildford but I'm not sure how long I'll last before I get sent home"Rob Willson - "I'm just going to sit on a train all night"Jockey - "I'm going out with all the rugby lads"Beaker - "I was going to take my girlfriend to the cinema to see a film but there aren't any Disney cartoons out at the moment"The award for the most romantic player on the team does however go to Mr.Wilson, as it emerged that as a 2nd date he likes to take his young female friends to art museums to show "how cultured I is." With the team including such romantic visionaries such as Jockey, the 3s could not fail but to be inspired going into their clash with top of the table Sanderstead.Considering 10 minutes after the start time we had only 8 players who were standing around having a chat and a cigarette whilst the opposition were completing their extensive warm up most of the side would have taken a draw, but given the way the game went it was a disappointing result, particularly given the fact that Sanderstead equalised with a controversial goal 2 minutes from the end. The performances this side of Christmas have been most encouraging however and the 3s can be confident of extending their unbeaten run against Eds next week.Saturday 31st January
2nd XI Old Mids v Gore Court Lost 1-3
A young, energetic Gore Court Team capitalised on charitable defending to take 3 points away from Tithe Pit Lane on Saturday. Costly misses from the ever sprightly, extremely attractive Old Mids forwards may also prove costly at the end of the season. It is questionable whether Andy Blackmore’s charity fever is catching, as many other players seemed to be demonstrating acts of benevolence. Unlike Andy’s intrepid trek through Costa Rica, some players are raising funds closer to home:
Bordy – “Push an opponent to the ground” £5 a player. Amount raised = £15.
Spunky – “Abusing his fellow strike partner” £4 a Swear Word. Amount raised = £44
Woodsy – “Disagreeing with an Umpire’s Decision” £5 a Profanity. Amount raised = £320
Reevsie – “Losing Possession” £5 a Loss. Amount raised. (Still being calculated)
Nobby – “Suicide Attempts / Nervous Breakdowns” £10 an Attempt. Amount Raised = £20 (Half Time & Full Time)
Cloggy - “Amount of Ground Covered During Game” £1 per Kilometre. Amount Raised = 42pIt is to their credit that Old Mids 2’s raised an impressive £399.42 during this Open Premier Fixture. With new signings, Bernie Clifton (with Chicken) and Jimmy Saville (with Jewellery) strengthening the midfield, Old Mids will be hoping to turn the tide against fellow strugglers Oxford Rover this Saturday.
Andy Barnes
3rd XI vs Guildford Shadows Drew 1-1Mids 3s were rewarded following some much improved displays after Christmas with their first point in 5 games. The game before Christmas was a very well mannered and uneventful affair in a game that could be regarded as the "calm before the snow storm." Several theorems were put forward as to why the games were so different - "The game was more competitive" "The opposition umpire made some dubious decisions" "Kevin didn't play in the first game"The 3s like to play their matches very late and when it is bitterly cold, preferably away, so the team were comfortable with the conditions when the match started at 7pm with the wind chill taking the temperature to minus 10. Again there were worries about certain players: The skipper seemed more interested in the girls in the bar than the match, Jockey was eying up the bottle of port he brought with him enviously and Beaker had already smoked 20 cigarettes in 30 minutes. It would have been more but it took his frozen hands longer to roll up his cigarettes.Beaker, as it turned out, was as good as his word to not do any running for the defensive cause and looked favourite to be the first sent off as he engaged in "banterous" discussions with the oppo umpire about his decisions. Things began to flare up after a debatable goal from the home side, but a strong performance from then on resulted in several shorts, the last of which was converted just after 1/2 time.Nick Trend did well to shout loud enough to get send off by their umpire given the fact he was at the other end of the pitch and hadn't heard any of the stick tackles they'd been making and immediately after Phil Mander was deservedly sent off after having the nerve to organise his defence after being made sweeper. Kevin had been having a strangely quiet day but made amends by deciding to storm off the pitch. Josh Beale, on debut, looked on nervously as the previous two sweepers were standing on the side and decided to try and keep quiet.A great 5 minute period of ball retention enabled Mids to survive and some more great defence for the remainder of the game gave Mids a well earned point. Jockey had a stormer in goal but his day took a turn for the worse when his bottle of port went missing in the bar. On the verge of tears, he eventually found his friend in an emotional re-union and rewarded himself by drinking the entire bottle on the way back.Weather permitting, Mids will look to move up the table with 2 matches this weekend against EUHC and Uni of Surrey.Nick Cook
Saturday 24th January
Wayfarers 5 Old Mids 4
The current recession has led the biggest brands to tighten their purse strings. No more can they afford to use A1 Celebs and mega-rich sport stars to endorse their products. Owing to the credit crunch, budget-pinching manufacturers are looking closer to home. So despite their fifth straight loss against Wayfarers on Saturday, advertising agencies are busy negotiating contracts with:
Richard Armfield “Having Trouble Getting into the Right Position?” Visit “Loyal Oil”– From Linseed to Macadamia to Vegetable
Rufey “Clipboards R Us” – For all your Clipboard Supplies. Rufey says – “chasing match fees without my trusted Clipboard would be a disaster!”
Cloggy Woolworths
Spunky Kellogs Cereals – For all you & your partner’s cravings.
Bordy “Wanna get your opponent on the ground?” Visit Pro Wrestling. Com.
Nobby “Do you feel sad? Is January dragging you down? Are you the Captain of an ageing Hockey Team that has just lost five games on the spin?” Had enough? Ring The Samaritans and talk to Cliff Edge
Barnesy Diver Magazine Online, including “Dive of the Week” & “Diving on Ice”
Blackie “Bit heavy up top?..Need that bit of extra support?” Call Simply Bras!! 20% off if you shop on line.
Reevsie “Out and About” Mobility Scooters -Dedicated to selling mobility scooters, powerchairs, stairlifts & mobility products at discount prices to disabled people in the UK.Despite coming back from a 3 nil deficit, Old Mids allowed Wayfarers to score a dramatic winner with only minutes to spare. Captain Nobby Cobbett will take heart from this gutsy performance despite the result. However, to stop the slide against Al Gore Court, Old Mids may have to consider not conceding 3 goals before actually starting to play……..
