Match Report
Match Report - 07 Nov 2009, Aldershot and Farnham Hockey Club Mens 3 beat Wimborne 2
Down to the Scilly Isles to play 3rd placed Wimborne was a trip of slight trepidation for AF3 , who lay in 8th place after promotion to this league last year. With the new teenage and not so teenage contingent all in from the 4's in the last 3 or 4 games, ie - GT, Dave, Goose and the Dazzler, plus new guy D'eraser and the returning Chesney, Le Oui and Bendy the 3's are a much changed side this season and have yet to really gel this season. Last week was the first sign that things were sticking and new capt Mike Budd looked to this week to consolidate. And boy did the 3rd team do that. Increased awareness on pitch led to less defensive errors as each player did their job. This led in turn to increased possession and we started to really ping the ball around, pushing a rather surprised Wimborne further and further back. This led to a few penalty corners and the third in a row was finally converted by D'eraser, who somehow controlled the rebound off the keepers pads and hammered home with a waist high howitzer from 12m out on the right of the Wimborne Circle for his first goal for AF. This may have led to a slight relaxing of the ways as parity was soon restored as Wimborne attacked down their left and a mellee resulted in a scrappy goal being scored by an unmarked winger. But heads did not go down in the AF camp and we were soon back on the offensive. D'eraser released Goose and he played the perfect diagonal ball behind the defence into the circle from the left. Dazzler moved, stuck his stick and popped the ball past a bemused but stationary keeper to increase AFs lead to 2.
The second half started with AF increasing the pressure on Wimborne and the new AF rightside came into their own. Swapping positions and subbing when they were knackered, Dave, GT, Chesney and Wuzi provided the legs when all else were tiring. Dave just kept on playing the right ball for Tubs and he just tore into the Wimborne defence and it wasnt long before another attack down the right resulted in a foot on the line for a AF penalty flick. Up stepped a decided confident but puffed Tubs and everyone retreated to the half way line. But oh dear. He changed his mind on where he was going to put the ball and tamely rolled the flick towards the right upright for the keeper to perform an embarassing bellyflop on an even more embarassing flick. Hmmmmm. However, enraged by his piece of trite, Tubs then proceeded to make amends and went into his version of overdrive and pressed, harried and completely terrorised the Wimborne defence for the remainder of the game. But still didnt score. Plonker !! But it was one his his rarely seen but hugely effective "runs" that set up Dave for his cracking debut goal, when he collected yet another rebound off the pads and calmly and cooly converted on the reverse to increase the score to 3 - 1 and effectively that was game over.
So, in summary, it was a hugely enjoyable game. Credit to Wimborne in that they never stopped trying but in the end were guilty perhaps of just holding onto the ball for too long and inevitably being tackled. AF3 choose this game to start playing properly for the 1st time this season and were rewarded with a deserved win. Next weeks game is home to Yateley.
Wimborne 2 1 - 3 Aldershot and Farnham Hockey Club Mens 3
| 1 | Mike Budd
|
|
Again sacrificed his normal stikers position to fill in it left back. And really quite good in that position !! Solid, calm and unflappable was the skipper today
|
| 2 | Toby Mason
|
|
Hmm. Played the link role between midfield and Daz. This meant he had to run. Alot. Oh dear. Prepared for this unique game with protein in the form of Fried egg sandwiches, some snouts for lung capacity, 2 Ibupofen for the pain and a litre of IrnBru. Then proclaimed mimself ready and ran the trainers off of his feet. Literally ( the tread came off ). Forging a good understanding with Fraser D'Eraser but still missed a PF
|
| 3 | Chris Milsted
|
|
Banana. Jesus had been partaking of the wine of the Scottish variety and it showed. Unable to drive. Unable to run. Unable to pass ( normal). Unable to look up as the world was going round and rightly voted Banana of the match for the moment in the match when he failed to pass to Goose on the left, despite everyone, incl the Wimborne team and both umpires, screaming "left" or "Goose". This went on for a good 20 secs or so until Jesus fell over. Love him !
|
| 4 | Fraser Watson
|
1
|
Fraser the Eraser. Great game covering for Jesus in the midfield. Also got his first goal for the club, slamming home a rebound from an AF pencorner halfway thru first half.
|
| 5 | Ben White
|
|
MOM. Bendy had the lurgy but it mattered not. Not played for a bit but stepped back into the sweeper role and his calmness and communication to the youngsters on the rightside of the AF team proved all too important. Also complemented Eraser in the AFmidfield when Jesus fell over and refromed last years partnership with Le Oui. MOM and rightly so. Commanding performance
|
| 6 | Tom Dawes
|
|
GTs best game yet since arriving for the 4th team at the start of season. Learning as he goes. Tackling and channelling really have improved and he is starting to listen to others in the AF defence and act upon instructions. Passing still a little wayward but sure to get there soon> Well done
|
| 7 | Richard Hall
|
|
Bighair FuziWuzi's best game this season for the 3rd team> Good marking back and good in support of the attack. Still gives the ball away a bit too often but getting there.Also needs a new pair of trainers because Tubs has politley infomed him that if he falls over again before passing the ball to the unmarked striker, then he may well have his hair removed and glued to his shoes for extra grip.
|
| 8 | Alastair Viner
|
1
|
Up from the 4th team for his first game for the 3rd XI. Caught in possession a couple of times but quickly stepped up to the increased demand on pace and accuracy of pass that the 3rd team have. Helped out defensively and tireless in attack. Also got his debut goal on his debut ! Keeper saves another Tubs strike but Dave followed up, controlling the rebound 12 m out and finishing on the reverse> Great debut
|
| 9 | Rob Mullard
|
|
Goose now finding his feet in the 3's. Work rate never in douby but now rarely giving the ball away. Also now dealing with the increased pace and demand that the 3rd team have. Last piece of the jigsaw is decision making and has learnt from advice given. His diagonal pass behind the Wimborne defence for Daz to touch over the keeper for AFs 2nd goal was probably the ball of the match,. Now at home in the 3's since being bought up from the 4th team at the start of the season.
|
| 10 | Darren Brooks
|
1
|
The Dazzler dazzled. Good combination upfront with the comparably young Tubs, Daz mostly played up against the Wimborne defensive line, daragging them left and right. great goal in the first half capped a great display and is living proof that Age must always come before beauty.
|
| 11 | Ben Whewell
|
|
Back in his spiritual home of the 3rd XI, Le Oui was outstading. Never been the most outspoken of players, Le Oui just quieltly and efficiently nullified any attack thrown by the opposition. Also reformedthe great defensive combination with Bendy and talked to the youngsters on the right, keeping them calm.
|
| 12 | Kriss Tupper
|
|
Today the Circus picked the ball out of the net but didnt have much else to do. Blameless for the goal and did everything else asked. Great kicking and the clearance that hit the dugouts was a cracker !!
|
| 13 | Ces James
|
|
Ah the return of the " I am the One and Only" Chesney. Proved that he wants to play by swapping shifts at work and doing all sorts of things to play the game. Admitted that right half may not be his position after all but still a good performance. Nice to have him back. And if he wants to bring a few more supporters, I am sure the rest of the team wont mind.
|
| 14 | JC Hall
|
|
UMPIRE. More assured performance from Mr Hall today and on route to becoming a really good umpire, not just a confident blower. May have to increase the amount of time that a player is deemed to have had an advantage as I am not sure that 64.5 milliseconds is quite long enough !! This may also allow him to see how play develops.
|
| 15 |
|
|
|
| 16 |
|
|
|