RPHC 5s vs Cranleigh 1s

Well that was quite the warm up. Or ice bath.

Our final home game of the 23/24 season saw a return to the venerable quicksand of St Bede’s. Normally a little better after heavy rain, it was disappointingly dry when we arrived. Clattering hail soon put paid to that issue and replaced with an alternative complicating factor.

The presence of Doc Watson and (returning as the prodigal child) Nick D, who both had the common sense to be carrying golf umbrellas prevented the most severe of head injuries during the worst of the storm. Cranleigh buggered off to the safety of the sports centre - a walkover offense in my view.

Nick’s return after 5 years away from the game and under such dramatic meteorological circumstances caused no small amount of panic as it was surely an indication of divine retribution. We awaited the downpour of frogs, the arrival of locusts and checked water bottles to ensure they were haemoglobin free.

A short delay to allow the ice to melt and a few amusing exchanges between players and officials – one Cranleigh player saying to Ports that the umpires were happy to go ahead and Ports pointing out he was one of the umpires and had yet to reach any such conclusion…

Our opponents were also keen to remind us that they had travelled a long way. Well that’s their fault for living in the bloody Narnia of Surrey, how can somewhere in Surrey be so far from the rest of Surrey?! The 5s skipper testily responded, that yes, we were aware of how far they had travelled… as is every other club when they host one of their home games at 9:30 in the morning, requiring the judicious use of the TARDIS to maintain compliance with league rules… I over emphasise the grump – a largely very nice oppo and a well natured game followed – we were grateful for Ports’ brand of brooking no dissent with one or two individuals though (happily not Richard this week…. and I had forgotten just how disarmingly polite Nick is when appealing…).

Hail cleared – more or less – we still needed an orange ball (sorry Jacob!), we got underway at around 1415.

Some personnel shifts this week – a late cry on from Jules and late cry off, on and off again from PV saw a back three of Nick on the left, Jules in the middle and Ben B on the right.

Flynn and Richard were our screening duo, Pankaj took centre mid, Mike to his left and James C on his right. Snowy and Tristan started up front – leaving Kalyan to roll with them and Matt S to provide fresh legs across the midfield.

The 5s are at their best when they keep the ball, recycle back from tricky situations and make good use of the width, particularly late in the attack. Defensively we communicate well with great support from the midfield and press with structured zonal marking.

So for the first 15 minutes, we went route one, trying the miracle ball down the middle, you could hear a pin drop in terms of communication and we went man to man without talking to each other.

As a result, we were a tad under the cosh. Cranleigh, rather cruelly played several young, tall and fast players high, keeping the back line and the more defensively minded midfielders (Mike) occupied. Their centre forward snuck around the baseline and whenever there was a spare man to sweep, Jules was forced to pick between the devil and the deep blue sea. Somehow, largely thanks to his heroics, some classic N Daniel flat stick tackling and crafty intercepts from Ben, we were holding on. Jacob too got in on the action making fine saves and delivering solid kicking clearances.

The Cranleigh breakthrough occurred via a well taken shortie; a good injection, a slide to the right from the Cranleigh playmaker and he fired a shot off between the runners and between Jacob’s right kicker and Richard’s reverse side into the bottom left of the goal. 0-1.

In spite of this and in spite of the pressure, we were still very, very much in the game… the miracle ball attempts abated (a bit!) and the link up play began to find it’s rhythm. Pankaj, our very own timelord who seems to be able to control the pace of the game just when we need him to, began to do just that… he kept the ball – invited the foul. Kept the ball. Passed the ball. Asked for it back. Kept the ball, won the foul.

Richard, Flynn and James C were in on the action too. James making run after run, tipping the ball beyond the reach of his opponents and somehow always getting back on the end of it. Richard was engaging in a game of “anything you can do, I can do better” and counter-battery firing aerials back at the Cranleigh defenders. Flynn (playing his second game of the day) was doing the most running out of everyone on the park (closely followed by James C) and was everything, everywhere all at once – playing some sublime through balls to the forward pairing. Ben B too was starting to get forward from right back and get it on the distributive action.

Snowy began wresting control of possession back in the oppo 23 and was desperately trying to remind his colleagues to use the width. When he succeeded, Kalyan’s ability to stealthily pop up at the back post, coupled with Tristan’s pace and ability to psychologically (and at times, physically…) bully centre backs was beginning to shift the momentum of the game in our favour.

Pressure told and there followed a succession of short corner attempts – each resulting in another, but the ball never quite finding the backboard. The solution? Don’t use the backboard.