Reporter: Andy Barnes
Same Old Story for Mids 3sMids 3s continued their winless streak despite dominating the entirety of the 2nd half on Saturday. This defeat was blamed in the bar afterwards on several factors; a lack of lack, a lack of talent or perhaps the late timing of the game meaning that Trendy's mind was already on the 1st pint of pride. However, an ageing member of the side offered an alternative explanation:"I think this latest defeat can't be blamed on the 3s. I believe it is the fault of our 2s and 1s." When asked what exactly he meant by this statement he added - "We've all just spent the last hour watching the 1s defend. Therefore our poor defending can be blamed on the 1s. Last week we all watched the 2s play and saw Spunkey and Barnsey miss 20 chances each. Therefore our lack of finishing ability in the 2nd half can be blamed on the 2s."In front of the largest crowd of the season - one - the 3s conceded the lead before the skipper finished with a deft touch to confirm his position of leading scorer for the side with 2 goals. Unfortunately parity did not last long and the score was 1-3 at half time. During the interval someone stated that if no goals were leaked for the remainder of the game a win would be achieved. The culprit has spent the last few days having both his short and long term memory assessed.On the plus side umpire Bowry was encouraged enough by the performance to offer his services again next week. However somewhat unfairly he was questioned by our former chairman in the bar afterwards:"So we lost 3-2 and you awarded a goal that wasn't and didn't give us a P-flick that was""Tough"Finally good luck to Nick Trend in his national Over 60s marbles competition on Thursday. Many of us had believed his marbles career over when he "lost his marbles" years ago.Nick Cook
Saturday 17th January
The Mids 1st XI returned from their Christmas break for a game away at Merton HC. They knew this would be a tough opening game as Merton are a solid and well drilled team.
The game started very well for the Mids as they dominated possession for the opening 10 minutes and Merton hardly touched the ball. However, the Mids final ball was lacking and they failed to create many chances until Steve Sheridan came up from the back to slap a short free hit against the post.
The Mids continued to dominate the possession and after 15 minutes Nick Evans threaded a through ball to Alex Clark who deflected the ball into the bottom corner to give the Mids a 1-0 lead.
After dominating the possession, the Mids started to sit back on their slim lead, and were made to pay as Merton equalised and then went ahead on the stroke of half time.
The second half started and Merton came out strong and stretched their lead after five minutes to make it 1-3.
The Mids heads didn’t drop and they continued to play some great passing hockey and again they had the lions share of possession. This paid off when Dom Jones crossed the ball for Nick Evans to smash the ball through the goalkeepers legs to make it 2-3 with about 10 minutes of the game left to go.
This goal gave the Mids the encouragement they needed and with only minutes left they were awarded a short corner, and after the initial short was saved, Ali Ross slapped the ball to Nick Evans for him to loop the ball over the diving keeper to give the Mids a hard fought equaliser.
The game finished 3-3 and luckily for the Mids the two teams around them in the league also drew their games to keep them in 3rd place.2nd XI Report: Old Mids 2 – Brighton 6
There were dramatic scenes during the opening minutes of this Open Premier fixture, when four Police Units descended on Tithe Pit Lane. According to a Police Source, at approximately 2.35pm, Warlingham Police Station received a 999 alert reporting a “missing person”.
In charge of the case, Detective Robin Egg takes up the story “The Surrey Police were alerted over the radio that a prominent, local hockey player had vanished. The report stated that a Mr John Seaman of Tanfield Road, Croydon had disappeared without a trace. Fellow Team mates assisted the Police with their enquires by offering descriptions, “bit slow”, “henpecked”, “not a bad wicket keeper”.
John (or Spunky.........this may be a criminal alias) was last seen at the start of the game but “suddenly disappeared” immediately the game started. A helicopter was scrambled and a Dog Search Team scoured Riddlesdown.
When the Police asked Team Mates “where might he be?” the responses were varied..... “ Spearmint Rhino” ..... “Mothercare” .... “Compton Street” however there was a general consensus of where he definitely would not be ...... “ in his own half”
There was a great sigh of relief at Full Time when John reappeared.
The Police Source confirmed “ I am pleased to confirm that John has been found and search called off. Relatives have been informed”
When asked “where have you been for the last hour?” John mumbled something about “no one passing” and wandered off.
I am pleased to announce that throughout this report I have resisted the temptation to use the term “vanished into thin hair”, which would have been rude and predictable.
Old Mids will be hoping to reverse their fortunes against Wayfarers this Saturday.
Andy Barnes3rd XI vs Wanderers 5s Lost 6 - 2
Back after a long Mid season break the 3s returned to league action full of renewed optimism and looking to work off the various Christmas excesses. The day started well; Julian only turned up 20 minutes late to the meet, the skipper turned up sober, Tom decided to run to the game as a warm up rather than use the Bentley which meant as a result the game got off to a Pacey start.Mids adopted a rather different tactic to before Christmas - let them miss lots of chances then hit 'em on the break, a policy that worked well until we found ourselves 2-0 down. The Mids are a generous club and have a policy of gifting the opposition a 2 goal head start before starting to play and decision to start playing hockey was rewarded when Tim Stedman flicked in. For the next 25 minutes either side of 1/2 time Mids looked good and should have equalised.Their 3rd goal was conceded against the run of play but was definitely Knott the result of a mistake from our left back, but this was cancelled out by a lifesaving goal within a minute on the run by Mark Roberts. Mids continued to press forward in search of an equaliser, but the 4th goal minutes from the end meant heads went down and 2 more were conceded as a result, including a lovely chest down and dribble with both feet from one of their players.Next week sees the return fixture against our neighbours Croydon who are another struggling side, so hopefully Mids will not have amnesia and remember how we should have beaten them in the 1st game.
Nick CookSaturday 3rd January
Sanderstead 5 Old Mids 'D' team 2 (Friendly)
Following Saturdays result and after intense media pressure, I have decided to step down as Captain. This has been a very difficult period, but after much deliberation with my family and significant others, I believe this is the right decision. Looking back I did not envisage the 24 hour media attention: Reporters camped outside my Croydon home, a non stop bombardment of questions....... “will Gerry play left back?” “Is Trendy carrying another injury” “will Muggy pass the ball this week?” As you can imagine, this eventually takes it’s toll, so after “one” game in charge I have decided to handover the reins.
During Saturdays game there were some moments that will live long in the memory and prove a little ray of sunshine as I reflect on this dark period. Jez Gilbert bravely playing on following an horrific ball in the face, Jockey Wilson using his 21 metre stretch to deny countless Sanderstead attacks and Nobby Cobbett for not only outmarking their Centre Forward, but causing him to have a nervous breakdown midway through the second half.
Despite my one game reign, I hope that my short legacy will be remembered as the first time a “DIY Substitution Policy” was employed....whereby players walk off and on the pitch as they please. Used with great effect by N.Trend just as I was about to pass him the ball.
But ultimately I was found wanting, both tactically and in terms of man management. If there was one moment that cemented my decision it was midway through the second half. Sanderstead had just gone two goals ahead and the team needed a lift, an injection of energy and bravery. I looked to the bench and saw Cookie with a shawl around his frozen shoulders and a tartan blanket over his lily white knees. My decision was made.
Good luck to whoever follows.
