RPHC M5s vs Sunbury & Walton Hawks 3s (H)

The Carlton Road Beach Club and Spa was once again our venue this week, our opposition Sunbury & Walton Hawks 3s.
The away game at Sunbury had been a challenging one. A thoroughly wet afternoon and a thoroughly grim traffic laden trek up the M3 had ended in defeat.

Our opposition, were in short, far too young the first time around. This time it was worse. I don’t mean young young, of course the development of juniors is a key aspect of our league and I discount under 18s (as plentiful and distressingly good at hockey as they were).
Sunbury seemed to have an army of 20 and 30 somethings and a distressing lack of anyone pushing 40. The Reigate 5s were similar….. At least in charm, good looks, and capability….

…We had a single under 18 super commando (more on this later), a small squad of 20 somethings, we then largely skipped the 30s and instead opted for battalion strength in the over 40s (or 50s,60s and 70s)…. Alas it was not the day in which the old adage off “age & cheating will beat youth & skill every time…”

That is not to say there were not highlights, moments of brilliance, diamonds among the wrath…

Pressing and cross field play means we normally control the game, play at our pace and with a patience off the ball – confidently knowing we’ll get it back soon enough.

However… constant presses and no desire to man mark on behalf of our oppo. even when the Priory midfield held high, ensured Sunbury always had two or three forwards behind the Priory game line. These forwards kept engaging the defence in front or man marking. In short, they were playing our game, just a little better than we were.

Their wide midfielders and forwards were skilful and fast – not a pleasing combination to face. This necessitated valiant defence and it is not an exaggeration to say without it, the game could have been buried by half time.

Paul combined his usual brand of last-minute long reach tackles with the game management and instruction of the most respected of Sergeant Major’s. His immediate colleagues at the back in the form Clarkey, Matt B and Mike J, mostly did as they were told – in spite of the onslaught. Neil, in particular finding ways out of trouble at left back.

Mark PM in goal also got in on the instructive action (and with a pleasingly positive inflection, to boot). He too was a key part in keeping us alive in the first 35, making a fine save from a first time Sunbury strike with his right glove to tip the ball over the crossbar.

There was another battle ongoing through the midfield. The defensive screen pairing of Pankaj and Rich with Ethan in front and Matt S, Erik and Howard sharing the wide midfield roles were in a right old scrap. Even the even-serene Pankaj was finding himself making tackle after tackle, then being closed down 2 on 1, another tackle, another counter (another shout from Paul V), and go again!

Clatter after clatter after clatter is how I will describe Richard’s heroics… and for once he wasn’t responsible for most of them. Pick the ball, get barged, pick it again, get stick tackled, go round the player the other way, repeat… and repeat.

Ethan, enjoying this far too much and aided by a likeminded Erik who seemed, singularly, to be the only Reigate player able to slip free from his man were providing passes to an otherwise ill-supplied forward pairing of Ben and Tristan. The pitch felt very big, very slow (no surprises there) and beyond PV, very quiet.

We were 0-2 down at half time. Both Sunbury goals coming from well worked phases of play and neither requiring any power or trickery to complete – just well-played through balls and slotted shots.

A little bit of reshuffling, Erik on up front to create a link between midfield and forward line and Mike J up to right midfield to try and live his own advice of providing short pass options to his midfield colleagues. That, and instructions to play the easy option first (like we say every week… and sometimes do…).

Things changed for the better. Still under the cosh, but with a little bit of hope. Matt S found himself close to scoring on numerous occasions, driving into the D down the left-hand side but couldn’t quite find the target or a colleague with the subsequent ball.
Then, the Erik and Ethan show began to hit its stride….

…Sustained, patient pressure, marauding runs from Ben and great supporting play from Pankaj, Rich and Erik found Ethan between the P spot and the top of the D. Two defenders and a keeper closing he managed to produce power from nowhere – tucking the ball under his right shoulder and across his left foot, he slotted it away.
1-2 - hope.

Re-entering the fray, Tristan began (under instruction from Rich T) to make the Sunbury backline’s life a misery. He was everywhere, darting from left to right denying any sort of simple outlet from their 16s and free hits.

It was precisely this sort of pressure that gave Ben C his goal, and the Priory men their second. A frankly embarrassing interlude in the right midfield involving Mike J missing a ball, a foot, a free hit and a rapidly taken Sunbury ball – saved only by the rapid intervention of Matt B resulted in a counter attack…. Linkup from Rich and Ethan – sustained pressure and a very well taken goal from Ben.

2-2 – more hope.

The margins now felt seriously fine. Sunbury, frustrated by the stalwart Priory backline and justifiably jittery at having their lead eroded entirely began to express frustration at each other and the officials.

Not to say, the Priory men were not without their own temperaments… Their followed the strange scene in which the diligently controlled skipper was starting to see the red mist descend and Vice-Captain (“death or glory”) Taylor was having to keep fraying tempers at bay (see also, Ethan).

The game was ultimately settled by a Sunbury counter which they took well. Sharp play through the middle of the pitch resulted in a slap hit from the top of the D that MPM got his glove to but was unable to prevent going in.

2-3 – bugger.

Frustrating, not because we lost unfairly – a point from the game would have felt like a bit of a steal, three would have been daylight robbery – but frustration simply in knowing that on our day (and there have been many so far this season) we’ve beaten better oppositions.

Still, much heart shown and a proud skipper from a gutsy second half performance with changes that had an impact.

Man of the match this week saw multiple nominations with two clear outliers tied for the win (special mention to the work rate of Pankaj, Rich and defensive heroics of the whole backline – the Arch Angel V in particular). But the honours go to Ethan and to Erik.

Mr Quantick worked and worked and worked – (mostly) calmly receiving and carrying out the constantly barked instructions of his defensive and midfield colleagues whilst creating chances in the tiniest of spaces (and a splendid goal) from very, very slim pickings.

In a game where there seemed to be green shirts everywhere, Erik seemed to be the only man free. Off the ball he was like a man possessed, finding space, and giving outlets and options in every part of the park, on it he did what we said – not as we did – the simple things right. At half time he was given instructions to be the link between a pressured midfield and a high striker – he did this superbly and the impact he had was immediate – a worried opposition for the first time in 35 minutes.

Thank you gentlemen - very, very well played.

Champagne also had a few solid nominations but another clear winner. Special mention to Tristan whose relentless pressure in the second half gave the Sunbury back line much to think about, but it was his striking partner Ben whose equaliser from the strangest of starts very nearly saw through the execution of a heist… best summed up by the following nomination “Sharp finish for the equaliser that gave us that most cruel of mistresses…hope.”.

Hope, whilst cruel, remains. No immediate battle for relegation at this stage… Quite the reverse, a battle among peers for who can take the second place slot and that possible promotion.

Of course, this being the era of restructures, teams folding, resurrecting and a Game Management System I can only assume was implemented by Fujitsu, there is every chance we might be promoted to a mixed Lacrosse league next year.

In the meantime, a week off for half term and then Horley on the 24th… which promises to be a fruity one – rest well superhuman players, parents and supporters.