An injection from Richard, which even by his high standards was exceptional. Straight to Snowy’s strong side, a nudge and with the time afforded him by the ball speed – a beautifully executed flick into the top left. 1-1.

Not just a leveller in terms of score line, but a goal of considerable psychological importance. Key midfield playmakers in the Cranleigh side now found themselves supporting their backline, too far (even for their considerable aerials) to link up effectively with their marauding forwards.

The settled play and pressure continued (though Cranleigh were not without their own opportunities) and a second goal for the Priory came from another shortie. This time a strike attempt, re-bound and re-bound – Pankaj quite deservedly in on the action and the scoresheet, 2-1.

Half-time. More of the same please – that is the last 10 minutes of play, not the first 15, keep the bloody ball!

We mostly listened…

We kept up the rhythm of good hockey but the passing was starting to stretch again and Cranleigh were intercepting, countering effectively and making good use of aerials. The back line were under pressure again. Last minute tackling and some excellent sweeping from Ben B at Right Back kept them at bay… they had their chances though – Jacob continuing to make solid saves (backed by his usual brand of excellent decision making – launching forwards or holding back as needed).

The Cranleigh number 8 (and skipper) decided enough was enough. He was done passing, no one else was making use of his rifled through balls, he’d go it alone. And so he did, marching in from outside the 23 – we afforded him a bit too much room but to his credit, he weathered all attempts to tackle him (both legitimately and via his stick – there were at least 3 awardable shorties) and he fired a great shot into bottom corner. 3-2. Uncomfortable.

No matter. There followed the best team goal of the game. Starting with a beautifully delivered free hit from Richard to Snowy out on the left, successive 1-2s with Flynn led the pair in to the D, everyone expecting a final killer ball from Flynn back to Andy… he feinted it, nibbled the ball with his reverse and just whispered it into the bottom right beyond the keeper. Credit to both Pankaj and Kalyan for politely observing the ball over the line… resisting the temptation for an entirely understandable poach! A great goal and a great crowning moment for a super second half performance from Flynn. Or 4th quarter performance over the course of 140 minutes of hockey in a day!

4-2. Nerves calmed. But not for long. The standard, deliver the ball to the oppo centre forward not our undoing this week, instead, chaos. Credit to Cranleigh for constant, jinking runs, swapping channels, right to left and back again. This forced the back line and defensive midfielders into all manner of cat and mouse action. Nick D was frequently dangerously close to the halfway line and an accompanying nosebleed, Mike J was often finding himself sweeping (despite being in midfield) and Jules managing to mark as many players as the moment required.

The third Cranleigh goal was as much a product of this chaos as anything else. The ball was fired into the D with no contact from either side… some thought the free hit was inside the 23 so awaited the award of a 16, the ball not having travelled 5. Only it didn’t come – I can only assume it was, in fact, outside the 23. The result was absolutely no call to Jacob as to whether to leave it or kick it, he wisely stopped it and awaited instruction. That sneaky, baseline marauding centre forward was there though, and he managed to slam it through his pads. 4-3. Squeaky. Seriously squeaky.

We almost got the buffer back though, Matt S with a superb piece of individual work. Hassling, hassling and hassling some more, he dispossessed the Cranleigh skipper, and disappeared up the pitch like an Exocet. Weathering the defensive efforts of the oppo Right Back and Centre Back he managed to get a shot away – alas wide of the of the left post.

Great work from Tristan with a jinking run on the right very nearly gave us the insurance we craved too – alas his well played square ball to Snowy didn’t chime with his usually immaculate striking instincts and the attempt ran wide of the left post.

The final 10 saw wave after wave of attack from Cranleigh (and from the Priory Men). Space and time for the forwards, terror and running for the backs. We held on though, by the end many of us not knowing which way was up.

A 4-3 win against top of the league Cranleigh.

A big thank you to the management and supporters club in the form of PV and the Doc and thanks as ever to the umpiring duo of Dappy and Ports.

Narrow margins this week for Man of the Match with three very deserving individuals carrying the lion’s share of the nominations. Pankaj and James C joint second, both had excellent games, Pankaj’s vision and passing was second to none as was James’ work rate. But it was Flynn that bags the honours this week – a quiet start built and built and built into a sublime second half performance and well deserved goal - well done fella!

No surprises on the champagne, that rocket of a flick from Snowy (special mention to the immaculate injection from Richard).

One more to go – 6th of April for a little trip down the M3, let us make it one to remember!

PS – special mentions to 5s stalwarts Hoody and Monty for sterling 4th XI performances – a cheeky goal for M too!