Recommendation to Future Captain: Do not believe Rufey when he says “don’t worry it’s only Sanderstead Vets”Andy Barnes
Saturday 13th December
OMWHC vs Old Cranleighans -13-12-08 Lost 2-3
It was a cold, wet and windy Saturday morning for the top of the table clash between the Mids and Cranleigh. This was the last game before Christmas and there was only one point separating the teams before the game.
The game started well for the Mids, when Andy Bordass crashed the ball between the goal keepers legs from the top of the D with only a couple of minutes gone. Following this good start though, it was clear this would be an evenly matched game, and Cranleigh equalised after a tough midfield battle. The Mids’ heads seemed to drop at this point and shortly after Cranleigh were 3-1 up with around 10 minutes of the first half still to go. Although, the Mids had the majority of possession they couldn’t find a final ball to set up a scoring chance. The half ended at 3-1.
After a thorough team talk the Mids came out fighting in the second half and again had the lions’ share of possession, although they still couldn’t find the net. As the half went on, the Mids dominated the game with Cranleigh resorting to slowing down the game in an attempt to relieve some pressure.
The frustration in the wind and rain was growing for both sides and each were penalised with two yellow cards.
With around 10 minutes of the game to go, Alex Clark, picked up a loose pass from the Cranleigh defence to again put the ball between the goal keepers legs to make for an exciting finish.
The Mids continued to pile the pressure on, but it was all in vein as they were awarded a short corner with just seconds left, the ball went a stray and they lost the game 3-2.
This still leaves the Mids in a strong 3rd position going into the Christmas break Especially as they have to play the top teams at home in the next half of the season.
Saturday 6th December
OMWHC vs SURREY OLD BOYS – 06/12/08 Won 4-3
OMWHC continued their great run of form on Saturday but they made life difficult for themselves from the start when Surrey Old Boys scored within the first few minutes of the game. However, the Mids responded well, when they went straight back on the attack, and James Mugridge crossed the ball to the back post for Alex Clark to score.
The Mids then found their best game and piled the pressure on the Old Boys defence, this pressure paid off when Richard Piggin hit the ball into the D for Alex Clark to deflect his second past the keeper to give Mids the lead. The Mids didn’t sit back on this and again attacked well with some good runs from Nick Evans and Chris Clark who found passed to Alex Clark on the top of the D for him to shoot low passed the keeper to give him his third hat trick in three games.
The Mids were confident at half time, but when the second half started the Old Boys came out strong and scored a well worked goal to make it 3-2. The play became very open and the Mids won a penalty corner from which James Mugridge flicked the ball into the top corner to give the Mids the cushion they needed.
The Old Boys, however, were not beaten and continued to play some good attacking hockey, and scored another goal with around five minutes to go. The Mids managed to close out the game which became very exciting at the end with both teams missing chances.
This win put the Mids up to second in the league, on goal difference, but equal on points with Wanderers.
Old Mids 2’s 1 West Hampstead 2’s 4
What made this Open Premier defeat particularly upsetting for the Old Mids Skipper, was the amount of “wasted” preparation. Nobby Cobbett pinpointed this game as a “key fixture”, so the young Skipper sent an anonymous player to Hampstead to get a “run down”.
I questioned why his ploy had failed?
“Let’s just say the information I received back wasn’t very helpful. My anonymous Scout misunderstood my directions, so the feedback was slightly confusing. I asked him “Could he find out about the scene at Hampstead?” and “as they (Hampstead) were at the top of the league were they overconfident? Was there any cruisin’?
I received the following report from my anonymous Scout:”“No action today or yesterday Skip. Waited outside toilets near Stock Pond for over two hours. Not a peep. As I was only wearing a tight white cycling top and a leather cap, I got very cold and went home. Sorry.”
CloggyAnon
Next week, Old Mids will be hoping to reverse their fortunes against Ashford before the winter break.
Reporter: Andy Barnes
3rd XI Report: Lacklustre Mids gift 10-man UCL Victory
Given these anomalies people were less shocked to see a few more once-a-century events:1) Spunkey managing to reach 1/2 time before brandishing a yellow card (although he followed it straight up with another)2) Barnsey getting two decisions right on the bounce3) The skipper scoring a P-Flick4) Kevin not giving too much back chat to the umpires5) Jockey turning up drunk yet having a good game in goal
Unfortunately the game itself took on an all too familiar pattern with UCL scoring from their two shorts before 1/2 time, Mids missing chances and getting close to equalising but failing to capitalise on their dominance in the second 1/2 - although admittedly the oppo spent most of their time playing with 9. In the end Mids were made to pay for their very sloppy first 1/2 performance and an inability to pass for much of the game.
Therefore, the first 1/2 of the season draws to a close with an extremely disappointing set of results - the 3s will need to improve dramatically in certain areas such as goal scoring and starting the game quicker if they are to have a chance of getting further up the league.Old Mids 3s 1 - 2 UCL Students
Saturday 29th November
OMWHC vs CHEAM HC (League)
It was a cold and wet Saturday morning between the Mids and struggling Cheam. The game had a very cagey start, with both teams playing a high paced but scrappy game. It was end to end game with chances at both ends with Andy Boulton making a great save in the mids goal.
However, the deadlock was broken midway through the 1st half when Richard Piggin popped up unmarked in the middle of the D to slap the ball past the scrambling Cheam defence to put the Mids 1-0 up.
The Mids picked up their game in the second half and came out strong and they were soon 2-0 up when Alex Clark neatly passed the ball to the back post where James Mugridge walked the ball into an empty net.
Cheam fought hard but Mids were just too strong as history repeated itself when Alex Clark again found Mugridge at the back post for an almost identical goal.
At 3-0 up Mids made it hard for themselves with 2 yellow cards in quick succession to give them a 2 man disadvantage. But they had the strength of character to close the game out to keep them well in the hunt for title.OMWHC vs LONDON EDWARDIANS (Surrey Cup)
OMWHC played away to London Edwardians in the quarter finals of the Surrey cup on Sunday. The Mids knew it would be a tough game as Edwardians are 4th in the league above the Mids.
And the game didn’t start well, when Edwardians were awarded a penalty corner without Mids even touching the ball. Edwardians converted the corner and were 1-0 up within the first 2 minutes.
Shortly after this things got worse for the Mids when Edwardians were awarded a penalty flick with not even 5 minutes gone. However, this proved to be the spring board the Mids needed when Andy Boulton pulled off a great save from the flick down to his left hand side.
The Mids took great strength from this save and after a high paced and tough game they came out 8-2 winners, with a second hat trick in two weeks for Alex Clark and Andy Bordass and a goal a piece from Richard Still and James Mugridge.
This was a superb performance that puts the Mids into the semi-finals and a place in the top four teams in Surrey and continues their great run of form.2nd XI: Sevenoaks 4 Old Mids 1
Apart from their passing, their possession, their movement, their finishing and their overall fitness, there was little to choose between Old Mids and their sprightly opponents in this Open Premier encounter. Similar to the mistake made by Scotland during their ill fated World Cup game against Brazil in 1982, Old Mids took the lead. From open play, the ageing visitors appeared less threatened until Spunky, like David Narey, made the cardinal error of scoring.
Following the equalizer, the proverbial floodgates opened.
Unlike previous spirited performances, Old Mids seemed subdued, as if ………possessed or distracted.
Following the game, I questioned Skipper Nobby Cobbett on this subject.
“…I totally agree. There was an eerie feeling during game, as if……..there was spiritual presence. On occasions I heard violent panting; as if someone was really struggling to breathe. I heard it a few times around the half way line, but when I turned, there was no one there!”
Interestingly, the Sevenoaks umpire admitted to being verbally abused by what he could only describe as …….. “an invisible being”. He offered “on one occasion I reached for my Yellow Card but I couldn’t determine where the abuse was coming from”
Skipper Nobby Cobbett laughed off suggestions of a spiritual presence. “Don’t be silly, who’s ever heard of an out of breath, top of the diamond ghost that swears at umpires?”Reporter: Andy Barnes
Saturday 22nd November
1st XI vs BANK OF ENGLAND (League) and vs MARLOW (National Vase)
The game this weekend was important for both sides as they fight for 3rd and 4th place in the league but Mids got the better of the early exchanges putting Bank under some early pressure.
They were rewarded for their hard work when the ball fell to Nick Evans at the top of the D and he flicked the ball into the top left corner.
Mids continued to pressure Bank and after a breakaway attack James Mugridge’s shot hit the defenders foot on its way into goal and penalty flick was awarded. Chris Clark stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner to give the Mids an early 2-0 lead.
Bank then started to play some nice hockey but the Mids defence stood up to the challenge and after some good tackling at the back the ball was played through to James Mugridge for him round the keeper and give the Mids a great 3-0 lead at half time.
However the second half was a different story, as the roles reversed, Bank started to put Mids under pressure and they pulled a goal back 10 minutes into the half. This gave them confidence and following a yellow card for a Mids defender Bank stepped up the pressure and scored to make it 3-2 with not long to go in the half.
With only minutes of the game remaining another tough yellow card gave Bank the advantage which they took to equalise and make the score a hard fought 3-3 at full time.
Following this result Mids stay 3rd in the league and are closing the gap on Old Cranleighans and Wanderers in the top two spots.Sunday brought a new challenge for the Mids, with a National Vase cup 3rd round game vs Marlow HC, who play in 1st XI Middlesex league. This turned out to be a very successful game for the Mids as they ended up 12-3 winners with hat tricks from Alex Clark and Andy Bordass and braces from Chris Clark, Nick Evans and James Mugridge. This puts the Mids into the 4th round of the cup to be played in February 2009.
Old Mids 2’s 3 Trojans 2’s 1
Having noticed their “incredibly high” league position and their “incredibly high” average age, Drug Testers from the Open Premier, descended on Tite Pithe Lane last Saturday to explore whether there was any substance abuse. One or two members of this ageing Old Mids Team did raise objections, but on the whole most were compliant, in fact Cloggy readily volunteered, stating “everybody takes the piss out of me!”
In a bizarre turn around, having witnessed this Open Premier League Game against League basement boys Trojans, the Drug Testers actually made some drug recommendations. Having found no evidence of illegal drug use, the Chief Medical Examiner (Dr U. Ryne) handed a scribbled note listing the following pharmaceutical recommendations to Skipper Nobby Cobbett:No. 10 (Spunky) – Prescribed : Anti Hallucinogenics / Anti Deliriants – Very worrying. No.10 seems to possess a distorted visual perception, often calling for the ball behind 8 defenders. My diagnosis was further strengthened at half time, when I witnessed No.10 screaming “there’s a pink elephant!” “there’s a pink elephant!” ……..which is no way to address last year’s captain.
No. 1 Goalkeeper (Richard Armfield) – Prescribed : Lithium (Anti-Psychotic) – Post Match Psychoses – characterized by the following post match behaviours : - Incoherent rambling, usually about Adult Party Games……….and in most bizarre cases idolization about American Football. Wild confusion was most evident following the Eastcote encounter, when chairing Champagne Moment took 3 hours…… unaware that all his Team mates had left.
No.3 – (Reevsie) – Prescribed : Speed
No. 10 – Barnsey - Prescribed : Chlorpromazine – Alcohol Induced Psychoses – Falling over for no reason and random acts of aggression towards others. It is very obvious that the Old Mids Centre Forward needs to review his current alcohol intake (especially on Saturday evenings)
No. 8 – Cloggy – Prescribed : Folic Acid – Classic case of “sympathy pregnancy” whereby the male suffers similar symptoms to his female partner: erratic moods (especially towards umpires), varicose veins, reduced mobility & bigger boobs.
No. 4 – Bordy – Prescribed : Valium (Sedative) 10mgs pre game………………. And 20mgs for his marker at half time.Dr U. Ryne
Without any prescribed medication, Old Mids will be hoping for a better performance this weekend. Goals from Andy Bordass & Skipper Nobby Cobbett eventually overcome their Hampshire visitors, but a similar performance against Sevenoaks may result in a very different outcome.
Reporter: Andy Barnes
Saturday 15th November
1st XI vs Walton: Old Mids 4 Walton 1
Following last weeks hard fought win 3-2 over Old Kingstonian’s, The Mids went into this game with high confidence and this showed from the start of the game with some sustained pressure on Walton’s goal.
After a couple of missed penalty corners, Mids caught Walton on the break and James Mugridge rounded the keeper to flick the ball past the scrambling defence for Mids to take a deserved 1-0 lead.
Walton responded well but the Mids defence was up to the challenge with some great tackling from Steve Sheridan and Matt Henton. The forwards took encouragement from this and were awarded a penalty corner that was put away by Alex Clark from the top of the D, and the half ended at 2-0 to Mids.
Walton started the second half well but again the Mids defence stood strong and yet again the forwards won a penalty corner. This time Alex Clark’s shot was deflected on the line by Rob Adams to put the Mids into a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Unfortunately some complacency crept into the Mids game and Walton managed to get a goal back. This woke the Mids up and they started to play some nice hockey, resulting in Nick Evans shooting neatly into the bottom corner to secure a 4-1 win and keep the Mids a close 3rd in the league.2nd XI: Eastcote 2 Old Mids 2
With a combined age of 8,765,000 this experienced Old Mids team are proving to be a “nuisance” in the Open Premier League.
With wily experience stretching back thousands of years, mixed with a “never say die attitude”, the old “campaigners” huffed and puffed to earn another point on Saturday. Previous encounters against Eastcote, once in the Cretaceous Period and once in the Jurassic Era resulted in heavy losses. One game 65 million years ago was particularly memorable when a slow moving Mapusaurus strode onto the pitch! Quick thinking captain at the time, Cloggy, used the invasion to his advantage by leaving the Mapusaurus on, and taking Reevsie off.
Although Eastcote held a majority of the possession it was Mids clinical finishing that earnt the point. Again, Old Mids were “thankful” to Spunky (Debut: Carboniferous Period) for two opportunist finishes – his first owed much to a fine pass from Antoine Kenmere (who interestingly has not paid a match fee since the Triassic Period). Spunky’s second also owed much to Antoine, as the Dutchman spear tackled Eastcote’s goalkeeper.
Despite playing hockey for over 68 million years, it was only last Saturday that Cloggy began to understand the concept of “marking” . Admittedly, it was a member of his own Team (AB), but lets celebrate this Darwinism breakthrough.
With another Ice Age threatening this Saturday, it will require a mammoth effort to take three further points towards safety.
Reporter: A. Barnes
3rd XI: Mids 1 Richmond 1
The 3s have now not won a game since the opening league fixture of the season and excuses are beginning to run out. It is imperative that the side get a 2 wins before Christmas to cement a mid-table slot and the side has been re-shuffled a little this week in order to try and include some more attacking intent. Barnes 4s will be a very similar task to those of the last few weeks and Mids must be prepared for the physicality that will ensue at 4pm in South West London on Saturday (not the rugby against South Africa).
Saturday 8th November
2nd XI vs EpsomOur second local 'derby' in as many weeks saw a scrappy affair at Warlingham. Both sides, confident and showing decent 'form' during recent performances, were looking forward to a good display and 3 points. The 'forecast' was for wet conditions which proved correct as both teams were 'handicapped' by the conditions. Epsom started the game at a 'canter', looking to make 'hay' while the Mids slowly woke up to the fact that the game had started! A goal mid way through the first half gave Epsom the lead as the Mids continued to make heavy 'going' of it.In the second half the home side created some early pressure which yielded a number of short corners. Andy Bordass scored with a typically 'firm' strike from the top of the D that saw their keeper move only after the ball had hit the back board. The second goal presumably came about as a result of the keeper still looking for the ball from the previous short corner! Antoine Kemmere had an empty goal to score in as their keeper had turned through 180° and now had his back to the rest of us. With the score at 2-1 there was plenty of time left for Epsom. As they began to 'chase' the game opportunities were made, but not converted at both ends. With about 10 minutes remaining in the game the skipper gave the ball away horribly in his own D and it looked 'odds-on' that Epsom would equalise. However a lifeline was provided to the home side as the Epsom striker failed to score, hitting the post instead. A 'stewards enquiry' then ensued as the umpire initially awarded a penalty stroke believing that the ball had struck one of our feet before hitting the post. The fact that the rebound found its way to another Epsom forward who put the ball into the empty goal didn't improve the mood of the away side as the result was a bully! As the game approached the final 'furlong' any result was possible, but at the final whistle the Mids were ahead by a 'short nose'.Final score: Mids 2 - 1 Epsom
3rd XI vs Edwardians: "Mids fail to deal with physical approach" Mids were unable to cope with the physical mauling handed out by London Edwardians 3s on Saturday, and denied any protection by the umpires came out second best in a bad tempered contest. The story was a familiar one as Mids controlled much of the game but failed to make the most of their chances, whereas Eds seemed to score every time they got into the away side's D.
The 3s need to learn quickly that they must give a good as they get in these physical contests but also to convert opportunities when they arise. Six or seven short corners were wasted before one for finally put in by Josh Alexander to give Mids hope. The fighting spirit was pleasing to see as even at 3-0 down the side did not give up and Mids even had a chance to equalise from a short corner with a minute to go.
Next Saturday sees an absolute must win home game against winless Richmond 4s, but Mids must be prepared for what is likely to be another physical encounter. The position in the league belies the ability of this side and it is surely inevitable that one win will lead to a winning streak.
London Edwardians 3s 3 - 2 Old Mids 3sSaturday 1st November
1st XI vs Wanderers
The Mids run of good form came to an end on Saturday, in a hard fought and high scoring game played in the wet and cold. It was a game between two of the three undefeated teams in the league and promised to be an exciting game.
It lived up to its potential, as the score was 1-1 after 10 minutes of play. Wanderers scored with their 1st attack of the game, only for Christian Bond to equalise with a well struck penalty corner.The two teams play a very similar style of play as both have some young quick players and they both clearly wanted to win, with some good attacking and defending at both ends.
Due to the styles of play, goals would always come on the counter attack and at half time it was a close contest with the score at 3-2 to Wanderers, with a well worked goal, finished by James Mugridge for Mids.
The 2nd half was played in the same vein as the 1st, with some good counter attacking hockey from both sides. However, after some surprising umpiring decisions, the Mids received 2 yellow cards. This gave Wanderers the advantage and they stretched their lead to 5-2.
The Mids kept fighting and managed to score 2 goals with only 10 men on the field, both scored by Nick Evans. Unfortunately, it was not enough and Wanderers won the game 6-4 a result that now puts Mids 3rd in the table.2nd XI vs Oxted D 3-3
In a game that featured 6 goals, 3 yellow cards, lots of rain and the worst Short Corner routine in hockey history, it is virtually impossible to sum up this Open Premier League encounter in a few short paragraphs. It had more twists than Chubby Checker, more drama than a Mike Leigh Box Set and more comedy than Cloggy breaking his umbrella at Chichester!
It was a rare and uncharacteristic mistake by the ageless Mids centre forward that led to Oxted’s opening goal. Speaking after the game, he excused…. "out of my peripheral vision, I saw a slow moving, sluggish looking player who looked about 65, instinctively I thought it must be one of our midfielders………only when he received the ball and started to run “quickly” I realised my mistake.”
Mids equaliser was incredible! Not because Andy Bordass finished off a great move with a beautiful chip, it was unbelievable that Andy Bordass scored so majestically without leaving any opposition on the floor……or in A/E.
Bob Cowlard’s clinical finish allowed Mids to lead for over an hour before an impressive Oxted equaliser and a well worked short corner saw the home side go into the lead with 5 minutes remaining. It was ironic that the Oxted Centre Forward played for “only” the first 10 minutes and Spunky (despite being on the pitch) only played the last 10! But that was enough for the treasured Treasurer to ensure a point for the Mids.
After the game, whilst knocking back two straight gins and a handful of Valium, Skipper Nobby Cobbett remained philosophical. “we played well in patches but we really should get a new kit”Reporter: Andy Barnes
Old Mids 3s 1 - 4 Sanderstead 1sMids suffer again against well drilled oppostionMids 3s suffered yet another defeat on Saturday against a well organised Sanderstead 1st XI. Despite playing some reasonable hockey again the side failed to capitalise on their opportunities when they presented themselves and paid the price as a result.
Mids got off to a calamitous start when the ball was turned over in midfield which led to a Sanderstead goal after less than 5 minutes. The game then repeated an all too familiar theme, with Mids dominating possession and earning short corners which were wasted, only for Sanderstead to earn a penalty flick from their first short corner which hit Nick Trend on the line. Sanderstead duly scored and Mids went in 2-0 down at 1/2 time which was not a fair reflection of the play.
The words uttered at the interval obviously had a positive effect as Mids pulled one back minutes after the re-start thanks to Clive Rodgers scoring after a scuffed short corner, but a lack of concentration led to the opposition stretching their lead once more, leaving Mids an uphill task to get back into the game. Mids created further opportunities but were unable to forge another goal and Sanderstead compounded a miserable day for the home side with a 4th goal on the break.
Mids will feel downhearted not to have picked up more than 4 points from their first 6 games and opportunities have been wasted to climb to a more comfortable mid-table berth. However, the fact remains that the 3s have now played all of the top 6 and have the remainder before Christmas against other middle of the club sides who they will be expecting to beat. The fight back starts away this Saturday against London Edwardians 3s who have earned just one point more, hence a victory is imperative if Mids are to avoid being dragged into an early relegation battle.
Saturday 25th October
1st XI vs HAC; W 5-2
The Mids great run of form continued on Saturday with a 5-2 win over HAC. They made a great start to the game with a goal in the first 2 minutes from a well worked short corner that Chris Clark flicked over the keeper. They then increased their lead within 5 minutes when Nick Evans smashed a ball down the middle of the pitch for Alex Clark to tip the ball past the keeper.
After such an impressive first 10 minutes the Mids thought they were well in control, but HAC battled hard and before long they too scored from a short corner to pull one back.
HAC pressed the Mids well and forced some errors, but a quick break left Christian Bond to round the keeper to stretch the Mids lead to 3-1.
But again HAC would not give up and continued to press hard and before half time they had scored another goal to again reduce the lead to one goal.
The second half started as the first had finished, with the Mids under pressure and after a couple of bad tackles Christian Bond received a yellow card to give HAC a one man advantage. However, the Mids defended well and held out until Christian returned, once the teams were even the Mids once again started to dominate, and after another good break James Mugridge dropped the ball back to Alex Clark for him to slap the ball into the bottom corner with just a few minutes remaining.
HAC finally looked a beaten team and with continued pressure from the Mids they were awarded a penalty corner as the final whistle was sounded. This was deflected in by Nick Evans to give the Mids a 5-2 win and to keep them top of the league on goal difference.2nd XI vs Rover Oxford
A tale of two halves!... The first was completely dominated by the home side with Rover Oxford struggling to get out of first gear. Early pressure earned a number of penalty corners that resulted in a couple of 'difficult' chances being put away by the skipper, and another by Andy Bordass. The end of the half finished with the Mids in the ascendancy and a 3-0 lead.
The focus at half time was on continued discipline. However, from the beginning of the restart Rover Oxford put the brakes on hopes of a similarly dominant half as the wheels came off the Mids performance. A fourth goal, scored by Bordass (also from a short corner), did little to stem the flow as Rover Oxford continued to pile on the pressure. As the game stretched the away side converted a couple of chances and it soon became apparent that for us to triumph we would need a drastic improvement. A renewed injection in our performance was required. Shades of the first half were seen, but only too briefly as the home side struggled to get out of neutral. Had our first half lead not been so great we may have struggled to keep hold of 3 points.
Score: OMW 4 - 2 Rover Oxford Goals: Bordass 2, Cobbett 23rd XI vs EUHC Gamblers
Mids eventually came unstuck against a talented but extremely physical EUHC Gamblers side on Saturday, despite having much of the better of the game. An extremely competitive 1st half ended goal-less with Mids playing some lovely hockey in the middle of the park but struggling to convert it into real chances, whilst EUHC went for the more direct approach.
The discussion at half time was all about the need to keep pressing and maintain the tempo, which duly happened and Mids were rewarded with a number of short corners, of which the failure to convert eventually cost them the game.
The side suffered a sucker-punch on the counter to go 1-0 down with about 15minutes remaining and the misery was completed when with 5 minutes to go the umpire reversed a decision which very few of the players spotted, only for the opposition to score and build an unassailable lead, before another dubious goal was conceded with the last play of the game.
Following on from the really promising 1-1 draw against Guildford Shadows the previous week this was another extremely creditable performance against a good side, but the 3s need to learn some composure, both in front of goal and when umpiring decisions start going the other way. The side face a tricky task on Saturday against Sanderstead 1s, the form side of the league, but if this performance is upped a couple of percent and the chances are taken there is no reason why maximum points cannot be obtained.
OMW 0 - 3 EUHC Gamblers
Saturday 18th October
1st XI vs Camberley and Farnborough; W 5-3The OMW 1st team played Camberley & Farnborough, who were newly promoted into the league at the end of last year. Mids went into the game on the back of two confidence-building results and this showed from the start of the match.
After a strong start and some good possession Alex Clark deflected an off-target shot into the bottom corner after 10 minutes to put Mids ahead.
Camberley defended well and were very quick on the break but Mids managed to hold off these attacks and with a break of their own Alex Clark received a great pass from Christian Bond to put a low 1st time shot passed the advancing keeper to put Mids 2-0 up at half time.
After some positive words at half time, Mids pushed back for the start of the second half and after some slick passing up front Chris Clark shot low and hard to add another goal for the Mids.
The pace of the match slowed at this point and some complacency crept into the Mids game, and with some good attacking play from Camberley they managed to get two goals back from penalty corners.
Mids then stepped up a gear and with a good through ball from Steve Sheridan, Alex Clark tipped the ball passed the keeper to secure his hat trick. The score at 4-2 with 10 minutes to go, Camberley continued to attack and again grabbed a goal back.
However, with minutes left to play, Alex Clark managed to round the keeper for his fourth and Mids’ fifth to put the game out of Camberley’s reach.
Another strong performance from the Mids to keep them top of the table.
Saturday 11th October
1st XI: vs Addiscombe; Result: W 2-1
The local derby on Saturday between Old Mids and Addiscombe has a history that stretches back for many years, so both teams were very much up for the challenge.
It was a hot day played on a sticky pitch but both teams started the game well, getting several early chances that they failed to put away, with Addiscombe and Mids both hitting the wood work.
However, Addiscombe broke the deadlock; with a quick free hit taken from just outside the “D” catching the Mids defence asleep, they deflected the ball in at the back post. The half ended Old Mids 0-1 Addiscombe.
After an inspired tactical team talk from Mids new international coach Thornton McDade, Mids started the second half in a dominant mood. They pressed and pressured Addiscombe, and again had several good chances but the ball would not quite make it into the goal.
After some sustained pressure by Mids they won a short corner. The ball was pushed out to Nick Evans who neatly rounded a couple of defenders before slotting the ball into the top left corner to equalise.
Mids continued to pressure Addiscombe and as a result, two of Addiscombe’s players received yellow cards and 10 minutes on the side line. Mids took this opportunity and after some good work up front, Richard Piggin, passed the ball into the bottom corner to put Mids ahead.
Addiscombe replied by throwing everyone forward but Mids held out to take the game 2-1 and earn a valuable 3 points.Old Mids 2nds 3 London Wayfarers 2
Stout defending and clinical finishing was difference between Old Mids 2’s and Wayfarers 2’s last Saturday. The decision by Skipper Graham Cobbett to dispense with the whole midfield in the second half turned out to be a master-stroke. With the opposition being lulled into thinking that the Old Mids were tiring, the home team stretched the game allowing Wayfarers to ‘punch themselves out” – similar to the tactics employed by Ali during the infamous Rumble in the Jungle. Short Corner after Short Corner was squandered as the opposition run out of ideas. If only they had paid more attention to the power and precision of the Old Mids second goal, the overall result may have been very different.
The three points will be warmly welcomed by Skipper Cobbett who has ignored what other clubs may see as “essentials” such as ball speed, fitness, stick skills and systems of play, to focus on Team Atmosphere. Even a pre match car crash between team mates couldn’t dent the team spirit.
During a Post Match Interview, the Old Mids Skipper stated the importance of “beating the Teams around us!” I wished him “good luck” against Kenley 3rd’s and Sanderstead Mixed in the forthcoming fixtures.
Andy Barnes
3rd XI Report: Mids 2 Croydon 1s 4
Mids falter again after good start Mids 3s were left wondering what might have been after a bright first half and a poor second period. Having been 2-1 up a half time and dominating the opening of the second half, concentration wavered and legs tired as Croydon hit on the break 3 times meaning Mids lost a game that they really should have won.
Mids played the game mainly on the break in the first half, but despite looking dangerous didn't forge many openings in the first 15 minutes or so. John Mcinerney opened the scoring after a good team goal, but an unlucky deflection gave Wilson no option but to just stop the ball with his left kicker and their attacker stole in the level the score. Mids responded positively however and should have been more than 2-1 up at half time after Will Clarke's finish and several other wasted opportunites.
Mids went on the attack at the beginning of the second half looking to really kill the game, but instead were guilty of naivety as Croydon caught them on the break and scored. The attacks continued with the 3s unable to forge a way through and frustration mounted as no one was quite able to deliver a killer blow. The side was then caught by a sucker punch when the oppositon scored a soft goal 5 minutes from time and conceeded a 4th once again on the break as Mids searched for an equaliser.
It was an extremely disappointed result for a strong side who dominated large periods of the match. The passing was good much of the time, and the forwards ran at the defenders with pace up front but needed to hold up the ball a little more often. Josh Alexander played extremely well on debut and looks promising for the future. The 3s have a similar side for next Saturday a with bit more nouse and luck will be looking to put their season back on track with a convincing performance and a win. Goals: Mcinerney, Clarke W
Saturday 4th October
1sd XI: vs Merton; Result: W 2-0
Following our impressive qualification to the next round of the Surrey Cup, the Old Mids 1st team met Merton HC in the first game of the Surrey Div 1 season. Merton were a strong team in last year’s league and we were expecting a tough game.
The game started well with some excellent marking from our defence, and some quick counter attacking from the forwards meant we were on top for most of the 1st half. We had a brief scare, but Andy Boulton pulled off a great save to keep us in the game, throwing all he had to put the ball around the post. The half ended 0-0 but we had nothing but positives to take from the half.
We started the 2nd half as we ended the 1st, with solid defence and great attacking hockey. We created several good chances but the ball wouldn’t go into the goal. However, instead of the collapse in morale, seen for large parts of last season, this new-look team never let up, and eventually Chris Clark received the ball on the right side of the “D” and neatly slotted the ball past the keeper with 10 minutes to go. Merton looked a beaten side, and our young team’s fitness began to show, resulting in a quick free hit from outside the “D” and with no defenders in sight Christian Bond put the ball into an empty net.
The game ended with a great opening 2-0 win.
2nd XI: Away vs Brighton & Hove; Result: L 1 – 3
An opening league game against a side that finished last season just outside of the playoffs to South Prem 1 was always going to be difficult. And so it proved! Mids were immediately under wave after wave of early pressure as Brighton looked to score early goals. Resolute defending, excellent goal keeping from Richard Armfield, and some squandered chances by Brighton kept the score to 0 – 0 up until the last minute of the first half. A one-sided half which included some dubious umpiring ended with Brighton finally able to break the deadlock when Phil Mander, left in a no win situation, managed to deflect the ball away from a Brighton forward and a certain goal, unfortunately guiding the ball into the corner of the goal.
The second half was a much more even affair with Mids forcing Brighton to work a great deal harder with a number of scoring chances created, however, to no avail. With the game being ‘stretched’ chances were created at both ends. Unfortunately a goal mouth scramble ended in a penalty stroke being awarded to Brighton, resulting in a 2 – 0 lead to the home side. It was at this point in the game that the umpiring took a turn for the worse! A couple of generous penalty corners were awarded to Brighton. One of which they scored giving them a comfortable three goal advantage. Staring in the face of a gale Mids did not give up and were awarded with a goal from a short corner. This led to some consolidated pressure from Mids which could easily have seen the away side score again.
The team should be happy with their overall performance as many positives were taken from the game. However, for us to compete in this league, we will need to show the same commitment and effort in each and every game.
3rd XI: Home vs Wanderers; Result: L 3 – 6
Mids 3s put in an inept performance on Saturday which cost them the chance of going top of the league. A team which was, on paper at least, extremely strong was made to pay for some early defensive lapses from which it was difficult to recover.
Mids were on the backfoot for most of the first 10 minutes but it was basic defensive mistakes that resulted in 3 goals being conceded before the first 1/4 of the match was completed. A mixture of sloppy passing, poor decision making and a lack of marking contributed to the 0-3 scoreline, with Mids having James Wilson in goal to thank for not being further behind.
Startled in action by this abysmal start, Mids starting to work better as a side, passing the ball well and creating opportunities. After a series of short corners they deservedly pulled a goal back through a well worked short corner, and with Wanderers being pushed onto the back foot Mids were reasonably confident at half-time of being able to force their way back into contention.
However, yet again sloppy marking at the back cost Mids early in the 2nd 1/2 leaving the side with an uphill task for the remainder of the game. Tim Stedman gave Mids hope again to make the score 4-2 but as the 3s chased the game inevitable gaps opened up at the back and Wanderers made the game safe with 2 more quick goals, before Jez Gilbert made the scoreline more respectable with a late finish.
Given the fact that a lot of the team were playing together for the first time this season the passing and movement off the ball was pretty good for much of the game. It could be argued that Mids had the better of the possession and chances for much of the game, but from 3-0 down it will always be difficult to recover. The dreadful defending and lack of marking for much of the game will need to be addressed and quickly, but with more players coming back next week and fitness levels increasing the 3s will be confident that this display was a one off.
In spite of this, there were positives. Cain Sutcliffe and John Mcinerney worked well up front together, and combined their pace with ability to hold up the ball well. The midfield were tireless, working up and down all game long, and James Wilson played exceptionally well in goal for the 2nd game on the trot. Additionally, the team kept going right until the end and showed good spirit when it would have been easy to give up. The team will be confident that they can rebound from this performance and come back with an excellent display and a win next Saturday against Croydon 1s.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Old Mids 5 UCL 2
(First Round of some Cup that Old Mids usually crash out in the 2nd round after been drawn against last years winners who have not been beaten for 18 years)
In other sporting circles, Old Mids performance against UCL in Sunday’s first round encounter would be termed “a professional job”. Uncharacteristically, Old Mids remained in control throughout, unlike many performances whereby even a 5 goal lead can end in a nail biting finish.
In a confident team performance, it was difficult to commend individuals, although Mark Robert’s pain threshold was comparable to Bert Troutman’s broken neck in 1954. Despite the relative ease in which Old Mids swept aside a younger and probably better looking UCL side, Skipper Graham Cobbett faces a competitive season ahead and it will be interesting to see how the young captain approaches the task. He may wish to employ the services of Specialist Advisors, as favoured by many American Sports:- The Old Mids Captain may contact Professor Stephen Hawkins for some pre season tweaking, especially in relation to:- Working out Cloggy’s Code at Short Corners
Use Quantum Physics to work out how Spunky disappears and reappears in games.
Lend Reeves’ his wheelchair.With this in mind, I contacted the Professor to see whether he would be interested? He stated that he’s never heard of “old bids” and hung up.
Following such a positive display, it is difficult not be optimistic about the forthcoming season
Goals –Barnes(2), Bordass(2), Seaman
Report by Andy BarnesSaturday, September 27, 2008
3rd XI vs University of Surrey 1st Won 2-1
The 3s opened their league account with a hard fought victory against Uni of Surrey on Saturday. Playing in excessive heat for the second week running, Mids needed to dig deep to secure a victory which they probably deserved over 70 minutes.
Having negotiated the perils of the M25 on a saturday afternoon Mids took the field with the sun on their backs after the oppo captain strangely elected to change ends and face the glare. Even stranger was the decision to leave the floodlights on, and the captain was more bemused when one of his players, who shall remain nameless, compained that it was too dark. However, all became clear when it was pointed out to Kevin's work mate that he still had his sun glasses on.
Mids struggled in the first half and the passing was wayward at times on a day when ball retention was key and Uni of Surrey took the lead in what was probably a fair reflection of the play when "Bambi", their best player, pranced through the defence and placed the ball past a helpless Jockey in goal. At this point the skipper was beginning to rue his decision to include so many cricketing hockey players in his side, all of whom had been at the club dinner the night before.
The game changed after half time when Uni of Surrey took their best player off and Kevin used all his experience to ensure he took control of this key tussle. With Mids now dominating the centre of the park chances came on a regular basis and it was no surprise when Jez finally scored from one of Mid's many short corners. A second from another short swiftly followed, but Mids were indebted to James Wilson for pulling off some great saves when lapses of concentration gave Uni of Surrey opportunities to score. In the end, Mids held out relatively comfortably to secure a good victory.
It is always a good feeling to kick off a league campaign with a victory, and Mids will be looking to kick on from the opening day successes with another victory at home against Wanderers 5s, also victors on the first day. However with the side back to full strength the 3s will be confident of taking 6 points from 6 at the start of a long season.
Tunbridge Wells Men's 2s 4-2 Old Mid Whitgiftians Men's 2s
A weakened 2s side put up a decent performance against a well prepared Tunbridge side, but eventually came unstuck thanks to
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Tunbridge Wells Men's 2s 4-2 Old Mid Whitgiftians Men's 2s
A weakened 2s side put up a decent performance against a well prepared Tunbridge side, but eventually came unstuck thanks to some wayward finishing and the concession of some unlucky goals.
Skipper Cobbett would have been pleased with the display of his side in the 1st half, with the ball retention good and the defence looking solid. The fact that many of the side had played a game before began to show in the second half, as Tunbridge made the score look more comfortable than it was in reality.
Inevitably, the game became extremely stretched due to the heat in the latter part of the 2nd period, and the final scoreline owed much to Mids being unable to put the ball in the net as it did to Tunbridge scoring past a tiring defence. The exception to this was Phil Mander, who scored two deflected goals from right back to take his career tally to 3. Other notable performances came in the midfield from the ageless Tim Stedman and the tireless Andy Blackmore, who were amongst the few on the pitch to keep their level of play high throughout the game.
Mids have one more week to prepare for the league with a friendly against Richmond 3s on Saturday, and will be looking for a more rounded performance with a few more of their key players returning to the fold.
Old Mid Whitgiftians 3rd XI beat Tunbridge Wells 3rd XI, 5-1
Mids warmed up for the start of the league season with a convincing win over Tunbridge Wells on Saturday. The side took on an unfamiliar look including several new faces, but every player manfully stuck to the role assigned to him, resulting in an excellent team performance on a very warm morning.
The first half saw some excellent hockey played by the home side, with Ian Roberts rounding off what was perhaps the best move of the match where Kevin Pacey picked him out with a pinpoint pass which was finished first time. Earlier, Ian scored his first whilst John Glassington marked an impressive debut for the club with a back post finish to make it 3-0 at half time.
Mindful of the previous weeks events when Mids had allowed the opposition to come away with a draw when in the same situation at half time, Mids set about starting the second half solidly. Unfortunately, the skipper had to go off after suffering from his pre-match diet leaving the team with only 10, and Tunbridge scored. Undeterred, Mids kept playing the better hockey and with both sides becoming increasingly weary managed to keep hold of the ball reasonably well. Both full backs, Graham Cobbett and Chris Austin, scored after making good runs up the wing and taking advantage of a stretched game as both sides wilted in the heat.
It was a very good team display with impressive performances from everyone in the side, with Matt Mimms, Kunal Patel and Dan Smee doing well on debut. The side had a nice balance with those who had stepped up a level doing extremely well, and with a few regulars coming back next week for the first league game the captain will be left with some tricky selection dilemmas.
Goals: Ian Roberts (2), John Glassington, Chris Austin, Graham Cobbett